Just got a CLS500 and oil issue?

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greekCL

Active Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
499
Location
Kent
Car
Mercedes E55 W211 (2004), BMW 640d GC (2016), BMW 645Ci (2004), Mini Cooper D (2008))
Hello guys,

Just wanted to get back to the Mercedes club again :)
So I got my self a nice CLS500 (2005) model with 128k on the clock.
Everything on the car works as it should be, airmatic, keyless etc.
I know this car has the exact same engine as my CL500 had (same output 306bhp) however ... I seem to have a strange thirst for oil.

I drove the car back from Birmingham today and it kept asking to add 1lt of oil on my next fill up. Annoyingly the CLS does not have a dipstick like my year 2000 CL500 had.
So I have to rely to the dashboard telling me OK or need to add oil and how much.
I added 1lt of oil ... then I got on the motorway again and the car after 1mile asked me to add 1lt of oil again on my next petrol fill up.
I stopped 60miles later and added 1lt of oil.
The car again once I set off asked me to add oil.

I arrived home and switched off the engine. Checked the oil level 5 mins later and asked me to put 2lt of oil.
So I did ...
I checked again and now it said OK.

Took the car for a spin 3 miles. And now it wants me to add 1lt of oil.

I can see the car has oil leak from the passenger side rocker cover. However nothing drops on the floor where the car is parked.
I start up the car and idle it ... rev it, it just does a puff of white smoke on the first blip, mostly condensation and then nothing all clear.

Where does this oil go? As if the oil was being burned... then I would see big clouds.
If the oil was lost then I would see a pool not just smell?

Any ideas more than welcome. Where shall I start mmm?

Cheers
Vasilis
 
That's a lot of oil......
I'm sure if it was burning that much it would stink, and would be clearly visible.
It may be getting caught in the undertrays if it has a serious leak, then running out when you accelerate/corner etc, or is the oil sensor telling fibs and it's actually got way too much in?
I'd get it to a workshop straight away..... (in the morning)
Regards,
Gav.
 
Cheers Gav,
I had a 2002 BMW 745 that was burning oil due to the valve guide o rings... that was smoking a lot. .. to the point an MOT could not be done properly.
And it would not burn more than 1lt per 2000miles.

The CLS500 on the other hand ... does not make sense.. as it does not smoke nothing like the BMW

Does anyone know where the oil sender sensor is?
I would like to have a look at it... maybe replace it.

I want to do the first things my self, before I start paying garage labour... just for diagnosis lol :)
 
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I'll be very surprised if it's drinking that much oil.

Mine kept bonging at me, telling me I needed a life after I filled it up.

It turns out mine needed two sensors
 
greekCL said:
Cheers Gav, Does anyone know where the oil sender sensor is? I would like to have a look at it... maybe replace it. I want to do the first things my self, before I start paying garage labour... just for diagnosis lol :)

I'll look on my receipt but I know one of them (if not both) mean you have to drain the oil out to replace them.
 
I have already bought oil and filter ... was going to replace the oil over the weekend.
If I can do the sensors the same time might be helpful.

At the same time I would have a look at the breathers.. in case they are clogged up etc.

Any diagrams would help, if anyone has a link etc?
 
I had the sensor play up on my e55k, Was just saying level sensor faulty visit workshop.

Changed it for a new one held in with 3 bolts bottom of the sump and all was good.
 
* It could be a faulty sensor?
* It could be a blocked oil gallery stopping the oil flowing past the sensor? Thus, the sensor is correct, but you have oil starvation and now a large oil overfill. Both of these will cause severe engine damage if left as they are.

It is unlikely that you are dropping 4 litres of oil and NOT seeing the evidence of a massive leak. Oil in an engine does one of three thigs:

* It burns and comes out the exhaust
* It leaks and covers the bottom of the car and your drive.
* It stays inside the engine.

This suggests that one of the above is the case. If it a blocked gallery? Then you will grenade your engine. I would not drive the car until you have it checked out properly.
 
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There is an oil leak for sure, I will have a look at the engine etc over the weekend properly.
Now it is the first time I have heard of the term of oil gallery.
Is there any other names for it? So I know where to start looking about it.
 
I might just do an oil flush as well and see how it goes.
 
greekCL said:
There is an oil leak for sure, I will have a look at the engine etc over the weekend properly. Now it is the first time I have heard of the term of oil gallery. Is there any other names for it? So I know where to start looking about it.

These are simply the passages that the engine uses to move oil. Some are very small (pipe cleaner) others are open channels. You will not see most, as they are drill into the block.

4 litres is a very big spill. The underside of the car would be covered. Pull the filter out and see if it is clean or gunked up. That may give a clue to the internals.

Sent from my iPhone using sausage fingers.
 
I shall look and report back :)
Thanks guys.

I have already booked it with a local garage that have been excellent with my other cars.

But I shall have a look my self before next week where it is due to go there.
 
I would get hold of an engine oil dipstick and do a manual check first. If the oil level sensor is faulty you could have way to much oil in it.
Or drain it and refill with the correct amount then see what the display says...
 
The problem is which dipstick would be correct for my engine...
Cannot just put in any dipstick.

I do plan to change oil and filter over the weekend. Will fill it up with the correct 8lt of oil.
 
OK good news, I have removed the oil filter to have a look and everything is good in there. The oil could do with a change so I shall do this over the weekend.
There is a bit of an oil leak on the driver side rocker cover gasket.
Nothing else I can see yet.
As we stand... the engine is cleaned, I have jetwashed all the old caked oil from there. It seemed it leaker from the oil filter/oil filler cap before and made a mess!!
No signs of leaking from there today after I ran it.

I rechecked the oil level again today although it was saying add 1lt yesterday, without adding anything today I checked it on the same road spot as when I topped up and it now said OIL OK.
So I just have it as over sensitive.

Also the engine must have been short of 4lt of oil when I bought the car... somehow lol I could tell as when I added the first 1lt of oil on my way back there was some smoke coming out the filler cap. At least I had not done many miles like this.
 
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...you didn't but how many miles and how hard was it driven with at least 3 litres short of minimum!?
 
One God knows...
While the car was on the move the warning popping up was only saying add 1lt of oil in the next fuel stop. I am surprised it did not say add 4lt of oil!
at least no nasty noises or any other problems.
apart from a noisy water pump which will be in the to do list.

At the moment I cannot drive the car as I just sent the V62 for a V5.
DVLA cannot tax it for me until I get the V5 in my name.

So tick tock ... I can only fix all the things while the car is waiting to go on the road lol
A good polish and detailing.
The interior is done.
The harman kardon sound system does not sound bad :) OK it cannot be compared with the Mark Levinson on the LS460, but it is good :)

And I just managed to find by accident where the CD changer is lol ... when I was trying to switch off the hazard lights and the finger slipped
 

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