S55 exhaust smoke (video)
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From: AZ
S55 exhaust smoke (video)
I'm posting because I had an incident about six months ago where my serpentine belt snapped while on the freeway. The car started to get hot and I shut it off then coasted through the exit into a neighborhood. Anyhow, I'm concerned about the smoke that is coming out of the exhaust. I just took this video and my car says it is 37 degrees outside. I was just at the gas station and noticed a Ram pickup with the same amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust, so I am thinking that it is normal.
I changed my oil ~3800 miles ago. A few days ago I checked the level using the instrument cluster and it said to add one quart. Since I have owned this car, I have periodically checked the oil level using the computer, and I have never had that message appear. Right now I am at 107,107 miles. I'm assuming the worst, a head gasket; I had to change one on the C230 I previously owned and it took me a while. It may be bad valve seals or something but I'm curious to see if anyone has any input. I'm going to go to about 6k miles until I change the oil again and see if I get another message.
I changed my oil ~3800 miles ago. A few days ago I checked the level using the instrument cluster and it said to add one quart. Since I have owned this car, I have periodically checked the oil level using the computer, and I have never had that message appear. Right now I am at 107,107 miles. I'm assuming the worst, a head gasket; I had to change one on the C230 I previously owned and it took me a while. It may be bad valve seals or something but I'm curious to see if anyone has any input. I'm going to go to about 6k miles until I change the oil again and see if I get another message.
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2017 GLE350 4MATIC
I'm posting because I had an incident about six months ago where my serpentine belt snapped while on the freeway. The car started to get hot and I shut it off then coasted through the exit into a neighborhood. Anyhow, I'm concerned about the smoke that is coming out of the exhaust. I just took this video and my car says it is 37 degrees outside. I was just at the gas station and noticed a Ram pickup with the same amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust, so I am thinking that it is normal.
I changed my oil ~3800 miles ago. A few days ago I checked the level using the instrument cluster and it said to add one quart. Since I have owned this car, I have periodically checked the oil level using the computer, and I have never had that message appear. Right now I am at 107,107 miles. I'm assuming the worst, a head gasket; I had to change one on the C230 I previously owned and it took me a while. It may be bad valve seals or something but I'm curious to see if anyone has any input. I'm going to go to about 6k miles until I change the oil again and see if I get another message.
Video Smoking (YouTube link)
I changed my oil ~3800 miles ago. A few days ago I checked the level using the instrument cluster and it said to add one quart. Since I have owned this car, I have periodically checked the oil level using the computer, and I have never had that message appear. Right now I am at 107,107 miles. I'm assuming the worst, a head gasket; I had to change one on the C230 I previously owned and it took me a while. It may be bad valve seals or something but I'm curious to see if anyone has any input. I'm going to go to about 6k miles until I change the oil again and see if I get another message.
Video Smoking (YouTube link)
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'03 S55 (79K miles)
Doesn’t look too bad.
I wouldn’t be concerned. Doesn’t look bad.
if you were able to shut down quickly after the serpentine belt broke, it probably didn’t damage anything like head gasket. Unless you were doing wide open throttle pulls immediately before it snapped…
The inter cooler pump would have kept running (electric).
if you were able to shut down quickly after the serpentine belt broke, it probably didn’t damage anything like head gasket. Unless you were doing wide open throttle pulls immediately before it snapped…
The inter cooler pump would have kept running (electric).
Thread Starter
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From: AZ
I started it up at my parents house which is a little higher in elevation and there was only some faint smoke coming out of the tailpipes. I just drove 21 miles back to my place, and there was nothing coming out when I got home. IDK what the deal is. Thanks for the input and I will keep an eye on it.
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
I’ll hazard a guess that you could benefit from heavier oil in that AZ heat. It’s probably smoking a fair bit of it off. Sounds like I can hear more lifters than I should. Maybe one of the other hot weather guys can chime in with heavier weight suggestions. I might be tempted to move to a 10w50 in that climate, particularly if the car doesn’t see many cold temp starts. Other than that I agree with @grepawk that it seems normal.
maw
maw
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From: AZ
I’ll hazard a guess that you could benefit from heavier oil in that AZ heat. It’s probably smoking a fair bit of it off. Sounds like I can hear more lifters than I should. Maybe one of the other hot weather guys can chime in with heavier weight suggestions. I might be tempted to move to a 10w50 in that climate, particularly if the car doesn’t see many cold temp starts. Other than that I agree with @grepawk that it seems normal.
maw
maw
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
Yeah, my long term mechanics in SoFL had always used 15w50 in my 500E (M119 engine), then I came along and asked them to switch to 5w40 (you know, because I know better than them, right?). I'm back to 10w50, and I don't consider the M113k to be all that different from the M119, although the M113k here runs at lower compression (9:1) than the M119 in the 500E (10:1). One of the things that drove me back to 10w50 was hearing the added lifter noise that I hear in your video. Unscientific I know, but gives a base for experiential comparison.
GL
maw
GL
maw
Last edited by maw1124; Jan 23, 2023 at 09:15 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2018
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From: AZ
Yeah, my long term mechanics in SoFL had always used 10w50 in my 500E (M119 engine), then I came along and asked them to switch to 5w40 (you know, because I know better than them, right?). I'm back to 10w50, and I don't consider the M113k to be all that different from the M119, although the M113k here runs at lower compression (9:1) than the M119 in the 500E (10:1). One of the things that drove me back to 10w50 was hearing the added lifter noise that I hear in your video. Unscientific I know, but gives a base for experiential comparison.
GL
maw
GL
maw
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
Sorry, I meant 15w50. You know, I don't tell people what they "should" do. If it was my car I would use 15w50 but I'd also not hesitate to try 10w40 or 5w50. I have a car that smokes oil and I've tried multiple weights. This car for me does not, so I haven't used anything but 5w40. What's in your car now?
maw
maw
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From: AZ
Sorry, I meant 15w50. You know, I don't tell people what they "should" do. If it was my car I would use 15w50 but I'd also not hesitate to try 10w40 or 5w50. I have a car that smokes oil and I've tried multiple weights. This car for me does not, so I haven't used anything but 5w40. What's in your car now?
maw
maw
Thread Starter
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From: AZ
Sorry, I meant 15w50. You know, I don't tell people what they "should" do. If it was my car I would use 15w50 but I'd also not hesitate to try 10w40 or 5w50. I have a car that smokes oil and I've tried multiple weights. This car for me does not, so I haven't used anything but 5w40. What's in your car now?
maw
maw
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From: AZ
I did a little research and because I don't believe that the car is burning coolant, and the fact that I was told to add a quart of oil after 4k miles since the last change, it could mean that the valve seals are not functioning well. I'd still like to get a compression test but I may have to plan on doing the seals. Even though the car has *only* just over a 100k miles, it is twenty years old.
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
These are stout engines. Don't go looking for trouble. At 100k you're probably due for spark plugs (unless they've been done on time every 5 years). When you crack that engine open it's likely to be clean enough that you'll see why chasing valve seals is probably foolish. This is an MB AMG S and all of those letters mean something. This isn't an old mustang 5.0 with a blower on top.
maw
Last edited by maw1124; Jan 24, 2023 at 03:23 PM.
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From: AZ
Oh stop that immediately. 5w40 minimum before you chase anything else. In AZ heat with this car I'm surprised you only need a quart after 4K miles. I use 5k intervals and don't need to top off, with 150k+ on the clock. Move to 5w40 for now and see how that works the next 5k miles, would be my advice.
These are stout engines. Don't go looking for trouble. At 100k you're probably due for spark plugs (unless they've been done on time every 5 years). When you crack that engine open it's likely to be clean enough that you'll see why chasing valve seals is probably foolish. This is an MB AMG S and all of those letters mean something. This isn't an old mustang 5.0 with a blower on top.
maw
These are stout engines. Don't go looking for trouble. At 100k you're probably due for spark plugs (unless they've been done on time every 5 years). When you crack that engine open it's likely to be clean enough that you'll see why chasing valve seals is probably foolish. This is an MB AMG S and all of those letters mean something. This isn't an old mustang 5.0 with a blower on top.
maw
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222 S-65
OP.... ambient temperature when you are seeing “smoke?”
Is the engine... more important.... exhaust up to temperature?
Does the car sleep Outside?
A quart in 4000 miles is NOTHING. Non issue.
If it were burning coolant you could not miss the odor out the exhaust if you tried even with Covid nose.
Normal combustion makes CO2 and H2O. The water comes out as steam until exhaust is up to temperature.
Maw... Oil weight is decided by clearances in the engine and how the oil pump and passages are sized.
The engine is equipped with an oil cooler for good reason. When oil is hot it is used.
OP.... It is winter now and it gets cold in the desert.
Is the engine... more important.... exhaust up to temperature?
Does the car sleep Outside?
A quart in 4000 miles is NOTHING. Non issue.
If it were burning coolant you could not miss the odor out the exhaust if you tried even with Covid nose.
Normal combustion makes CO2 and H2O. The water comes out as steam until exhaust is up to temperature.
Maw... Oil weight is decided by clearances in the engine and how the oil pump and passages are sized.
The engine is equipped with an oil cooler for good reason. When oil is hot it is used.
OP.... It is winter now and it gets cold in the desert.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2018
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From: AZ
OP.... ambient temperature when you are seeing “smoke?”
Is the engine... more important.... exhaust up to temperature?
Does the car sleep Outside?
A quart in 4000 miles is NOTHING. Non issue.
If it were burning coolant you could not miss the odor out the exhaust if you tried even with Covid nose.
Normal combustion makes CO2 and H2O. The water comes out as steam until exhaust is up to temperature.
Maw... Oil weight is decided by clearances in the engine and how the oil pump and passages are sized.
The engine is equipped with an oil cooler for good reason. When oil is hot it is used.
OP.... It is winter now and it gets cold in the desert.
Is the engine... more important.... exhaust up to temperature?
Does the car sleep Outside?
A quart in 4000 miles is NOTHING. Non issue.
If it were burning coolant you could not miss the odor out the exhaust if you tried even with Covid nose.
Normal combustion makes CO2 and H2O. The water comes out as steam until exhaust is up to temperature.
Maw... Oil weight is decided by clearances in the engine and how the oil pump and passages are sized.
The engine is equipped with an oil cooler for good reason. When oil is hot it is used.
OP.... It is winter now and it gets cold in the desert.
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
@JohnLane of course re oil weight. This block can handle everything up to 15w I believe (haven't tested), based on its similarity to the M119 block, which I know handles 15w in SoFL just fine. Maybe that's right, maybe that's wrong, maybe it doesn't matter. I suspect it doesn't matter, because (1) 0w is too thin for all but the coldest environments (AZ doesn't qualify, summer or winter); and (2) a quart per 4K miles is nothing.
Ergo, simply moving to the approved 5w40 solves this "mystery" until proven otherwise.
maw
Ergo, simply moving to the approved 5w40 solves this "mystery" until proven otherwise.
maw
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From: Phoenix
222 S-65
Yes, the car is parked outside unfortunately, but it is. I notice a lot of cars having the same steam/smoke coming out of their exhaust when I leave for work early in the morning. I still thinking I am going to try and use 5w40 when I change the oil next time. I'm not trying to look for nonexistent problems, but I have tendency to tinker with things.
5/40 is what the engine was designed to use. See if it works for you.
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2003 S55 AMG, 2005 C320 Coupe, 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave
Oh stop that immediately. 5w40 minimum before you chase anything else. In AZ heat with this car I'm surprised you only need a quart after 4K miles. I use 5k intervals and don't need to top off, with 150k+ on the clock. Move to 5w40 for now and see how that works the next 5k miles, would be my advice.
These are stout engines. Don't go looking for trouble. At 100k you're probably due for spark plugs (unless they've been done on time every 5 years). When you crack that engine open it's likely to be clean enough that you'll see why chasing valve seals is probably foolish. This is an MB AMG S and all of those letters mean something. This isn't an old mustang 5.0 with a blower on top.
maw
These are stout engines. Don't go looking for trouble. At 100k you're probably due for spark plugs (unless they've been done on time every 5 years). When you crack that engine open it's likely to be clean enough that you'll see why chasing valve seals is probably foolish. This is an MB AMG S and all of those letters mean something. This isn't an old mustang 5.0 with a blower on top.
maw
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
