Decided that a quart a week, regardless of miles driven, was too much. I switched jobs, and the 300 Cabrio daily driver went from 600 miles a week to 250; but oil consumption (no blue smoke) stayed the same, using 20W50.

Plastic engine cover came off easily. VC gasket was somewhat pliable, unlike others that I did in the past that could stand in the corner by themselves. The six ring gaskets that surround the spark plug wells were stiff and almost brittle, one plug well had some oil in it. Noticed aluminum in the threads of the bolts removed. A past owner had snugged up the VC bolts too tightly, and stripped out slightly. My luck held as the bolt holes are deeper than the bolts used, so I was able to swap out a few and get VC back down.

I was pleased with the condition below the valve cover of this multi-owner car. Did not have burned on sludge, gunk, etc. I own a Land Rover, I know what sludge can look like.

Lessons learned - do not over torque VC cover bolts, they will strip out or simply snap. A little sealant on the "half moon" rear seals works well, I used the red anerobic sealer from NAPA, thinly.

The 40 mm O ring on the oil level warning switch (side of oil pan) was flat on both sides when removed and snapped when flexed. Oil had been leaking around this point.

New Mann air filter and oil filter (they come with O ring for filter and crush washer for oil drain plug).

Of course it was at this point that I noticed some of the drops on the oil pan were green, and seem to be coming from the water pump area. The WP sounds pretty noisy when listened to with a stick. On a previous W124 I recall it was a full day to replace that O ring from WP to block.

And the torsion bar moved when I grabbed. Bracket on right side is snapped in two. $10 with shipping from the "Rock". Had been making a clunk on turns, although I suspect with 190K there will be more to it.

Murphy's Law section 345.6AFG (a) states that "Any service done shall reveal more extensive repairs needed." It never ends.

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91 300 TE 235K
93 Cabriolet 155K sold
92 300 TE 200K boneyard

I buy Purolator filters,which have the Mahnn stamp.They just don't have the washers.I always wonder why the oil plug leaks.
I will just find a perminate washer,as my filters are $9.89

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Follow up - after 300 miles and a week, no oil change on stick. Normally I was about a quart a week. I combined the above mentioned work and a bottle of Barr's Rear Main Seal Stop Leak for insurance. My oil pan was just as clean as I wiped it off last weekend. I put most of the leak on that 40 mm O-ring for the level sensor.

I park over sandy soil, live in an 1842 farm house, no paved driveway, so don't notice all the little drips like those held hostage by the owner's association in the gated communities.

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91 300 TE 235K
93 Cabriolet 155K sold
92 300 TE 200K boneyard