Is your Mercedes OM617 engine showing signs of an oil leak around the oil filter housing? Don’t worry, this is a common issue often resolved by replacing the oil filter housing gasket. This guide will walk you through the process, allowing you to tackle this repair yourself. We’ll focus on a W116 300SD model for this demonstration, but the principles apply to other models with the OM617 engine. Before we begin, it’s crucial to ensure your safety and have the right tools at hand.
First, and most importantly, drain the engine oil. This step minimizes mess and ensures a cleaner working environment as you work on the oil filter housing. Removing the oil filler cap can aid in the drainage process by allowing air to circulate freely.
With the oil drained, the next step is to access the oil filter housing. You’ll need to disconnect the oil cooler lines that are attached to the housing. These lines circulate oil to the oil cooler, and disconnecting them is necessary to remove the housing. For this, you will require wrenches. A thin 24mm wrench is essential to hold the fittings steady while you loosen the nuts on the oil cooler lines. A 27mm wrench is needed to turn the nuts themselves. These cone wrenches are often available at bicycle shops and are ideal for this task.
Once the top oil cooler line is loose, you’ll typically find clamps securing the lines. On models like the W116, there are usually two sets of these clamps. Loosen these clamps to provide enough slack in the lines, allowing you to move them out of your working area and gain clear access to the oil filter housing.
With the oil cooler lines disconnected and moved aside, you can now proceed to remove the oil filter housing, replace the old gasket with a new Mercedes Oil Filter housing gasket, and then carefully reassemble everything. Ensure all connections are tightened to the correct torque specifications to prevent future leaks and maintain optimal performance of your Mercedes engine. Regular maintenance, including timely gasket replacements, is key to keeping your vintage Mercedes running smoothly for years to come.
