no1tmorrow

So on my q5 I use a harbor frieght/amazon oil pump to suck out the oil. Just shove the tube down the dipstick tub until it gets to the bottom, turn on pump and wait a few minutes. Tried that today on my (w212) 2014 e350 4matic and was only able to get out 5 quarts. So since I worry all the time I decided to pull the drain plug and get the rest. My question is do I need a special pump/adapter/technique to be able to get the oil extracted?

Thanks
Thom

DFWdude

On a 4-Matic (only), there is driveshaft interference inside the oil sump, which does not permit the tube to feed all the way to the bottom of the pan. Either push the extractor tube around the obstruction (somehow), or try sealing the tube at the top of the dipstick to use the suction from the length of the dipstick tube (like the dealer does).

Left Coast Geek

on the 1990s mercedes, a Gardena garden hose quick release, the plastic ones with an oring, is nearly an exact fit for the top of the dipstick tube. so you adapt this to your oil sucker using a reasonably large diameter hose to go from there to the pump, and you'll get all the oil out faster than the skinny tube to the bottom of the dip stick. I use the mity-vac oil sucker, but I've not tried it on a M276 yet, since I've not had the car long enough to need an oil change.

thats this one,
again, no idea if this fits on the new benz dipstick tubes, but it sure worked on the M103/M104 engines on the W124's and others of that generation.

no1tmorrow

DFWdude, I did read about the driveshaft interference being in there so I pulled it out 10 or so times trying to get around it. I will try the sealing of the tip and see if that create the necessary vacuum.

Left Coast geek I will look into that adapter.

Thanks guys!

Sunnyslope48

For my 2016 Sport RWD, I find that it is sometimes difficult to get the tube pushed into the engine just the right amount to get to the bottom of the pan. I push in the tube until I think it is fully inserted, then draw out as much as will come out, then push a little further, try that position, or pull out a little and see if you get more oil out. I make 2 or 3 different attempts, but I am able to extract the proper amount of oil.

kjb55

DFW - If the driveshaft is in the way of the suction tube being fed down it to suction the oil out, and the dealer seals the top to suck the oil from the length of the dipstick tube - wouldn't the same amount of oil be removed? Wouldn't the suction tube be fed down the same length as the dipstick tube without obstruction?

I've had very good luck with other MBs and sucking the oil out - but the M276 in my '16 E350 4MATIC does seem to be different. I'm almost tempted to remove the oil pan and see for myself the layout. When I did the balance shaft repair on my '06 E350 RWD - the dipstick tube was very direct to the pan and foolproof in getting all the oil out.

Arrie

I have the MityVac and have changed my own oil on the 2011 E350, 2010 E550 and 2013 S550. In all of these the suction tube goes easily all the way in the pan and I get all oil out. All these cars are RWD.

Way back when there was discussion about sealing the suction to the top of the dip stick tube and pulling oil out just using the dip stick tube I got only about 5 qt of oil out if I remember correctly. Engine holds 9 qt. I then inserted the plastic tube in the dip stick tube all the way to get rest of it out.

Above "trial" was with my 2010 E550 and obviously the dip stick tube does not go even close to the bottom of the oil pan. Plastic tube method is needed for extracting all oil out.

This raises a serious concern about oil changes at the dealer. If they use the method of sealing the extractor tube to the top of the dip stick tube they will not get all oil out in any car as I don't think the dip stick tube goes in the bottom of the pan in any of them. The tube is in place to house the dip stick and as the stick does not reach the bottom of the pan (as it measures oil surface level) the tube does not either.

I'm so happy I decided to change my oil at every 5000 miles. Did this even under warranty when the dealer did it at every 10000 miles and I did it in between.

DFWdude

I don't know the answer to this, as I have used your method for the last 16 years (tube to bottom of sump). It removes all the oil on my RWD, so I'm just repeating what I've read here about the 4WD.

DFWdude

I have a suspicion (no evidence) that the reason why these cars have so much oil in them, is so the dealer can extract 5-6 quarts via suction, then refill with new oil (mixing with whatever old oil is left). We consumers might think this is not acceptable, but I bet the dealerships think it is just fine.

There's no reason why my old C320 needs 8qts in its 3.2L engine. The 3.5L in my RWD W212 needs only 6.9qts, and I think even that is overkill, when the vast majority of cars use only 5qts. In short, IMO the overage is designed into these cars to permit incomplete extraction when it occurs. I don't know about worldwide, but I understand that ALL American MB dealers use industrial size suction extractors.

Those of you with BMW experience... What is the oil capacity in your average Bimmer?

bmwpowere36m3

On older BMWs the oil capacity was equivalent... about 6-7 qts on an I-6 and 8-9 qts on a V-8. I'm not up on the newer models.

I believe the capacity was no with the intention of partial oil changes due to vacuum extraction. Remember it was the Euros that pushed this long oil interval trend. I remember back in day when they were 5000, 7500, 10000, 15000 miles. That was unheard of from other makers. Part of that I attribute the quality of oil (spec) and volume. More oil = equals more additives = more capacity for byproducts = longer life. The same reason big rigs have huge oil capacities, its not because their pushing a ton of HP or their service service... its the mileage per oil change.

jonUF02

Just drain it from the bottom bolt. So easy and you only have to do it every 10K miles. I actually do mine more frequently, about once a year, because I don't drive 10K in a year.