88 300SE Oil Pan Removal

[RC2007]

I replaced the timing chain, guide and tensioner, the guide that was deteriorated and broken up and missing. Haven't driven the car but I notice that the oil pressure is really low so I thought I would drop the oil pan and check out the pump, clean everything of any debris that is leftover from the broken guides. I got the oil pan unbolted, how do I remove it with that crossmember in the way?

[deanyel]

I'm not familiar with the 126/103 but it sounds like you need to raise the engine from above. I think you're on the right track after a broken guide like that.

[brewtoo]

On the 124 you do have to raise the engine. Not sure about the 126.

[Mike Murrell]

I agree - raise the engine.

Easiest way to do that is raise the car - the front of it that is.

Floor jack from the front - once up - jack stands at the rubber plugs just behind the front wheel wheels - I use wood between these plugs and the jack stand.

Oil pump at front. I'd post the task from the CD, but this site won't allow anything > than x amt. of file size and I'm too tired to figure out how to shrink a PDF with all of the freeware available.

[deanyel]

Originally Posted by brewtoo

On the 124 you do have to raise the engine. Not sure about the 126.

Not all 124s - the 119 oil pan comes off easily without raising the engine. But the same engine in a 140 body has to be raised.

[RC2007]

That is what I thought, do you know if I need to unbolt the motor mounts?

[brewtoo]

Yes. When I did this on my 124/103, I used an engine hoist from above. Another post seemed to imply you coud jack it up from below.

[Rob Pruijt]

This is the way I did it.
1-Remove the bolds connecting the engine supports to
the engine mounts.
2-Lift the engine with a floor jack (put a piece of wood
between the jack end the sump) until the rear of the
engine just touches the firewall.
3-Put pieces of wood between the engine mounts and the
engine support and remove the jack.

This gives just enough room to take the sump off.
If you refit the sump it is very important to use the right sealant, apply to both sides, let rest for a while, then put it together again. The sealant smells very bad, only use it in a well ventilated workspace.

Rob

[S-Class Guru]

the wood in the mounts seems like a simple solution. When you jack the engine, look closely for hoses, wires, fans, engine mount shocks, etc; that may need to be slackened as the motor goes up.

DG

[althecarguy2012]

Hey guys I really hope to get some help here, I would really appreciate it, so let me start from this , I have a 1993 Mercedes 300se W140 3.2l I6 motor, it had some undercarriage damage and busted the oil pan real badly(also busted off the oil level sender thing)
So I have all the parts I need and my oil pan is unbolted I have been trying almost everything to try to get it out without seperating the transmission from the engine. So unbolted the motor mounts, exhaust, drive shaft, mount from tranny.i even took off the valve cover to see if it would give me a bit more room to lift the motor, I'm lifting it with a engine hoist and the engine just hits the firewall, starts to lift the car itself and there's still not enough room for me to take out the oil pan, with the two crossmembers that are welded onto the body, does anyone know any other tricks, because I see no other way than to seperate the engine from tranny and lift the engine way up alone ,and I really really don't wanna do that (
Please help!!! Thank you..

[Takararider]

You do have to raise the motor slightly. I just did a gasket and pan replacement on my 1989 300sel very easy job with the right tools. After jacking up the car the 1st thing I did was to free the motor mounts and anti vibration struts from steering cradle. I raised the mother from the top. Removed all the pan nuts and the pan slides right out