bluemoon07

i went to add a quart of oil and found this under the oil cap...


i pulled the dipstick and the oil just looks a little dark. I know this is a problem so the car is going into my shop this week. Any insight before i take it in?

loubapache

Believe it or not, this might be "nomal" in the winter with many short trips. The M112 engine did not have the most efficient crankcase ventilation system and that oil filler neck is very long. It is caused by moisture (water) condensation.

Mrhappy71

I hope thats not a problem because my always looks similar to that when i add oil. I think it just happens to be that way because the oil is cool and i guess thats what cool oil looks like.

loubapache

My advice is to ignore the FSS system and always change oil in the spring. After the winter, there should be a lot of moisture in the oil and that affects the lubrication and anti-corrosive quality of the oil.

bluemoon07

i wasn't sure about whether it was a big problem. I know if i saw that on my car it'd be bad but i wasnt sure about it on the benz

ae1m

My 2000 E320 has the same thing. I have 117K miles. I am now using 5w40 Mobile1 but also had it when the recommended oil was 0W30. I have no idea what it is, but I clean it off occasionally with paper towels.

Bob

loubapache

Right. Regular cleaning and frequent oil change are about the only things you can do., It is just another Mercedes design flaw.

I was even thinking about a small modification to the oil cap. Drill a hole and then install a nipple so I can attach a hose to it and let the hose vent to the ground. I have not done it yet.

Untertürkheim

Actually, I think the correct oil is Mobil 1 0w-40, the 5w-40 is diesel engine oil, and 0w-30 is not approved for use in Mercedes. If I saw this on my cars I would not be happy, since it means water is getting into the oil (head gasket). Try using 0w-40 and watch your coolant level.

bluemoon07

i forgot to check the coolant level but will do that in the morning. i put in a quart of ow-40 cause the comp said need a quart and a half added and looking at the dipstick it looked low. I was afraid of a head gasket i am having everything checked on wednesday i think.

ae1m

Last Summer my MB dealer was notified the new recommended oil for the 2000 E320 was 5W-40 Mobil 1. It was changed from 0W-40. Have your dealer check.

Bob

Racin_fool

the peanut butter looking substance is normal. The best thing you can do is just wipe it out or take off the filler neck and clean it out. What causes it is condensation building up in the engine and not being completely burnt out. This usually happens on cars that don't see alot of highway time or never get driven hard atleast once in a while or when people do alot of short driving trips like if they live very close to work or the car only gets driven to the store around the corner once a week. I wouldn't worry about it, but I would suggest changing your oil and taking your car out for a spirited drive once in a while.

ae1m

I drive 35 miles on the highway to work and home ~70mph every day with this car since 2001, or about 17,000/mi per year on the highway.

Racin_fool

alright.. so does the car ever see anything higher than 2500 RPMs? Eventhough it is cold up in that area, I would let the car warm up to operating temps and then go beat the **** out of it for about 10 minutes.. If you don't feel like doing this then there are a few engine oil additives and cleaners you can use to get most of the gunk out of the engine.

msouth

I'm diving a 2000 E320 4matic 70mi round trip to work every day, put 31,000 mi on it last year, and unfortunately exceed 120 mi/hr at least twice weakly (all highway driving to work ), and yet I still get the same thing in my oil cap. BTW I switched to the new oil recommendations last oil change 3/07.

mbnj

I saw the same thing this winter and got worried for awhile. I only noticed it in the cold weather and I did have low oil a couple times this winter. Glad to hear it is "normal".