Chewed up primary filter gasket??
 

https://i.imgur.com/f6HMNhVl.jpg

Pulled the primary filter that has been on my 91 300D since I bought it.

I was surprised to see the inner seal on the filter so damaged when I pulled it. There were no leaks, no issues, but it sure shouldn’t be like that.

The bolt came out easy.

What could have happened? Just age?!?

If that happened to me, I would remove the filter housing and the lines and make sure no particles got inside because some could have gotten inside where they are not going to be filtered. That means there is a chance that unfiltered particles will get into the fuel injection pump.

Good point, admittedly I didn’t and it has been driving nicely, so either it was clean or the damage was done.

The car seems slightly quieter in terms of the knock that I get at idle. Granted it could be placebo effect. I was somewhat surprised to see how cloudy the plastic on the old Hengst branded prefilter was. The filters must have been on there for quite some time.

The filter in the photo is the secondary filter.

Thanks. Rubber is still chewed up. I thought the other one was the prefilter. Plus the other screen in the tank….

Plastic filter is the primary filter and the spin on is the secondary. But people call things different names.

It is also confusing if you put in a water system in the system.

My Volvo diesel has only one filter the primary.