Bluetec Oil/Oil Filter change
 

I am embarrassed to ask being this is my 3rd diesel Mercedes. I have a 2008 E320 Bluetec...I can not find the oil filter, nor does any of the car literature give you the oil capacity. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

You're going to change the oil on a new car with a warranty... GASP!!!!

I'm kidding. It's probably somewhere under the engine beauty cover.

Yup. Even under warranty, there is a $500 plus charge for each oil change. After having Mercedes do it 4 times (The boss/wife has put 30K on it already.) and reviewing the bill, the work performed, is the same I have been doing to my '93 300D and '87 190D. Only problem is, I do not know the oil capacity and the oil filter location. I have figured out how to remove the engine cover though...

Ummmmm . . . .what did you say???

On a more serious note, does this car not come with an owner's manual that states the amount and type of oil to be used - or is it just assumed that the person who buys this car will not be doing oil changes.

Anyway, peel the engine cover off and look around - take pictures and post if necessary. Has MB moved the filter location on newer models? (I really have no idea.) If not I would expect that it is located somewhere near the firewall on the drivers side. Probably some special cap on top that requires a special tool to remove - even so it would just make sense to buy the tool (even if it cost $500) and do it yourself.

If all else fails on the capacity, drain out the old and replace with however much you take out. Then keep an eye on the dip stick to make sure you get it at a happy place.

On driver's side of the engine front, is there a black cap on a housing bolted to the engine between the radiator and the rest of the engine?

If so, the oil filter's under that black cap, impaled on a spindle and doing its job in the housing.

There's a special tool used to remove the cap; it's threaded and sealed with a largish o-ring.

I have a 2007 Sprinter with v6, 3.0L OM642.993. If we have the same major assembly, you might be interested in the fact that I noticed that the prescribed torque imprinted on my filter housing's cap.

-Jon

Yes, the OF is up front and you need the special tool to remove the cover...no big deal.

For a while they stopped putting dipsticks in them but now most models have them...don't know about the Bluetec though - if there is no dipstick you can probably read the level from the display in the car, right? There must be a way to measure the oil level and I would bet that is in your owner's manual for sure.

You can always drain the oil and measure how much comes out and replace that much to start with, then measure the level and see how much more to add. I would guess you will be looking at 7-8 quarts. Make sure you use the correct filter and oil. The filter is a special fleece kind and the oil is Mobil 1 special for low emissions models.

8to 8.5 and the computer will tell if the level is correct also on the repair ordes they should have how much oil they used.

I've noted in the past that all of the repair orders show too much oil being put into my car when it was serviced at the dealership by prior owners. It is routine for them to put just over 8 quarts in and charge for 9 (they round up) or just over charge for one quart.

I would rather replace as much as came out and then top up than overfill. On my car 8 quarts fills to the top of the dipstick and 9 would be overfull but they always show 9 on the invoices.

How much does the dealership charge to replenish the Urea supply at the 10K oil change ?
I understand that is one of the secondary service done at the oil change.

$ 500 is outta sight, even at MB lofty levels. Youwsa, have I been living in the past....

The sedans DON'T have the urea tank.

Having said that, there seems now to be an unwritten rule that $500 is the minimum one pays to get out of the service department these days.

On our C300, the dealer wanted $349 for the A service which consists of little more than an oil change (yes, they "inspect" a bunch of stuff but with 12K miles there isn't much to find). I bought all of the supplies at the parts counter for $70 and did the work myself in about an hour.

They can justify these prices because now cars only need "routine" maintenance every year. In the past they could hit you 2-3 times a year but today it is unusual that anyone would require more than one service per year so they seem to take the "charge for three, provide one" approach.

Where do you buy the tool and approximately how much does it cost?

NHDoc,

Which do have the urea tank, if not the sedans ? Sorry for my lack of info, I am getting an education on service invoicing however...

Why is the oil change interval now 10K, the '99 E300D is 15K. Is it just because it is ?
At these costs I might never upgrade.
I found this pic on another site, I believe it applies, but I may be incorrect on that as well.

Thanks,

Here is the tool:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-V6-M642-Diesel-Oil-Filter-Socket-Wrench-Tool_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem56344dace0QQitemZ370244693216QQptZMotorsQ5 fAutomotiveQ5fTools

Apparently it is slightly different than the gasoline model one.

The other models have the urea tank (G, M, R). I think for 2010 the sedan will also have it as it will have the run flat tires standard (another reason not to buy one) and will have the tank where the spare tire used to be.

The OC interval is not 10K, it is determined by the FSS computer. Typically it is 12K or one year but can be more or less depending on the type of driving. It is not 15K on the '99, again, it is whatever the FSS says. Some can go 15K, others less.

I think the photo you posted is not of the correct motor, though I believe the filter is in the same place, it is just under a plasic cover which comes right off. The filler cap is on the other side.

Marty.

Thanks for the reply as I value your insight. The 15K OC interval was instructed to me from my dealer, whom I purchased the '99 on starmark. I questioned the "extended" length, even knowing it was synth. The service mgr demonstratively said he would call the factory and let me have the nice German man tell me the same.

If it is indeed, the FSS takes the cumulative driving conditions & provides the optimium OC, I will be going that direction. Good to know after 170K of driving.

Thanks for the clarification. BTW my bus DD 6V92 w/7.5 gal + filter is under $100...

Gary

FWIW your oil is probably just fine even up to 15K miles but what your dealer told you is not correct. I have never gone that far but always had oil analyses done and even at 12K the lab has said I could have gone further. I never wait for the FSS to tell me to do it, I just do it at 12K because I don't like driving further than that on an oil change...but that is being conservative and erring on the side of caution.

The factory produced the FSS for a reason. It adjusts service intervals based upon several factors and would not exist if there was simply a "rule" as to how often to change it. I'd be curious to know what they think the FSS does if it doesn't tell you how often to have service done?

It is also puzzling that they would tell you 15K as that is about the most you should drive between changes.

It was my astonishment that prompted the call to the motherland. I was at 10K for the first 120K, but have been extending that to 12.5K. I agree that even synth. oil is cheaper than running the engine to the limits of the oil.
I do get annual oil analysis on the bus, but that is a 2 cycle engine.

Thanks and have a wonderful Labor Day.

You too.

Sounds as though you (correctly) disregarded what they told you regarding the 15K O/C.
I'd bet that dealer has "Klaus" in the back room answering the phone "mit his haccent" to re-assure everyone who questions him ;)

Thank you all for your input. I found it. All that is left is the capacity. (Oil) We purchased the car new, all the literature that came with the car, I have reviewed. As in all our previous cars, capacity is always noted somewhere. On this one, as someone pointed out, apparently the thoughts were you were never to service the oil yourself, you would job it out. Anyways, if all fails, I will measure the amount removed and use that as a starting point.

The service charge, for just the oil change and checking a few things out is about $300. (Flex A check) But, there normally is other things that become due at the "check" time that pushes the cost into the $500 range, this last one was the diesel injector service. Regardless, I believe I will begin to service this car as I have done the '87 190D and '93 300D...and the are running just fine.

Any idea on this special tool needed to get to the oil filter, and where one may purchase it?

Thanks,

You must have missed my reply:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/2288080-post14.html

I like the "injector service" charge...I wonder exactly what they do to service the injectors. Sounds like they perform a "wallet draining" followed by a "hearty round of laughter".

Yes I did miss your reply. Must have been too busy on the second job...working to pay that Mercedes bill. Thanks again.

All the is left now is finding out the capacity.

Ok, I believe I am ready to tackle the task...I have the filter location, oil type and quantity. Possibly a cold beverage and I am set. I did locate the dip stick. It is on the drivers side, close to the firewall. Have a great Holiday weekend.

Good luck, I know it is hard that first time you put a tool to a new car...in my case it was the '08 C300, but when it was all done I said to myself, "that's just like every other car I have ever changed the oil on so I don't know why I was so reluctant to do it!"

If you drain it from the plug be sure to pick up a new crush washer for the drain plug.

2008 E320 Bluetec
 

I too have one. The "special" tool is available at Autozone, Pep Boys, et al. A strap wrench works too.

Are you sucking the oil through the dip stick as recommended? I kind of like the whole arrangement. I just might install white shag carpet in my garage.

Start with 71/2 quarts and check your stick after starting the engine to circulate then shut down, wait awhile and recheck. Your dipstick range is two quarts.

"Awhile" shouldn't more than about 5 minutes. The correct fill level relies upon some oil remaining in the top of the engine; its to be checked during refueling stops, etc., not after sitting overnight.

Regarding FSS oil change intervals on older models (feels strange to say that BTW), the max allowed is one year or 16k miles. Mine trips at 16k usually as I drive 110 easy freeway miles per day. If your mileage includes lots of short city tirps where the engine doesnt get to full operating temp FSS will reduce the interval accordingly. At 16k miles, my M1 shows virtually no soot or fuel contamination and retains more than 50% of its TBN's. I'm very compfy with the interval based on my driving style.

Last oil change on the 05 CDI was less then a hundred dollars, but I had my own oil. I know if they provide the oil it is about $10 a quart and the total is still under $200 even with 8 quarts used. But then I do not have a Blutec, just the last of the real MB diesels. ;)

Hey Folks,
Any idea as to resetting the service reminder after the check is done?

The B service my dad had done on the CDI cost less than $400. Our regular service adviser was on her day off when we took the car in, so we had a different one. She happened to be in for a bit when we picked up the car and we asked her why it was cheaper than expected. She looked at the invoice and said they forgot to charge us for a filter but did indeed put it in. She said "sometimes these things happen" :cool:.

So, instead of making $300 for an hour's work they only made $290 :eek:

What about all of the customers who get charged for stuff they forget to install? "sometimes these things happen" ;)

Don't know how often that happens but I bet it has at some point in the past.

Our normal service adviser is great though. When we were having the computer problems a couple months back she pretty much got us a transmission fluid and filter change done under warranty due to a leak at an electrical connector on the transmission. I had no clue about the problem before we brought it in, but she told us a lot of the 722.6 trannys do that when she was writing up the work order. She put down "Something leaking in driveway" in the paperwork to get a tech to check it out. It was leaking and they found a marginal pan gasket as well so they replaced the connector, pan gasket and filter then filled with new fluid. And they did a real good job washing it when it was done :cool:

It's OK when the dealer throws parts at it when it's on MB's dime :rolleyes:

so glad i have a CDI and not a blutech. not stupid urea tank to worry about. especially if it doesn't have a spare tire. i mean thats just dumb. if the first mercedes had a spare why don't the last

Marty,
Thank you again. Are you a Mercedes Tech, or do you just enjoy tinkering with them? I have enjoyed them as a hobby.

Bill

Just a hobby. I could never make a living at this.