Very intermittent, will leave a large puddle or sometimes a small puddle on the card board after parking. Finally quite driving it a couple of years back, finally gave up trying to find the leak. It would actually lower the level substantially that you dare not drive it. I would leave it run but could not see any leaks while running, seemed to leak after shutting it off & it sat for awhile.
I thought maybe the lower pan gasket this is below the oil level isn't it? Are there any hoses that could be leaking (again don't see anything obvious) The lower pan gasket can be changed in the car but the main pan gasket would require the engine to come out, correct?
There's a couple of hoses under the engine towards the front, are these oil or water lines, thought possibly a seals gone bad? I have done most of my own work over the years but am getting a little old for some of this stuff, thought about taking to a mechanic that will work on it but would like to pin point it myself if possible.
I know there's usually common spots on these engines to leak, thought maybe you guys more familiar could help? The engine is wet all over with oil leaks, but this is a bad leak. It does appear to be towards the front, thanks for your suggestions!

Not sure if this has been done yet, but if it is coming from the front, check around the balancer on the engine side for fresh oil leaks, might be the front main seal.

Other notable areas up front would be the PVC pipe, oil cooler hoses and possibly the turbo oil pipe. In all honesty, there are so many places leaks could develop, that your best bet would be to thoroughly de grease the engine and then look for (the now fresh) signs of the oil leak and proceed from there.

Good luck

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Stable Mates:
1987 300TD 310K mi (Hans)
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee OM642 165k mi (Benzrokee)

Thank you Sir

you can also use an oil dye and after dark just look around the engine with a UV light

On mine it was the Turbo Charger Drain Pipe Rubber Grommet and to a lesser extent the Drain from the Oil Separator in the Air Filter Housing which drains to the side of the Turbo Charger Drain.

In the attached picture the large arrow points at the Turbo Drain and the red arrow points at the Oil Separator Drain (there is a nipple with an O-ring there).

With the Oil Separator Drain about in the middle of the tubing is a clamp or welded on tab with a hole that that blots to a brace under the Turbo. Those are often loose or if you have the type with the tab which is welded to the tube the Tab cracks out of the tube leaving a hole and an oil leak.

When I first got my Mercedes it heavily covered with dirt and oil. I thought I had a substantial rear crank oil seal leak but it turned out to be a valve cover gasket leak.
I only located the leak after I had decreased the Engine.

Attached Thumbnails

   

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

As mentioned, the most likely culprits are the various oil return and breather tubes ~ I've had to do them on all my W123's except the gray market 300TD .

As you're thinking 'I'm older' this IS NOT a DIY job you want to tackle because it's messy and can be labor intensive to the extreme .

Your best bet is to get some purple de greaser and soft, narrow paint brushes, dress in old clothes and set to work cleaning and de greasing including lying on your back and working at it from below .

This will make diagnosing the leaks location easier as well as ease the job of repairing the leak, I've yet to meet another Mechanic who will ever properly clean anything not his own .

The oil return boot and O-Rings plus the rockerbox gasket are the two things I'd look at first, use DEALER PARTS as they do in fact last longer.....

Maybe a member near you will recommend an indie M-B shop near you that's honest and competent .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better