silvermamba

Do you guys use an oil extractor or do you remove the panel covering the oil pan to do the oil changes?


I use an extractor. But I did drain out the oil once the hard way by removing all the panel because I did not know what the previous owner put in there.

LILBENZ230

My car is always on a lift and drained from below.

jcnash

Ive always used an extractor. Did my research, and found that the amount of oil left in the car is negligible compared to a "lift and drain".

However, when I purchased the car, my first two oil changes were "lift and drain" just because I had no idea what oil was in there from before.

Tri-Star

Oil evacuator ... makes life easy.

Utahkompressor

Oil evacuator is a way to go...mess free!
Plus, you'll more oil out as well.

lkfoster

In my case (C55) the sump has two different low spots. If I would use the topside method I would leave about a liter in the sump.

misterwhite

i have the c350.
i can change the oil without jacking.
this includes removing plastic shroud, and drain plug.
(long arms).
i do however, use the jack on the drivers side front, just a couple pumps on the jack, to make sure to get all the oil out. (my drain plug faces passenger side.)
and i let it drain for about an hour.
this does, get most of the oil out.

ncmudbug

I use an extractor. I am too lazy to peel off the under panels and I understand that the stealer does it the same way.

FraKctured

The never ending story...suction or gravity? How many angels can dance on the end of a pin? How many pinheads can dance on the head of an angel?

With so many swearing (sometimes literally) by one method or the other, there is probably not much difference. If there were a measurable difference, you'd know it and it wouldn't be rumor anymore. Occam's razor gives a very nice shave.

Moviela

It is silly to drain the oil from the bottom. The drain plug and the threads in the crankcase are an interference fit, and the plug is microencapsulated to properly seal from the sneaky synthentic oil. Replacing the sealing ring is not enough to keep spots off the garage floor.

You are not draining everything out even by tilting the car, anyhow. There is about half a liter of oil that will not drain back to the sump. The new oil and the old will mix just fine. There will be a slight dilution of the additive package in the oil as a whole, but the engineers know this. This is the reason they do not suggest any additives (except Techron under limited circumstances) that might further dilute the oil.

I drive until I reach operating temperature, open the hood, shove the tube down the dipstick hole and pump. Remove oil filter, replace four O rings, install filter. Fill with new oil, and enjoy an adult beverage.

ncmudbug

Techron is for oil too?

grane

No, sir. Do NOT use it in oil. The OP was merely referring to the fact that Techron is the only (petrol) additive recommended by MB.

As directed I use it one a month in my two Mbs and have used it in all my cars since 95. It does work, unlike the junk you see advertised on Saturday am car tv programs. Around here we can get Shell 93 unleaded and I still use it.

ncmudbug

I reread Moviela's post and I see what he's saying. He's knows what he's talking about so I was surprised when it sounded like he put Techron in his oil (even did a search to see if there was a Techron oil additive).

lkfoster

It all comes down to to personal preference. But I should mention that my C55 and 560SL dain plugs have straight threads that rely on the metal crush washer for sealing. The only interference (pipe) threads are on the differential plugs.

And if there are leaks with the seal washer something is wrong. I must have over 600k miles with Mobil 1 and haven't had a leak from the drain plug yet.

mtnman82

On the m271, I removed the drain plug after draining from the top and nothing came out so I've been doing it from the top ever since.

samaritrey

I drain because I never bought an extractor and was reading so many mixed reviews on the different brands about QC. I do buy a new drain plug and crush washer for every change I have done. Honestly I usually take it to the dealer and give them $100 to do it my dealer uses correct oil and washes the car but on top of that gives me a loaner car for free usually a c300 or C250. That said I could save about $44 by doing it myself but I don't like to deal with oil since it is a mess to clean up and transport as well as the dealer usually does some free stuff for me as well as does a inspection and let me know what they find. I then take what they told me look at it myself and usually agree it needs to be replace/fixed and do it myself. But my dealer loves my car (love the suspension and how good it looks for 175K miles) and my SA is a no bull**** type of guy and has told me in the past the tech said you need this but I know it is something you would do yourself so here is the PN good luck.

BurdEmelry

Ive always used an extractor

kirax2

i do lift and drain, but even with the ramp i can barely fit under the car... yes i got big belly

LILBENZ230

My car has always been lifted and drained and never leaves spots on the floor.

lkfoster

You mean like this?

Jkw

Nice!

Norwichdelta06

this is going to sound stupid but Ive never done an oil change in my Mercedes on my own. It cost me 99 at Mercedes at Massepequa and now im considering doing it myself. What 4 o rings? Isnt just drain from below.. then change the filter and one ring around the cap? then filll and measure?

Moviela

The oil filter comes with four o rings that mount on the plastic filter holder. There is a large one, two medium sized ones and a wee one that goes on the tip. You pull the old filter off the holder like meat from a Shish Kabob. Then push on the new one until the line marked on the filter is hidden by the threads. There is a little drawing in the box.

There is no need to crawl about on the ground removing panels and the plug to drain the oil. Use an extractor like the dealers are using to suck the oil out. Warm the car to operating temperature, stick the plastic tube down the dipstick tube, and pump the hand pump a few times and the oil will be vacuumed into a holding tank. Check mity-vac on Amazon:


You can then carry the Mity-Vac to the auto parts store to dump the oil. Clean and neat.

phister

Love my mity-vac, just did my gfs Lexus and only took about 10 mins. Just make sure you get a good aluminum or metal oil filter wrench, those cheap ones at the auto stores don't grip with a dam.

C230 Sport Coup

With this, you drain directly into the the bottles approved by your trash company for curb pickup. SO EASY and no mess. No transferring dirty oil from one container to another.
http://www.meijer.com/s/seasense-12v...&cmpid=goobase