Had Indy oil change.....dramatic decrease in MPG afterwards..help me!!!!
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Joined: Sep 2005
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2002 C230 Kompressor
Had Indy oil change.....dramatic decrease in MPG afterwards..help me!!!!
I gave them all genuine MB fluids straight from the dealer so it's the not question of using the right kind of fluid...
Requested them do three things.
1. Engine oil + engine filter (mobil 1 0-40w + genuine MB filter)
2. Power steering fluid flush (CHF 11s)
3. Rear differential flush (genuine MB rear axle fluid)
While they were flushing PS fluid, they put in too much fluid and oil overflew...
They cleaned the spilled oil with water and pressurized air stream. (This can't be good for components inside the car right?...)
Anyways I thought it was all good until I noticed about 4~5mpg DROP than usual (mpg calculated as per onboard computer)...
I usually get about 32mpg on highway and now I get around 27mpg...
I usually get 20~21mpg in the city and now I get around 16mpg...
Did they mess up something? Maybe they touched the mass air flow sensor when they were cleaning spilled oil?
The car was actually driving at around 32mpg for couple days AFTER it was serviced by the indy shop..so it was fine for a while..
It's been about a week since it got serviced and I just noticed the drop in MPG 2 days ago..
I plan to go back and complain but it'd be great if you guys can give me some pointers on what might've gone wrong..
This is for 2002 C230 Kompressor with 120k mileage.
Service history:
2012/July: ATF, ATF filter, brake fluid, engine oil, engine filter, cabin filter, engine air filter, spark plug, coolant flush, fuel filter, serpentine belts
2013/December: engine oil, engine filter, ps fluid, rear differential
PS: And no I drive like a baby and my driving habits did not change to explain this drop...
Requested them do three things.
1. Engine oil + engine filter (mobil 1 0-40w + genuine MB filter)
2. Power steering fluid flush (CHF 11s)
3. Rear differential flush (genuine MB rear axle fluid)
While they were flushing PS fluid, they put in too much fluid and oil overflew...
They cleaned the spilled oil with water and pressurized air stream. (This can't be good for components inside the car right?...)
Anyways I thought it was all good until I noticed about 4~5mpg DROP than usual (mpg calculated as per onboard computer)...
I usually get about 32mpg on highway and now I get around 27mpg...
I usually get 20~21mpg in the city and now I get around 16mpg...
Did they mess up something? Maybe they touched the mass air flow sensor when they were cleaning spilled oil?
The car was actually driving at around 32mpg for couple days AFTER it was serviced by the indy shop..so it was fine for a while..
It's been about a week since it got serviced and I just noticed the drop in MPG 2 days ago..
I plan to go back and complain but it'd be great if you guys can give me some pointers on what might've gone wrong..
This is for 2002 C230 Kompressor with 120k mileage.
Service history:
2012/July: ATF, ATF filter, brake fluid, engine oil, engine filter, cabin filter, engine air filter, spark plug, coolant flush, fuel filter, serpentine belts
2013/December: engine oil, engine filter, ps fluid, rear differential
PS: And no I drive like a baby and my driving habits did not change to explain this drop...
Last edited by netddos; Jan 2, 2014 at 04:48 PM.
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From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
netddos,
Sorry to hear of the problem. You obviously care for your car well.
I am puzzled why anyone would clean up oil with water as they do not mix & a worse mess would result.
Have you had any codes come up ?
You do not say where you live. Has the snow & cold weather arrived. Has the fuel changed to winter fuel ?
JC
Sorry to hear of the problem. You obviously care for your car well.
I am puzzled why anyone would clean up oil with water as they do not mix & a worse mess would result.
Have you had any codes come up ?
You do not say where you live. Has the snow & cold weather arrived. Has the fuel changed to winter fuel ?
JC
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 21
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2002 C230 Kompressor
netddos,
Sorry to hear of the problem. You obviously care for your car well.
I am puzzled why anyone would clean up oil with water as they do not mix & a worse mess would result.
Have you had any codes come up ?
You do not say where you live. Has the snow & cold weather arrived. Has the fuel changed to winter fuel ?
JC
Sorry to hear of the problem. You obviously care for your car well.
I am puzzled why anyone would clean up oil with water as they do not mix & a worse mess would result.
Have you had any codes come up ?
You do not say where you live. Has the snow & cold weather arrived. Has the fuel changed to winter fuel ?
JC
I have no diagnostic module to connect to so don't know if there are any codes right now... No check engine light or any of that kind however...
I live in CA so despite being winter it isn't THAT cold..around 60-70 sometimes 80s...I'm really hoping it's some shady gas station mixing ethanol in their supposedly 91octane gas..tho I tried to fill gas from different station to dilute the previous gas and it had no effect.. I did use chevron fuel system cleaner about a month ago too...
Winter fuel? How do I know whether it's winter gas or not? Never knew there were winter gas and summer gas separately..
Last edited by netddos; Jan 2, 2014 at 07:11 AM.
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
It's certainly not caused by the oil unless it has been hopelessly overfilled.
It could be winter gas or gas with a very heavy alcohol dose by mistake being CA.
It could be winter gas or gas with a very heavy alcohol dose by mistake being CA.
Thread Starter
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2002 C230 Kompressor
I did, however, had to suck out some PS fluid because it was still leaking out little bit from the reservoir. (So much for professionalism..)
That being said, even if oil spill wasn't that bad, the water they used to clean might have done something? maybe? I thought MAF sensors are supposed to be sensitive to water?
I always pay close attention to MPG and I've never seen a drop like this during Winter...California doesn't even get that cold to begin with..
I've been driving this vehicle for over 7 years in California so I should know..
I'm really hoping it's just the fake gas from a shady gas station...for that we will have to wait until I waste all the gas..
Last edited by netddos; Jan 2, 2014 at 10:04 AM.
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 506
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From: Argyle, TX
10 Tahoe LT, 07 Silverado Z71, 99 BMW R1100RT
If there is something wrong with the MAF, I'd say with 99% certainty you'd then also have your CEL on and you'd have drivability issues. If you don't have either one, the reason is somewhere else than at what the shop did.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
A can of PS fluid was around 1 qt so I can't imagine being overfilled too much.
I did, however, had to suck out some PS fluid because it was still leaking out little bit from the reservoir. (So much for professionalism..)
That being said, even if oil spill wasn't that bad, the water they used to clean might have done something? maybe? I thought MAF sensors are supposed to be sensitive to water?
I always pay close attention to MPG and I've never seen a drop like this during Winter...California doesn't even get that cold to begin with..
I've been driving this vehicle for over 7 years in California so I should know..
I'm really hoping it's just the fake gas from a shady gas station...for that we will have to wait until I waste all the gas..
I did, however, had to suck out some PS fluid because it was still leaking out little bit from the reservoir. (So much for professionalism..)
That being said, even if oil spill wasn't that bad, the water they used to clean might have done something? maybe? I thought MAF sensors are supposed to be sensitive to water?
I always pay close attention to MPG and I've never seen a drop like this during Winter...California doesn't even get that cold to begin with..
I've been driving this vehicle for over 7 years in California so I should know..
I'm really hoping it's just the fake gas from a shady gas station...for that we will have to wait until I waste all the gas..
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,714
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From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
Just a thought. I wonder whether the PS oil over spray/cleaning water entered the air cleaner therefore blocking it partially & now giving the engine a richer mixture . Worth a look. JC
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Thread Starter
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2002 C230 Kompressor
Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck
Yes. A wet swolen air filter element would enrich mixture.
Thanks
I will check
Thread Starter
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2002 C230 Kompressor
Thread Starter
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2002 C230 Kompressor
Okay the shop says maf and o2 sensors can't be affected just because of little oil spill and water clean up. They are probably right.
While on fwy for 90% of the time today my mpg came out to be around 33. Which is pretty damn good! I put in a bottle of techron complete fuel cleaner the night before and maybe it is helping.
Despite all that I feel as though my mpg in the city is still abnormally low, around 12~17mpg.
It seems like mpg drops really fast while I'm stopped at the light. Of course some drop is expected but feels like it's dropping faster the before.
What could affect my idle mpg? Would cleaning the throttle body help I this case? MAF clean up? I see so many maf horror stories that I'm afraid I should stick with the adage " if it ain't broke don't fix it"
What do you think?
While on fwy for 90% of the time today my mpg came out to be around 33. Which is pretty damn good! I put in a bottle of techron complete fuel cleaner the night before and maybe it is helping.
Despite all that I feel as though my mpg in the city is still abnormally low, around 12~17mpg.
It seems like mpg drops really fast while I'm stopped at the light. Of course some drop is expected but feels like it's dropping faster the before.
What could affect my idle mpg? Would cleaning the throttle body help I this case? MAF clean up? I see so many maf horror stories that I'm afraid I should stick with the adage " if it ain't broke don't fix it"
What do you think?
Last edited by netddos; Jan 7, 2014 at 05:12 AM.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 68
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c240
While on fwy for 90% of the time today my mpg came out to be around 33. Which is pretty damn good! I put in a bottle of techron complete fuel cleaner the night before and maybe it is helping.
Despite all that I feel as though my mpg in the city is still abnormally low, around 12~17mpg.
It seems like mpg drops really fast while I'm stopped at the light. Of course some drop is expected but feels like it's dropping faster the before.
What could affect my idle mpg? Would cleaning the throttle body help I this case? MAF clean up? I see so many maf horror stories that I'm afraid it should stick with the adage " if it ain't broke don't fix it"
What do you think?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 21
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2002 C230 Kompressor
I never kept track of idle rpm so nothing empirical no...but not enough for me to notice the difference.
But nice suggestion. Will check.
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