oil level checking and adding-87 300E

[lizem100]

Stu Ritter on page 72 of this month's Star magazine advises to check the oil at with the engine at 80 C and on flat ground. This seems reasonable. He goes on to state that no oil should be added until the level reaches the min mark. He maintains that engines develop their own level and adding up "makes no sense." On p 81 he says the engines hold enough oil to do fine at the min mark. Is this correct?
What are the data? When I change oil at 2/5 from min to max I get 4.5 qts out. Should I wait till the level gets to min? Also I get a low oil indicator light at 1/2 way esp if making a L turn( thus sloshing oil away from the oil sender.) I do not like the light coming on briefly. Allegedly there is supposed to be a 30 sec delay but I do not see it.
If 4 quarts is enough then perhaps I will try to live with the transient light. Does someone have a solution to the oil level light coming on transiently?

[Jackd]

""He maintains that engines develop their own level ''"
Bull***. Have you ever seen en egine develop anything but power? (and troubles)
When the low oil level light comes on, it is not an immediate cause for concern. It is only a signal that your oil level is low. (assuming the sender works as it should).
Top it up at the first occasion.
jackd

[Duke2.6]

Oil should be checked with the engine fully warmed up on a level surface a few minutes after shutdown. Since most gas station pads are level, checking it after filling the fuel tank is a good time. I usually remove the dipstick before I start pumping, wipe it off and lay it on the cowl. This allows the oil in the dipstick tube to drain down and will give you a clearer reading when you insert it back in and pull it out.

Mercedes spec for my engine is 6.3 quarts, and I believe all the 103s are the same. Check your owners manual!

"Engines develop their own level" is gobbledygook. What happens is that without checking and adding as required the level will slowly drop due to consumption (which is normal) and leakage, if any. I suspect that with the passing of Frank King, the technical editing of The Star has suffered. (I quit MBCA years ago.)

There have been stories posted about lower oil consumption if the oil is run low, but I don't buy them. At most they are suspect anecdotal evidence. Overfilling may cause excess consumption, but filling up the the manufacturers "max" mark should not.

On my engine the oil light will come on intermittently when the level reaches about halfway down between the plastic indicators, which is a little less than a quart. I usually then add one-half quart, and if the light comes on again, I have a data point on oil consumption, but being as how I drive my car so little, it usually doesn't need any oil between its annual changes.

On refilling after draining I add 6.2-6.3 quarts, and this brings the level up to the full mark. During draining I jack up the right rear of the car to allow the last few ounces to drain out (the drain plug is at the left front of the pan), and the plug is usually open for about 20-30 minutes, while I perform other tasks.

I usually maintain the oil level on all my cars at or near the full level. For track events I sometimes overfill them. The best way to spin a bearing is to jocky a car around corners with a low oil level!

Duke