It's a completely different experience on a 140 body - where you have to raise the engine. The 124/119 is considerably easier - nothing in the way at all.

Ouch!

May as well do motor mounts too while you're in there, right?

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"It's not about how fast you can go, but how well you can go fast."

Bob in Richmond

'97 S320 (LWB), Ruby Red Metallic, 73k miles
'97 S420V, Smoke Silver Metallic, 155k miles

ouch is right. I didn't notice while I was under there, this makes the job much more complicated Now I'm not so sure I want to tackle this. I've never had any luck with just re-torquing the pan bolts, they usually still leak...and not having a lift sucks. I hate working on my back!

Thanks for the info.

BOBB

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'98 S500 W140.051 119.980

I know the theory is you're not supposed to have to put gasket seal on the oil pan gasket but I do, and it helps a lot, just a very thin coat on both sides.

The proper way to lift the engine is from above with a hoist, but I have heard of people jacking it from the oil pan (removing lower mount bolts), then blocking it up and removing the jack. I've never done this and am not sure if you have to remove the motor mounts and put the blocks under the mount brackets, or if you can get it high enough to leave the mounts in place and get blocks under them. For redundancy there may also be an opportunity to put blocks between the upper oil pan (further back) and a cross member, not sure. The upper pan is alloy and not real tough. The first rule is be safe.