Is anyone getting a lot of oil leakage from the top of their 617 oil filter canister?
 

After the last few oil changes, I've noticed a pretty healthy leak coming from the top of my oil filter canister. I always use the Mann filter and it's O-ring. Is anyone else having this issue? I'm wondering if the O-rings aren't being manufactured to the same spec as before. Maybe my oil filter canister has become slightly warped with age. Would soaking the O-ring in a solvent overnight swell the rubber enough to make for a tighter fit? Thanks

Are the studs still on tight? Maybe they're spinning with the nut so the lid isn't properly tightened. I'd be tempted to smear RTV on the lid and canister surfaces to help the o-ring. The type that doesn't harden.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

Either or both are possible.

Trying another brand of Oil Filter with the different O-ring would answer one of the questions.

Anything that would swell the O-ring might damge it.

My 84SD has leaked since the last oil change. I never noticed it before and thought the o-ring was installed wrong but haven't investigated.

The only time I had a leak was when a vacuum hose was inadvertently caught under the cover, and that was massive - as soon as I started the engine. The oil filter lid appears to run at the outlet pressure of the pump (~50 psig), so easy to get a leak. But, the technology of an O-ring captured in a groove as a "face seal" is a sound design and usually gives no problems even at 1000 psig. Check that the cover is flat and has no tiny cracks.