1qt/1500 miles oil consumption
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
1qt/1500 miles oil consumption
Hello friends,
I have a 2001 E320 that I bought as a CPO w/53,000 miles. When I reached 59,000 I saw an error message that told me to add 2 quarts of oil. I only had 1 quart in the trunk and luckily I was able to find some more quickly. I thought this was excessive usage, but since I did not know how full the car was when I bought it (stupid of me, I know) I went on my merry way. The dealership service people I asked about this were not concerned either.
Yesterday, with 60,500 I checked the oil level with the car's electronic sensor, and it told me to add 1 quart (I did that of course). There is no strong evidence of a leak, and no burnt oil smell when I exit the car.
What should my next step be? My only thought at the moment is to schedule a service appointment and tell them what the symptoms are. I would greatly appreciate any feedback you guys have.
Thanks in advance,
Musikmann
I have a 2001 E320 that I bought as a CPO w/53,000 miles. When I reached 59,000 I saw an error message that told me to add 2 quarts of oil. I only had 1 quart in the trunk and luckily I was able to find some more quickly. I thought this was excessive usage, but since I did not know how full the car was when I bought it (stupid of me, I know) I went on my merry way. The dealership service people I asked about this were not concerned either.
Yesterday, with 60,500 I checked the oil level with the car's electronic sensor, and it told me to add 1 quart (I did that of course). There is no strong evidence of a leak, and no burnt oil smell when I exit the car.
What should my next step be? My only thought at the moment is to schedule a service appointment and tell them what the symptoms are. I would greatly appreciate any feedback you guys have.
Thanks in advance,
Musikmann
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 244
Likes: 2
From: Hunterdon County
'06 E 350 4matic wagon; '05 E 500 4matic sedan; '09 S550 4matic
My 2001 never got a "low oil" warning (100K miles) until just after my last servicing and oil change. The first time I threw in a quart and it was fine for only a month and came back. Then I added another half quart and it was OK for 3 weeks. Finally I put in a full two quarts and never had the warning again(7K miles to my next scheduled maintenance). My advice is to use the manual stick and put plenty of oil in- enough to get the stick at least halfway up into the "normal" zone on the stick which is a very wide band. My suspicion is that in my last service someone only put enough oil in to barely clear the low end of normal and and once you get motoring, burn a little, etc you get the warning and I was initially only putting in enough to re-clear the minimum threshold. Even the car's motion was a factor, I could drive up I287 to the same exit every day and as I finsished swinging around exit ramp at speed it would click to warning every single every day at same spot and after slowing onto local roads and going straight it would clear itself in like 30 seconds.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,627
Likes: 5
From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
You have had some interesting experiences. I have been trusting the car to tell me, but since you mentioned the dipstick, I'll go out right now and see how that puppy reads. Thanks for the advice.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,627
Likes: 5
From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
Looks like it's up to the top, but it also appears dirty to me. I'll probably have it changed this week so I can get the 5W40 in and the 0W40 out (been wanting to do that soon anyway).
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 244
Likes: 2
From: Hunterdon County
'06 E 350 4matic wagon; '05 E 500 4matic sedan; '09 S550 4matic
Yep, always pays to look manually. It would have been much worse had you believed the electronic reading and thrown another quart into an already full system. Glad to hear you weren't burning excessively.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,627
Likes: 5
From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
But I already did that the other day when the electronics told me to add the 1 quart. Anyway, if I'm reaing it correctly, it doesn't need any more. I also looked down into the engine compartment and it doesn't appear as though there is any oil in that "engine protector pan" but we can only see the very front of it from that angle (facing the car and looking down).
If I'm burning any I sure can't see/smell it. Do you know if synthetic oil smokes at all? I have smelled it on my old E430, that was definitely burning it.
If I'm burning any I sure can't see/smell it. Do you know if synthetic oil smokes at all? I have smelled it on my old E430, that was definitely burning it.
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 244
Likes: 2
From: Hunterdon County
'06 E 350 4matic wagon; '05 E 500 4matic sedan; '09 S550 4matic
You should be able to smell it if there is a problem and you don't see any leakage on drive/garage. My 2 cents is to use the dipstick and stabilize the level at mid-point or slightly higher and then monitor loss. I think your problem may have been like mine, you were low due to someone underfilling (need to factor in filter when replaced). It took me a good 2 quarts to get to mid-point from my low condition but once there its fine. I will also check dipstick next time after I go in for oil/filter service to make sure I don't get shorted.
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