M273 (5.5L) Oil Pan Leak
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
M273 (5.5L) Oil Pan Leak
Well I've had a leak now for a few months. I thought it was the power steering reservoir. Went for an oil change the other day and the oil change guy says its leaking from the oil pan at the front.
Is it a gasket that needs to be replaced? How involved do you think this is?
Thanks in advance guys.
Is it a gasket that needs to be replaced? How involved do you think this is?
Thanks in advance guys.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Former R230, W220 and W221 owner
Well I've had a leak now for a few months. I thought it was the power steering reservoir. Went for an oil change the other day and the oil change guy says its leaking from the oil pan at the front.
Is it a gasket that needs to be replaced? How involved do you think this is?
Thanks in advance guys.
Is it a gasket that needs to be replaced? How involved do you think this is?
Thanks in advance guys.
If you want to change the oil pan, the subframe needs to be dropped. You're looking at around $400-$500 labor.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2015
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
I also had a small leak. I changed the gasket and even bought a new bolt and it still leaked. My pan was rusted near and around the the bolt so than I put on some silicone to seal it and have been fine ever since.
If you want to change the oil pan, the subframe needs to be dropped. You're looking at around $400-$500 labor.
If you want to change the oil pan, the subframe needs to be dropped. You're looking at around $400-$500 labor.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 347
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
Huh. Good recommendation. I will take a peak at that tonight. But that's next to impossible to replace on the V8 with the very little space available. Thanks bud.
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11 E550, 16 AMG GTS, 13 S550
check under your oil cooler on the right side of the engine first.
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Thread Starter
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
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From: New Hampshire
ML 63 AMG
Originally Posted by OUZO Power;[url=tel:9172650
9172650[/url]]And that's where I noticed all the oil when I first checked. If it was the oil pain only it should not have climbed up above the pan. Correct?
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From: Melbourne, Australia
2010 ML550 VIN WDC1641722A564750, 2010 B180
Not hard. You do have to remove the power steering reservoir (not the pump) and that's a 20 minute ad straightforward job. Buy a new one whilst your at it as they have an internal filter which you can't change. They're cheap. Get the O ring as well. Then the oil cooler is just a few bolts to remove.
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
Not hard. You do have to remove the power steering reservoir (not the pump) and that's a 20 minute ad straightforward job. Buy a new one whilst your at it as they have an internal filter which you can't change. They're cheap. Get the O ring as well. Then the oil cooler is just a few bolts to remove.
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From: CA
11 ML550, 95 Supra TT, 14 Audi S4
A tip for doing the reservoir is to tie a string or wire around the circlip when you put it back on so you don't have to search for it when it doesn't seat properly the first time. 
Also, if it is leaking from the cooler, I'd recommend getting a new cooler rather than just replacing the seal so you don't have to do the job twice like I did. The cooler is reasonably cheap ($50ish IIRC from FCP Euro).
Also, if it is leaking from the cooler, I'd recommend getting a new cooler rather than just replacing the seal so you don't have to do the job twice like I did. The cooler is reasonably cheap ($50ish IIRC from FCP Euro).
Thread Starter
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
A tip for doing the reservoir is to tie a string or wire around the circlip when you put it back on so you don't have to search for it when it doesn't seat properly the first time. Also, if it is leaking from the cooler, I'd recommend getting a new cooler rather than just replacing the seal so you don't have to do the job twice like I did. The cooler is reasonably cheap ($50ish IIRC from FCP Euro).
Also, if it is leaking from the cooler, I'd recommend getting a new cooler rather than just replacing the seal so you don't have to do the job twice like I did. The cooler is reasonably cheap ($50ish IIRC from FCP Euro).
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11 E550, 16 AMG GTS, 13 S550
the entire assembly is cheap enough so you don't have to bother with replacing both gaskets.
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From: Baltimore County, MD
'13 s212 63 p30. '06 LX470
If you are still having trouble finding the exact spot of the leak, clean up the areas you see oil deposits very well and watch where the leak starts. As mentioned above, leaks do not generally travel upwards so inspect from the top down.
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Former R230, W220 and W221 owner
I know this because there was an issue with the ML where when you first start the car every morning, you would hear this noise that sounds like putting paper into a spinning fan. It was because of the o ring on the oil pick up tube located inside the oil pan.
Check out this thread. if you ever needed to do replace the pan, the directions are here. Including the fix for the cold start rattle
https://mbworld.org/forums/m-class-w...placement.html
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From: CA
11 ML550, 95 Supra TT, 14 Audi S4
Always a good excuse to buy new tools as well.
Just picked up a long wrench with a flexible head to replace the supercharger belt on an Audi.
