1999 C280 Oil & Filter Change???Help - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jcd · #1 06-21-2002, 09:40 AM

Need to the change the oil and filter on a 1999 C280.

Can I get some help with location of the oil filter, drain and any special tools (part numbers if possible) that are required.

JCD

#2 06-21-2002, 09:49 AM

Assuming that this car has the V6 and I'm pretty sure it does, the filter is in a cannister at the front drivers side of the engine. You can get a special socket for about ten bucks at your dealer that will easily pull the top of the cannister. Once unthreaded, you pull the filter up and out on the a stem that is part of the cannister top that you unscrew with the tool.

Remove the filter after you have removed the belly pan, put a drain pan under it and then remove the drain plug. You can get a magnetic drain plug for these engines and I highly recommend it.

A trip to the dealer for the filter and filter socket will be worthwhile. You don't need the filter number, they will help you.

Good luck,

jcd · #3 06-21-2002, 10:00 AM

Yes it is the 6 cyl. Actually it is my dad's car, he's the one who cared for the 1977 300D that I now drive.

Question, is the belly pan pretty straightforward to remove?

2nd question, how is the filter oriented? My dad said that it looks to be a pretty puny filter, and appears to be open side down when you remove it, and very prone to a big mess.

Your thoughts.

Thanks again,

JCD

Gilly · #4 06-21-2002, 05:47 PM

The pre-98 and post 98 were are both 6's. What Larry is getting at is if it's a V6 or not, which it is. 98 and newer are V6.
Loosen the oil filter cap all the way and wait 5 minutes, the filter canister will drain out pretty good. Pull the cap up and have an old rag to put underneath it as you remove it from the engine bay, to keep the belt, radiator support, etc from getting old oil on it. But it won't drip much if you wait the 5 minutes.
The "belly pan" (encapsulation panel is a no-brainer, 4 screws hold it on, 8mm heads. There are also 2 slots on each side that connect to moulded plastic clips, after removing the 4 screws, pull down, it'll snap off of the clips.
The filter is underneath the cap you unscrew. Just remove the filter by first unscrewing the cap, then pull it up out of the canister after waiting 5 minutes. The filter pulls off of the central "post" of the filter cap assembly, you'll see what I mean when you remove it, just get a few paper towels, grab the filter element, and kind of twist and pull to remove the element. There are 4 o-rings that come with the new filter, remove the old ones with either a needle-nose pliers or a small screwdriver, then install the new ones, starting with the largest one.
This engine holds 8.5 quarts when doing the filter. The best advice I can give is to use Mobil1 synthetic, I recommend 0W40 if you can find it.
Gilly

jcd · #5 06-22-2002, 07:55 AM

My dad is an experienced DIY, so this will be a no brainer. Your tips will help a bunch.

What threw us both is the FSS, which gave an extended service interval for oil changes, as well as the high cost for a glorified oil change for the A service. Any time my Dad asked the tech for input on when to bring it in or change the oil he said, "it will tell you, just bring it in".

From my perspective, the FSS with the electronic service indicators in the car are just a ripoff.

JCD

Gilly · #6 06-22-2002, 09:50 PM

Most people think the FSS mileage is TOO high. If it caused you to bring it in more often, I would consider THAT a rip-off.
I would recommend, if you are going to do the oil changes yourself, to go no less than 5000 miles and no higher than 10,000. But 8000 would be about right. It does have a fairly large oil capacity at 8.5 quarts, and also if you use the synthetic, 8 to 10,000 should be pretty safe.
Bear in mind several other items which should be done on a regular basis, such as tire rotations and brake inspections, brake fluid flush (every 2 years) coolant flush (every 3 years), the climate control dust filter every other oil change (per MB anyways). The engine air filter and fuel filter are done every 60,000 miles.
The spark plugs are replaced on this every 100,000 miles or 4 years (5 years on 2000 and newer), so if your 99 was built in 98, you may need spark plugs this fall. There is a label with the production month and year on a label in the drivers door jamb, near the latch striker on the body side.
Be sure to check the spare tire pressure once a year also, I set them at 40 psi, you can always take some out, but not so easy to inflate it to proper pressure on the side of the road.
It's really important to properly care for these cars. If you maintain them like cheap junk, invariably they will end up cheap junk.
Gilly

blackmercedes · #7 06-22-2002, 11:06 PM

I use my FSS, but not quite as MB intended.

Every 5000 kilometers of countdown, I change the oil. That way, if the computer counts down faster due to stressful conditions, then I change the oil more often.

Then, when the FSS counts down to zero, I do either the A or B service and reset the FSS to 15,000 kilometers.

At the A service, I change the cabin air filter AND the engine air filter.

Also, with your 722.6 five speed tranny, you would probably want to change the tranny fluid and filter every 90,000 kilometers or so. It's NOT really fill-for-life. Dan covered just about everything else...

Gilly · #8 06-22-2002, 11:10 PM

One rare 722.6 trans success story:
We have a service advisor at work with a 97 E300 diesel with approaching 300,000 miles on the transmission, we have serviced the car it's whole life and have NEVER replaced the transmission fluid or filter, pan has never been off, original seal on the dipstick tube cap.
Gilly

blackmercedes · #9 06-22-2002, 11:12 PM

Dan! That's encouraging.

jcd · #10 06-23-2002, 07:44 PM

I appreciate the help with the c280. My dad was in town for the weekend and this was his first experience with the site. He was impressed with the advice, the speed of the advice, the quality and the quantity.

Great site and great community of MB owners and techs.

Thanks again,

JCD