How do I remove oil filter housing from my 2003 VW Eurovan? The allen wench bolt stripped out even though I used the right size allen wrench.

It is about 3/8 just test till you get a snug fit.
this is important use a pipe or tube over the end of the allen wrench to make it longer. The extra leverage will allow you to break it loose without stripping the hex bolt which can be done very easily. Then you never get it out.

mike

- When removing the plastic belly pans, don't assume all the fastener bolts are the same. They're all torx but there are actually three types...one type is obviously unique because it has grey bolt heads with washers. The other two types are black pan-head bolts. But of the black pan-head bolts there are two thread types so it helps if you can keep track of the few that are different (I drove myself crazy when I thought they were all the same because they wouldn't fit). The grey and black bolts are different torx sizes too, though I didn't think to make note of what the sizes were.

- A 6mm hex bit or allen wrench is needed to drain the oil out of the filter assembly.

- A 36mm socket is necessary to remove the fluted cup that holds the oil filter. Also really helps to have a long extension (e.g. 10") for the socket wrench. There's a high-pressure hose that partially blocks access to getting the big socket on the filter cup, but it can be gently pressed out of the way. Be careful though, it could be easily knicked or damaged if you get too rough with it.

- The filter and cup that holds it are snapped together and apparently have to come out together. Unfortunately, the unit won't come out straight down after you've unscrewed it because there's not enough space for it to fit. I had to snake it out by moving it forward through the engine compartment. Very frustrating. Also, I found that the job of getting the filter out was really messy so be prepared by wearing old work clothes or whatever. Even after draining the oil out of the filter assembly with the filter drain plug, there is still oil left in the cup, so when you manuever it out of the engine it spills quite a bit.

- The drain plug on the oil pan is 19mm but there's not enough clearance to get a socket on it so I had to use a box-end wrench (open-end wrench would obviously work too).

That's about it, otherwise it's straightforward as you'd expect an oil change to be. If I think of anything else I'll add it later.

First check and see if the seal on the filter lines up right. Use your filter wrench to snug the filter a little extra. Try to put a manuel oil presure gauge on it. If this fails Im assuming having just rebuilt the engine you have a manuel. Check it out and find out where your oil pressure regulator is. Its probably sticking.

here's the whole process
Start the engine and let it idle in neutral until the radiator fan goes on. Hotter oil drains more completely. Shut off the engine and let the oil drain into the drain pan for five minutes.

2 Unscrew the engine oil-filler cap. You don't need to remove it, since you just want air to get in so the oil can drain. The engine oil cap is labeled SAE 5W-30 and is on the right side of the engine toward the front for both the V6 and the V8 engine. The dipstick is an inch or two away on both engines.

3 Slide under the car engine and locate the oil drain bolt. It will be the lowest point on the engine. Don't mistake the transmission fluid drain plug for the oil drain bolt. You can tell them apart because the metal around the engine oil drain bolt will still be hot.

4 Loosen the drain bolt counterclockwise with a crescent wrench. If it doesn't budge, use a closed end wrench for a better grip. Slide a drain pan under the engine oil drain bolt. Unscrew and remove the drain bolt by hand. Work on the oil filter while the oil drains.

5 Identify the oil filter as baseball sized; a cylinder about as tall as it is wide. It will be on the underside of the engine. Orient your oil filter wrench to grip when turned counterclockwise, if it's the type that has an oriented grip. (Some oil-filter wrenches grip when turned one direction but not the other.) Fit the oil filter wrench over the oil filter. Turn it, preferably with a socket wrench, though a crescent wrench suffices. The male socket goes in the center hole of the oil filter wrench. Just loosen the filter with the wrench. Unscrew and remove the filter by hand.

6 Screw the drain bolt back in, after draining for an hour. If you use a torque wrench, make sure to tighten to 29 foot-pounds. Edmunds recommends replacing the washer, since drain bolt washers are compressible and wear out fast.

7 Remove the O-ring that seals between the filter and the engine. Clean the engine cavity with a rag, including rubber O-ring residue. Coat the new O-ring on the new filter with clean oil, hold it in the cavity and screw the new filter on manually until you feel some resistance. Set the oil filter wrench to grasp clockwise. Place the oil filter wrench on the new filter and turn clockwise an additional 2/3 revolution. Be careful not to overtighten, which can lead to an oil leak. For the oil filter, use GM part 25177917 or ACDelco part PF2129 for the 3.6L V6, and use GM part 89017342 or ACDelco part PF61 for the 4.6L V8.

8 Pour six quarts of motor oil in the refill cap opening of the V6 engine and eight quarts. into the V8 engine. Cadillac recommends that you use only an oil that meets GM Standard GM4718M. Otherwise, you could cause engine damage that is not covered by your warranty. Cadillac also recommends using SAE 5W-30 viscosity oil, with the API "for gasoline engines" starburst on the packaging.

9 Check the dipstick, which is one or two inches from the engine oil-filler cap. The oil should come to the cross-hatched area, but not higher. Overfilling can reduce mileage and even harm the engine. Screw the filler cap back on.

10 Start the engine and idle it in neutral until the radiator fan goes on. Inspect the drain bolt and the filter for oil leaks. Take the car off any supports.

11 Reset the engine oil life system after every oil change. Scroll the Driver Information Center (DIC) until it displays "Oil Life." Hold the reset button until it reads 100%.

good luck

no you don't have to remove the oil filter housing. Mercedes Benz has a tool that fits right over the oil filter cap that is inexpensive or you can just use a oil filter wrench. On the in-line 6 cylinder motor its a little harder to fit a filter wrench back there so a claw type filter wrench might be easier to use.The Mercedes filter tool can be found online also.

It's your oil cooler which needs an o-ring replaced. It's pretty simple if you have the right size deep soket to get to it. I don't have the size in mind but I'm sure it's bigger than a 19mm. It's the nut in the middle where your oil filter spins on. If it's on the flange (block area) you'll need a paper gasket and a long allen socket to remove the three allen bolts.

WELL THAT YEAR DOSE NOT COME WITH 1.9 BUT ANY WAY IT SHOULD BE UNDER CAR NEAR RIGHT AXLE OR LEFT SOME TIMES

Jetta GLI figuring it's a VR6 use a 6 mm allen socket to remove the drain plug to empty the oil and reinstall it. The use a 36 mm socket to remove the oil filter housing, replace the seal and torque it to 25nm.

yes but with the right shaped wrenches and tiny hands it can be done without removing the exhaust crossover pipe

So this is what it takes to replace rear brake rotors on a 2003 Mercedes E320;
1) open the bonnet (hood) of the car and loosen/remove the cap off of the brake fluid resevior.
2) remove outer spring clamp from brake assembly (it clips in to the iner edge of the holes of the caliper).
3)using a 7 MM allen wrench, remove the brake caliper.
4) using 18 MM box wrench, remove the caliper housing assembly off of the wheel hub.
5) using a star wrench, unscrew the rotor locking screw from the rotor
6) squirt some liquid wrench on the rotor hub and knock the rotor with a hammer to work the liquid wrench in.
7) using the same hammer, knock the rotor off the hub.
8) using a metal file, lightly file old residue off of the hub and place the new rotor on the hub.
9) set the hub by screwing in the lug nuts and then screw in the hub locking screw using the star wrench, then remove the lug nuts.
10) reinstall the caliper housing assembly onto the wheel hub using the 18 MM box wrench.
11) push back the brake claiper piston to its home position and install the inner brake pad (the one with the snap clips)
12) insert the outer brake pad in the claper housing assembly.
13) slide on the caliper housing with the inner brake pad in place (over the outer brake pad) and screw in the caliper screw rods using the 7 MM allen wrench
14) on the right wheel brakes, DO NOT FORGET to slide in the brake sensor (the one with the black connector) and connect it to the connector on the caliper housing.
15) be sure to reinsert the spring clamp onto the outer brake assembly to set the assembly squarely onto the wheel (there should be no wiggle in the brake assembly after the spring clamps are installed).
16) finally mount the wheels.
17) you can bleed the brakes at this point to release any trapped air (which is unlikely) but be sure to pump the brakes after starting the car BUT BEFORE MOVING IT to re-preassurize the brake system before driving the car.
17) ONE WEEK LATER - recheck brake assembly to ensure all is okay and brake fluid.

This proposed solution is for a 2003 Mercedes Benz E320 and NOT a 2005 model as stated by the limited option selection provided by FIXYA.com when initially describing the problem.