So, I'm of a mind to do my own maintenance on my cars if I am able, and a oil change did not seem like it shoulda been this difficult. however this is the first merc motor I've owned and there are some very different things about this one.

getting under the car to take off that plastic plate is kinda a pain, never had something like this on any previous vehicles. Also the oil filter is a rather different design as well, I am use to the canister types that just sorta screw into the side of the block. and I think this is where I went wrong.

So I finally get the plastic plate off and the drain plug out (it was missing the washer, and on very tight, not sure if previous owner or just a bad jiffy lube job) now I unscrew the oil filter, and DOH, I've lost the replacement gaskets that came with my shiny new filter. Oh well, the old ones look good still. yeah, big mistake. Start my car this morning, letting it warm up, I pull outta my parking spot and POP, something made a noise, now my battery fault light is on and I have no power steering. (these cars are very hard to turn without power steering btw) get back into the parking spot and pop the hood.

Oil, so much oil, all over the belt, which had popped off the pulleys, all over the side of the block, pretty much just everywhere. Now I'm standing there wondering how the heck I'm going to get this cleaned up in time to make it to work, its 5:30 am pitch black outside still and freezing. no a good start to a Monday.

as for clean up, will the belt be ok if I clean it up with some soapy water and just wipe down the pulleys or do I need a new belt? Also need to find a kit of Just the gaskets for the filter, the filter is brand new still and looks fine, or should I replace that as well?

Thanks.

 

To be safe, I get a new filter and a new belt.
It's very hard to clean up a multi groove serpentine belt.
DO clean up all the pulleys though before you put your hamster back on it's treadmill.

 

So what actually let loose, the cap on the oil filter housing?

 

Not sure exactly, it was dark and I left it for later, had to get to work. I'll update the post as soon as I know more.

 

ok, just replaced the oil filter with a Bosche, as well as the new gaskets (o-rings) as well as new serpentine belt. even after removing the fan that tensioner was hard to move. only had a little 6" socket wrench, doh!

Both hands to losen the tensioner, then trying to maneuver the belt over the pulley while not allowing the thing to tighten, good times.

 

I suspect the large O-ring was in the wrong groove at the top of the filter housing
Be sure it is in the CORRECT GROOVE ( just above the threads) and lightly oil the O-ring before you install the assembly and tighten it securely
The gasket position here is correct and highlighted in blue !!!

If the O-ring isn't seated in the correct groove just above the threads the oil will spray everywhere upon starting the engine

 

Bingo Red Dog. I made that very mistake …. once. Now about that picture, is that a paper filter?

Les

 

That is a paper filter but it is not my pic.....I only use fleece oil filters !!!!

 

Not the first time someone has done this. In the six years I've been here, this is at least the third time I've read a thread like this.




And MOST of us would never admit to it, so you know this happens more often than that......

 

Buy a can of brake cleaner and carefully spray it on the inside of the belt while its running and it will wash off the oil in the time to empty the can, Enjoy. Wdy

 

The o-ring was in the correct spot, where I went wrong is I had LOST the new rings that came with the new filter, so I left the Old rings in place, yeah DOH. so I replaced everything yesterday. New rings this time.

 

nope not sure, they looked ok to me, one of the reason I chose to try reusing them, I didn't even remove them and put them back, just left em there. The filter was not as snug a fit as the new one, maybe it moved restricting the normal flow and causing too much pressure to build up.

I now need new coolant lines, the reservoir connection is leaking after removing the fan to get to the tension pulley.

 

As long as that top O-ring is in place and good here is no way it's going to throw ANY oil out of the filter housing unless the cap is loose, very loose.
The only other place that could expel engine oil would be the filler cap, it would have to be missing.

You sound as if you are comprehensively inept at doing anything automotive and just shrug it off with a "DOH".
Do your self a favor and find a shop to work on your car, especially the brakes.

 

Hey now be nice
He didn't even have to admit his mistake whatever it was and I give credit to anyone who tries to do a simple task like an oil change
Still unsure what did happen here but it seems he figured it out and problem resolved

 

I was not being snarky or un-nice, really, he should find a shop. I see it as good advice.
Nobody learns anything from a car problem (like this or otherwise) that somehow magically "fixed" itself. Of course it didn't fix itself but something changed and now the initial problem and the fix are both unknown.

 

This sounds pretty snarky and un-nice to me.

Did you read anything in this thread? I've no idea why It leaked the first time, the cap was on, the filter housing was not loose. My only guess is the o-rings either moved when replacing the filter housing or they were old enough to allow oil past. Also the problem did not magically fix its self, I got a new filter, new o-rings, an a new serpentine belt, after cleaning up all the oil, I replaced all the parts. no issues with oil since.

 

So be it. Yes I read it. It is fixed but as you say you have no idea why or how, you list the part replaced.
There is no way the engine will puke oil out from the filter housing if it has that top O-ring in place and the cap is fully tightened. The other O-rings obviously do their sealing but if that top O-ring is good and located correctly, oil (under pressure) is not getting past it.

In your case oil clearly came out of the filter housing.There are only 2 ways that can happen:
1 The O-ring is not there or severely damaged.
2 The black plastic filter cap is not fully threaded in and seated rendering that top O-ring useless.

I just changed the oil on my Crossfire about a month ago and as usual it takes forever to get that final 5mm of rotation to thread in against the seal of that top O-ring

 

I have to go with Nick, here, this is not an engine for the casual mechanic to mess with. It requires care and thoroughness in maintenance. It's fortunate that there was not more serious damage with throwing the belt etc. Saying that, reading the threads on here regarding maintenance is a good start to becoming competent in caring for the car.

 

Well, I did take auto in HS, and i've been playing a lot of car mechanic simulator 2015 on steam...

really guys? its a oil change, not a valve job or blown head gasket (altho I would be tempted to try my hand at both anyhow), I screwed it up by not checking the placement of the o-ring when reinstalling the filter housing, actually it sounds like this is pretty comon on this car. nothing exploded. nothing died. the end, cars good. thanks for your comments.

 

You did say that you did not move the original O-rings and now you say you did, that is very confusing and resulted in your feelings being hurt. The leak you had is typical of a misplaced top O-ring and that is what led people to understand what was wrong. The actual facts lead to a quick solution.