Oil change question
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From: NYC
2012 C300 4Matic
You know, I was reading this and agreeing with you that people need to search outside just the 204 forums for information that can be readily had on other forum sections, but this thread really degenerated to infantile bickering and "my daddy is bigger than your daddy" type arguments. Please don't make blanket statements about the 204 community as a whole. We're all mercedes enthusiasts and are here to learn and share. 
For example, you have the last post about not being able to suction the oil out of the 4matic. If someone with the right info didn't say anything to correct this others looking at this thread in the future would get the wrong idea and actually believe that they have to jack up their car, remove the skid plate, and go through the trouble of removing the drain plug. I don't know of any dealer that does this for any (modern?) MB that they service.
Last edited by acr2001; Mar 11, 2009 at 06:56 PM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Yes - I think the bickering needs to stop, but seriously - people need to start considering the advice they give or be quiet & learn - this is the only way these forums become valuable as they grow. If a member or guest searches the forum, they should be able to trust the information given. I'm not saying that we all don't make mistakes but some of the comments on this thread are positively misleading. The day will come that someone screws up his or her very expensive investment by listening to bad advice. People all have strengths and weaknesses. The technical help the non technical. Someone that's smart with Photoshop helps a member select wheels. Somebody else comes up with data they have read. Yet another gives a creative way to repair a persistent squeak or rattle & so we help one another. Telling someone you can't extract oil from a 4Matic with a siphon device is not smart. We have a W204 in the family (the lady has the new one - me the old) and while I know the W203 chassis backwards & the common parts with the 204 - there is a lot that is new and I would like to see this forum go from strength to strength. I don't believe that a bit of robust interaction does any harm either as long as it's not personal.
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2004 Mazda6, 1993 RX7
I have not even seen the oil pan your car has and I don't know if it is different from those I've seen but the MB workshop documents do suggest siphoning equally valid option for oil change as draining. It sounds odd if three quarts of oil would be left to your car in this case.
The front axle does go through the oil pan on all 4-matics I know but I cannot see how it would make oil draining or siphoning different because the axle tube is way above the oil pan bottom. It should not divide the pan into sections and if it did, wouldn't it affect draining too?
I did not find a good picture of the oil pan on a 4-Matic W204 that I would dare to post, attached a generic picture that should show the oil pan bottom being pretty unaffected about the front axle passing through the pan. The dipstick tube should go to the lowest postion of the pan, about the same for the drain plug.
The front axle does go through the oil pan on all 4-matics I know but I cannot see how it would make oil draining or siphoning different because the axle tube is way above the oil pan bottom. It should not divide the pan into sections and if it did, wouldn't it affect draining too?
I did not find a good picture of the oil pan on a 4-Matic W204 that I would dare to post, attached a generic picture that should show the oil pan bottom being pretty unaffected about the front axle passing through the pan. The dipstick tube should go to the lowest postion of the pan, about the same for the drain plug.
I believe you did not run the engine hot enough or you did not wait long enough to let the oil drain to the sump or you removed the filter too late or your car just is different from what I've seen.
One odd thing about this engine's dip-stick, since new:
When you first remove the dipstick to check oil level, even after sitting overnite, there will be no oil on the plastic metered end!. Once you pull it out and recheck it, it shows the true level.
This was alarming at 1st, but I figured that this meant the outer tube extended down below the bottom of the dip stick (every other engine I worked on or saw at a bone yard had a longer dip stick). The 'dry' dip stick was, imho, caused by pcv vacuum pulling slight amount of air down along the dip stick, past the upper seal, and displacing the oil at the bottom of the outer tube with air.
If this does not happen on rwd W204 v6's, then the stick extends below the outer tube (no axle to manuver around).
If it was the last one, how come MB officially supports siphoning being an allowed oil change method? 
, or MB has another opening they siphon from on the W204 4Matic.
Last edited by kevink2; Mar 11, 2009 at 09:39 PM.
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From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck
- Should you be dumb enough to remove the drain plug please replace the plug with a new one. Plugs use microencapsulation technology for proper seal & cannot be reused
Glyn,I would be grateful if you could explain the above term in relation to sump plugs.Looks in Google to be a food technology term.
I must be one of the dumb old *******s who continue to roll under the sump & pull out the plug whilst inspecting for any problems on the underneath side of the engine .The C 220 CDI sump plug seems to be a straight forward old tech steel threaded plug. I have had it out twice now & no leaks. John.
- Should you be dumb enough to remove the drain plug please replace the plug with a new one. Plugs use microencapsulation technology for proper seal & cannot be reused
Glyn,I would be grateful if you could explain the above term in relation to sump plugs.Looks in Google to be a food technology term.
I must be one of the dumb old *******s who continue to roll under the sump & pull out the plug whilst inspecting for any problems on the underneath side of the engine .The C 220 CDI sump plug seems to be a straight forward old tech steel threaded plug. I have had it out twice now & no leaks. John.
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From: SEATTLE WASHINGTON USA
'08 C300 Lux Barolo Red Beige Leather P2 MM 18" wheels '84 944
What filter?
Depending on if you like to burn your hands or not, don't do it while it is hot ;-)
Warm to cold should be fine unless you're in an Arctic research station.
Generally, for draining oil, drain first via the drain plug, then remove the old filter (I've honestly never used a pump/extractor, but I hear they work fine). Then once nothing more is draining out, Put back in the drain plug, and put on the new filter. I haven't looked at what filter these take yet, but I'm assuming a normal, modern filter. Assuming that, make sure to wipe some oil around the rubber seal of the filter before screwing it on. At that point, refill with the proper amount and grade of oil.
Warm to cold should be fine unless you're in an Arctic research station.
Generally, for draining oil, drain first via the drain plug, then remove the old filter (I've honestly never used a pump/extractor, but I hear they work fine). Then once nothing more is draining out, Put back in the drain plug, and put on the new filter. I haven't looked at what filter these take yet, but I'm assuming a normal, modern filter. Assuming that, make sure to wipe some oil around the rubber seal of the filter before screwing it on. At that point, refill with the proper amount and grade of oil.
For example, www.buymbparts.com where I bought six. There are others.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck
- Should you be dumb enough to remove the drain plug please replace the plug with a new one. Plugs use microencapsulation technology for proper seal & cannot be reused
Glyn,I would be grateful if you could explain the above term in relation to sump plugs.Looks in Google to be a food technology term.
I must be one of the dumb old *******s who continue to roll under the sump & pull out the plug whilst inspecting for any problems on the underneath side of the engine .The C 220 CDI sump plug seems to be a straight forward old tech steel threaded plug. I have had it out twice now & no leaks. John.
- Should you be dumb enough to remove the drain plug please replace the plug with a new one. Plugs use microencapsulation technology for proper seal & cannot be reused
Glyn,I would be grateful if you could explain the above term in relation to sump plugs.Looks in Google to be a food technology term.
I must be one of the dumb old *******s who continue to roll under the sump & pull out the plug whilst inspecting for any problems on the underneath side of the engine .The C 220 CDI sump plug seems to be a straight forward old tech steel threaded plug. I have had it out twice now & no leaks. John.
A bit of disinformation floating the forums is that Benz undercut the threads on their plugs which leads to damage of the sump threads & thus leaks. This is not so.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
You need to use a filter that is approved by MB these days. They call them fleece filters and you can buy the filters the dealer sells from parts houses that specialise in MB parts and save about 1/3.
For example, www.buymbparts.com where I bought six. There are others.
For example, www.buymbparts.com where I bought six. There are others.
As repackaged by Bosch:
As repackaged by K&N:
Apart from not filtering properly for 13,000 miles - this is what can happen using cheap paper filters.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...at+this+filter
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From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
Mann...that sucks....pardon the pun... I wonder how long that filter had been in there.
I am sure I will be specifying the Mann for my first change.
I am sure I will be specifying the Mann for my first change.
Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Norfolk UK
2004 CLK 240
Hi guys
I'm joining in this thread a bit late - but I enjoyed reading all the previous posts..
I always use the drain plug method when oil changing on my CLK, basically because I think it's a good idea once a year to get under my baby - and get those covers off - and have a good look around. That's what 'taking an interest' in your car is all about, even if you get a bit grubby now and then...
Glyn - I took a look at Llandudno beach and others last year on a holiday to SA. Great beaches there. Still having those power cuts?
I'm joining in this thread a bit late - but I enjoyed reading all the previous posts..
I always use the drain plug method when oil changing on my CLK, basically because I think it's a good idea once a year to get under my baby - and get those covers off - and have a good look around. That's what 'taking an interest' in your car is all about, even if you get a bit grubby now and then...
Glyn - I took a look at Llandudno beach and others last year on a holiday to SA. Great beaches there. Still having those power cuts?
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From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
Hi guys
I'm joining in this thread a bit late - but I enjoyed reading all the previous posts..
I always use the drain plug method when oil changing on my CLK, basically because I think it's a good idea once a year to get under my baby - and get those covers off - and have a good look around. That's what 'taking an interest' in your car is all about, even if you get a bit grubby now and then...
Glyn - I took a look at Llandudno beach and others last year on a holiday to SA. Great beaches there. Still having those power cuts?
I'm joining in this thread a bit late - but I enjoyed reading all the previous posts..
I always use the drain plug method when oil changing on my CLK, basically because I think it's a good idea once a year to get under my baby - and get those covers off - and have a good look around. That's what 'taking an interest' in your car is all about, even if you get a bit grubby now and then...
Glyn - I took a look at Llandudno beach and others last year on a holiday to SA. Great beaches there. Still having those power cuts?
Did they have power cuts, nothing when I had a chance to visit Cape Town. Was lucky to see the cloud above the Table Mountain.
I guess it does not mean I would likely win a lottery. Never been to Africa before or after but was lucky to be able to spend half a day (out of a week of hard work) driving around the peninsula. A lovely place really.
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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
Hi guys
I'm joining in this thread a bit late - but I enjoyed reading all the previous posts..
I always use the drain plug method when oil changing on my CLK, basically because I think it's a good idea once a year to get under my baby - and get those covers off - and have a good look around. That's what 'taking an interest' in your car is all about, even if you get a bit grubby now and then...
Glyn - I took a look at Llandudno beach and others last year on a holiday to SA. Great beaches there. Still having those power cuts?
I'm joining in this thread a bit late - but I enjoyed reading all the previous posts..
I always use the drain plug method when oil changing on my CLK, basically because I think it's a good idea once a year to get under my baby - and get those covers off - and have a good look around. That's what 'taking an interest' in your car is all about, even if you get a bit grubby now and then...
Glyn - I took a look at Llandudno beach and others last year on a holiday to SA. Great beaches there. Still having those power cuts?
Super Moderator
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
Did they have power cuts, nothing when I had a chance to visit Cape Town. Was lucky to see the cloud above the Table Mountain. I guess it does not mean I would likely win a lottery. Never been to Africa before or after but was lucky to be able to spend half a day (out of a week of hard work) driving around the peninsula. A lovely place really.
I guess it does not mean I would likely win a lottery. Never been to Africa before or after but was lucky to be able to spend half a day (out of a week of hard work) driving around the peninsula. A lovely place really.
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From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
Yes sure John - I'm sure that we have all from time to time received a magazine advertising a new men or woman's fragrance with a piece of foil that you raise to smell the fragrance. That is microencapsulation at work. Benz do this with all their drain plugs with a sealant. I guess you could give a used plug a light application of Loctite or similar but that is not recommended. They tell you to discard the used 5 buck plug. Leaks from engine & transmission plugs are more common than you might think.
A bit of disinformation floating the forums is that Benz undercut the threads on their plugs which leads to damage of the sump threads & thus leaks. This is not so.
A bit of disinformation floating the forums is that Benz undercut the threads on their plugs which leads to damage of the sump threads & thus leaks. This is not so.
Thank you for the information. It is appreciated.A good thing to keep in mind. I have used the same drain plug in cars for 15 or so years but they do use a copper washer as the seal which is replaced regularly instead of relying on the threads to seal. I did notice that on my MB plug there was originally a coating on the threads.
Five bucks is five bucks especially if you have a Scottish ancestry .So long as the thread is not damaged I will consider continuing to use the same plug with a little teflon tape .
Description
PTFE thread seal tape is an ideal seal material for pipe fitting, which has obtained the USE UL certificate and is widely applied in
industrial and civil-construction, machinery, chemistry, and space navigation, especially in drainage systems, and are characteristics of thread sealing, insulation, anti-corrosion, anti-aging, using in oxidizing agent for a long term.
Main technical indexes:
Heat resistance: +370 Celsius Degree
Cold resistance: -190 Celsius Degree
High pressure resistance: Up to 30 bars
Tensile strength: > 8N / mm2
Percentage elongation: >25%
Main dimension indexes:
Width: 12mm - 25mm
Length: 5mtr - 30mtr
Thickness: 0.075mm - 0.2mm
Density: 0.30 g/cm3 - 1.2 g/cm3
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Glyn,
Thank you for the information. It is appreciated.A good thing to keep in mind. I have used the same drain plug in cars for 15 or so years but they do use a copper washer as the seal which is replaced regularly instead of relying on the threads to seal. I did notice that on my MB plug there was originally a coating on the threads.
Five bucks is five bucks especially if you have a Scottish ancestry .So long as the thread is not damaged I will consider continuing to use the same plug with a little teflon tape .
Description
PTFE thread seal tape is an ideal seal material for pipe fitting, which has obtained the USE UL certificate and is widely applied in
industrial and civil-construction, machinery, chemistry, and space navigation, especially in drainage systems, and are characteristics of thread sealing, insulation, anti-corrosion, anti-aging, using in oxidizing agent for a long term.
Main technical indexes:
Heat resistance: +370 Celsius Degree
Cold resistance: -190 Celsius Degree
High pressure resistance: Up to 30 bars
Tensile strength: > 8N / mm2
Percentage elongation: >25%
Main dimension indexes:
Width: 12mm - 25mm
Length: 5mtr - 30mtr
Thickness: 0.075mm - 0.2mm
Density: 0.30 g/cm3 - 1.2 g/cm3
Thank you for the information. It is appreciated.A good thing to keep in mind. I have used the same drain plug in cars for 15 or so years but they do use a copper washer as the seal which is replaced regularly instead of relying on the threads to seal. I did notice that on my MB plug there was originally a coating on the threads.
Five bucks is five bucks especially if you have a Scottish ancestry .So long as the thread is not damaged I will consider continuing to use the same plug with a little teflon tape .
Description
PTFE thread seal tape is an ideal seal material for pipe fitting, which has obtained the USE UL certificate and is widely applied in
industrial and civil-construction, machinery, chemistry, and space navigation, especially in drainage systems, and are characteristics of thread sealing, insulation, anti-corrosion, anti-aging, using in oxidizing agent for a long term.
Main technical indexes:
Heat resistance: +370 Celsius Degree
Cold resistance: -190 Celsius Degree
High pressure resistance: Up to 30 bars
Tensile strength: > 8N / mm2
Percentage elongation: >25%
Main dimension indexes:
Width: 12mm - 25mm
Length: 5mtr - 30mtr
Thickness: 0.075mm - 0.2mm
Density: 0.30 g/cm3 - 1.2 g/cm3
How much did you pay for your Benz in Aus & you are worried about 5 bucks or whatever 
I thought we were ripped off for Benzes & Beemers in RSA until I lived in Aus - Wollstonecraft Bay - Sydney - I drove a Holden Berlina - good for pulling out tree stumps!
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Mar 12, 2009 at 04:34 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
+1 - Deep pockets - short arms How much did you pay for your Benz in Aus & you are worried about 5 bucks or whatever
I thought we were ripped off for Benzes & Beemers in RSA until I lived in Aus - Wollstonecraft Bay - Sydney - I drove a Holden Berlina - good for pulling out tree stumps!
How much did you pay for your Benz in Aus & you are worried about 5 bucks or whatever I thought we were ripped off for Benzes & Beemers in RSA until I lived in Aus - Wollstonecraft Bay - Sydney - I drove a Holden Berlina - good for pulling out tree stumps!
If a little teflon tape on the outside of a thread in good condition will do the job why spend 5 bucks.The plug is built like "The OX" (who was brought up when beef was cheap) & will never fall out.I rather put the money into earlier than scheduled lub services ect.
