Is it possible to check oil manually?

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Rosemeyer

Active Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
72
Location
Warwickshire, and Charante en France
Car
54 W211 320Cdi Avantgarde
Sorry to be thick, but is it possible to check the oil level manually on a 2004 W211 320cdi? I've done 2K miles since I have had it , and 'computer
says is OK'.... Just like to check.

Bernd
 
Yes, just use the dipstick but make sure the car is on level ground and let the engine cool down a bit before checking.:)
 
This may seem like a strange question, but why do they go to the trouble of building an electronic oil level sensor, and then give you a dipstick?
Sounds like a bit of over engineering, unless the onboard cpu uses that data for something else.
 
Sorry to be thick, but is it possible to check the oil level manually on a 2004 W211 320cdi? I've done 2K miles since I have had it , and 'computer
says is OK'.... Just like to check.

Bernd

YOU MAY FIND YOU DON'T HAVE A DIPSTICK fitted AS STANDARD. :mad:There is a dipstick dip tube but it will be covered with a sealed cap. Mercedes service agents break the seal and use a universal workshop tool= dipstick to check oil levels manually.:thumb: The "tool" is not designed to stay in place permanently as its not the correct length for that so the cap is replaced. Its figured electronic monitoring is adequate/safer for many owners [some of whom never bothered to check the oil when they had a dipstick anyway :doh:] The problems occur when oil levels are too low or high and a warning comes up on the dash as the owner is then confronted with a dilemma -- can I trust the electronic readout or not? [ AND THEY DO MALFUNCTION] To get it checked they are then forced to take it to their nearest MB agent to get it checked manually- often at personal cost/ delay. Best thing to do if you haven't got a dipstick fitted as standard is to buy one of the many aftermarket dipstick tools and use that for checking if necessary.
 
As you say Grober, I do have a capped dipstick tube, with something like 'workshop use only on it'.

I'll go looking for a suitable dipstick, is ebay a good place to start or do you have a better suggestion?

Bernd
 
As you say Grober, I do have a capped dipstick tube, with something like 'workshop use only on it'.

I'll go looking for a suitable dipstick, is ebay a good place to start or do you have a better suggestion?

Bernd

Are you certain that's the oil dipstick tube and not the one for the ATF? Most auto MB's have an additional tube toward the rear of the engine to check the ATF which are usually capped.
 
Engine oil tube is on the right when facing the engine, it has a red cap, the ATF is on the left towards the back and has a plastic seal in the cap, which can be pushed out with a small screwdriver.
 
Checking oil

211s do not have oil dipstick as standard its mb oe sealy tools list one approx £40
 
I found the dipstick tube , its under the CDI cover on the right at the rear. On mine the tube is covered by a red plastic cover, all I need now is the dipstick..off to look at the Sealey website.

The dipstick I need for the 648 engine is a Sealey Part No VS930ED, googling it gives various prices between £32 and £ 40 odd.

I also found a you tube video that suggests you can use a hidden menu to establish the actual oil level, tried it but no joy on my car so maybe model year specific.

Again, thanks for the help and pointing me in the right direction
 
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I found the dipstick tube , its under the CDI cover on the right at the rear. On mine the tube is covered by a red plastic cover, all I need now is the dipstick..off to look at the Sealey website.

The dipstick I need for the 648 engine is a Sealey Part No VS930ED, googling it gives various prices between £32 and £ 40 odd.

I also found a you tube video that suggests you can use a hidden menu to establish the actual oil level, tried it but no joy on my car so maybe model year specific.

Again, thanks for the help and pointing me in the right direction

cheapest are on EBAY but the SEALEY one is here Sealey

on offer till end of AUGUST
 
Re the YouTube Video which shows how to find a hidden menu which will give various bits of info including the actual amount of oil measured, I can now get this to work on my car, provided you have the outside temperature set as your default and not your speed, if you turn the ign to position 1 and press the reset button three times the menu comes up, use the arrows to scroll down, get to the oil part shows something like _._, switch the ign to position 2 and it will show the actual amount measured.

But you knew that didn't you, lol.
 
Hello to you all, Im new here.. I have a 2005 w211 280 CDi and wish to check oil throught the dash but having probs.
I have used the dipstick but it keeps coming out dry on one side of the stick while the other side reads full. Ive tried twisting it and turning but still comes out the same??
 
recently while on the M25 in stop / start traffic my car went into limp home mode. Stopped and re started and it was fine.
Took it to a merc garage who said it may not happen again and should be fine, would you be happy with that answer and do you know what may have caused it???
I noticed the floor mat may have got slightly under the throttle

Hope you can help, thanks
 
Hello to you all, Im new here.. I have a 2005 w211 280 CDi and wish to check oil throught the dash but having probs.
I have used the dipstick but it keeps coming out dry on one side of the stick while the other side reads full. Ive tried twisting it and turning but still comes out the same??
see 2 posts down
 
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New topic in existing thread.

recently while on the M25 in stop / start traffic my car went into limp home mode. Stopped and re started and it was fine.
Took it to a merc garage who said it may not happen again and should be fine, would you be happy with that answer and do you know what may have caused it???
I noticed the floor mat may have got slightly under the throttle

Hope you can help, thanks

Please do not start a new topic in an existing thread, it makes it very difficult for you and others to keep track.
 

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