DUTCH

Did it today with vacuum of the old oil out the dip stick tube.

Only took 5 qts and the vacuum hose was in as far as I could push it. It's supposed to be 8.5 qts. Could there be something blocking the hose from going all the way in?

jimmysanjuan

I tried with my 2013 as well, and found that it did not seem to go far enough. I always did just fine with my 2007 and other cars, but with the combination of the very narrow dipstick tube on the 13, and the inability to get to the bottom of the pan...I went back to draining from the bottom on my oil changes. You'll need a new crush gasket each time.

shortspark

Drain from the bottom is the best way to go but it requires a lot of work taking the oil pan protective plate off. As far as crush washers are concerned you can do away with them forever (as well as the risk of stripping oil pan threads) by installing a Fumoto valve. I have had these valves on several of my cars, although not on my ML yet. They work perfectly and make oil changes and taking oil analyis samples so much easier. Put one on at the first oil change and it is there forever. Get the one with the nipple so you can attach a hose and drain directly to a catch pan. Here is the model for the ML:

http://www.qwikvalve.com/fumoto-f106n-valve.html

I forgot to mention to make sure you get the right mm size.

DUTCH

The WIS calls for vacuum extraction through the dipstick tube, so it must be possible to do it properly that way.

vinceC

The equipment the dealers use has an adaptor the fits the top of the dipstick tube, using the dipstick tube itself as the extraction pipe. It sounds like the ML has some sort of kink in the dipstick tube that is preventing the plastic tube from reaching the bottom of the pan.

DUTCH

Not on this engine in this model. Attached are some notes.

vinceC

Thanks for posting the WIS info. I will say that it isn't exactly crystal clear that a separate extraction tube must be used on a particular engine/model combination. In fact, they actually say to use the extraction method and then insert a caveat. That can be confusing, but, this is often typical.

The question is why you are not able to fully insert your extraction tube.

DUTCH

Good question. Next time I'll try a smaller diameter extraction tube.

HAILERS2

I bought one of these Mittyvac vacuum devices and have yet to use it. Reading this thread I have some doubt that I ever will.

The largest tube that I got from Mittyvac, that will go into the engine tube, is 0.267 and the widest part of the 'dipstick" is 0.301.

I can shove without much effort at all, the MIttyvac tube down into the engine almost twice the length of the Mercedes dipstick tube. I suppose it's just curling around down in the pan and it's anybodys guess where the end of the Mittyvac tube is in the engine.

XK Jaguars have no dipstick but a tube you vac the oil out of. Mercedes should copycat that. But I suspect there's something about the Mercedes method that I don't know about.

Mercedes also should get rid of that cruise control stalk and instead put buttons on the steering wheel like Jaguar does. It's a real joy driving two Mercedes of differnt years with the turn control stalk and cruise control stalk in opposite positions on each car.

Kartergreg

I bought a Mityvac 7201 and changed the oil in my ML a few months ago. As I recall I did have to adjust the tube during the suction process. I think I had to pull it back slightly to get all of the oil out, but I did get about 8.5 quarts. Seemed to work very well for me.

vinceC

Mercedes has used the dipstick tube as the vacuum tube since the W123 chassis of the mid-70s. For some as yet unknown to us reason they seem to have gone away from that on the diesel in the W166 chassis. My gas ML350 seems to be set up to vacuum the oil using the dipstick tube.

DUTCH

The WIS still shows vacuum through the dipstick tube as S-O-P for the OM642 in the W166.

vinceC

With the exception that you posted (from the WIS):

"Depending on the engine and version, engine oil must not be extracted
through the guide tube (1) as the oil dipstick guide tube does not reach as
far as the oil pan base.
Engine oil must therefore be extracted using an engine oil extraction probe. P18.00-2192-01
The engine oil extraction probe must be inserted until contact with the oil pan
base is felt."

As I mentioned, the WIS reads a bit confusing, but does seem to be saying that using the dipstick tube (guide tube) as the probe doesn't work in some cases. Yes, you do still use the dipstick tube to guide a separate "extraction probe".

DUTCH

Which is exactly what I did, and several tries resulted in it feeling like it had hit a hard bottom - i.e. the bottom of the oil pan. Still only 5 qts sucked out. I'll try a smaller diameter probe/tube next time to see if it will go deeper.