leaking oil filter

JoeHike

Member
Just did my first oil change on our T1N based camper. Replaced the oil filter [replaced all 3 O-rings] and added 9 quarts Mobil 1 0W-40.

After engine had run for a while. Noticed oil leaking. Eventually found that the large O-ring at the base of the filter cap was being bulging out [after the engine started] allowing oil to leak past. Reseated the O-ring, and tightened the cap as hard as possible by hand. Started leaking again. Tightened the cap using a Snap-On belt wrench. Still leaks. Tightened some more [after reseating O-ring], but still leaking.

How tight must the oil filter cap be? I'm scared that further tightening might crack the cap.

Joe
Westy 56
 

shortshort

Dis member
The torque value is molded into the top of the filter cap on mine. There are different spots for that large o-ring to find a home. Make certain you are in the right groove. If memory serves, the proper spot seems like it's wider than it ought to be. It's not quite counter-intuitive, but confusion is always a posibility. At least with me.
 

sssprinters

New member
it is common for these plastic oil filter caps to have hairline cracks, i know mine did, i just ordered a replacement from a dealer, you may need to as well
 

JoeHike

Member
The torque value is molded into the top of the filter cap on mine. There are different spots for that large o-ring to find a home. Make certain you are in the right groove. If memory serves, the proper spot seems like it's wider than it ought to be. It's not quite counter-intuitive, but confusion is always a posibility. At least with me.
Thanks ShortShort. It looks like I had the O-ring too close to the base. It needs to be about a quarter inch away in a groove there. The cap appears to no longer leak. Hope I don't find any other leaks.
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
DSC01207(1) (Custom).JPG
25 Nm torque
DSC01212(1) (Custom).JPG
You will never crack de' cap or over-tighten if the following procedure has been used.
Nor a leak ever.
Richard
 

Leetard

Gnarcissyst
As a warning to DIY sprinter guys. Watch out for after market oil filter seals. I have seen 3 different sprinters leaking around filter with I would assume a cheaper filter. No matter how many times we tried to reseat the seal properly, it would continue to leak. Once we put our mb approved seals on, all was fine and dandy. I can't verify if those seals may have been damaged before hand but it would seem that youare really getting what you pay for here.
 

ircsmith

Squid
where did that wrench come from? I have looked at every local shop and have not found one that fits yet. cant believe I have five wrenches and none of them are the right size.
 

220629

Well-known member

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Here's the wrench i picked up (i believe at Shucks/O'Reilly's/Kragen/Checker/CSK) shown in situ:
OilFilterWrench1.JPG
The *reason* it's in situ is that it's stuck on the cap.
It jammed at the last removal (its second), and hasn't budged since.
(about 7,000 miles, both on road, on washboard, on rocks).
Oh well, i guess i've now got an "easy-off" cap.

--dick
 

220629

Well-known member
...
Oh well, i guess i've now got an "easy-off" cap.

--dick
Kinda makes you wonder why they didn't just give us an OEM cap with the molded in hex flats like yours has doesn't it? It can't cost THAT much to add a regular wrench feature to a cap. vic
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Kinda makes you wonder why they didn't just give us an OEM cap with the molded in hex flats like yours has doesn't it? It can't cost THAT much to add a regular wrench feature to a cap.
I could see that providing adequate flats might encourage over-torquing by Bubba
Seriously, it would also require substantially increasing the thickness or buttress ribbing across the top of the cap, to convey the central torque stresses safely to the rim. Otherwise the cap would fatigue-crack long before its expected 40 to 100 removal/replacement cycles are done.
This is one of those cases where a $5 tool (which can be used on your entire Sprinter fleet) is probably a reasonable compromise, and reduces the seductive thought of "spinning it on" with an air wrench...
--dick
 

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