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How to DIY oil change on your C230

505K views 135 replies 89 participants last post by  260e crusier 
#1 · (Edited)
This only applies to 2001-2005 (I-4 supercharged engines) or w203 chasis. It might be the similar for other C-class models.

Tools Needed:
1. 27 mm socket or a cresent wrench
2. Small flat head screwdriver
3. Funnel
4. 8mm socket *
5. 1/2 inch socket *
6. Lift Jack*
7. Oil collection pan*

* Optional tools, only needed if you plan to drain the oil. If you suck the oil out these tools are not needed.


Parts/Supplies Needed:
1. Oil Filter (MB Part # A 271 180 00 09). My dealer provided a new drain plug washer the filter.
2. Oil (Mobile One 0-40) C230 (I4 SC) needs 5.8-6.0 quarts.


Procedure:
1. Locate the oil filter and slightly loosen it, DO NOT remove it at this time. This will allow the oil in the filter to flow back to the oil pan. (See Photos 1 &2 below)
2. Jack up the car and remove plastic engine covers on the bottom of the car with 8mm socket.**
3. Located oil pan drain plug and remove plug with 1/2" socket (See Photo 3 below) Make sure you have the oil collection pan under drain, because the oil will come flowing out fast.**
4. As the oil is draining out, remove the oil filter from engine bay.
5. Remove oil filter cartridge (this may take a little force) and three rubber o-rings. Replace oil filter cartridge and replace the three o-rings (See Photo 4 below) Coat the new o-rings with some new oil.
6. Install drain plug with new washer and tighten to the proper torque spec (24N/m) or 1/2 turn past finger tight.
7. Install oil filter into engine bay. DO NOT over tighten! Tight to the proper torque spec (24 N/m) or if you do NOT have a torque wrench tight a 1/4 turn past hand tight.
8. Remove oil cap and input 5.25 quarts of oil using the funnel. (The reason why you should NOT add the entire 5.8 quarts is because there is still some residual oil in the engine and it's not good to over fill. You can easly add oil, pain to take it out)
9. After putting in 5.25 qts, turn ignition key to position 2 (radio and heater/AC comes on) for 10 seconds. This will allow the oil pump to start pumping the oil into the empty filter. Then start the engine and let it run for one minute and turn off car and remove key.
10. Re-Intsall plastic engine covers on the bottom of the car with 8mm socket and lower jack(s). **

** Steps not needed if user decides to suck the engine oil out using an oil extractor (topsider or etc.). To suck the oil out simpley put suction tube in oil output hole (see photos 1 below) and make sure tube goes all the way to the bottom.


Check Engine Oil: (See Details More In Drivers Manual)
1. Be Parked on level ground and have car stationary for at least 5 minutes.
2. Turn key to postion 2 (radio and heater/AC fan turn on).
3. Change to standard display (mileage) on the multifuction display (computer display under speedometer).
4. Press and hold ^ or V on steering wheel for 3 seconds until "ENGINE OIL LEVEL - MEASUREMENT IN PROGESS! CORRECT MEASUREMENT ONLY IN VEH. LEVEL" will appear. After 3 seconds "ENGINE OIL LEVEL - MEASUREMENT NOW" will display.
5. Computer will return the following message:
> ENGINE OIL LEVEL - OK
> ENGINE OIL LEVEL - ADD 1.0 QUART (1.0 LITER)!
> ENGINE OIL LEVEL - ADD 1.5 QUART (2.0 LITER)!
> ENGINE OIL LEVEL - REDUCE OIL LEVEL
> ENGINE OIL LEVEL - OK
6. Add oil if needed.
7. If you get "OBSERVE WAITING PERIOD" then remove key from dash and wait 5 min. If you get "MEASURING NOT POSSIBLE" then repeat steps above.

IF YOU CANNOT VIEW PHOTOS THEN USE THIS LINK: http://www.brianrichardson.net/c230/c230_oilchange.ppt

I recommend rotating tires after every oil change.
Good Luck & have fun!
 

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#28 ·
Cabin filter is in a black box in the engine bay on the passenger side up by the windsheild. The Cabin Filter is above the battery. It's simple to remove. The A/C cabin Filter Part # is: A203 830 01 18. $22+ at the dealer, but $10.27 at OEM Parts Direct :: Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volvo

As for spark plugs...I have never changed them....they are good for 100,000 miles
 
#29 ·
Today I'll be changing my oil and filter. Talked to the dealership about the brand of oil to use out of the available ones listed in the certified parts manual. They said they normally use the 0w-40 during summer time, and use the 10w-30/40 during winter. The only available oil listed that I could get a hold of was the Castrol Syntec 10w-40. They said that there is no real difference between the Castrol Syntec 30 or 40, but because only the 40 was listed as approved in the manual I used that.

Dealership also said there should be no adverse side effects on the engine wear, or performance from using the Castrol compared to the Mobile 1 Tri-Synthetic 0w-40. I did purchase the fleece filter from the dealership, and found out something interesting. Apparently there is more than one type of filter for the 02' C230K Sports Coupe (possible the other years too, but not sure). They were going to sell me the wrong one at first until I got the VIN number. First one was a lot shorter than the correct one. So be very careful when buying the filter, and make sure you get the correct one.

At the dealership I had asked for the Oil filter kit, but they said there was no such thing. I should of read this better first, and just told them the exact o-rings I needed. The o-rings for the cartridge, and the o-ring for the oil drain cap on the underbody. I hope the old o-rings will still be alright, and do their job.

Anyways, I hope this information helps some of you, and thank you for the great write up Spoons.
 
#30 ·
I have been using an oil extractor for years now (from Griot's Garage). It takes everything out. When using an extractor, you should not drain the oil out while the engine is cold. Run the engine 7 - 10 minutes, then run the extraction. The dealerships in my area (Seattle) all do it this way.
 
#31 ·
I have been using an oil extractor for years now (from Griot's Garage). It takes everything out. When using an extractor, you should not drain the oil out while the engine is cold. Run the engine 7 - 10 minutes, then run the extraction. The dealerships in my area (Seattle) all do it this way.
There seems to be a lot of mixed information on whether to use the conventional drain plug draining method or the oil extractor. I was hoping that someone with a qualified MB background can clear this up? The oil extractor is a lot more convenient so I would like to use this if it is actually more efficient. By the way rayabello, running the car for 10 minutes and then letting it rest for 5-10 is the norm with drain plug method also.

As to my above previous post. Although the dealership said that the Castrol Syntec would not cause additional engine damage, I was told by a retired MB mechanic/technician that it would cause additional damage during cold start ups. The additional weight of the oil is the cause of the added damage. On this forum I was also told that the Castrol Syntec is not true synthetic oil, but instead, extra refined conventional oil. If anyone is having troubles finding the Mobil-1 0w-40, it is available at Autozone, Checker Auto, and a few other stores. Today I returned the Castrol (Wal-mart), and purchased the Mobil-1 0w-40 (Autozone). Still awaiting the oil change, and I have decided to stop driving my car until it is changed. Should have it done tomorrow.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Good tip, and yes I did do that before purchasing. The reason why is it didn't show "Tri-Synthetic" anywhere on the container. I guess none of them do. Another good note is that the 6 quarts of Mobil-1 0w-40 was only about five dollars more than the 6 quarts of Castrol Syntec 10w-40. Really good pricing on the Mobil-1 being that it is a far better synthetic (If you could even call the Castrol synthetic...).

"MB approval 229.5"
 
#35 ·
Well, today I had the oil filter, and oil changed. Did it at a Wal-mart TLE, and had a friend of mine, who works at the TLE, and is very car smart do it. I wrote out the instructions for him off this thread, and everything went just fine. I actually helped do the work also. Easy to get the underbody cover and engine cover off. Engine cover is just a clip type system that pulls off. Underbody is bolted.

For anyone interested. You can go into the TLE bay and watch the guy work on your car. All you need is to wear a pair of the safety glasses they use. It's Wal-mart safety regulations that you must wear the safety glasses while in the bay area. It was only $10 dollars to have the oil and filter changed when I purchased the filter and oil myself. That ran the total up to about $65 dollars. Hell of a lot better than the $140 dollars the dealership wanted.

Now to my question. We put in the 5.25 quarts as suggested on this thread, and the dip stick only read a little less than half way inbetween min/max. Decided this was not enough oil and put the full 6 quarts in, which only brought the dip stick to halfway inbetween min/max. I ran the car for a while, assuming it would raise from heat expansion, and it still only reads halfway inbetween. What's going on here? I feel like I should put more oil in, but based on this thread I also feel that might be a bad idea. I'm going to call the dealership here in a few if they are open.

Thanks,
Matt
 
#37 · (Edited)
In my "C-Class Sportcoupe Operator's Manual" inside the "Technical data" section is reads;

"Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
...
...
........................................ Capacity ..................... Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filter |||||| 7.4 US qt (7.0 1) ||||||| Recommended engine oils"

I'm at a loss as to why Spoons guide says to use 6 quarts maximum when the manual for my car says 7.4 quarts? Is his car a different engine model? I hope driving for a few between the min/max wasn't bad for my car... Someone please verify. I would rather not call the dealership, and sound like a complete idiot.

Something else that I have realized. In this picture posted by spoons;

When we took the filter out of the car there was not a bottom attachment as in his photograph where the small and medium o-rings are. Just the top filter cap. We also looked down into the engine where the filter is, and that piece was not down in the engine, or at least not from what I can recall. Am I missing that bottom attachment, or is this normal for my engine? I'm sure that would be terrible for my car if it was missing... My filter cap does not have that extended socket area on the top of it. The entire filter cap is like a huge socket area. At the TLE they used a large cup like socket that covered the entire filter cap to remove it. If I'm not explaining it good enough I can get a photograph. Let me know.

I think that this guide is for the supercharged 1.8lt C230K, and that is why there are these few differences?

Thanks,
Matt
 
#40 ·
Hey guys, got a newbie here.

I was looking at this thread and wondering if anyone can tell me what is done on service A and B? I am new to the benz world (it is the wife's car) and just paid 250 for service A that on paper looks like an oil change!!! Then they told me i needed to have the brakes pads replaced and the front rotors turned for a mere 900.. :wtf:

I personally have an 03 Harley F150 (charged tuned and ready:D ) So needless to say i don't mind turning wrenches just want to know what all they are doing. I can change the oil with a gold filter for less than that..........
 
#43 ·
For some strange reason, when the parts guy looks up the dipstick in the workshop parts list, he will find it is not there, and will tell you that it is 'not available'. Never mind that it was used on a similar engine a few years earlier!

MB finally agreed to sell me a calibrated 'measuring stick' that suits various models. It came with a chart suitable for my car. It is really a workshop tool that is too long to sit in the dipstick tube. It hangs on the garage wall.
 
#46 ·
"This only applies to 2001-2005 (I-4 supercharged engines) or w203 chasis"
Can anyone point me to an exhaustive list of cars and spec's for the current C class? And will it make reference to UK models?

Just wanting to know if this procedure can be done on a C200k UK model.
 
#47 ·
Is it really that simple to reset the Service Messages by pressing the reset button while on that that particular screen? I was under the illusion that for the price of $360 that my mechanic was charging me...I thought he was hooking my car up to a very expensive computer to reset the Flex A warning. Lol! Can someone confirm that it is really that simple. I own a 2002 CLK 430.
 
#48 ·
Is it really that simple to reset the Service Messages by pressing the reset button while on that that particular screen?
I'm not sure if it is the same for your CLK, but give it a try, and see it if works... Remember key needs to be in position two, engine off, and hold the reset button for about five seconds.
 
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