Not true

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
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My Mercedes is so old and high mileage, the oil needle is sometimes at "0" when the engine is above 95*C and idling in drive- around 600 rpms, but around "1" when in park. However, it is always at "3" by 1500 RPMS.

Well that's probably exactly what he was referring to. I mean, come on, even as vigilant as I am, or as you are, what about that one moment when you glance out the window to look at something and one second turns into two seconds and so on and when you look back the gauge is already very low and it is too late? Judging by his experience, that's what happens 90% of the time. He was really amazed that my engine was not toast (that was before I told him it still had enough oil in it after the incident).

But you shouldn't have that problem with your SDL even if you don't monitor your oil pressure gauge because the later W126s (1986 and later I believe) have an oil light that comes on when the engine oil capacity drops by a quart I think. So then a new light on the dash would catch your attention more than a change on a gauge already on the instrument cluster would.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

Very true. If you scan the gauges every minute.......you're still toast if an oil line blows.

The SDL's oil light is a PITA. If the oil level is not at the 3/4 point on the stick, the light comes on. I prefer to keep the level at about the 1/4 point.........maybe slightly less.........so the damn light is on all the time.

Well you better start keeping the oil at the level the light wants it to be. You have the advantage of owning the later W126s that have that low oil light - use it!! In fact this incident has put so much fear in me about this car that I'm thinking of selling it. At least right now it is in great shape and works perfectly. With a dead engine, I wouldn't even get crap for it. Considering the money I dumped in last year, this sounds scary. But we'll see.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

1. Has anyone ever found an oil pressure switch that closes contacts around 10psi? You could tee off the oil pressure sender and wire that switch in to sound a buzzer when the pressure drops.

2. Has anyone ever looked into retrofitting with braided hoses? It would be hard to match up fitting sizes, but it seems like with the 90 degree connectors you would be able to route the lines far away from the belts. In fact, does anyone know the stock fitting sizes on the cooler and filter housing?

Well if you think about it the only way you are going to lose oil pressure real fast on the road is if one of the cooler lines blow. Maybe if the rear main blew completly out but I have never heard of that happening.

So if your oil cooler lines are in good shape no worries, it hurt buying them but man those fresh cooler lines look good under my SDL's bumper.


Brian the switch that sets that light off my be faulty. I usualy keep my oil around the 3/4 mark and I have never had the light come one.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

It won't come on if you keep it at 3/4.........when you get less than 1/2 is when it starts to bother you. Until I rebuild that turbo, it burns less oil when it's down a quart.......hopefully the turbo rebuild will cure it.

Brian, my '87 oil level lamp came on occasionally when I first got the car. I believe the electronic module that drives the light was changed, something about a revision. The '86 SDL's may fall into the category of having the early revision too.
I keep oil at or below the half way mark on the dipstick, I was informed the oil consumption increases when the level is at the full mark.
As for oil lines. They usually start weeping long before they fail, If they blow all at once you probably will lose all the oil in less than half a minute if running down the road, longer maybe at idle but you get a toasted engine either way.
The only case I know of a line blowing out of the fitting was a brand new aftermarket line, only a day old! It might have been man handled during installation, esp the lower one is tough to get in without some wrangling.

Note however that aftermarket hose material is not layered hose and the crimp is poor compared to that on the factory hoses. I've looked at them side by side and from my experience I'll never use an aftermarket hose even if it was free! Penny wise and pound foolish? not me, I just want what's best when it comes to oil cooler hoses.
Reid
PS do you need a rebuild already on the turbo I sent you?

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

I was somewhat chagrined to find that one of the OE hoses was not wrapped. The second one was and looked to be of the quality expected. We'll see if they offer different durability.

The Garrett is fine. It's on the '87. My KKK on the '86 is the one that's leaking oil. Not an excessive amount........a quart every 2000 miles or so.......but noticeable.......on the stick.......and via the nose.

If you do some searches you'll see that several people here have already discussed and even attempted various such ideas to cure this big problem. I'm not sure of the outcomes of those ideas.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver