Many threads regarding proper way to check oil. Marshall always endorsed overnight cold check. He submitted up to a quart of synthetic oil would adhere
to the internals. My 603 is driven every 2 weeks. oil level generally right at 1/2 way. Recently 3 weeks passed between operation. The oil level was just below full. 2 weeks back to half way. R.I.P. Marshall Booth

__________________
1990 350 SDL
Currently: 180,000 miles
Factory rebuilt bottom end rods, bearings and head gasket @ 75,000 in 1997

I'm failing to see how a week would cause a massive drainage, especially when the added week is tacked on when the oil is cold and most viscous.

I have no doubt a quart of oil is held up inside. But I absolutely doubt that it would drain out from week 2-3.

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

Massive drain?? More specific " just below full" ,between 1/2 and new mark is 1/4". about 1/2 quart on my stick.

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1990 350 SDL
Currently: 180,000 miles
Factory rebuilt bottom end rods, bearings and head gasket @ 75,000 in 1997

MB vs. MB.

http://www.w124performance.com/service/Index/Resources/00.57EngineOilLevelSI.pdf

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

We aren't likely to see another like him.

Damn I wish the bright idea of saving everything he ever posted, then compiling and organizing it, had occurred to me when he was still with us.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

This 1994 bulletin precedes the wide use of fully syntheic oils. Marshals point was regarding synthetic oil and its adherence to moving parts. He was making a similar warning of the danger of overfill. These engines are not damaged if you wait for the oil light to come on. The whole compendium of oil use threads
is replete with individual s chasing the level on the dip stick.

I'm sure this bulletin is appropriate for dino oil.

__________________
1990 350 SDL
Currently: 180,000 miles
Factory rebuilt bottom end rods, bearings and head gasket @ 75,000 in 1997

It's from late 1995. As far as I know, later recommendations (e.g. in the manual for my 99), when synthetic had become more common, still specify checking the level at operating temperature.

I don't think anyone doubts the tendency of synthetic oil to adhere and that the level will be higher after the engine has cooled....least of all Mercedes engineers.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Ok so define the physics behind how the oil will remain bound to surfaces for two weeks, and then magically fall to the sump in week three.

Marshall was absolutely right, but the physics of it was at an atomic scale, many pertaining primarily to the use of esters in synthetic oil.

A half quart of oil doesn't just fall off of stationary parts between week 2-3.

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

I've noticed that there is at least a half quart difference when checking hot a few minutes after running vs sitting overnight. More than what I call usual. If it is at the full level when hot, the oil light will come on for a few minutes the next morning because it is overfull.

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1991 350SDL 350k+ miles

Might be because the oil filter canister drains slowly overnight. I think it is supposed to stay full, but it could possibly be draining which causes the pan overfill.

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1991 350SDL 350k+ miles

I was really pissed off when the MBCA forum deleted all his posts.

__________________
Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I wondered what happened there. Is there a back story? That sure is horrible.

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

I'm not sure if they deleted all of his posts or if they were just lost when MBCA moved to a new forum format. I think a lot of their archives were lost in the changeover.

__________________
Len
'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles

Such a bummer. I wonder if there is an archive backup someplace (tape drive backup, etc) to recover some of it.

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

Archive.org maybe, unless it was a site where you had to log in to view threads.

-Rog