83 Mercedes wix oil filter question

[dieselfumes63]

Wix stocks a 51385 oil filter for my 1983 mercedes 300D. However, this filter is a full flow filter. Every other oil filter I've seen for this engine is a two part filter with the bypass on the top.

Does Wix make a combination filter for this car that isn't listed in their catalog. Shouldn't a bypass filter be used since that's original equipment?

Also, guys down on mercedesshop.com have been cutting open oil filters and have seen lots of what looks like floor sweepings for the cotton bypass portion of the filter, including sticks and bugs. And these were on Mann and Hengst filter, which most people thought were the best available.

thanks
Joe

 

[Gary Allan]

I don't have an answer for you ..but the sticks and bugs thing is pretty ....hmmmm...well, it just makes me come up with visions of "raw" cotton ..they just left the boll weavels in there. They may not use our pesticide methods where they're made.

It sounded good anyway

 

[Ray H]

Higher class sticks & bugs for the filters destined for Benzes...

 

[dieselfumes63]

Well, there's more than a few folks upset down on mercedesshop.com that their good filters maybe aren't so good. The concern with the sticks, rocks, and bugs in the bypass portion of the filter is they are afraid maybe oil could tunnel through with little or no filtration.

The wix filter is full flow and that has people concerned that they are giving up the bypass function of the filter. I really want that bypass portion of the filter there. I'm not sure why Wix went to the full flow.

I think one person found a bypass filter that looked good, but then someone bought the same exact filter and it was of the same sticks and bugs variety. It seems maybe many of these filters are being made in the same factories, all to the same quality specs, or lack thereof.

And for many of us with early 80's diesel mercedes, even the OEM filters seems to have the same issue.

Thanks for any help or light you guys can shed on this problem.

Joe

 

[Gary Allan]

Baldwin makes a combo filter for this application.

PART NUMBER: P102

Descriptions : Microlite 2-Section Full-Flow/By-Pass Lube Element with Bail Handle
Contains : Grommet Seal Between Sections
Fits : Mercedes-Benz Buses, Trucks
Replaces : Mercedes-Benz 6171840025, 6171840125
O.D. : 3 15/32 (88.1)
I.D. : 7/16 (11.1) & 31/32 (24.6)
Length : 7 5/8 (193.7)
F.Gskt : G485
Grommets : [3] Attached