I've got a topsider, an MB oil filter, and 8 qts of Mobil 1 15W50.
The filter only came with one o-ring, the one for the filter cap. Do I need more o-rings?
Any other tips from those who have done it?

I had an early change done and the invoice show a "RING, GENERAL" P/N 007603-014106 at the cost of 60¢.

It also show only 6 quarts of oil. You might want to put in 6 wait a few minutes and check the dip stick.

You only need the one O-ring. The manual I think says 7.4 qts. I have done my first oil change myself. I know that I put in over 7 qts., but I don't know exactly how much it was. Also, I drained the oil, so I may have gotten more of it out than the topsider will. So you may want to start with 6, but if you think you got all of it out, it should take over 7 qts.

Measure before and after using the topsider and don't replace more than you remove to start. You can also figure out the efficiency of the topsider and I'm curious about how well it does.

Thhanks, guys! I'll report back most likely tomorrow, after I do the change!!
* I read somewhere that the topsider actually gets more oil out than draining does. I am skeptical about that, but we'll see.

Why are you skeptical, that is how your dealer does an oil change.

Everything a dealer wrench does is for speed. That is how they make $$.

That is why you should be even more skeptical.

I'm sure it might be capable of removing more oil, but you have to get the tube in the right spot to collect all the oil. I heard that MB's oil pans now have a low spot right where the dipstick comes down and the tube will go straight to that low spot and collect almost all the oil. I don't know how true that is. But, yes, the dealer does it this way for speed, not effectiveness.

The dealer does it that way for speed AND effectiveness. The dipstick tube in all MB nowadays is meant to be the straw. If you are sticking your topsider tube all the way down to the pan, you are making it less effective. A quality extractor will attach to the top of the dip stick tube like shown below:

My dealer doesn't use that. There is a tube that they stick down the dipstick tube to suck it out. How much pressure do you need on that thing to suck all the oil out?

I recently drained the oil from my 2002 C230K and changed the filter. I measured the oil that that drained out after 4 hr and and a little over 7 qts was recovered. There was 1 o-ring in the filter package and the dealer gave me a new drain plug washer. Why this does not agree with the stated capacity in the handbook or capacities stated by people in the forum I do not know but I am curious. Seven qts in and and the dipstick and computer say OK.

You cannot drain ALL the oil because some remains in passageways, tubes, depressions in the head casting under the valve cover, and a thin film on the parts its intended to protect. .5 quart can be normal. You'd be surprised how much remains at the bottom of the pan even after draining from the plug. Always warm oil before draining to maximize flow, minimize residual, and suspend solid particles.

I used one of the "cheaper" topsider on my friends M Coupe last weekend.

We got over 7 qts out.

Which is about what you would expect if you were to drain it for 2 or 3 hours.

Also when the oil filter was removed, we were able to suck up the remaining oil in the housing using the topsider.

Total time to change oil was about 30min because it was the first time we used it and we didn't know you were supposed to keep pumping.

as an experiment we opened the drain bolt to see if any more oil came out and in about 10min we got 1/5th of an oz at best.

But YMMV

Dakar - cool D. Yellow M Coupe.

You think that is a lot of body roll? That looks like a pretty tight autocross course, and not a lot of body roll.

I got a little over 7 quarts out, believe it or not. I pumped the topsider up several more times after it started slurping against the bottom of the pan.

I'm pleased with the results.... a very easy DIY project.

Red, what brand and model of topsider do you have? Is yours the tube kind that goes all the way down to the bottom of the sump? Where did you get it?

Bob,
I got my Topsider ($44.99) at Overtons, a boat supply place. It works really well.
http://www.overtons.com/cgi-bin/over...il.cgi?21664++

I also used this web page as a guide.
http://www.leonoff.net/pages/slkpages/oilchange.html

On the Coupe, the cover that conceals the oil filter is held on by spring clips, and just "pops" off. Most cap-style filter wrenches can get the cap off - my size #7 was a little too big.

It's a fun project for we "tinkerers".

Red, thanks for the info. That's the unit I want to get, too. A couple follow-up questions, please. Did you siphon your oil from the dipstick tube? Or from the Oil filter opening... I'm being dense, sorry.

If from the dipstick tube, can you measure your topsider's clear vacuum hose and tell us what outside diameter it is? That Dipstick tube is not very big in diameter.

Bob,
I siphoned from the dipstick tube. It's skiinny, but the Topsider's probe is only about 6mm (roughly 1/4") in diameter. (outside diameter)
It takes a good 10-15 minutes for it to suck all of the oil out, but the hose is clear, so you can see what's going on.
glad to be of help,
Josh

Thanks for the clarifications, RedC230K. I figured that tube had to be small. 10-15 minutes isn't too long to wait, either. When draining from the lower plug, I would wait that long anyway for the dripping to stop.

And it will just take longer as we get older.:p

Any of you try/own the Griot's Garage oil changers?

Hand Pump:
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=10122

Compressor:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?SKUupsell=10186

These seem really nice - especially the pneumatic one.

Also - any leads on dipsticks costing less than a wheel?

D'oh! LOL! You're bad, Lynn... just... BAD!