MB Medic Mercedes-Benz Repair Guides, Service, How To DIY
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This guide will show you how to replace the engine oil on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class equipped with a diesel engine. Pictures were taken on a Mercedes-Benz OM611 engine, The same procedure applies to the other four cylinder Mercedes diesels of this era, such as the OM604, and to the cars listed in the table below.
Changing the oil and oil filter at recommended intervals is very important for your car.
To change the oil on your car, you will need a new oil filter, the recommended oil type, an oil filter wrench, and a socket for the oil drain plug.
Applications
| Cylinders | Applications |
|---|---|
| straight-4 | 1998 W202 C-Class, 1998 W210 E-Class |
| 1998 W202 C-Class, 1998 W210 E-Class | |
| 2000 W90x Sprinter | |
| 2000 W90x Sprinter | |
| 1999 W210 E-Class, 2000 W203 C-Class | |
| 2003 W211 E-Class, 2003 W203 C-Class | |
| 2000 W90x Sprinter | |
| 1999 W210 E-Class for Belgium | |
| 1999 W210 E-Class, 2000 W203 C-Class |
Recommended Oil Type
Choosing the oil: the approval number comes before the viscosity
Mercedes does not specify engine oil by brand. It specifies an MB-Approval sheet number, and that number is what the bottle has to carry. It is printed on the back label next to the viscosity grade. Find the sheet your engine calls for in the owner’s manual or the service documentation for your model, then choose a viscosity the manual permits for your climate. That order is the whole point: the approval identifies the performance specification the oil has been tested against, and the viscosity grade is picked within it.
Two things are worth knowing before you stand in front of a shelf. A higher sheet number is not automatically the newer and better choice for your car, and the sheets are not treated as backward compatible with each other, so an oil approved to one is not a substitute for another unless Mercedes’ own current list says it is. Separately, the low ash approvals exist for engines with a diesel particulate filter. Whether yours needs one of those is a question for your documentation and not for the parts counter.
Parts Required
Tools Required
 |
Oil filter wrench |
 |
13 mm combination wrench |
 |
Oil Drain Pan |
 |
Oil Funnel |
Must-Have Tools
- 8 mm socket
- 13 mm wrench
Instruction on how to change the oil on a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine.
Step 1: Prepare
Start by ensuring that the emergency brakes have been set. Next, locate the hood release, which is usually found inside the car. Pull the hood release until you hear the hood pop up. Move to the front of the car and release the latch. Then, lift the hood.
Step 2: Raise the vehicle
Raise the vehicle with a proper floor jack at the jacking point for your model, then lower it onto jack stands and leave the jack lightly in contact as a backup. Do not use the scissor jack that came with the car for this. That jack is made for changing a wheel at the roadside with nobody underneath, and it is not a safe way to hold a car up while you are lying under it draining oil. Chock the rear wheels as well, since the parking brake on a rear wheel drive car is holding the same wheels that are still on the ground.
Step 3: Remove the covers from under the engine
Remove the plastic undercarriage covers. The cover is held in place with several 8 mm bolts. Remove all of them and the plastic cover will easily come off. 
Step 4: Locate the Drain Plug
Locate the drain plug and remove the bolt. The bolt can be removed by turning it counterclockwise. Once you break the bolt loose, you can use your hands to remove the bolt. Make sure to have the oil drain pan located under the oil drain hole. 
Allow at least five minutes for the old oil to drain. If time allows, let the oil drain for at least fifteen minutes. Clean the drain plug and the oil bolt using a clean, dry cloth. Reinstall the drain bolt using your hands to get the threads started. This will ensure that the bolt starts to go smoothly and no threads get damaged. Fit a new sealing washer on the drain bolt. The old one was crushed the first time it was tightened, and a reused washer is the usual reason a drain plug seeps after an otherwise clean oil change. Tighten the oil drain plug making sure it is tight enough, and it will not leak any oil. If you have a torque wrench, tighten the bolt. You can always call your dealer to get the torque values.
Step 5: Remove the Filter
Locate the oil filter housing. The filter can be removed by twisting it counterclockwise. Use an oil filter wrench to remove the old oil filter. Some oil may still be in the filter, so be careful as you remove the old filter to avoid spilling oil.
Remove the old filter by pulling it away from the spindle. Remove the O-rings from the filter using a small flat screwdriver. Roll the new O-rings into place by hand. Avoid damaging the new O-rings. Wet the rubber seal on the new filter with oil. This will help create a better seal and also help the rubber O-rings not become brittle over time. Screw the filter into the housing by hand to ensure that you get a few threads engaged. Tighten the oil filter further with an oil wrench, another half to one full turn, to ensure that you will not have any leaks coming from the new oil filter.
Step 6: Fill the Engine with Oil
Remove the oil filler cap on top of the engine. The oil filler cap should be labeled and usually has the recommended oil type stamped on top. Remove the cap by unscrewing it counterclockwise. Insert a funnel into the oil filler hole. Slowly pour the oil into the engine. Add the required quarts as indicated in your owner’s manual. Once you add the recommended amount of engine oil, reinstall the filler cap.
Step 7: Check Engine Oil Level
Allow a few minutes for the oil to run down into the pan, then check the level with the car back on the ground and standing level. A reading taken while the car is still on stands tells you nothing. Start the engine and let it idle for a minute. The new filter fills during that minute, which drops the level, and that is also when a drain plug or filter housing that is not sealing will show itself. Shut the engine off, look underneath for drips, wait a few minutes for the oil to settle, and check the level once more before deciding whether to add any. If you have too much oil, remove the excess to bring the level within the recommended range. Once you complete the oil change on your Mercedes-Benz 220 CDI (Common Rail Direct Injection), remember to reset the oil interval service reminder. 
Notes:
Remember to recycle the oil and filter properly. Your local auto parts store will take your used oil. Generally, you don’t need to pay for this service. Alternatively, your City’s recycling will also accept your old motor oil.
Before you buy parts, scan every control module, not just the engine. It shows the root fault behind the warning lights and tells you whether the problem is still active. See how to do a full health check.
