I crawl under and pull the plug, let it drain while I'm jacking and jackstanding to rotate the tires. Remove the old filter, and start working on getting the tires bolted back on. Crawl under after it's on the ground again to put the drain plug back, new filter, new oil, and test drive.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Mitey Vac convert here... getting too old for all the stooping and crawling... Plus its almost a must for the SLK because its so low to the ground. No need to jack and prop and all that.

$67 shipped from Amazon.com

Also useful for pulling coolant out to change it and keeping it away from the Dog... also good for draining old Gas out of Scooters and other such small motors to properly containerize it.

I always drain. It is more work, but what else might being happening under your car? Get under neath and take a look. You might find something else that needs to be taken care of. I know at least twice I have noticed other items while changing the oil that needed to be addressed and had I not seem the the cost of repair would have likely been more and perhaps left me stranded.

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Current:
1985 300D aka Miss Margaret
1991 300SE aka Alarice
1995 SL320 aka Samantha
1997 K1500 Silverado
Past:
1999 E300 ex-wife got it and let her son ruin it
1984 190 2.3 ex-wife got it and let her son destroy a great car
1985 300D (CA version) aka Maybelline lost to deer at high speed.
1981 300D aka Madeline (went to salvage at near 400k) rusty, yet best car I ever drove
Wishlist:
McFarlan TV6 (only a few privately owned)
ReVere with Rochester engine
1917 Premier (only one left)

Drive on to ramps. Pull plug drain. Inspect while under there.

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92 300D 2.5L OM602 OBK #59

Quick and easy. But then tire rotation involves a completely separate procedure, doesn't it?

EDIT (Forgot to mention this) - or am I the only one that does tires every 5,000 miles?

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

I payed about $60.00 for the Mitymac a number of years ago on an ebay store.
It was the "Plus" model which had the larger capacity of 8 liters.

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FRED

Daily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K
Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini
Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K
87 300SDL, 251K
94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K

Used my Topsider to pull it out this winter, like leaving the belly pans on, will continue using the suck-it-out method. If the filter were on the bottom like my other cars, I might still drain it.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I just unscrew the plug, let it drain out and then I use a very large syringe with a hose on the end to suck out the rest. I also use the syringe to suck whatever oil is left in the filter canister. It's very surprising how much more oil is left after just draining.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

I drive up onto some short ramps I made....and drain it the old fashion way. I like inspecting the underside for any issues. Then I quick swap the filter, dump in 7 qts and off I go.

I like the idea of the big syringe to get the rest of the oil....I'll look at harbor freight for one of those...

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

How about the oil cooler I would think there is some oil in there also.
When I first Got my 220D I was draining the oil cooler, then I was told not too, the drain plug might get messed up.
Kevin

Does sucking it out through the dipstick shaft actually get more out than draining? That definitely sounds preferable to me.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

After the 220d/615 engine they eliminated the oil cooler drain plug. They probably figured that was beyond overkill...that little bit of oil won't hurt anything.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

My personal feeling is that shutting down a hot engine and pulling the filter lid, fill cap, and drain plug (ouch!) will best drain any contaiminants that otherwise might settle out in the pan. The oil cooler is another issue, but I can't easily drain that, so be it.

However, the topsider method works, pump it up and open the valve, out came as much oil as when I drain it with the plug (OM603), so unless there's some contamination worth pulling the pan off to remove, it's my preferred method.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

There's about 1-2 quarts of oil left in the system that you won't even be able to get out. Even draining the cooler lines or using a vacuum system (which gets slightly more oil out than draining) won't get it all out. The only way to get it all out is to diassemble the whole engine.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

I like that its high enough (or that I'm small enough) to be able to do just that. To be honest, can't really see much though..

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1987 300TD
1984 300D
755,000 KM and going strong
BC Canada