Oil filter is clogging very fast - 230TE (M102)

[ShivaYash]

Dear all,
My car has a bizarre issue. The oil filter is clogging very fast, causing a loss of oil pressure. This has happened three times now. To test the situation, I removed the 'old' oil filter, which had been in for less than 100km, and started the engine, for 7ish seconds, the oil pressure was pegged to 3 bar.
What is causing the oil filter to clog so quickly?

The engine has covered 292k (km) and is original.
I always use 10w40 and a quality filter (Mahle is my preference)
I have completed a few engine flushes, the engine had very noisy lifters (the flushing helped a lot).
Two weeks the head gasket was redone including skimming etc. The engine was clean internally.

The car otherwise runs nicely and pulls very well, a little too well sometimes, it is speedy.

Could it be that the oil pressure relief valve is stuck, letting debris from the pan into the filter?
Or the pickup tube is clogged, owing to the flushes?

I've got on order, coming tomorrow, a new oil pressure relief valve, oil pan gasket and new oil filters.

Has anyone had this type of issue before on the M102 engine?

 

[ajlsl600]

Oil filter clogging.. Take out wash in petrol cut open inspect filter pleats for fod. Residue if none. Its not a disaster next step see if suction screen clogged . Does filter look like its been sucked in from inside.?42 psi is OK. Any rubbish, head gasket scrapings dropped in sump? Wud have to be a fair bit as surface area of screen is designed to allow for that.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

For a start i would only use Mercedes genuine spin on oil filters, or Mann . And i wont tell you what i think of the filter maker thats made yours ...but thats up to you what you use .. and what make of oil are you uesing ? Tell us the filter your uesing right now .?

 

[ShivaYash]

For a start i would only use Mercedes genuine spin on oil filters, or Mann . And i wont tell you what i think of the filter maker thats made yours ...but thats up to you what you use .. and what make of oil are you uesing ? Tell us the filter your uesing right now .?

I've been using Mahle or Hengst, I believe these are better quality than the Mann-made ones supplied by MB.
I have always used 10w40 according to spec MB 229.1 - brand doesn't matter so long as the spec is correct.

I have just installed a Mann filter today, and the Hengst one, very very new, is full of black crud. I will post a photo shortly.

Needless to say, upon fitting the new filter, oil pressure is back up to 3 bar at cold and 1.5/2 bar once warm. Even a slight increase in engine speed pegs the oil pressure back to 3 bar... I just wonder how long this will last before the new Mann filter is clogged again.

Clearly, crud is getting into the filter prematurely. Just need to investigate how and why.

 

[ShivaYash]

Oil filter clogging.. Take out wash in petrol cut open inspect filter pleats for fod. Residue if none. Its not a disaster next step see if suction screen clogged . Does filter look like its been sucked in from inside.?42 psi is OK. Any rubbish, head gasket scrapings dropped in sump? Wud have to be a fair bit as surface area of screen is designed to allow for that.

See the residue/ crud
Lots of it.

Filter is doing it’s job.

 

[ShivaYash]

Oil pressure back to normal with the new Mann filter. To be honest, any new filter would have given this result.

I can only assume the engine flushes have caused this issue.

 

[ShivaYash]

Oil pressure back to normal with the new Mann filter. To be honest, any new filter would have given this result.

I can only assume the engine flushes have caused this issue.

Revs are a little high as the engine is cold...

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Sheva Yash I will tell you what i found when i removed my rocker box .. A number of paint bubbles just hanging inside the rocker cover , these were made up of old black paint from the maufacture process.. just waiting to drop off on top of the rocker gear .Looking at the crud from your old oil filter reminded me of it . It is one area owners of W124 in line 4 pot and 6 pot need to check to see if your valve cover is the same ..So this might be where some of the crud is coming from in the oil filter .

 

[ajlsl600]

What oil cooler u hav on that motor?

 

[ShivaYash]

What oil cooler u hav on that motor?

It's a 230TE so no oil cooler.

 

[ShivaYash]

Sheva Yash I will tell you what i found when i removed my rocker box .. A number of paint bubbles just hanging inside the rocker cover , these were made up of old black paint from the maufacture process.. just waiting to drop off on top of the rocker gear .Looking at the crud from your old oil filter reminded me of it . It is one area owners of W124 in line 4 pot and 6 pot need to check to see if your valve cover is the same ..So this might be where some of the crud is coming from in the oil filter .

Interesting... the head was just off (2 weeks ago) for the head gasket job. My mechanic sent me photos of the work... no paint bubbles to speak of.
I think this whole saga started owing to pilot error, mine, the engine flushes. I am happy I did them but at the same time, I should have dropped the pan and washed it out - I was tempted too but I didn't, owing to my own laziness.

The car is on the ramp this weekend, I will use an endoscope to see the inside of the oil pan. I think it will need to be dropped, cleaned and possibly flushed again, and a new oil pressure valve installed, just as I have one now... let's see.

 

[ajlsl600]

U likely see cause I think that's basically the same eng I had in my 230ge. Basically a fairly bullet proof motor, oil filter housing top of engine?

 

[ShivaYash]

U likely see cause I think that's basically the same eng I had in my 230ge. Basically a fairly bullet proof motor, oil filter housing top of engine?

M102 is a good motor, but it has some weaknesses.
Yes, the oil filter housing is at the top rear of the engine, tucked behind the air filter housing.

 

[ajlsl600]

OK so ur plannin on sump off to investigate suction screen next??