Dipstick

[Deadhead]

Flicking through the settings in my new S211 E220 I couldn't find the one where you check the oil level. So I was reduced to R[ing]TFM and discovered that I'll need to use something called a dipstick to check the oil. Wot's that all about then?

My previous C220 had this and I had thought that the two engines must be pretty similar. Is this cost-cutting or didn't the previous electronic measuring work very well? Or are the two engines more different than I thought?

 

[Dieselman]

For years people have said the electronic display is useless bring back the dipstick...

There's no pleasing some people...

 

[lynall]

Remember reading reading about this recently and apparently they have gone back to a dipstick as its less hassle, never had any probs with mine or the wifes and they are both old cars.



Lynall

 

[johnsco]

Give me a trusty dip-stick any day.
Don't trust this electronics nonsense

Johnsco
(Qualified Electronics Engineer)

 

[raymont]

According to the technician I was chatting to at the dealer I shouldn't take too much notice of the display oil level information. I mentioned it said to add one litre of oil, the technician said if I were to do that there's a fairly good chance the next display I see would be the one telling me it's overfull.

We then used the old fashioned dipstick and it looked as though it needed a little over half a litre.

I now use the display as a rough check and if it indicates oil is needed I have a look at the dipstick.

 

[sspeed]

A few months ago I decided to renew the engine oil in my C270 CDI.
I checked the electronic display before draining and it informed me that the level was "OK"
I then drained it and expected to see the full 6.5 liters in the bowl..
What I actually saw was 5 liters !!!!!
I replaced the full 6.5 liters and it informed me once again that the level was "OK"..Well it would wouldn't it?
So my view is that so called electronic dipsticks are absolute CR*P..
Why on earth they thought they would change a system for oil measurement that was fool proof and tried and tested (and trusted), is beyond me.
Its definitely a step back wards!

 

[shorty]

The level that the car will deem ok can be changed using STAR . On my last car i changed this from 4.0 litres to 4.5 litres . Before changing this minium level the car never looked for oil , but when i changed to to 4.5 litres the car started looking for oil just before its next service was due .
It says a lot for MB engines , that it only used 0.5 of a litre in 10000 miles , and thats on a petrol engine with a total of 132000 miles covered .