I'd like to be convinced that a dealer does this silliness. Naw. Not in a gibillion years.

 

I failed to explain the benefits of the Mercedes oil extractor adapter, that I provided a link to above.

Remove the dip stick and insert the adapter in the top of the dip stick tube. Then insert a hose from your extractor that will friction fit in the end of the adapter. Then start sucking oil. The dip stick tube acts as the tube, down into the bottom of the oil pan. This works super slick. You will get all the oil out, with little to no mess, and very little effort.

DO NOT try to push a plastic tube down the dip stick tube to extract oil. This method has very frustrating disadvantages. It is messy. It is difficult to find the right depth to press the tube down the dip stick tube, partly because of obstructions that the tube will hit. And because of the previous item, it is difficult to get all the oil extracted.

I always do oil extraction with the car flat on the ground. There is no need to put it on ramps, or tilt the car with one wheel up in the air. Using the method above, you can extract almost all the oil that would come out of the drain plug. Above, I said that it is within <4 oz. But I checked my notes, and it was between 2 and 3 oz. that I captured, when changing my oil using the extraction method above, and then pulling the oil pan plug, to see how much oil remained.


Thanks for the link. I watched the video on the OEMTools extractor, and it looks like it is much better designed than my Mityvac 7400. I like the quick connects for the hoses, and I like the tube stowage location. I saw that there is a pneumatic version of the OEMTools, and it is only another $9. I also like how the pneumatic version also has the manual pump feature, so it can be used either way. I think I'll be replacing my Mityvac with an OEMTools.

 

That is why I am die-hard DIYer.
The dealer will not do $100 CV joint boots, charging you $2000 for whole axle, they will do ATF drain, without letting it drip, so less than 50% fluid change.
I can write whole book of those samples.

 

Krzysztof, you and I are both avid DIYers. While I agree the dealer overcharges for incomplete work, that was not my point. My point was that it is not necessary to tilt the car on its side to do a thorough oil removal.

Each time I use my extractor, I measure (and mark) the amount of oil sucked into the extractor column... Thank goodness you can see the oil through the cylinder. Comparing the measured amount of oil with the amount of new oil installed, I rarely see more than a pencil lead thickness of difference in the removed column of waste oil. This miniscule difference is easily accounted for with minor oil burn, any evaporation, etc.

So, I am 100% certain that I am performing the oil extraction per the book, getting 99.8% of the oil out, without tilting the car to one side, or hopping on one leg, or standing on my head, or facing East and asking MB for forgiveness in doing the work myself.

 

Well maybe the last time I tried it the oil might have be cold. Will try it with warm oil and see if I get any better results.

 

You will never extract 100% of oil and my estimate is that at least a cup (if not 2) are trapped in engine valleys.
But some owners are very picky about couple of spoons of oil that will stay in oil pan.
When I am not that picky about some oil left, putting a plank under the wheel takes just seconds, while it will avoid couple of minutes of gargling with oil extractor.
Just FYI, the oil dipstick tube has very small hole few cm above the end, to release vacuum who can be created above the scale.
So using extractor, who connects to top of dipstick tube will always create some gargling.

 

Don't go over a certain temperature for the engine oil though, I believe there is a temperature limit for the Mityvac.

 

I looked at this and it seems good and will be getting it (maybe the dual version). Thanks for the link and suggestion.

 

I use a tube through the dipstick tube all the way to the bottom, creating my own vacuum at the bottom of the oil pan (not at the top of the dipstick tube). In addition, I have trimmed the generous (3/8") angle on the business end of this tube to a SHALLOW angle, permitting it to positively strike the bottom of the pan while allowing less than 1/8" of opening at the bottom. I continue to pump manually and count for a minute when it starts to gargle heavily, before quickly removing the tube, so that oil in the tube can't settle back into the pan. YMMV.

 

when I was at a dealer, we would replace an entire steering rack because the o-ring in the reservoir failed for $3000, then replace the reservoir anyway on a GLS550.

 

I finally received the Oil Extractor (delayed shipment)... I purchased this one - same as the one @Quint22 bought. I do have a question. The tubing that they sent only one that goes in the dipstick is 4.0X6.0 mm - assuming that is ID/OD. I tested it and it is very snug pushing it in - it just does not slide in (nor will it go in at all) unless it is pushed in. Is that normal or would this be considered too tight? Whether I need a smaller diameter or not, just curious how far in it needs to be pushed in. I measured the dipstick and marked the tube. Would that be far enough in or to get all the oil out or would it need to be in further. Not sure of the shape of the oil pan relative to the dipstick. Thanks

 

Try to make an adapter to connect the biggest extractor tube to top of dipstick tube. Using smaller tube will get really annoying.
You should feel when the smaller tube hits the pan bottom.

 

I will look at getting an adapter. BTW do you think in the meantime that my description of the way it fits is too tight?

 

As long as you can slide the smaller tubing in without risk of breaking, that would be good fit.

 

Thanks.

 

Mine goes in pretty easy, there is no real resistance until it hits bottom. Always hard to tell description thru the computer but as long as it goes in and you can tell when it hits bottom your good to go.

With the small inside tube (not the big one with adaptor) I usually warm engine some, set it up, remove oil cap, get it vaccing the oil out then start the oil filter change. Takes a few minutes but by time your done its usually not much longer and ya hear the gurgling of sucking air at the bottom.

 

Then picky DIYer will also extract few spoons of oil that stay in oil filter housing. ..............
Filter housing is also much more convenient to fill new oil.

 

I think I figured out a way to do what you mentioned here (connecting the larger smaller length tube to the top of the car's dipstick tube) and use the dip stick tube as the tube to extract the oil. I will hopefully try it today and if it works will post some pictures. Hopefully it will and I am curious to see how close to 6.9 quarts I get out.

 

[QUOTE=Quint22;8794905]Mine goes in pretty easy, there is no real resistance until it hits bottom. Always hard to tell description thru the computer but as long as it goes in and you can tell when it hits bottom your good to go.

Thanks - to better describe I inserted the tube in my older Audi and it just slid in easily- I could do it with one hand without concern of it bending. Not with the Mercedes E350. To prevent it from bending you need two hands and need to feed it as close to the opening of the dipstick as possible. I will try the other method I figured out first and see how it goes.

 

Order one of these. The larger of the two hoses that came with your extractor, should fit snuggly in the large end of the adapter. The o-ring end of the adapter fits in the top of the dip stick tube. Oil will be sucked up the dip stick tube.


I highly recommend against trying to push a smaller plastic tube, down the dip stick tube. For me at least, that method yields inconsistent results in extracting all the oil. As you touch on, there is uncertainty on how far down to push the tube. It is extremely hard to judge what the right depth is. Not deep enough, you don't get all the oil. Too deep, you don't get all the oil. It is a messy method, and can be difficult, depending upon the o.d. of the plastic tube.

The adapter method is super easy. No mess. No fuss. My understanding is this is the method used by MB dealerships, as the dip stick tube is actually designed with this function in mind.

 

Thanks for the explanation. and recommendation. Definitely not worth pushing the smaller tube down the dipstick. I am going to try my idea - same process of using the dipstick tube as you mentioned. If it does not work (or is more cumbersome) I will order that adapter.

 

[QUOTE=MPTrader;8795115]Mine works how you describe it with your audi. Interesting. Mine is a E250 so different engine than the E350.

 

Yes, absolutely. Pour the new oil down the filter housing before installing the new filter/cap.

I still use a funnel, but the reach is shorter, allowing better control of those Walmart 5qt jugs. And, your aim needn't be so precise that way. (hehe)

 

Great idea. I wish I would have thought of that before buying one of those oil fill funnels, that screws into the oil fill opening. Does the oil flow in pretty quick, through the filter housing?

 

Using a funnel to avoid spillage, the speed of oil flow is only limited by the exit of the funnel. The oil filter housing opening does not restrict oil input at all.