Recently we purchased our first w210 - a 2002 E320 4Matic sedan. Car seems to be just about perfect in and out. Engine and transmission are very smooth. However, in looking under the oil fill cap, there is quite a bit of yellowish creamy "gunk" stuck to the cap, and a bit around the filler neck. Is this normal for this engine, due to condensation, or PCV system, or similar? Cleaned it out and some has already returned. Oil on the stick is perfectly clean, despite being nearly ready for another oil change. Coolant is also clean and at correct level. By the way, the car only has 28,000 miles on it, one older owner.

Aside from this oil gunk, what other issues are there to watch out for? No rust yet.

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2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 4Matic
1995 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon
2005 Land Rover LR3 V8 SE
1999 Audi A8 4.2L quattro

Sounds like its been driven about 2 miles at a time at 20mph for years.

28,000 in 11 years? thats not even 2,500 a year...

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

It's not unusual and nothing to worry about. Even cars that get driven regularly can accumulate the gunk you're talking about, especially in colder climates. The plastic neck between the filler cap and the valve cover creates a cool spot, allowing condensation to form, eventually turning into the gunk.

Yeah, that's what I thought, so no worries. The car is like a time capsule from 11 years ago - of course, always garaged. There's not even any dust in the HVAC vents.

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2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 4Matic
1995 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon
2005 Land Rover LR3 V8 SE
1999 Audi A8 4.2L quattro

Wow. Did you get it for a steal of a deal?

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Below book value, but a fair price. Car did need tires, had original Michelins. Put on new MXV4s.

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2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 4Matic
1995 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon
2005 Land Rover LR3 V8 SE
1999 Audi A8 4.2L quattro

We had the oil cap gunk on a friend's car, 2002 E320. It was a clogged EGR passage. AS I remember it was a common issue. I vaguely remember running a small drill bit by hand thru a couple of passages on the egr lines. Better do a search herein, I'm sure the proper procedure will pop up.

DG

Oops! I meant PCV system, not the EGR. Sorry about that.

DG

it is often if you just ran the engine on a short trip and it didn't get hot, basically there is humid air in the engine and you get oil with large proportion of water emulsed in it (milkshake) forming on oil cap and similar surfaces. But drive the car 50 miles at 90 mph and all water is gone

Along with your driver's license.

We used to get this accumulation on our '02 wagon even though it was used for longer trips. It only happened during very cold weather and would disappear with the arrival of warmer temps.