Air Filter Oil Return pip - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sashal · #1 11-25-2007, 05:25 PM

I am trying to locate an oil leak near the front right of my engine. The pipe that connects to the bottom of the air filter and then down to the oil pan really wobbles. I have cleaned the area up and am going to be trying to monitor where the oil is coming from.

But I am also curious how much this pipe should wobble. I would imagine that it needs some bend to make sure that it connects into the airfilter hose but this thing is wobbling a good 1/4" in each direction. It is hard for me to imagine how the bottom connection into the oil pan could possible be secure with this much wobbling. Do your oil return pipes wobble a lot?

Thanks for your help,
Sasha

PS A previous owner did the RTV over the turbo drain pipe fix..

dmorrison · #2 11-25-2007, 08:02 PM

The pipe should not wobble. There is a mount about half way down the pipe. It is common for the fitting to brake off the pipe. I just had to weld the fitting back on my son's new 300D.
It usually breaks for 3 reasons.
1 The pipe is not reinstalled into the air filter outlet and rattles untill it breaks.
2 The air filter bracket breaks and shakes like crazy and breaks the tube mount.
3. The air filter rubber mounts break and causes the same as in #2.

Dave

sashal · #3 11-25-2007, 08:49 PM

How did you get to that mount? There is sort of a pipe mount that attaches to the same bracket as the turbo. Did you have to remove your turbo to get to that pipe?

Mine actually moves up and down about 1/2" at the place where the pipe connects to the oil pan. Is that also something that shouldn't be there?

bodyart27 · #4 11-25-2007, 09:09 PM

dealer can get you the part.

Pretty close to half way down the pipe that runs from the bottom of the air filter assembly down to the oil pan you will see that the pipe has a half inch section that is extra fat - that is where a clamp should be. The clamp (if I remember correctly) is 10mm. It is a bolt that is threaded only half way (so you don't overtighten) and there is a 10mm nut on the back. See the attached pic - look dead center you can see the head of the bolt. A ratching wrench really comes in handy for this clamp.

(you are lucky I didn't mind sliding under the car tonight to get you that pic!)

To give you some orientation - the verticle tube on the right is the oil return line from the turbo that goes into the oil pan. The thing at the bottom is the top of the engine shock.

hope that helps!

sashal · #5 11-25-2007, 10:02 PM

You are right - I am very lucky. That was above and beyond the call of duty.

I was trying to get that bolt off tonight and not having any luck. I definitely did not notice that the pipe was thicker in that region. I will get under the car tomorrow and see if I can get it off.

Thanks again,
Sasha

dmorrison · #6 11-26-2007, 12:28 AM

Bodyart27's picture shows the tube and the location where the bracket is welded to the tube. As the tube goes behind the flat metal piece where the bolt attaches it to the holder is where the flat piece of metal is welded to the tube. Remove the tube and bracket and weld it back on the tube. Grind it clean and I painted mine with some POR-15.

Also where the tube goes into the air filter AND where it goes over the receiver tube on the oil pan are 2 Orings each. They are small and should be there otherwise the oil going down the tube will just go past the oil pan receiver and all over the bottom of the engine.

Dave

PS It might be possible to put a hold down piece of metal over the tube and bolted to the bracket to hold the tube in position. I have a welder so I ust reattached the bracket to the tube.

PPS To remove the tube I had the battery tray out ( may not be necessary) and removed the sheetmetal "heat shield" next to the tube. To get it out I twisted and move it towards the front right tire area.

sashal · #7 11-26-2007, 05:14 PM

I will see if I can get better access with the heat shield removed but I am fairly certain that I am going to have to remove my turbo if I want to get to that bolt. It has already been rounded by someone and I can barely get to it.

Is removing the turbo a nightmare?

bodyart27 · #8 11-26-2007, 05:22 PM

I don't think I'd do that.

If the bolt is really jacked-up (technical term) you could always take a dremel and cut / grind) the head of the bolt off and then the bolt would just push through the clamp. The bolt (if it's original) only has threads half way down the bolt. The bolt is not threaded into the mount it self. With the nut off the back for example, the bolt will literally fall out of the mount.

There is a nut on the back of the bolt (10mm I believe). If you can put a pair of pliers on the bolt head and get a ratcheting wrench on the nut on the back of the bolt you're home free.

I'd grind of the little bolt with a dremel (3 min job and costs you one new bolt) vs time to take the turbo off and risk breaking something during dis-assembly.

my vote...

fdanielson · #9 06-08-2010, 12:14 PM

Like many folks with 617 engines I have the same loose oil drain line. Last time I did work on that side of the motor I tried to see what the deal was with the mount but since they cleverly hid it behind the turbo bracket it is hard to see. Even though this thread mentions what sounds like an integral mounting tab that needs to be welded back on the EPC shows a clamp (part number A1279950401) as item number 176 in the attached picture.

Is this one of those things that could go either way and I have to see what mine has or should I be OK to just order the replacement clamp in advance of the scheduled afternoon in the driveway?

tangofox007 · #10 06-08-2010, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdanielson

Is this one of those things that could go either way and I have to see what mine has or should I be OK to just order the replacement clamp in advance of the scheduled afternoon in the driveway?

Order the clamp. Or buy one at a hardware store. You aren't dealing with a precision part here.

But before doing that, make sure your original clamp isn't still on the drain tube; usually it's just the nut/bolt that falls off.