serviice almost done

[Tezz]

Car was apparently serviced just 4000 miles ago

Apart from cost, wanted to get to know car a bit and I just like to know what fluids ect are in car and have spares for top ups, Cost so far, 10lts oil £22, 10lts ready mix anti freeze £15, 25 litres deionised water £15, rear wiper arm and jet £10, Dot 4 £7, pollen, air, fuel, oil filters £42, new belt £13.

All in Tasks not to bad.

Oil I used a pump into a clean oil can, I used a pump through dip stick, it stopped pulling a few times but as I was only at about 2.5 lts I assumed operator error, was correct I had maybe pushed it in to far and end of tube had curled up, adjusted it a few times eventually got about 5.5 litres out of car, which seamed about right, the oil was Black very very black, not what I expected for 4000 mile oil, the plastic oil filter housing was done up so tight they must have used a breaker bar to do up.

Replacing filters were all very easy, was a bit taken back just how bad the pollen and air filters were, fuel filter no problem just fitted new one, turned ignition on for about 15 secs with out starting 3 times fired right up on 4th turn.

Anti freeze was bit of pain as had to jack up and remover tray, the red drain on rad was just in wrong place with out me making a special tool, bottom rad pip clip was set back and twisted around, so just removed it at other end from water pump and drained it there, the fluid that came out was almost like clear water with hint of blue, I was expecting it too be darker. drained it all filled with deionised water run to temp and drained again, filled with MB spec ready mix, I have enough for 2 changes so will run car for a bit and change again to make sure def have right mix, think I got about 4lts out of car and put same in, book says 4.6 for fluid change but not sure if that's just to change or total capacity of system.

The washer bottle was previously drained, cleaned and filled with deionised water and shell concentrate

I greased locks, gave rubber seals spray with gummie

Front breaks and discs look almost new, drop links I think I may replace before MOT, rear disc and pads about half worn so that's on to do list, exhaust seamed ok with the front section onto engine with sensor looking very new

Iv got to fit the new belt but held of for now, I noticed when pulling of hose from pump, was some oil gunk around that area, not wet like dripping just messy, followed up and could see also above pipe was an electrical wire (better seen from under bonnet) that also seams to have oil on it, not sure where it coming from but will need looking at

From a cost point of view to service a MB m very happy maybe there is a case for the A class, mechanically any way. and most tasks easy enough, hard part was was dealing with broken or missing fixings on car from previous repairs, or part that had been way over tightened or just chewed up.

Still need to do Auto box but will take to Indi for that

At least now I know they have been done, not sure what they did at 4,000 ago but almost everything I looked at needed doing

Tezz

 

[Jockcl500]

It sounds like the service history is unreliable.
Changing the oil by pumping out through the dipstick tube is ok, if you have been doing this regularly, but is not the best when taking on a car that has possibly been neglected.
It's much better to drop the sump plug, which will drain the engine properly, and will mean the new oil you put in, will stay clean looking for much longer.
The under tray only takes a few minutes to remove, and worth it to do the job properly.

 

[Tezz]

This is my first diesel so bit of learning needed.

as I did not get any receipts with car just service book, I have no idea if really serviced or not

Iv used spec 229.51 in car and Bosch filter , changing them is only £ 18, my intension was to run for 1000 miles and change again see what it looks like then.

hopefully by then I will find source of oil gunk, was no oil on under tray just messy around area under water pump, kind of think its some sort of breather leaking or blocked somewhere.

Don't know if its just me but some times I put goods in my basket on ebay and leave there for a long time with out buying, have noticed of late I get messages of where to buy them cheaper or supplier has dropped price. oil for car started at £26 for 10lts ended up at £21.67 with free post for 10Lts same supplier, I purchased at that price went back 5 mins later to get some more was back to £26

Thanks


Tezz.

 

[zipdip]

I think we have all found certain items ticked on a service sheet that have not been changed on a second hand car,the main one I have found is the pollen filter,my car had very dirty filters,you can soon see why they were not changed it was a pita job,to change the two filters,one thing I learned is if using EuroParts only put 1 in the box for the filters,I put two and so got four filters ,I agree with you that the knowledge that you have new filters and oil in a freshly bought car gives you a comfortable feeling that you have given the car the best chance of not letting you down.

 

[Denis O]

It's an oil burner. Your engine oil will resemble very black stuff within 2 miles of changing it. As for filters. I'm not convinced, any main dealer, for any car brand, know what a pollen filter is. I am firmly of the belief that there is a European pollen filter mountain, somewhere where main dealers store the ones they should have put in the cars at service time.

 

[Gazwould]

My two diesels never have black oil .

 

[markjay]

Changing fluids and filters is good, but there are other things that need to be looked at. This is why an 'interim oil service' is quicker and cheaper than Service A or Service B.

Have a look at ESS Lite below - it will produce a list of the items that need to be inspected in each service.

Mercedes-Benz UK | Electronic Service Sheet

 

[Tezz]

I think we have all found certain items ticked on a service sheet that have not been changed on a second hand car,the main one I have found is the pollen filter,my car had very dirty filters,you can soon see why they were not changed it was a pita job,to change the two filters,one thing I learned is if using EuroParts only put 1 in the box for the filters,I put two and so got four filters ,I agree with you that the knowledge that you have new filters and oil in a freshly bought car gives you a comfortable feeling that you have given the car the best chance of not letting you down.

Thanks I could understand them not doing if hard, but on this car if I spent more than 20 mins replacing pollen filter, air filter, fuel filter and oil ill be amazed and was first go at this engine.

As for Euro Car Parts, I never use, not had one good experience ever.

Thanks


Tezz

 

[Tezz]

My two diesels never have black oil .

Thanks

I was not sure if it was normal it was very black indeed, ill check again when I change for 2nd time


Tezz

 

[Tezz]

Changing fluids and filters is good, but there are other things that need to be looked at. This is why an 'interim oil service' is quicker and cheaper than Service A or Service B.

Have a look at ESS Lite below - it will produce a list of the items that need to be inspected in each service.

Mercedes-Benz UK | Electronic Service Sheet

Thanks

Im checking most of car, breaks systems as I go along , I have however avoid the sunroof, only opened once to check work and then shut for good.

Tezz

 

[Gazwould]

Black oil is normal just that if you overservice and with attention to a certain devil device that blows soot into the engine ,the oil stays clean .

 

[Denis O]

My two diesels never have black oil .

Then, I suggest they are not running correctly.

The black oil is quite normal and is a by product of the soot created by a diesel engine being held in suspension by the oil.

I've had a couple of BMW diesels over the years and both would have black oil very soon after a service. Neither had DPF's which I guess is what swallows up the soot these days. Perhaps yours are DPF engines.