Have a 96 e320 straight 6 that is leaking oil from throttle body/intake manifold.Looked inside intake and throttle body and found oil pooling under variable induction control valve and signs of oil in throttle body,intake manifold,noise baffle.Can't locate any PCV valve anywhere. Motor runs fine,not smoking, no running problem codes. Shop just did head gasket and front cover seal. Looks like only way oil could be getting into intake system could be from openings in air filter crossover tube on the 2 posts that sit in the valve cover (which also has oil in it). But I don't why.

Blow back from breather?

Check the air filter. Only way its gonna get into the intake manifold via that hose is by seeping through the air filter. It should be obvious....but even so the way that the air assembly has been constructed, it would be hard, or require a lot of oil to get over the plastic hump that blocks the oil from getting to the throttle plate.

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
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Air filter is dry and it is dry from air filter inside the tube until it hits the valve cover.

I'm not sure what breather? where is at?

Is it large amounts of oil, or just wet? Both my 94 E320 and my 93 300E (both M104s) have a little oil in the intake, but don't burn any and the plugs look good.
I've always been confused as to why Mercedes didn't put the crankcase vents further up the sides of the crossover duct or put a filter in that area to keep that oil in the crankcase where it belongs. If it's not much, don't worry about it.

Forget 'bout it

There is a lot of oil, so much that it drips off the forward bottom part of the intake system and pools up on the bottom pan under the motor

Could it be that you have a vacuum line hooked up in the wrong place?

I think some is normal as the crankcase ventilation goes through the intake. I think a lot is abnormal, you might want to do a compression check to verify that you don't have blow by forcing oil out of the engine. You might also check the oil viscosity and verify that it is not overfilled.

"Shop just did head gasket and front cover seal."

Take photos, document, bring it back.

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-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

Mercedes TSB # 18/45 - 00/134

Oil capacity change on 104 engines From 7.5 ltr.to 7 ltr.

Ref . # MBNA-00/57:

Oil level should be check on level ground / normal operating temp / , and dipstick checked after a short waiting period. The level indicator should never be above the 1/2 way mark when warm.

Nov/95 - Oil capacity Overfill change.

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A Dalton

Haha!

I actually suggested it could be overfull, but then I changed my mind and deleted that idea and replaced it with what I actually posted. Funny.

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-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

yes, that sounds exactly right...that's what it is I would bet

Oil level was too high. Lowered it to half way between low and high mark on dip stick. Also took back to repair shop and he said that he believes its entering intake system thru openings in air crossover tube at valve cover but don't now why. After I lowered the oil level it still leaked out of the forward part of the intake manifold, the tech said he had cleaned inside the intake system but I will pull it today and clean it my self. Are there supposed to be any type of baffles/restrictive inserts in those holes that allow vapors/gases thru but not liquids/oil thru?