ataie

how hard would have been for Mercedes to just leave the dipstick in the car? it's totally rediculous just to do something so most people are forced to go to dealer for a simple oil change. amazing

Diesel Benz

What do you mean? The dipstick is not needed for DIY oil change. You only need the dipstick tube which does exist on all except very few engines. And even there you can drain the oil yourself too.

When adding oil, just put the amount indicated in the manual, or a bit less and check from the instrument cluster menu.

ataie

so basically it would have been too much trouble to have a stick in there so you can atleast check the condition of the oil. All other car makers are idiots and Mercedes is the smart one for taking the stick out, that way most oil change places will not be able to do the work (or have the knowledge of how much to add), or the consumer to have to look for the 'red' oil light to come on to say hey you're low on oil. Come on people. I've been driving benz for 30 years and love them, but this is an idiot move. 2008 BMW and porsche still have the dip stick. geez

sdunham

Just did a DIY Oil Change last night on my wife's ML320 CDI using MANN Fleece Filter and Mobil 1 0w-40 European Car Formula spec 229.5. Oil was $6.99 a quart ( Exxon Mobil still gouging consumers for Oil products) and Fleece Filter was $10.95... Took 8 quarts on the ML... Still cheaper than Dealer Oil Changes...

vettdvr

Removing the dip stick is another way to say, don't work on your car, bring it to use. We need the $$.

Diesel Benz

It could be what vettdvr says but I would say it is a cost reduction for a pretty useless part when you can read the oil level without opening the hood. The electronic sensor again is a must because most drivers do not check the oil level often, and I'm not aware of many who do it while driving.

Considering most of oil change places, if they do not know how to change oil from an MB without a dipstick, I don't think they should work close to the car. If several owners do it themselves and an oil change place cannot do it, I would make this conclusion.

Anyway, MB has moved back to the dipstick.

2snguyen

It looks like oil change DIY is easy but how to clear the msg on the odormeter: "maintainance service is past due ## days" ?

Clinton Horn

Several weeks ago we made a 1000 mile trip in our E320 and I decided to check the oil level toward the end of the trip. Car has about 6-7000 miles on the last oil change (by me). Car was at full operating temp and about 350 miles into the trip that day. Display says "one quart low". I did not have a quart on me and really not interested in finding some in Bumpusville N.C. so we proceeded home. Checked again after overnight rest and display says oil level adequate or whatever it says when everything is fine.
Question: Is there no incremental readout? Everything is OK and the next message is one quart low?
Also, I have received a different message when checking the level shortly after killing the engine. Something to the effect that sensor needs to wait (for oil draindown?) Not really a big deal, just wondering.
Sort of makes a case for the dipstick IMHO

vettdvr

My guess is you are a bit low on oil but not major. The oil when running is probably right at 1 qt low but the oil is circulating in the engine is not part of the measurement. When you turn the engine off and let it sit overnight the oil that was circulating drains down to increase the level just above the 1 qt mark and you don't get the warning.

Only once since we bought our 03 have we had this indicator. Don't know why the car was dealer serviced. But at 6000 miles we got the qt low warning. We were at Yellowstone. I added a qt and we have never had the light again. It is possible your engine might be using a small amount of oil or the oil you used wasn't quite the viscosity on the label.

Just my $.02 of course, yours may vary.

Diesel Benz

If you measure the engine oil level with the dipstick, you would equally have to wait till all oil reaches the sump (all that should).

Clinton Horn

My point is this:
Who knows what transpires between "everything is fine" and
"one quart low"
I leave on an extended trip and everything is fine.
3/4 thru and I need a quart of oil. At the finish line, everything is fine (again).
With a stick, at the beginning of the trip, if I needed a 1/2 quart, I would pull one from my well stocked larder and add it. Eurospec oil is not exactly as common as a cheeseburger. I don't travel with spare oil. This aint no 1960 Chevy and the engine at 39K gives no indication of burning oil
I change the oil and add EXACTLY 8.5 quarts of oil and After 100 miles of interstate driving, i get red? warning that the car is overfilled. WTF?
Obviously, the sensor is out of calibration or just too sensitive. Am I going to spend hundreds of dollars to find out? Nah. I will use my $20 dipstick.
Next oil change, after exactly 8.5 quarts and filter I intend to check the oil level with a dipstick and record it. On mine I think full is 170mm. THEN I will decide when the engine needs oil. If that happens to coincide with the FSS display, fine, if not, TS

vettdvr

I would agree with you. I would prefer a dipstick also but MB "has a better idea". Depend on electonics for oil level,, after all that should be as reliable as SBC braking . I have had only 1 total SBC brake failure where I had the car towed. So I would expect to not exceed 1 total oil system failure where you get the car towed.

However I did buy the MB "tool?" to check oil in my E500.

You can get the tool much cheaper on ebay if you shop around.

CNEcops?

Still having trouble with going to 10K on oil change. Since the filter is on top and easy to service I was thinking that a Filter Only change at 5k and adjust the level will help me sleep better. Then complete change at 10K.

Any thoughts?

vettdvr

It is your choice but I have run all my cars since 1984 on synthetic oil 10,000 miles. The Mercedes goes 13,000. Not really much different in how I ran my other cars. Only exception is the MB has a much better filter system. Our E500 has 80,000 miles still like a new car and oil / filter service is changed only when FSS calls it out. I only use MB parts and approved lubricants.

If you want to change the filter at 5000 feel free to do so but the MB filter will run you about $25.00 for each change.

Noticed you lived in Mandeville. I live in Slidell.

Clinton Horn

I can add another "won't do that again" to my M-B DIY skills. The Mann filters come with a little picturegram showing you exactly where to position the large O ring at the top of the filter housing. There is a good reason for that which I discovered by carelessly letting the o ring climb to the very top as opposed to one "thread" down. Two quarts of $8 oil blown all over the front of the engine. This was my third DIY oil change. The first two went fine. I won't try to second guess the filter mfg. again.

pinebaron

I have a stack of the special filters for the Bluetec and enough oil for at least five intermediate oil changes. 10,000 mile scheduled oil changes at MB and 5000 mile oil changes I do myself. I made the purchase when I was doing a long daily commute; not any more.

vettdvr

Commuting across the causeway? MB OF NO?

pinebaron

20K miles in 6 months

thekat

Thank you for the excellent post..
Very simple indeed..

tk

martyaddison

Hi,

I purchased a FRAM F1102 plastic filter wrench that is designed to fit caps from 74-76mm. When I place it on my filter cap and try to unscrew the cap counter-clockwise, the wrench slips around the filter cap.

I noticed a small arrow in the filter cap point in a "Clockwise" direction. I just want to make sure that to loosen the filter cap I should unscrew it in a "counter-clockwise" direction.

Also, should I get a different filter wrench? If so, what do you suggest?

Marty Addison
Maddison@***.net
Oceanside, CA

handyovi

So, the oil is normal oil? Nothing synthetic or special? I have been doing the oil changes at the dealer since I had Extended Warranty (100,000 miles) but it will run out soon so, I need to start thinking of doing things like this in the near future.

Great write up!

If we could get a definite answer on how to RESET of the Service Messages, we will be good to go!

SPNJHockey

MOBIL 1 ONLY. Check in the back of your owner's manual - to get the specs for the oil (I think there's a few different kinds of Mobil 1)

For your svc indicator reset - check this thread out...it was started by an '03 W211 owner, so the response to him would probably be good for you.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w211...indicator.html

vettdvr

Mobile 1 0w40 European Formual

paulv

... which is an excellent oil. For those of you who either don't like it or can't readily find it, here's the link to MB fluids specs and you can see that there are many oils that meet the 229.5 (gas engine) spec:

http://bevo.daimler.com/bevolistenma...b83a926a5b3dfd

Regards,
paul...

werewolf34

One important point not covered. When you're refilling the oil reservoir, set aside one of the quarts to pour over and saturate the new oil filter. The filter itself will hold a lot of oil.

Why?

When the engine starts up again, it will pull oil through the new filter. If the new filter is dry, there will be a very short period of oil starvation for the cylinders as the filter absorbs oil. Most damage occurs on startup so this step can be very important.