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-   -   oil consumption (http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=6541)

spinedoc 02-29-2000 06:46 PM

OK my 87 300E has the very common high oil consumption. I was at the dealers today and mentioned it to the service manager. He said they see them in all the time and it always turns out to be just a valve adjustment which shouldnt cost more than $150 or so.

From what I have read on this site it seems like the high oil consumption requires more like a valve job, or at least the guides replaced if I recall correctly, at the tune of over $1000.

So what gives? Is what this service manager is telling me to good to be true?

Also the last question, which you guys always slip out of, is popular opinion here is that even if all works perfectly you would see some oil consumption. Well, where is this oil going? I have never heard of a normal running engine consuming oil.

Thanx

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1987 300E

mbdoc 02-29-2000 08:08 PM

To start with the valves have hydraulic lifters, not that valve adjustment would cause oil consumption. Most oil consumption on this engine comes from valve guide wear.

Benzmac 02-29-2000 09:05 PM

Just to reinforce what Doc says, the 103 engine has no maintenance valve adjustment. You can look in the CD rom and see. If the oil consumption is too much, you will need a valve job to correct.

------------------
Benzmac:
1981 280GE SWB
1987 16V
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM



jeffsr 03-01-2000 11:39 AM

Do the plugs foul? Have you checked for blow by? Any smoke coming from exhaust? I've got the head off my '89 300e(156K miles), had fairly significant oil consumption. The valve guides were shot, the valve stem seals were as brittle as bakelite. Sounds like valve job or at least valve seals absent any other problems.

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Jeff L
1987 300e
1989 300e
1987 BMW 325

LarryBible 03-01-2000 02:24 PM

Yes, it's hard to imagine how they plan on adjusting these hydraulic valves.

Actually I was surprised to see the indications in this series of posts regarding high oil consumption from these engines. In my '88 300E, I change oil about every 3,300 miles and never add between changes, in fact it's almost full when it's time to drain it.

When I bought the car at about 75K miles, I saw in the records a receipt for replacing the valve seals. However, there were several high dollar receipts from an independent garage that looked like bogus repair, rip-off if you will. This may have been one of them. The car now has about 168K miles and still zero oil consumption.

If the problem IS the valve seals, I would expect you to see a considerable amount of blue smoke when starting up cold.

Good Luck,


------------------
Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

spinedoc 03-01-2000 06:05 PM

No blue smoke at startup. Have yet to check plugs, but I just replaced them when I bought the car 4 or 5 months ago and they were very clean when I took the old ones out. Also no leaks about valve gaskets, timing cover, or underside of car that are noticeable, the car leaves absolutely no oil puddles in my driveway.

The consumption is about 1 qt every 1500 miles or so.

Kind of sad that it was the service manager of a Mercedes dealership that told me this.

Oh, and by the way, you guys have once again slipped on by without answering the question of where does the presumed oil consumption on a perfect engine go? Anyone brave enough to answer?

------------------
1987 300E

mbdoc 03-01-2000 07:40 PM

Oil consumption means the oil is burnt & goes out through the exhaust system. Oil leakage is also form of oil consumption but I'm sure that you can see that!
Many times on 102/103 engines new valve stem seals will reduce oil consumption for many years, if the guides aren't too gone.

tracy_leb 03-01-2000 09:54 PM

I had the valve guide seals replaced about 30K miles ago (at about 77K miles) on my 91 300 TE, which reduced the oil consumption from about 8 quarts in the first 7K miles of use to what is now about 1.2 quarts per about 3K miles between oil changes. A nice improvement.

...tracy

LarryBible 03-02-2000 07:07 AM

Spinedoc,

As MBDoc said, oil that apparently "disappears" is burnt and sent out the tailpipe. A rate of one quart in 1,500 miles will not be visible as smoke. I originally thought that you meant serious oil consumption. 1,500 miles per quart is not really that bad. I have bought a few cars brand new that used more than that from the start and never got better. They ran fine and lasted as long as the next car.

When your consumption gets considerably worse, say 400 or 500 miles per quart, then you can start seeing smoke and oil fouled spark plugs.

And yes, one of those cars with high oil consumption from the get-go was a Benz. It used a quart every 1,100 miles. M-B did not consider that excessive, and would not do anything about it.

I know it's a nuisance, but my opinion is, if everything else about the car suits you, just get in the habit of keeping oil in it, still change it often, and enjoy the car.



------------------
Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

spinedoc 03-02-2000 05:48 PM

Thanx Larry, that's quite a relief to know that my car is "normal". I guess I have never had a car that needed a quart every month (including chevy, ford, mazda, jeep).

So I shouldnt worry about the oil consumption until I get down to 500miles per quart or so?

I also keep a case of oil in the trunk and top it up when the oil light comes on, that usually means almost exactly one quart.

Theoretically if I put in a new quart every month, then I should only need to change oil filter since the oil is constantly being changed! (I am only kidding guys!)

------------------
1987 300E

LarryBible 03-03-2000 07:43 AM

Spinedoc,

If it is only using a quart in 1,500 miles, that's probably the rate it'll have for the useful life of the motor. If you hang on to the car for a long time, change the oil religiously and keep the oil level up, most likely something else will happen before the oil usage gets so high that it fouls spark plugs or something.

Keep these comments apply only if you are changing oil often.

I do have one additional concern though. You said you put oil in when the light comes on. I assume there is a low oil light, and your not talking about a low oil pressure light. How much oil do you have to add when this light comes on? Where is the level on the dipstick when the light comes on? Is this indeed a low oil level light, or a low oil pressure light?

Let's keep up this dialogue.



------------------
Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

spinedoc 03-03-2000 11:21 AM

Well there is 2 places I look for status on my oil, the oil pressure guage and this oil light. The light is in my dash with all the other status lights (battery, brakes, etc). It has a symbol of a oil cannister with a drop of oil coming out of it.

When this lights up it is always almost exactly a quart low, I do check the dipstick every time. The car does use more oil up if I run it on the highway, suppose its just more rpm's.

Anyway if Larry or anyone else can comment on this oil light. I assumed it was oil level since it is consistent with one quart low, but am I wrong? Would MB put in an oil pressure guage and a low pressure light? And if the light was indicating low pressure than why would my oil pressure guage be indicating excellent compression?

OK Larry now you got me a little worried, let me know what you find out.

BTW I usually bring it to jiffy lube or some-such, I watch as they change oil and filter. Any contraindications to this? I use 15W/40 BTW.

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1987 300E

LarryBible 03-03-2000 12:14 PM

Spinedoc,

Sounds good. Since you have a guage, I'm now comfortable that the light is indeed the low level light. There are some later cars, such as the new E-class that do not have a guage, don't get me started on how much I disagree with M-B on this.

I also use 15W40, my favortie brand. I change my own and I change it hot. When you go to Jiffy Lube, see that the engine is at operating temperature. There are more contaminants suspended in the oil that way, rather than clinging to the sides of the engine and internal parts. That's the main reason you change oil often anyway, it's the only way to clean the inside of the engine.

Good Luck

------------------
Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles


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