Bos

Well, it looks like I might be facing an oil consumption issue with the Coupe. For some background, the car currently has 4200 miles on it and I had MB change the oil at roughly 3100 with Mobil 1 that I brought. Last night I received two check oil level malfunctions during two separate driving periods. I of coursed checked the oil level several times from the OBC each time, which indicated everything from 1.0 – 2.0 quarts low. After a quick look at the manual and remembering a previous post regarding the presence (or lack thereof) a dipstick, I decided to check. Being dark at this point and having little more than a flashlight to work with, I couldn’t make heads or tails as to the actual oil level, but indications were that it was indeed low. Final decision, add a quart and contact MB first thing today.

Upon explaining my predicament to the MB service manager his first thought was a faulty sensor. We both agreed that the actual level needed to be checked to ensure no over filling, so I paid them a visit. He brought out the long “shop dipstick”, but it turns out the Coupe (or at least my car) has a functional dipstick. Final prognosis, the car was still a half-quart low even after adding the one-quart last night. This means I’ve gone through 1.5 quarts in roughly 1100 miles. Not good!

So you know, the functional dipstick is a stiff, but flexible cable type assembly with a red measuring end on it. The top of the red portion has an arrow that indicates full with the other end indicating a quart low. Said another way, if the oil level is half way up the red measuring portion, you’re a half-quart low.

He is going to place some calls and see what he can find out, so it’s wait and see. Obviously I’m more than a little concerned at this point. There are no visible oil leaks and given the extended break in period I observed, this engine should be as tight as can be. Not to state the obvious, but you fellow Coupe owners should check your oil religiously. Anyway, as things progress I’ll keep everyone posted and hopefully there will be a satisfactory solution the problem.

tommy

I took mine in with about 4200 on the clock, and it was down over a quart. It's been a couple of weeks, so I'll check the level sometime over the next couple of days. I was used to weekly oil level checkups with my '90 crx, but was thinking that those days were behind me.

I hope that it's not a big problem with your car. I think that someone posted that all ccoupes have the actual dipstick, if memory serves. Good luck.

Bos

I know, I know... Orion is the only color! Actually, mine's silver.

Bos

I just got a voice mail from the Service Manager and according to MB there is no known issues with increased oil consumption. Long story short, they're going to look at it next week to check everything out and we'll go from there.

MarkL

Bos, here's a question. During the first 3100 miles, before you had the oil changed, had you noticed any drop in oil level? Did you get the malfunction, and, did you check the oil level with the computer occasionally? If so, and everything appeared normal, then why would the engine start using oil immediately after the first oil change? That seems a bit coincidental, although if you're not seeing a leak anywhere, it's a mystery.

Did I hear that the C230 comes with a blend of synthetic and regular oil? This seems different from the sedans which I believe have full synthetic. I wonder if there's actually a problem removing the blended oil "early" and going to full synthetic?

Mike T.

It's strange that the first 5000 km were apparently covered with under 1 L of oil consumption (assuming the engine's oil level sensor was not malfunctioning then and you had actually consumed over half the oil in the sump before the oil change), and after the oil change the problem would start.

In any event, .85 L/1000 km is WAY too much. Any car that's over 0.5 L/1000 km is outside of most manufacturers' tolerances.

If an engine is going to fail catastrophically due to a material or manufacturing defect, it'll likely do so at a low mileage, so this is another possibility.

Good luck - I'm certain it'll be made right for you.

Bos

Unfortunately I did not, nor find cause to, check the oil level during the first 3100 miles. At this point I wish I would have, but oh well. As for the blended oil to synthetic theory, I too believe the Coupe gets the blended, but a potential issue changing early? Not sure, but I had the very same thought, so only time will tell. I can say that the more I thought about this last night, the more I wondered whether MB screwed up the initial oil change. Although it seems inconceivable that I would get shorted a quart, stranger things have happened. I’ll keep everyone posted, and thanks for the feedback.

Buellwinkle

At about 4,000 miles the dash gizmo said I needed to add a quart but when I checked it with the special black car (sorry, no Orion Blue, or is that Young Blue) dip stick it showed about half way between the top and bottom marks which has always meant perfect to me. The dealer looked at it and said that I was a half quart low and added it for me but they didn't feel that it was 100% necessary.

mleskovar

My understanding is you do not blend synthetic and fossil oils....they do not mix.

Mike T.

Synthetic motor oils are compatible with refined engine oils - same with common gear oils. They utilise the same chemical base. Most synthetic oils even state right on the container that they may be mixed with non-synthetic oils.

The only exception to this rule that I'm aware of is for castor-based oils - they don't mix with either refined mineral oils or synthetic oils. Applications for castor oils are rear axles of cars with worm drive (e.g. Peugeot 403 and 404) and some hardcore British classic car buffs that use Castrol R40 in their engines. If castor oils and other oils are mixes, an aerated mayonnaise results, with zero lubricating properties.

levish

1qt every 1000km seems mighty high to me

I know it's not the same car and there's a lot of variance from car to car but my 1.8T burned no measureable amount of oil when new. Actually it never burned more than .5 qt at the regular 5,000 mile oil change intervals. The only time it did seem to burn close to 1 qt between intervals was for the first schedulded oil change when the dealer used their own oil (they also over filled).

Since then I have done my own maintenance (with Mobile 1 after the 10,000 mile change) and low and behold no more "measureable" burning of oil