Can I use ramps to change differential fluid? Or would that create too much of a non-level situation?

I gather that, without a lift, the preferred method is to raise left rear wheel just high enough to remove it.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Do you have an inclined driveway?

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

Well, yes, if you trust the ramps.

I've never owned ramps, because I was too cheap to buy the really good ones. I have reason to believe that the entry-level ramps rather unsafe in their capacities. I have read of and seen pics of collapsed ramps, but have never seen them collapse(d)/fail in person.

Do you have a hand-pump to draw the old fluid out of the casing? Or, are you planning on draining it?

No.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

ive done it. The car didn't blow up and I wasn't killed, so I doubt it makes that much difference.

The way I see it is that you get a little extra lube in there, if its too much, expansion might let a little dribble out the vent. I never had that problem though. maybe a few ounces past where the level would be flat, but you still have a pretty substantial air pocket in there.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

My plan was to drain it. Open fill hole first, then drain hole.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Good plan, you don't want to drain it only to find out the fill plug is frozen.

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This car had a history, now it has a future.

Learn more about my Benz here.

If you can find a hand pump, that works too. The top fill hole is in a pretty tight space.

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

As long as you don't mind backing the car up the ramps it'll be OK. The angle is not significant in terms of draining all the old oil. Take the car for a drive so the oil is warm. If possible, let it drain overnight.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Great...thanks guys....and just discovered I have a 14mm hex socket!

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

I just used ramps to drain my diff. I backed onto the ramps and then jacked up the front enough to get the car level. I used jack stands on the front. It worked out fine.

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'97 E 300 D

I have used ramps to change the diff fluid in two W123's with no ill effects (yet) I can't imagine the extra fluid is much at all.

FWIW it's the method on the DieselGiant pictorial. Mercedes Rear Differential Fluid Change

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

While we are on the subject of ramps I recently picked up a set of Rhino Ramps at Walmart.

Anyone else used these ramps?

They seem quite solid, not like the bent metal type.

And they are made in the USA.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Yes, that's what I have. The 12,000 lb. version.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife