C-Class (W203) 2001-2007, C160, C180, C200, C220, C230, C240, C270, C280, C300, C320, C230K, C350, Coupe

Oil burning

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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 07:56 AM
  #1  
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2006 ML350 back from dealer after 4 weeks,now back for oil consumption test!,2003 C230 Sport
Oil burning

Hello guys any of you c230k owners with more than 170xxx on motor having any issue with the burning oil. It called for an quart about 1800 miles ago now the light is on again! Do you guys think just the age of motor or an problem thanks for any feedback!
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 10:16 AM
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w203 M111 E20 ML EVO
IN *NO* WAY THE AGE CAN BE THE CAUSE OF THIS! I have about 350.000kms on my benz and it rolls as the 1st day I got it. do u see any oil leak stamps on the floor or the road when the car is parked for a while ?
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 11:57 AM
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2006 ML350 back from dealer after 4 weeks,now back for oil consumption test!,2003 C230 Sport
No I looked around not an drop on the ground. Then the strange thing is that I got the low oil message last nite on the highway. Then about an hour ago check oil the car say that the level is OK. At this point I let it run for about 10min the low oil light never came on!
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 12:30 PM
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w203 M111 E20 ML EVO
hmm ok, do u notice any leakage on your engine ? or is it clean ?
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 12:53 PM
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Some oil consumption is not to be worried about. However, have a good look for leaks. A minor leak can distort consumption drastically. Karo saw no obvious leaks on his car but it was dripping down the back of the engine (C350) & consumption was bad - now fixed.

Do another thing for us & report. Run the car down a long hill against compression (foot off the throttle). At the bottom mash the throttle to the floor while keeping an eye on the rearview mirror. Does the car blow a cloud of blue smoke & then clear? If so you need new valve stem seals. A simple dry & wet compression test will put your mind at rest on rings.
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 12:55 PM
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w203 M111 E20 ML EVO
I'd also advise him to measure the oil manually as it can be a faulty sensor reporting...
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 12:57 PM
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w203 M111 E20 ML EVO
My car asks for even 2.0L of oil more at each change but after a while it's just ok. that's why u have to make sure it's indeed burning oil
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 03:17 PM
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2005 c230 kompressor 2003 s500 94 wrangler
first if u drive alot of miles on highway ur gunna use oil

your cam magnets can be leaking, air pump can be leaking, your main seals can be leaking....and plenty more

i only drive highway and my car reads 4 quarts instead of 6....but i havent changed the oil for 9k miles
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 05:24 PM
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w203 M111 E20 ML EVO
In any case, *IF*oil burning occurs, try pouring a can of B-2 Oil Treatment in ur engine....
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 07:59 PM
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2006 ML350 back from dealer after 4 weeks,now back for oil consumption test!,2003 C230 Sport
Thanks alot guys I checked around the cam magnets an it was alot of dirt there they may be leaking. How much is this fix? I will try the hill test in the morning.
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Old Nov 20, 2011 | 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by springdriver1
Thanks alot guys I checked around the cam magnets an it was alot of dirt there they may be leaking. How much is this fix? I will try the hill test in the morning.
In my experience valve stem seal oil useage is shown by immediate smoke from exhaust at startup., particularly after say an hour at rest.At shut down the oil rings pass the worn valve stem seals into the combustion chamber.

Smoke at the bottom of a hill after de-accelleration in my view is a result of worn piston & oil rings. ie high vacuum in inlet manifold & above the piston bringing oil & oil vapour to the top of the piston which is burnt when combustion begins once again upon accelleration..

When the engine is hot it may be possible to disconnect the engine crank case breathing pipe ( which enters the air intake system) & to view how much , if any, piston bypass you have.

It sounds as if you will have to ascertain the correct sump level first up.

Good luck.

JC
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 09:25 AM
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Park the car for a while on a completely level surface.. use dyno mode to see exactly how much oil is in the sump. Adjust to its maximum of 5.5L and then monitor consumption.

Right now you don't know exactly what point the car is asking for more.
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 09:30 AM
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It's a 2003; I'd go off the dipstick instead.
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 09:52 AM
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I didn't realize the M271 cars ever had dipsticks.. my bad.
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 09:57 AM
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I believe they do, or that you can still get the dealer tool to manually read the oil level if it doesn't come with a true dipstick. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 10:02 AM
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Using dyno mode for a specific reading is still the most accurate. A dipstick tells you Min, Max, normal.. dyno mode tells you 5.4L.
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 10:16 AM
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True, but I think that lightdragon has a good point about the sensor possibly being faulty too. A dipstick would be at least a good backup against that possibility.
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 02:35 PM
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+1
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Carsy
In my experience valve stem seal oil useage is shown by immediate smoke from exhaust at startup., particularly after say an hour at rest.At shut down the oil rings pass the worn valve stem seals into the combustion chamber.

Smoke at the bottom of a hill after de-accelleration in my view is a result of worn piston & oil rings. ie high vacuum in inlet manifold & above the piston bringing oil & oil vapour to the top of the piston which is burnt when combustion begins once again upon accelleration..

When the engine is hot it may be possible to disconnect the engine crank case breathing pipe ( which enters the air intake system) & to view how much , if any, piston bypass you have.

It sounds as if you will have to ascertain the correct sump level first up.

Good luck.

JC
If you have ever owned an Alfa - I've owned 7 of them in my life - You would recognise that high vacuum in the inlet manifold causes smoking after long deceleration & then accelerating due to oil coming down the valve guides. Alfa runs no guide seals & depends on valve stem to guide clearance for oil control. As a result they all use oil by design. The old Jag, 2.8, 3.4, 3.8, 4.2 family of engines are also inclined to smoke due to oil coming down the guides in these conditions. See my garage. Worn rings will usually show a certain amount of continuous smoking.

Both engines designs are twin OHC like the M271.

Anyway - A wet & dry compression test will give an indication of ring wear/damage.

Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Nov 21, 2011 at 05:24 PM.
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Old Nov 21, 2011 | 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck
If you have ever owned an Alfa - I've owned 7 of them in my life - You would recognise that high vacuum in the inlet manifold causes smoking after long deceleration & then accelerating due to oil coming down the valve guides. Alfa runs no guide seals & depends on valve stem to guide clearance for oil control. As a result they all use oil by design. The old Jag, 2.8, 3.4, 3.8, 4.2 family of engines are also inclined to smoke due to oil coming down the guides in these conditions. See my garage. Worn rings will usually show a certain amount of continuous smoking.

Both engines designs are twin OHC like the M271.

Anyway - A wet & dry compression test will give an indication of ring wear/damage.
Glyn,

No, I have not been fortunate enough to own an Alpha !!

My 1977 Chrysler Hemi Utility used rubber valve stem seals & they needed replacement often to prevent a cloud of smoke at start up.

My 1962 Holden Utility OHV & 1951 Wolseley 680 over head cam always issued smoke at the bottom of the hill after accelerating . Both had poor compression & worn rings.

My vehicles were probably a lot more worn than yours.!

Our experiences seem to differ but I am cool !! If the truth were know we are both correct .

Last edited by Carsy; Nov 22, 2011 at 03:51 AM. Reason: Sp.
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Old Nov 22, 2011 | 07:07 AM
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Agreed! On the M271 it's usually just valve stem seals if the engine has been maintained & not abused.
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Old Nov 23, 2011 | 01:50 AM
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2006 ML350 back from dealer after 4 weeks,now back for oil consumption test!,2003 C230 Sport
Thanks alot guys been working so I haven't had time to try anything. The still haven't came back on so I will try dyno mode to see what the level is an go fr there.
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Old Jul 2, 2013 | 06:18 PM
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Trying to revive an old thread. My MY2005 C230K requires 1L oil every 5,000 km. The engine has close to 200,000km on it and I do mostly highway driving. No oil spot under the parking spot, don't believe there's any leak around the cam sensors.

One thing I noticed when I changed my spark plugs a few weeks ago was there was oil around the hex portion of the spark plugs in cylinder #1 & 2 (i.e. puddle of oil sitting in the bottom of the well where the spark plug is screwed onto the head, outside of the combustion chamber). The electrodes on all the plugs are dry and have the normal brownish color. The oil seems to be clean, so I suspect it came from missing the oil filler area when filling up.

Where else should I be checking?
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Old Jul 3, 2013 | 12:07 AM
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You have a leaking cam box gasket or O rings. Otherwise consumption is OK for mileage.
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