It just started to leak from right front side of the engine. I have not been able to exactly pinpoint the origin but the oil seems to drip on top of alternator then follow the right side cooling transmission oil line. I have just finish doing some repairs; I changed the serpentine belt, belt tensioner, tensioner shock, LF and RT transmission cooling hoses, thermostat, and did a flush of the cooling system, using MB recommended coolant/products. Seems that I started to notice the oil leak (which is brown/amber engine oil) after replacing the mentioned parts which makes me wonder if putting the new belt and tensioner may have trigger the oil leak since the new belt put new tension (to pulleys) to the different parts on the front of the engine? Or perhaps the leak has been there all along at least since I purchased the car back on October 03, but I just never noticed since the car had the engine bottom cover, and Reading from the Bentley Owner’s Bible pg 139 “Sometimes the gasket will leak oil to the outside parting line between the head and the block. Many times this leak will not leave oil puddles, as the oil only leaks when the engine is running (except for small quantities of residual oil). Because the engine is tilted 15 degrees to the passenger side, oil will just drip down into the air stream and leave the undercarriage with dark stains. The engine will have measurable oil loss without any signs of puddling”. This I believe was/is what happen to me and probably every owner of the infamous 104 engines, as long as you have the plastic bottom engine cover on, you may never notice any engine oil loss, or dripping, since most of the oil will either fly away so to speak, or pool on the engine bottom cover. I had left intentionally the bottom engine cover off, because I wanted to make sure there were no leaks from any of the work I have just completed, mainly the transmission oil from the cooling hoses, and coolant, and that is when I first notice the oil leak on the floor of the garage.

It is kind of deflating to have a Mercedes (with low miles 63,300) with so many inherent problems/defects. At first it was love at first sight with my 95 E-320, but already I am beginning to feel that this may turn into a love/hate relationship in which I’m afraid hate may be the winner. I still can not believe a car of this caliber can have so many problems, and not cheap to fix; $1800 to fix the head gasket, $600 to fix a timing cover leak, $600 to replace the engine wiring harness, and the list goes on.

Thanks for responding but my question has not been answer, what is the reasoning behind not using oil additives products, why are they bad?