I noticed a BAD leak (not the usual drip) yesterday and when I checked the oil it looked like maybe it was blowing out the dip stick. There was slatter in that area. Is it possible that can happen?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Make sure the breather hose from the valve cover isn't restricted, kinked, etc.

If its overfilled it will push excess out the dipstick tube as well.

__________________


1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Breather hose not blocked but drain from bottom of air filer housing loose and wiggles at both ends. Not overfilled, checked oil last week it was fine today down almost 4 quarts.Good thing these things hold almost 2 gallons! Sounded fine driving yesterday and oil pressure seemed normal.
How do I secure drain line and is there supposed to be a tight seal at filter housung to drain?

There should be an o-ring on the bottom of the air filter housing where the drain pipe attaches. There is a bracket that secures the drain pipe under the manifold. It has probably come loose, which is not uncommon.

The bracket is still on it slides at both ends though. Do I just take it off and put an o ring at both ends and put it back on? Do I have to drain the oil first?

Maybe tightening the bracket will help. It's not necessary to drain the oil when replacing the o-ring.

Just to be clear there is an o-ring on each end of the drain tube right? Ard if I take the tube off to put on the o-rings oil will not leak out of the lower part of the engine while the tube is off?
Tired of scrubbing my hands for today so I will wait for an answer.
Thanks again, Liz in Los Angeles

you'll be safe to pull the tube off, it wont leak. the o-ring's are on the bottom of the air cleaner and on the nipple on the oil pan. if it's been leaking, you're going to get dirty no matter what trying to get the bolt in the bracket

__________________


1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I replaced my dipstick o-ring when i experienced the same thing - the stick had popped up probably due to crankcase pressure and my neglecting to seat it properly and i lost half my oil while on a road trip. very scary feeling.

i ordered the o-ring from the dealer and when i went to pick it up they just gave it to me N/C - it probably wasn't .10 anyway, but nice of them.

john

__________________
John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

Hard to believe an engine could lose a gallon of oil through the crankcase breather (if I correctly understand what's going on). Maybe it splashed up and out due to the missing lower seal?

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Thanks for the info. Tomorrow I will get the o-rings for the drain tube and the dipstick. I hope the dealer has them. I know they will be pricey but at least I won't have to pay for shipping and wait for them. Wish me luck....

All three of those o-rings are the same size. Any auto parts or hardware store should have them.

If you search the forum you'll find at least a couple of other instances of oil being blown out the dipstick tube. As I recall, one instance was a result of the breather tube being pinched shut but I think there was at least one other instance in which there was never a clear cause given. Your crankcase must have been pressurized somehow.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13