Oil Change

[rwvw415]

How hard is it to change the oil on a 2001 SL 500? I see the oil filter on top of the moter so that has to be easy but how hard is it to get tothe drain plug and do you have to have a tool to reset the computer?

[aam]

Originally Posted by rwvw415

How hard is it to change the oil on a 2001 SL 500? I see the oil filter on top of the moter so that has to be easy but how hard is it to get to the drain plug and do you have to have a tool to reset the computer?

Not hard.
Car on Jacks, remove the plastic panel under the engine put container to catch the oil, open drain plug, remove filter.
Look in manual how to reset the computer.
No tool needed.

[tecqboy]

Be sure to change the oil filter at the same time. A new filter will include both a new O ring and the copper washer for the drain plug. Metric wrenches required, of course.

[RConrad]

Why not do as many dealers do, use an extraction pump,etc. from the dipstick hole. I've used this method for years with no problems, no mess and all that work and danger going under the car..

Ron

[Robert Squires]

* rconrad, I've never tried that suction extraction. Since the dipstick tube doesn't go any where near the bottom of the pan you apparantly have to insert a suction tube down inside the dipstick tube to get to the bottom of the pan (or do you use some other access?).
* Seems as though, even with hot oil, it would take quite a while to suck out 8 or 9 quarts through a small tube.
* What about any foreign matter in the bottom of the pan which would likely flow out in the current to the open drain plug?

[aam]

Originally Posted by RConrad

Why not do as many dealers do, use an extraction pump,etc. from the dipstick hole. I've used this method for years with no problems, no mess and all that work and danger going under the car..

Ron

Dealers care of one thing only, how to line there pockets with our money.
Sluch accumulates In the bottom of the oil pan.
The only way to remove it is by taking the pan out clean with a spatula
and degreaser.
Second best is the traditional way open the plug.

[myanoch]

rwvw415 Just Warm the engine up take the spash shield off and drain the oil the old fashion way
You be glad you did
I did mine a month ago after purchasing the car
It still had 6000 on the fss counter
the oil was dirty
installed new polyster filter reset fss monitor
and moved on to changing coolant, brake fluid, air filter, cabin filter,brake fluid flush , trans fluid and filter, spark plugs, and rear end gear lube
The car has 56,000
Now I feal I have a starting point of a good maintenance program
Then go by a scheduled progam and the car will last

[rfpmoxie]

After one time changing the oil / filter via ramps, etc., I bought a TopSider for ~$60 (US) and although it may take 30 - 40 minutes, you literally can do the oil change thru the dipstisk access pipe with a white dress shirt on. No mess and you can hear the gurgle as the pan is pretty darn empty. I think this is neat. Again, an investment of $80 for the TopSider and the MB oil filter socket and all is well. Just my 2 cents! Ron ('90 300SL)

[Lee Wireless]

You guys keep crawling under your cars spilling hot oil all over yourself. The so called sludge that you remove (not) from your oil pan will really be thick when it comes out. Come on, get with it. The oil tube is designed by Mercedes Engineers (do you really think you know more than they do?) to suck the oil out with the proper tool. Check the top of the oil tube. Ever wonder why it's flared out? It for a fitting with two o-rings that seal it when the oil is sucked out. Check this link. http://www.johndow.com/Catalog.asp?CategoryID=2487 I have this unit and it works like a dream. The suction it creates is unreal and I guarantee that it pulls almost every drop of HOT oil from the pan because I like most of you didn't believe it worked. I sucked the oil out of my SL and then removed the oil plug to find that it infact worked as designed. No drip from the pan. So next time I'm changing my oil I'll be thinking about you hardcore guys under the car spilling oil all over you while I drink my RC Cola and eat my Moon Pie as my extractor sucks to oil out into a 20 gallon container.