Car Losing a lot of Oil
#1
Almost a Member!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1991 300E
Car Losing a lot of Oil
i have a 91 300E with a little over 119k miles that i recently switched to synthetic oil. I've heard both positive and negative experiences with switching to synthetic with an older engine.
so the problem is.. I'm losing a lot of oil, i just put in 4 quarts last week... and the dipstick reads nearly empty now. there definitely is something wrong. I don't see oil drips on the floor, but i do smell burning oil in the morning. When i park my car i see really thin white smoke come from under my car.
Whats going on with my car?
so the problem is.. I'm losing a lot of oil, i just put in 4 quarts last week... and the dipstick reads nearly empty now. there definitely is something wrong. I don't see oil drips on the floor, but i do smell burning oil in the morning. When i park my car i see really thin white smoke come from under my car.
Whats going on with my car?
#2
Member
Dont use synthetic oil !
Since the velocity of the oil is much thinner, it can leak much easier through the gaskets.
I am pretty sure that's your problem, especially with your engine at this age/miles.
Since the velocity of the oil is much thinner, it can leak much easier through the gaskets.
I am pretty sure that's your problem, especially with your engine at this age/miles.
Last edited by Mansoor 300; 12-01-2007 at 10:39 PM.
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 5,816
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
W124's
Where do you live in Socal?
Anyways, on the M103 engine I wouldn't run synthetic oil in there. Apparently you're leaking a lot of oil.
Have you change the valve seals? Those are typically changed during the miles you have on your car right now. Those are the first symptoms of increased oil use. Also, The M103 is notorious for having leaks at the head gasket, front timing cover and the valve cover gaskets. You might want to have those checked out. Another thing to check out is your oil pan. Make sure there isn't a crack or even a hairline crack in there. Trust me - I have experience with this.
On my E420 right now I have a hairline crack the size of 2 inches in my oil pan (thank god it's getting fixed). Everytime I would drive my car hard the oil would spray on to the downpipes of my exhaust and cause white smoke to appear.
Also, when I use to have my 300E I usually ran 20W-50. Good Luck! I have a really good mechanic in Orange if you're interested. A few of the local W124 owners have gone to him with good turn outs.
Anyways, on the M103 engine I wouldn't run synthetic oil in there. Apparently you're leaking a lot of oil.
Have you change the valve seals? Those are typically changed during the miles you have on your car right now. Those are the first symptoms of increased oil use. Also, The M103 is notorious for having leaks at the head gasket, front timing cover and the valve cover gaskets. You might want to have those checked out. Another thing to check out is your oil pan. Make sure there isn't a crack or even a hairline crack in there. Trust me - I have experience with this.
On my E420 right now I have a hairline crack the size of 2 inches in my oil pan (thank god it's getting fixed). Everytime I would drive my car hard the oil would spray on to the downpipes of my exhaust and cause white smoke to appear.
Also, when I use to have my 300E I usually ran 20W-50. Good Luck! I have a really good mechanic in Orange if you're interested. A few of the local W124 owners have gone to him with good turn outs.
#5
Almost a Member!
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1996 W124 E320 Coupé, 1990 W124 300E twin turbo, 1991 W126 300 SE, 1984 Ford Capri 2.8i
My M103 Twin Turbo has been run on fully synthetic for all of its life from new, in accordance with the strict instructions from Turbo Technics. When I bought it, there was a slight leak, but any oil would have got through that classic fail-point at the corner of the head. Gasket fixed; no leaks since.
The M103 in my W126 was switched to Mobil 1 thousands of miles ago and does not leak or consume more oil than it did on semi-synth.
Perhaps the white smoke is significant. I'd get that checked out first. From the Web:
"White smoke is due to water getting in to a cylinder from a bad gasket, cracked block or a cracked head."
The M103 in my W126 was switched to Mobil 1 thousands of miles ago and does not leak or consume more oil than it did on semi-synth.
Perhaps the white smoke is significant. I'd get that checked out first. From the Web:
"White smoke is due to water getting in to a cylinder from a bad gasket, cracked block or a cracked head."
#6
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Long Beach, Ca
Posts: 2,849
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
lots of cars
The white/blueish smoke could be a leak at the valve cover gasket when the oil leaks onto the exhaust manifold. I wouldn't use synthetic because the rubber gaskets on these cars get hard and leak. I currently run 10w-40 Mobil clean high mileage with good results and i even have a front timing cover leak.
Trending Topics
#8
Almost a Member!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1991 300E
i felt a slight performance increase.. or maybe my mind just wanted to justify switching.. haha. currently im in Irvine for school but i usually come home on the weekends to Hawthorne (near Torrance).
Isn't the head gasket repair about 2k? whats the damage estimate if i have to replace the seals?
Isn't the head gasket repair about 2k? whats the damage estimate if i have to replace the seals?
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Posts: 1,033
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1995 E320 SE, 162,000 Miles (Sold)
Where do you live? Sojo? Isn't that a warm place? I think about the only benefit of synthetic oil in an engine designed for conventional is the wider range of temperatures that it can be used in. So if you live in Nebraska you can use the same oil in the summer that you do when you start your car and it's -20 outside.
I would never use synthetic oil in an engine that is not designed for it. My '95 E320 used conventional MB oil from the day it was built and with 162,000 miles on it the rockers and camshaft looked like brand new and it never leaked or burned a drop. You can't convince me that synthetic oil is better than petroleum based oil unless you're in Siberia or Phoenix.
I would never use synthetic oil in an engine that is not designed for it. My '95 E320 used conventional MB oil from the day it was built and with 162,000 miles on it the rockers and camshaft looked like brand new and it never leaked or burned a drop. You can't convince me that synthetic oil is better than petroleum based oil unless you're in Siberia or Phoenix.