Ahhh....that makes sense.

:)
Mike

PEH, if you are referring to me when you mentioned the guys that are concerned about getting the last drop of oil out of the pan .... I am more interested in the evacuation effect of the oil moving across the heavier accumulations at the bottom of the pan.... I have seen some ugly stuff come out of a pan drain hole..... I did not know the oil cooler was hiding oil ..... although 4 ounces - when a quart is 32 ounces , would not bother me too much... on a car which was changed often and used 8 quarts to mix with that errant 4 ounces.... Greg

Certainly the oil cooler can be drained for additional benefit. But for me and my mechanical ability, I'm not going to touch it. If it can stay mostly leak free - I'll leave well enough alone.

Same thing with the transmission fluid cooler when changing transmission fluid. I'll just leave it alone.

To me (and I mention again my limitations in mechanical ability) it is an unnecessary risk of damage for a small benefit.

Ken300D

Ken300D,

I didn't think there was too mechaincal ability needed to loosen a large nut (oil cooler fitting) and retighten it.

The trans oil cooler is inside the radiator, at least in my cars, and is not drainable. Do you drain the torque converter when you change transmission oil? That's a small plug in the converter with an allen socket but I have found that many times it needs to be heated to loosen it.

Leathermang,

I was mostly thinking about the guys who were debating whether it is better to drain the oil by removing the drain plug or sucking the oil out thru the dip stick tube.

P E H

PEH, I was not debating it ... but had mentioned that I was " philosophically opposed to it " (in general) the sucking out the top.. but thought it might have seemed that I was obsessive about the 'amount' of oil,, instead of that I like the idea of the flow being capable of taking more of the grunge out of the pan....I AM capable of being obsessive about some things.. but I am not about the 'amount' of oil cleared each time.. LOL.... Greg

for whats it worth..On my 115 style 240, the big copper washer goes on the drain plug ( need a 14mm allen to open it) and the small copper washer fits the drain plug on the oil cooler. The big "O" ring is for the filter housing.

Aazer

O.K!!!!
I've followed this for a few days now, and am still waiting for a good, logical reason to suck the oil out the dipstick tube. I've been working on my own vehicles (and everyone elses I know) for 30+ years now, and I can't for the life of me see a reason for it. Yes, my $125.00 cd-rom says to do it that way. But, like, why?:( :confused: :confused:

I can't offer you any explanation, except that the Mercedes engineers designed the engine and dip stick that way and I generally trust what they do--based on the rest of their engineering in the car.

For a DIYer, I think it's definitely easier and cleaner to suck it out (as opposed to jacking the car up, sliding under, getting oil all down your arm while pulling the plug, etc.), and maybe the MB garages find that true as well.

I also have an acquaintance who--about 10 years ago--had a McQuick-Lube type place change his oil. They apparently stripped the threads of the bolt in the pan but sort of snugged the bolt back in. He drove the car for about 15 miles before the idiot light went on, but the motor was ruined. It finally (after much fighting) cost McQuick-Lube about 3 grand. Wouldn't take too many of those before you quit messing with pan-bolts and go to sucking out the oil.

The other question is, what's a good logical reason for doing it the other way?

Thanks for the reply.:D
Guess some things are the way they are just because. As for why doing it "the other way", I suppose 'cause I don't have a pump. I'll pass this one by my other mechanic buddies and see what they do or don't know.

Dweller, The 'logical' reason for doing it the other way is : It uses the oil in the pan to rinse some of the stuff which has settled on the bottom of the pan into the drain bucket. Many people have never taken a pan off an engine.... the bottom is usually pretty ugly... and it just provides a way for gravity to evacuate some of that out of the engine. You don't suck the water out of your bathtub.... do you ? ...LOL.... and the drain hole IS on the BOTTOM of the pan.... :) Greg

Yea! What he said:p

This should end the drain or suck debate, if Mercedes desgined the engine that way, then why is there even a drain plug. The newer Mercedes don't even have dipsticks anymore, the whole oil level/condition is computer monitored, so a dipstick isn't needed. Personally I would like to check the oil myself and not by a computer, but that's another subject. Again, why put a drainplug on the oil pan if your supposed to suck it out of the dipstick?

I want to restate that I am not debating this myself.... I think if MB says it is ok,,and you have a sucker, then it sure would be convenient to use it...If I had one I would probably do both...I wonder if they fixed the oil filter change to where it is as easy as taking the oil out the top? What I am mainly for is regular oil and filter changes.... however you do it.... Greg

Just chiming in on the question of why MB includes a drain plug even if they intended to have their mechanics service the car using a dipstick tube sucker when changing the oil.

Seems to me the engineers might have anticipated that some people for whatever reasons, like location (distance from a dealer) or for just plain frugality (cost) might not take their cars to a certified MB dealership to have them serviced. In that case they might not have a dipstick tube oil sucker device handy and need to change their oil. Just a thought. Jim

Back to all those brass washers;

I buy my filters at the dealer for about $10. there are two or three (my memory is fuzzy) brass washers. I thought one was for the drain plug and another for the top of the tube that runs from the lid of the oil filter canister down into the center of the filter. When I put the lid on without that washer, it fits "hard" but when I use the washer, I can feel the rubber o ring squeeze down....if that makes sense.

Am I doing it wrong? No leaks so far.

Nic
'85 300CD