Alright guys I have recently replaced my fuel injector nozzles and performed a valve adjustment on a 1981 300d non turbo. The engine has 164,xxx miles on it. There were three exhaust valves that I could not get my feeler gauge between and two intakes. Before this I checked the oil and the car was at at the top of the dipstick taper indicating full. I drove the car maybe 10 miles to see how she responded to the changes and she was sluggish. I brought her home and checked the oil again and now she is at the bottom of the taper. There is no oil in the engine compartment but when I opened the oil cap on the valve cover, there was oil all over the bottom of it, and it was starting to leak out of the bottom of the cap. I never lost oil pressure, and as it was night, I did not notice any smoke coming from the exhaust. There is no oil under the car or in the engine bay. There seems to be no oil in the vacuum system, but there is oil residue in the crankcase breather. HELP. I am scared to drive her anywhere for fear of running her dry.

i would venture to say that as your car sat the engine drained giving you the full reading. then when you drove the car the oil pump filled the engine back full of oil and gave you a lower reading.

__________________
-Trevor

OBK #12
1980 300SD 333,XXX miles - Totaled
1986 Mazda RX-7 212,XXX miles - impounded and auctioned off
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited 33,000- SEGR, Provent, Fumoto

I thought of that too, and so I waited for the engine to sit overnight, and that is when I got my oil reading.

did you change the oil with the valve adjustments?

__________________
-Trevor

OBK #12
1980 300SD 333,XXX miles - Totaled
1986 Mazda RX-7 212,XXX miles - impounded and auctioned off
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited 33,000- SEGR, Provent, Fumoto

no I didn't

where did all his oil go?

__________________
-Trevor

OBK #12
1980 300SD 333,XXX miles - Totaled
1986 Mazda RX-7 212,XXX miles - impounded and auctioned off
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited 33,000- SEGR, Provent, Fumoto

I don't understand this part. Are you saying your valve cover was full to the top with oil??

danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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I am in the process of taking the valve cover off, because this is the only place where I have messed with. Prior to this it was running fine, and did not even burn oil. Thought I would do some maintenance, and it bit me in the ass.

and you checked the oil in the same location both times? with the car parked in the same direction? level can vastly effect the dipstick.
it is possible, that your oil filter o rings are in need of replacement, and you are rapidly draining oil back into the crankcase. loosen the screws on the oil filter canister, and open the lid, then check the oil level again... see if it jumps back up to the full mark.
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I just took the valve cover off and am going to recheck the gaps on my valves. No there is no reservoir of oil in the valve train, it just appears to be coming through the orifice for the crankcase breather and valve cover cap more than it did. all I can figure is somehow this oil has made it into my combustion chamber, but I figured I would have seen a lot of smoke. I have not changed where it I park it, everything is the same. I will check the orings on the oil filter housing next. appreciate your help guys.

okay so I just checked the gap on all my valves and they are alright. I am going to fill her up with oil, and take her on a short drive, and make sure my fears are founded. I might just be overreacting, but she's my baby. I have only had her for a few months, but as far as I'm concerned I have found the car that I will drive the rest of my life. I will let you guys know what I find out.

keep an eye on that breather tube, it sucks a bunch of oil on my 79 TD, so I know what you may be going through.
since you fixed the exhaust valves, you may have more compression in those pots, and now have more blowby, and your breather may be drinking it all in, but it's hard to believe two quarts in 10 miles... through the breather.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Oh where...oh where...a did his oil....a goooo...

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1989 300E 144K

Its not a good idea too fill the oil past half way (between the notches). It seems many have reported that oil above "half way" seems to dissapear. I dont add oil till its at the lower notch.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

If you have created a vacuum leak, the vacuum pump discharges into the crankcase.....thus it could cause an increase in crankcase pressure.....and more oil leakage at various points......

SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG