Oil Change - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

87 300 SDL · #1 08-04-2003, 02:21 PM

I have an 87 300 SDL, I'm thinking that I want to start doing my own oil change rather then taking it to the dealer who decided they are going to start charging me $60 or taking to any other shop that I don't trust to do the job correctly (makes me sound a little over protective of my car, but I've just had bad luck with garages ). Anyways, I was wondering if anyone out there can give me some advice on how difficult it is to do the job and does it require me to deal with the belly pan in any way. I check the board and no one has posted anything about this in the past. If the job is easy enough I'm thinking it will be as easy as it is for me to work on my families other cars (Honda Civic and Nissan Altima), correct me if I'm wrong.

nthach · #2 08-04-2003, 03:07 PM

I never done a oil change on a non V8 engine, but many people have said here the oil filter will drive you bonkers to replace it, it's a inverted spin-on filter.

janko · #3 08-04-2003, 03:42 PM

no belly pan. and the filter is not a spin on type. changing oil on this model is as straight forward as it gets. try it. and good luck. and 8 quarts to fill with a filter change.

CSchmidt · #4 08-04-2003, 04:57 PM

I have the same car and do my own changes... here is the scoop:

Mine has a belly pan ( 1 of the 2 it is supposed to have). 4 bolts take if off.

There is a usual drain plug on the side of the oil pan, it is very long compared to US cars. The pan holds 8 quarts so have enough room in your catch pan.

The oil filter is near the firewall and you access from the top. Two nuts come off and the lid comes off. When you do this additional oil will drain into the pan... so don't move your pan yet. A trick is to have a plastic grocery type bag around, and as you pull the oil filter out, put it into the bag and prevent drips. Change the o-rings that come with the filter.

Fill it up (8 quarts) and re-do the belly pan and you're ready to go.

Chuck

stephenson · #5 08-04-2003, 05:15 PM

After years of pulling the belly pan, I recently bought a pump type oil removal device (about $45 at a local boating supply ... boats have access problems with engines so they often removal oil this way) ... it works on pulling a vacuum and then opening a line that starts sucking the oil out of the crankcase via a hose inserted into the dipstick tube. Very, very easy ... run the engine a few minutes to thin the oil and make it easier to suck out, but not too hot.

Oh yeah, make sure it holds at least 8 quarts ... there are several systems on the market from $20 to $2000 as a function of how much of this you do ... I have found the Topsider to do this very well, at low cost.

Much faster, less mess, already packaged ... you can take it still in the original Topsider can to your local disposal location.

Check out the threads ... use "Topsider" and you will read about it all!

stephenson · #6 08-04-2003, 05:16 PM

Oh yeah ... use synthetics!