Leaky oil pan gasket or carless technician?? Or something else???
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 806
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From: Rochester, NY
2009 S550 AMG sport pckg. 2014 Ford F-150 Lariat Supercrewcab
Leaky oil pan gasket or carless technician?? Or something else???
Hey, this has been a hell of a day, I posted a thread yesterday called "tire doesn't want to come off" and figured out that my tire was corroded to the rotor,then that my rotor was corroded to the hub... then changed the brakes on my '03 E320
Next I had this idea to take the panels covering the tranny pan and oil pan off just to take a peak and see if i can do the oil the traditional way myself... when I got the panels I opened up a nice surprise... a minor oil leak... it was right at the corner of the pan where the sensor is. at first I thought it was the sensor leaking, but there really wasn't much oil around it and it wasn't dirty, then I looked up above the pan and there were tranny lines that had oil on them... so I thought AhAAAA!!!. But only a section of the lines had oil on them. I'm alittle baffled with what caused this oil leak. I wonder if it might have been a careless technician who didn't wipe the oil off or maybe even the oil pan gasket. Anybody seen this before???? I'm gonna give the dealer a call.... still got two more months of warranty (thank god)
here are some pics:
The sensor is perfectly clean
the tranny lines had oil on them too but not entirely... maybe the oil pan gasket???
Next I had this idea to take the panels covering the tranny pan and oil pan off just to take a peak and see if i can do the oil the traditional way myself... when I got the panels I opened up a nice surprise... a minor oil leak... it was right at the corner of the pan where the sensor is. at first I thought it was the sensor leaking, but there really wasn't much oil around it and it wasn't dirty, then I looked up above the pan and there were tranny lines that had oil on them... so I thought AhAAAA!!!. But only a section of the lines had oil on them. I'm alittle baffled with what caused this oil leak. I wonder if it might have been a careless technician who didn't wipe the oil off or maybe even the oil pan gasket. Anybody seen this before???? I'm gonna give the dealer a call.... still got two more months of warranty (thank god)
here are some pics:
The sensor is perfectly clean
the tranny lines had oil on them too but not entirely... maybe the oil pan gasket???
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
17 E220D, 11 E350 CDI(sold), 06 CLS320 CDI (sold), 05 Cadillac DeVille (gone), 04 E320 CDI (sold)
Why would you mess around with a car that's still under warranty.
Once you have finished with the hammers and kicking the wheels and experimenting with the oil stuff (which can't be done the traditional way), why would he honor the warranty?
Once you have finished with the hammers and kicking the wheels and experimenting with the oil stuff (which can't be done the traditional way), why would he honor the warranty?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 806
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From: Rochester, NY
2009 S550 AMG sport pckg. 2014 Ford F-150 Lariat Supercrewcab
cause the warranty is almost over and I'll be screwed if something bad happens after... and the brakes aren't even on warranty anyways...so why wouldn't they honor it???? Talk about something you know
Last edited by Nickthegreek; Apr 10, 2006 at 05:40 PM.
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From: ct
All Diesel Fleet !1983 240d stick,2005 E320 CDI Midnight blue, 2005 E320 CDI, Desert Silver, Kubota
Good Detective Work!
Good find! Now put the panels back and go to MB with the pictures and tell them to fix it. SOMETHING is leaking, probably.
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Boston, MA USA
03 E320 -wife's car now; 07 Porsche Boxster S - my toy
There's a TSB out regarding oil leaking from the oil pan where the sensor is located. Check out:
http://www.alldata.com/tsb/Mercedes-...dex-issue.html
it's TSB # P-18-40-29A, issue date of Mar 7, '06.
Regards,
Paul....
http://www.alldata.com/tsb/Mercedes-...dex-issue.html
it's TSB # P-18-40-29A, issue date of Mar 7, '06.
Regards,
Paul....
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From: New Jersey
things with and without wheels
It's his car and he can do whatever he wants with it.If he never took the panel down he would have not noticed the leak .If you dont notice things to the dealer they will not go out of their way to do it for you.Don't be afraid to look at things under the hood or underbody of the car, that's a sign of a responsible owner , it's too late when things brake or fail, usually it's a lot cheaper to catch things before they fail and cause further damage.
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1967 Morris Cooper "S", 1983 911SC, 1997 Toyota Tacoma, 1999 HD FXSTB, 1998 C43
Originally Posted by RobertG
It's his car and he can do whatever he wants with it.If he never took the panel down he would have not noticed the leak .If you dont notice things to the dealer they will not go out of their way to do it for you.Don't be afraid to look at things under the hood or underbody of the car, that's a sign of a responsible owner , it's too late when things brake or fail, usually it's a lot cheaper to catch things before they fail and cause further damage.
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Thread Starter
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From: Rochester, NY
2009 S550 AMG sport pckg. 2014 Ford F-150 Lariat Supercrewcab
Thnx guys,
I agree with everyone. What idiot wouldn't do it. I tightened the panels back up and called the dealer and toldem about it and they said to bring it in ASAP and they would try to determine the cause. I didn't wipe any oil off either. I just hope it was a careless technician.... It never told me the oil level was low so I'd doubt it did much damage but still...
And what idiot wouldn't inspect his car if he had access to the whole underbody!!!!! I looked at every inch of critical parts just for that exact reason... again thnx for the support from *** clowns like JohnA
PaulV I'm gonna print out that bulletin, thnx
Great minds do think alike!!!!
I agree with everyone. What idiot wouldn't do it. I tightened the panels back up and called the dealer and toldem about it and they said to bring it in ASAP and they would try to determine the cause. I didn't wipe any oil off either. I just hope it was a careless technician.... It never told me the oil level was low so I'd doubt it did much damage but still...
And what idiot wouldn't inspect his car if he had access to the whole underbody!!!!! I looked at every inch of critical parts just for that exact reason... again thnx for the support from *** clowns like JohnA
PaulV I'm gonna print out that bulletin, thnx
Great minds do think alike!!!!
Last edited by Nickthegreek; Apr 11, 2006 at 10:10 PM.
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
17 E220D, 11 E350 CDI(sold), 06 CLS320 CDI (sold), 05 Cadillac DeVille (gone), 04 E320 CDI (sold)
Whatever. You ripped the wheels apart without any knowledge. Now you rip into the oil system... This is a sophisticated european automobile, not a piece of farm machinery. By all means check out the car before it goes out of warranty, just try not to wreck it through ignorance.
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From: Wellington, New Zealand
2014 c200, 2009 BMW 118i & 2003 c180k coupe
It never ceases to amaze me that people that buy very expensive automobiles want to play with them while they are under warranty or do not read the manuals to find out how things work. Why would you want to blunder around with your car when your mechanical knowledge is obviously so low. Pay the dealer!
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From: New Jersey
things with and without wheels
Originally Posted by kiwi163
It never ceases to amaze me that people that buy very expensive automobiles want to play with them while they are under warranty or do not read the manuals to find out how things work. Why would you want to blunder around with your car when your mechanical knowledge is obviously so low. Pay the dealer!
It's human nature to be curious, service manual along with this forum there is plenty of info to poke around your auto.Why take your auto to the shop for any little thing and inconvenience yourself if it can be done in you driveway?
If youre allergic to grease and a little manual labor then leave it to the pros and pay them well
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1967 Morris Cooper "S", 1983 911SC, 1997 Toyota Tacoma, 1999 HD FXSTB, 1998 C43
Originally Posted by johna1
Whatever. You ripped the wheels apart without any knowledge. Now you rip into the oil system... This is a sophisticated european automobile, not a piece of farm machinery. By all means check out the car before it goes out of warranty, just try not to wreck it through ignorance.
Expensive piece of equipment or not, if you wish to donate cash to your local $tealer$hip, knock yourself out. Don't knock people on this forum for trying to learn, save money and ask questions - it's what it's for. I strive to be constructive on this forum, it has helped me with questions on my "sophisticated european automobile". I can do the repairs, for the most part, better than ANY dealer. It's called vested interest - the very scant times I have taken a car in, usually for a recall, they always screw something up.
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From: Mansfield, TX
11 ML350W2 / 17 GLC300
Since many dealers use the "topsider" method of changing the oil and don't remove the belly pans, they wouldn't even notice a small leak like this. I had a similar situation with a C280 where the steering damper was defective and leaking. If I hadn't taken the belly pan off, I wouldn't have noticed the leak and it wouldn't have gotten fixed.
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From: Rochester, NY
2009 S550 AMG sport pckg. 2014 Ford F-150 Lariat Supercrewcab
JohnA1 and Kiwi... Flat out yer both a couple of ****in idiots 
. I took three years of automotive technology classes in high schooland have a friend who used to work for a MB stealership. I don't care if it's a piece of farm machinery, a mercedes or a jet airplane... the bottom line is that they all work on the same laws of physicsand mechanics you ****in morons have no clue about... You both have obviously never even stepped under your cars... you just go to the dealership where they grab yer ***** and you say "how high do you want me to scream??"" First and foremost brakes are brakes.. I don't care if they stop a dump truck or a mercedes... mercedes just tries to make it harder on you by having to disble the comp, but there are ways of bypassing their little tricks..
You two definintely need a lesson in basic automechanics... maybe you wouldn't think that I was "ripping" my car apart if you hada clue as to what the hell I was talkin about... save yer negative bull**** for another day.. couple of ignorant morons
Anyway, I talked to the service staff who mentioned I did an awesome job on the brakes and they told me the oil was prolly coming from the oil dipstick. That sounds very plausible because the leak was right under it (the cat converter is blocking it in the pic). they said they would put a new seal in where the dipstick meets the engine. Also he said the technician may have spilled some oil, but it prolly isn;t too likely... they're gonna have it done tomorrow... I'm still gonna be on the look out for another leak
. I took three years of automotive technology classes in high schooland have a friend who used to work for a MB stealership. I don't care if it's a piece of farm machinery, a mercedes or a jet airplane... the bottom line is that they all work on the same laws of physicsand mechanics you ****in morons have no clue about... You both have obviously never even stepped under your cars... you just go to the dealership where they grab yer ***** and you say "how high do you want me to scream??"" First and foremost brakes are brakes.. I don't care if they stop a dump truck or a mercedes... mercedes just tries to make it harder on you by having to disble the comp, but there are ways of bypassing their little tricks..You two definintely need a lesson in basic automechanics... maybe you wouldn't think that I was "ripping" my car apart if you hada clue as to what the hell I was talkin about... save yer negative bull**** for another day.. couple of ignorant morons
Anyway, I talked to the service staff who mentioned I did an awesome job on the brakes and they told me the oil was prolly coming from the oil dipstick. That sounds very plausible because the leak was right under it (the cat converter is blocking it in the pic). they said they would put a new seal in where the dipstick meets the engine. Also he said the technician may have spilled some oil, but it prolly isn;t too likely... they're gonna have it done tomorrow... I'm still gonna be on the look out for another leak
Last edited by Nickthegreek; Apr 12, 2006 at 11:11 PM.
