Pat Ryan

Just bought a 2002 CLK 55 and want to change the motor oil myself. I know to use Mobil 1 synthetic, what else should I know about?

cindyclk

All you need to know is here...good luck!
http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/OilFilter2

Chappy

Use OEM filters and change it every 5K miles.

ohlord

the reset procedure for the fss system in your manual and to get the filter and air filters while you are at it from autohausaz.com if you want to avoid getting ripped off by the dealer parts dept.
ohlord

Pat Ryan

Thanks, I changed the oil this weekend. I bought a pump that attaches to a power drill to remove the oil. You can get some good deals on oil filters on Ebay. Thanks again for the link.

da_guitarist

how was that power drill oil pump??

Pat Ryan

Worked great. I purchased the pump from Lowes which is designed to hook up to a garden hose. I then found fittings in the plumbing department to reduce the pump to fit a 3/8th poly tubing. This 3/8th line will fit down the tube the dip stick is in. It pumped the oil out in about 5 minutes. Nothing to it!

SoCalCLK

Glad to hear that it went well. Did you use 0W-40 or 5W-40?

da_guitarist

good question socalclk....i was thinking about using the mobil 1 5w40, but it says it's best for diesels...is there another type of 5w40, or does this one still work well for us?

SoCalCLK

I heard Mobil 1 5w40 is perfect for our 5.5L cars. It's what they put in my car when I had the oil changed at the Mercedes of Long Beach dealership.

da_guitarist

yeah, now it looks like they only have 5w40 for turbo diesel applications. Anyone know if this is the exact same as the previous 5w40?

Stiggs

I was always told to use 0W-40

Chappy

Yup....0w40 IIRC, but since I don't change my own I haven't noticed any changes on the paperwork lately.

jpohl402

See thread:
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/234990-oil-change-independent.html
Post here or there........

MarcusF

One thing I really like about ExxonMobil is they post their specs. Forget the numbers on the oil for a minute, and lets look at their specs. We can all agree lubrication is what keeps expensive parts from wearing each other out. For example; Main bearings last hundreds of thousands of miles, as long as there is a layer of oil between them and the crank. Remove the oil and the bearings will quickly wear out. Lubrication is dependant on flow. Viscosity, as it’s measured in motor oil, is a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow, or it’s "thickness". That "thickness" is quantified in centiStokes (cSt), which was named after Stokes Law for Friction. The normal operating temperature for motor oil is 100˚C. Attached are two Mobil1 product data sheets from the Exxon Mobil website. One for Mobil1 0W40 and the other for Mobil1 5W40. At 100˚C, Mobil1 0W40 is 14 cSt. Mobil1 5W40 is 14.8 cSt. Both of those ratings are fine. If the motor oil in our engines was always in that range, there would be no wear, and the engine would outlive most of us. But look at the cold start ratings. 0W40 is 78.3 cSt. 5W40 is over 100 cSt. Both are too thick for proper lubrication. That’s why most engine wear occurs during cold starts – the motor oil is too thick to properly lubricate. It’s also why taxis last so long, they’re never cool down. The 40˚C rating is why I use 0W40. Ultimately it's the individual owner's car and they should run whatever they feel comfortable with. I'm just posting why I'm comfortable with Mobil1 0W40. The difference in wear may be minimal, but I want it minimal in my favor. Aside from that, Exxon Mobil says 0W40 meets Mercedes-Benz’ 229.5 specification. They don’t say that about 5W40.

Pat Ryan

I used Mobil 1 10W-40 fully synthetic. I did not know about the 0W-40. If you want maximum lubrication and protection, why not add STP oil treatment?I can't imagine STP would harm the engine, but this is my first Benz and this is all new to me.

MarcusF

STP oil treatment is regular 50 weight engine oil (including standard additives) with zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) added.

For additional potection, one can also use any of a number of Mobil1 oils that don't meet the ISLAC GF-4 spec where phosphorus must be under 800 ppm. According to the Mobil1 product sheet, Mobil1 0W-40 doesn't meet it (1000 ppm), and neither does the Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40 (1300 ppm). However, according to Exxon Mobil, the 5W-40 truck formula was/is scheduled to be changed "early in 2008".

ohlord

0w40 meets all mb specs including the all important 229.3 or 229.5
no need for any additive
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/oil.html
fleece oil filter $14 at www.autohausaz.com
note don't use the 0w30 wt syn even though it meets spec if you are running an amg engine
ohlord

jpohl402

Do you have to reset anything in computer after you change the oil yourself?

Pat Ryan

I didn't see anything. I can check the oil level in the dash and it indicates level is fine.

MarcusF

After the service, the FSS counter should be reset. Per the 2002 manual, this is how it's done:

Pat Ryan

Thats right MarcusF. I found the FSS (Flexible service system) and reset the service interval which indicates service in 10000 miles. jpohl402 asked if anything HAS to be reset, but I think this is for your own personal reminder. Interesting that I found this info on page 110 and 111 in my operaters manual, but its on page 113 in your manual. I have the same year CKL as you, but mine is a 55 AMG. The manual I have says it covers the 320, 430 and 55's. I guess I have alot more reading to do to find out everything my Benz does. Thanks for pointing this out so I can keep track of my oil changes.

jpohl402

OK need some advice - heres the deal w an oil change on E55. Had an independent do the change a few days ago, new filter and drained every drop of oil out, but retained the same drain plugs. I am now hearing that the motor keeps a quart or so of oil in circulation that doesn't get drained. SOO.... originally my electronic oil meter (no dipstick here) said "oil level ok"..... today it says "reduce oil"

What should I do? Thanks......

MarcusF

You have a different manual than any of mine. I have the hardbound original owner’s manual that came with the car, a digital copy that I downloaded from MB USA, and the six digital copies (one for each W208 model year) that were shipped with the MB Service DVD. Aside from your FSS reset info being on a different page, not one of my manuals covers the 320, 430, and 55 in a single manual. In the 1998 through 2002 manuals, the V8’s and V6’s are separate manuals. The 2001 and 2002 manuals combine the 430 and 55. The 2003 manual combines the 320 and the 430, but excludes the 55. Is your manual hardbound, soft bound, or digital?

BTW, you don't HAVE to reset the FSS counter, but if you don't, the annoying "SERVICE A/B -EXCEEDED BY xx DAYS" and the "SERVICE A/B -EXCEEDED BY xx MILES" message will appear every time you put the key in the ignition.

da_guitarist

marcus, you're the man!