Yes top side is easier but I drained the oil 3 or 4 times and outside of placing a deflector to channel the oil my 4M, the change was relatively easy. I'm not sure what you're talking about when you mention aligning the screws on the engine tray!! It should be as simple as removing the bottom plastic shield, loosening the oil drain bolt and let it drain. If you have a 4M then place a shield to deflect the oil from the fron suspension member.

 

The corner screws... Tighten one side, tough to get the other in. As you know these corner screws come in at a slight angle and overlap with another plastic tray which makes the job tricky. At least for me without a lift.

 

Changing oil from top its easy and you wont get dirty or any oil spills. From bottom its easy as well its just requires little bit more work. If you think its hard changing oil in this car then i wouldn't recommend doing any other work on this car.

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Never one to surrender: I purchased extractor and couldnt believe the SLUDGE that came up! The fluid was so dark, my w123 rear diff oil after 30k could only be how I compare. Goes to show you must do things yourself at times.
Only problem is that i could only find 5-30 mobil 1 oil this (sunday) as preferred 5-40 out of stock. Now done and cant wait to see how trip comuter mileage compares now.

TOPSIDE flush again is my reco to anyone. Actually extracted 8 qts. Which is the best yield i expected with this method.

 

5w-40 mobil 1 is only available at the dealer, if you find some in the store then its for diesel engines. You can buy 0w-40 mobil 1 european formula and its perfectly fine

 

I have not found it difficult at all to do the oil on our E3504M, though the drain plug location does indeed cause some splash onto the crossmember, and yes, you have to jack the car up and get it on the stands.

What are people using for the "topside" extraction method? And is there any hard data that his does a better job at getting junk out of the pan? I am getting to the age where I don't mind an excuse for not rolling around on the garage floor if I can avoid it . . .

 

I use something like this

I only have shop tales that it does as good a job as draining through the pan. If you are really concerned you could alternate between the two. Using an extractor makes it a very simple job. Be thankful the E350 has a nice dipstick as more and more modern cars do not. I use the extractor on the E350 and my two W124s. The pic is the mityvac on Amazon, the nice thing it holds 8 qts although I usually stop and empty it during the extraction and this finish by getting the last qt or so.

I don't miss rolling on the garage floor, you won't either

 

For me it was a case of being the simpler route. The locations of the engine undertray bolts and the drain plug itself would take 15 mins at least since you need to jack car high enough then support with stands. For topside drain, simply reove dipstick, insert tube from extractor, then pump to work triceps! Took out 8 quarts which is only shy of max by half qt.
For my w123, i dont even need to raise car as bolt is clearly visible and raised enough for drain, so in less than 2 mins im draining away.

 

Since the purchase of my W211 I have gone topside on everything including the farm equipment. I should really consider getting an air powered unit I use it so often.

 

Top Side Oil Extractor is the only way to go.

I was apprehensive at first when I heard about the "Top Side" oil extraction. Believing that some oil would get left behind. However, if you think about it. To get the oil out of the pan, you have to lift the car up. By doing so you trap an amount of oil in the pan. So either way you stand a chance of leaving a small (Very small amount) amount of oil behind. That should be fine. It will get dissolved in the vast amount of new oil and any impurities should get trapped by the filter. Make sure to use the right oil and filter.

Good luck. A good oil extractor can cost you between $70 and $150. Invest in a good one and you will save money in the long run. Seriously!!!!

 

The air powered unit is a dream, Costco sells them for little money and they have all the bells and whistles, you do have to stock up on some brews, the elapsed time between hook up and fillup is about right for one large or two:beerchugr:

 

RoadKing, if it involves a cold one or two, I am on it! But I cannot find anything on the Costco website. Can you clue me in on a brand or product name?

 

No longer available at Costco(too good of a deal), the same unit under the name Welbilt is available from northerntool.com for $100, which is $14 more than Costco if I recall. The Costco unit was a Thorsen but it is the same unit.
I do not recommend a manual unit, if you have an air compressor, it will do the work for you, there are no moving parts, it works on the Bernoulli principle.

 

Its off the website. I also bought mine there last year, but noticed that since then Costco is not selling them. Try Mityvac, those are also a great bang for the buck. Actually, you will probably find more people have those than the Costco ones that Roadking and I have. Both do the job nicely!

Also, you can get the oil filter off eBay for about $11 with free shipping. Surf around.

Good luck!

 

OK, thanks for the additional information RoadKing, Cativo, and Check Codes - I'll look around and pick one of these things up. Have another 12,000+ miles til the next change so that gives me some lead time...

 

Not that it really matters, Henry, but if I ever do have a garage, this is the one I'll buy: Motive Products 1708 - Motive Products Power Extractors - Overview - SummitRacing.com Ten quarts and under $60 (and less than on amazon).

But it's a manual unit, which I'd actually prefer, less to go wrong.

 

This is what I want for father's day seeing as my wife won't buy me a E63.

Northern Industrial Air-Operated Oil Changer — 8 Gallons | Oil Extractors | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

Noodles,,,Question on oil change

This is what I want for father's day seeing as my wife won't buy me a E63.

Northern Industrial Air-Operated Oil Changer — 8 Gallons | Oil Extractors | Northern Tool + Equipment

You know about my situation here in Panama,,,nothing is easy regarding parts or tools..
Reading about topside oil changes,,,,How about if I just put a 1/4 " plastic hose down the dip stick hole, then use my air compressor to put 5 t0 10 punds of air in the oil fill hole?,,,Whatcha think? Jim

 

I see one problem with this, at 0.5gpm, there is not enough time for a brew! May be you can line up your W163, tractor and pickup and do all the oil changes at once

 

LOL, it is quick, but I am slow so I can fit a frosty one into the work flow.

 

So tell me, when using the extractor, do you slide a thin tube down the inside of the engine dipstick tube to the bottom of the oil pan or do you simply hook the suction port up to the top of the dipstick tube like you would do when sucking the oil out of a boat motor?

 

Boat engine oil has always been changed like this. Stop by your local West Marine or boat supply store and get one of these.

Amazon.com: Liquivac Topside Oil Changer: Automotive

Dan

 

Boat engine oil has always been changed like this. Stop by your local West Marine or boat supply store and get one of these.

Amazon.com: Liquivac Topside Oil Changer: Automotive

Dan

For what it's worth the Topsider is a piece of crap. I bought one years ago and it never worked worth a damn. Not enought suction. Bought a MityVac and haven't looked back. Used it on 5 different MB and it works like a charm.

 

From the looks of the oil changer on Amazon you insert a small tube into the oil dipstick tube. On my boat, there is a threaded fitting at the top of the dipstick tube (about the size of a garden hose fitting) which you attach the suction device. I have a mighty vac and suspect that a small tube is used inside the dipstick tube but wanted to be sure, and to see how others are doing it.

 

Yes the clear hose goes down the dipstick hole. Your engine is probably a Mercruiser with that fitting? You don't have to use it and I think you get more oil out with the clear tube.

Dan

 

Just want to report back. After removing the extremely black, close to sludge ol the dealer supposedly serviced 6k ago, I am getting nearly 420 mi to the full tank, more than 400mi as usual. i drive slightly aggressively too and almost always between 80-85 on highways. Now other difference is usng 5w-30 grade oil as I could not get 0-40 or 5-40 the weekend I did the extraction. Will keep this non MB spec in my engine for a few thousand miles before changing.

 

Not a good idea, the 3.5l engines are sensitive to oil type and viscosity. I recommend you remove the 5w30 immediately and replace with an approved MB oil, most autoparts stores as well as Walmart carry the Mobil 1 0w40 European Formula(I'm assuming you're in the US)

 

Read about the MityVac here then watched a few videos on it so I ordered the 7201 from Amazon . I'm a paraplegic and you can imagine the PITA it is getting under my vehicles to do maintenance. This should make things a lot easier.

Caught oil on sale at Advanced auto and bought 4 - 5qt jugs for just under $100. 2 Mann oil filters $10.00 (BOGO)

Waiting on a coupon to get a B/A charcoal cabin filter and 2 B/A main filters for $37.00

PM me if you want the discount info. on the oil and air filters.

As a new MB owner I'm glad to see general maintenance doesn't have to be expensive. :thumbsup:

 

Just remember that oil you put in does not meet MB specs

5W-30 is thicker oil when cold so be really careful when you first start your car

 

Acually i find this 5w-30 oil starts up my 350 much quieter than Dealer supplied oil- which i question now and has been in my car for 6k miles. i did manage to get 0w-40 5 qt jugs at autozone but will use for my Porsche!
I'll risk going a bit longer with the non MB spec and hope I dont report a BANG in my engine soon.

 

I've been using the extraction method to remove my oil since I purchased the car (6 years ago). In the back of my mind I always wondered whether or not extraction removed all the oil. I have read a number of arguments against this method. Well, I now know for sure that extraction is very effective. Last weekend I replaced my oil level sensor, which required removing the lower oil pan sump. I extracted the oil first using the Mityvac, and when I removed the pan, I found that all but about 2 tablespoons of oil was extracted. There was absolutely no sludge at all on any of the engine components or in the pan.