M119 - Oil Filter Cannister Failing to Drain?
 

'97 E420 with 68K miles; have used Mobil 1 since 7.5K miles. Lately, when renewing engine oil filter, have noticed that oil filter cannister remains full of oil, even if allowed to stand overnight. Don't recall it being like this when the vehicle was newer.

Is something that needs to be corrected? Any idea as to what's causing this? TIA.

You WANT it to do this!!!! This is the action where the internal passeges hold oil so the engine is not dry upon start-up.

To do an oil change, just crack loose the bolt and let it sit about 5 min. Then it will drain. The action of letting air in when the oil is hot will allow it to drain.

Do a search here for 'racka-racka' to find out more about this feature. There's a check valve specifically to retain oil in the oil filter housing.

But.... does a problem exist if, after loosening the bolt and waiting several hours, the oil still doesn't drain from the cannister??

If the oil is warm, and you loosen the bolt, it should drain enough to get the filter out without pourning all over the ground. However, I have never just sat and looked at how much stays in.

FWIW, mine has never been full of oil. There appears to be a couple tablespoonfulls of oil in the bottom which I suck out with the Topsider after draining out the crankcase.

Doesn't the 97 model E420 have a drainage plug on the bottom of the filter housing?

Gunter

Thats how it was originally - just a couple of tablespoons of oil.

Now, when the filter element is removed, over 750 ml of oil remains in the cannister... and it doesn't drain out, no matter how long one waits.

I've changed the oil on other vehicles equipped with the M119 and have never encountered this.

Is this accumulated oil indicative of a problem? Faulty check valve?