'86 300E Oil at Oil Filler Cap
 

Hello,
'86 300E, 160k
I have been finding oil at my oil filler cap on the valve cover. Is this the sign of something bad or do I just need to bend the metal tabs on the cap to make it tighter?

The upper part of the engine(under the valve cover) is lubricated by oil. It gets splashed around alot. If you remove the oil filler cap after the engine has been running, it will have oil on it. I am not sure if the oil filler cap is adjustable.

Can you be more specific?

-Blake

If you have the original...
 

and find oil AROUND the cap, buy a new one. MB came up a new design. It is less than $10. If you find oil inside the cap, that is normal.;)

Thanks Gents!

More details: It is a new design. I replaced the old one this summer. There was oil outside of the cap then. The cap was toast, cracked and lousy. With the new cap, no oil outside until early January. Now I have oil. New cap is still in good condition. I am hoping that this cap has simply 'broken in' and needs 'adjustment' by bending the tabs a bit. It is not as tight as the one on my '92 -- which is tight enough that I can barely get it off unless engine is hot.