Hi guys - looking for some encouragement and advice on resealing my upper oil pan. The car is a 2001 e320 4matic wagon with 89k miles. I have access to a lift, but it still looks pretty overwhelming gazing up at it.

My question: alldata says:

10 Take off front wheels.
11 Remove exhaust (9)
12 Remove front drive shafts (5)
Detach front drive shafts from front drive gear for this step!
CAUTION: Do not damage seals of drive shafts!
13 Remove intermediate shaft (6)
Remove circlip on outside at bearing!
14 Remove front axle gear (7)


Is step "11 Remove exhaust" really necessary? I'm thinking the motor will just be snugged up to the support bar, just enough to unload the motor mounts. Wouldn't the exhaust pipes tolerate this? I'll certainly remove them if someone says they need to go, but living in Mass I'm reluctant to disturb functioning exhaust parts due to the crazy rust we get.

Any suggestions or tips and tricks? Anything to watch for when removing the intermediate shaft or the front axle gear? I see the complete job is listed as about 10 hours which scares me - I seem to take forever even at simple stuff.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Dan

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2001 e320 wagon
2004 F350
2006 Crown Vic

Dan,

i need to do the same, but I need to do it to replace the oil level sensor as it shows up with a error every time the car is started. I do not know your reason for changing the upper gasket, but i would replace the oil level sensor.

My 2002 E320 4Matic wagon has been pissing oil since i got it at a 100k miles. The M112 and M113 are known to piss-oil out of the rear seal than any other benz for the same mileage. I think you should replace the rear seal too and lower pan gasket...

My 2002 wagon has now 186k I'm going to do everything at one shot. Rebuild the transmission my self(I have done these many times-they are very easy to rebuild). Rear seal with a revised bracket. Upper and lower pan gasket. Replace the stupid annoying level sensor which is between the block and the upper pan...

For the moment the car is fine and is driven everyday, but it pisses oil out of the rear seal, and the level sensor is messaging an error every time the car is started...

I'd do everything minus the transmission. Later this year i plan to do it as right now I'm working on other Mercedes transmissions...

Martin

Martin - very interesting. I think I'm going at this all wrong.

I don't think my rear main seal is leaking, but the leak most certainly could be around the seal retainer plate. Looking through the two rectangular inspection plugs and through the slots in the flex plate there is no oil under the crank, but the inside of the bell housing is quite wet. I was hoping it was the upper pan leaking at the back seam, but it sure could be the retainer plate leaking. Mine had the upper pan resealed by the dealer in 2009 - is that a clue?


Have you done a rear main seal and plate on one of these before? I've seen reference to a Mercedes tool 111 589 08 43 00 used to install the seal. It is about $500. The book says:

The crankshaft radial sealing ring (2) at the end cover (1), which is fitted at the factory, cannot be exchanged and therefore the end cover must be replaced.
Crankshaft radial sealing ring (2) must not be pushed out when the end cover (1) is fitted.
Installation: First of all install the end cover (1), then install the crankshaft radial sealing ring (2).

I've seen a suggestion to avoid the special tool by first putting the seal in the end cover, and then installing the end cover paying close attention not to damage the seal lips as they ride onto the crankshaft. Would this be your approach? And you said there is a revised seal bracket - do you know what the revision is?

I think I should be pulling the transmission, not the upper pan. It seems likely my leak is at the seal plate.

Your thoughts?

Thanks,
Dan

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2001 e320 wagon
2004 F350
2006 Crown Vic

Dan,

I generalized my remark of the leak, so do not get confused. It is from"that rear area" too...Yes, the seal retainer plate. Where is the leak? who knows...The mating surface area to the engine, or the bottom, orrrr the round seal it self?

Now I have done a handful of rear main seals on different engines, but not the M112 and M113. Possibly this is my speculation for the moment is I have not look at Mercedes EPC here in the USA against my VIN to see if a revised seal plate exist. Consequently, the revision will mean the rear engine seal has grown in girth to acomodate more wobble in the engine shaft so it seals better, but biggest issue is how do you seal the bottom of the seal plate to the oil-soaked oil plan gasket. In both cases, I have wicked-up the oil with denatured alcohol. wipe everything denatured alcohol, so the high performance silicon sticks. The reality is to obtain a perfect seal one has to replace that whole oil soaked oil pan seal to do a perfect job-not just remove the transmission, or lift the engine out to replace the oil pan seal(s).

I'm rebuilding 722.5 right now, and the same issue will be encountered the engine seal. Now this 722.5 mates up to M104, and Mercedes revised the girth the rear engine seal by double, but the old seal plate had a valley milled out where Mercedes added molded rubber seal plate(that was nice, and some engineering!). Today's seal plates are just plain aluminum, so how does one do a perfect job? I think one of the pan gaskets has to be replaced and the rear seal plate.

That tool, I just hammered my in with a piece of 2x4 over it,so it covers the entire seal.

I have not inspected my rear seal with a inspection camera from harbor freight, but I have feeling you are right that is not the seal, but the plate.

Martin

You've made me aware of the whole rear seal plate, and I now think that is where my leak lies. It is consistent with my upper pan being resealed in 2009, but the trans was not removed so I'm confident the rear main area was not resealed.

I'm going to pull the trans and see what I find. Thank you - before your comments my plan was to remove the pan. I think you've saved me a lot of time and effort.

I'll update when the trans is out. Thanks again - I think you've kept me out of a rat hole I didn't need to go down!

Dan

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2001 e320 wagon
2004 F350
2006 Crown Vic

The tranny is still a pain to deal with.

Mine leaves one to two inch oil spots everywhere on every drive, So at the moment I'm hustling to finish the SL, so the wife can drive it...

Rookie R129 owner - Mercedes-Benz Forum

All the best to you..

MArtin