Attempted to change the oil and was unable to remove the oil drain plug - too tightly torqued. So, I'm going to go with the topside oil extraction method. I have Mobil 1 0w-40 and the Mann filter kit. Before I do anything stupid, can any MY03-04 w211 owners confirm the location of the topside extraction port? Under normal conditions I believe this is where a oil dipstick would go.

1. Is this the location of where the topside extractor tube would be inserted?
2. Also, is this what the plug looks like when removed from that same port?

Just want to be sure I don't extract fluid from the wrong place. Thanks for the help.

Yes, that is the tube and plug for the engine oil.

Great. Thanks for the quick response.

You're welcome.

Make sure the oil is warm/hot, and either pull the filter, or crack the fill cap before you start siphoning. You need to vent the crankcase, and warm liquid flows faster.

Thanks for the tips. Anyone have experience with the Mityvac 7201 fluid extractor?

I use a similar one it works great.

I have one and used it three times. The first time, it took a long time to suck the oil out, I think that I let the engine cool too much. The other times I did not have any problems at all. Using the extractor, you can literally change the oil and filter in a suit and tie.
Mike T.

I'm sold. I'll order one this week from Amazon. Thanks everyone.

whoa whoa wait...the engine oil is at the back of the motor? I thought it was the red dipstick up front. I know that normally it's red for trans fluid and black/yellow for engine oil...but I was under the impression the rearward dipstick goes down near the trans bellhousing where the front one goes to the engine oil pan.

It is not clearly marked. Mine has both oil and tranny in that location. The cap color can vary from black to red. The one that is shown in the pic is the oil. The tranny has "normally" a red one time use lock pin that you can buy at the dealer for about $1.00.

This is why it is easy to make a mistake on transmission oil change. Check for BOTH on the back and if you need to follow each line to the proper place.

Maybe my 06 is different than the OP's 04? I have a dipstick with the red cap, no single use lock pin at the FRONT of my engine toward the passenger side. I cannot confirm the dipstick toward the rear as I haven't paid too much attention to look back there.

Some do have it in front of the pass valve cover. Some don't

this is in front of the engine in between it and the radiator. I wonder if the cap got lost during a service and a tech just threw a red one on in case?

Hmm. I'm going to try and confirm if there's another tube with a cap before I extract. I'm awaiting shipment on the extractor anyway. Here's an interesting link I found to the red tube stick cover:

http://www.autopartsway.com/PartList.../pagenum1/tabS

Thoughts? Confirmation from any 2004 owner? I wouldn't think that a 2006 would change much from a 2004. But, who knows.

The tube that's circled in your picture is the engine oil dipstick tube. The 2003's had the 5-speed transmission. 2004 was the first year for the 7-speed. It was supposedly "sealed for life," so it doesn't have a dipstick tube and there's no way you can make a mistake. The cap for the tube that came with the car is black, like the one in your picture. The link you posted is the first time I've seen anything about a red one.

my 06 500 4matic is a 5spd also. I'll have to look to the rear of the engine to see if there's another one. If mercedes made a change like that mid-run it certainly explains a lot of the issues people have had with trans fluid in engine oil etc.

Thanks. Exactly the confirmation I was looking for.

I own a 2004 E500 4Matic with a 5-spd transmission and the oil tube is on the left (passenger side) of the engine towards the front. I have changed the oil topside 3 times without issue. i do not think that on my car their is anything like what the picture shows in the back of the engine. The 7sp transmission did not make it into the 4Matic models until 2006 or so; definitely not in 2004.

Good point. Since my E500 isn't 4Matic I keep forgetting: original 7-speed was too long to fit the 4Matic drivetrain so they stayed with the 5-speed.

I hope this is the right place to ask my questions. I have a 2003 C240 and am changing the oil myself this time. Do I have to pump the oil out or can I do it the old fashioned way and drain it out of the oil drain plug. Also how much oil is it going to take 8.5 qrts?

You can probably drain through the drain plug. I'm not sure about capacity. Try searching or asking in the C class forum here: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w203-3/

TY very much!

Topsider oil change on 2005 c240 (same engine)

MightyVac 7400

It just barely works. Use a small box to raise it up so it's level and therefore have enough tubing to reach the bottom of the engine. Use the middle thickness tube.