Topside oil change

[flyboyx]

as has been mentioned already, I don't trust anything other than loosening the plug. even though I always use full synthetic in everything, extracting oil from the top will always leave sediments in the bottom of the pan. will the build up over time and cause a problem? I don't know....maybe not. it still freaks me out though. it just doesn't seem like a bid deal to stick a jack under the front subframe, raise the car, put a couple of jack stands under the corners and crawl under there. can you replace the filter on an e30 from the top? seems like the manifold is in the way?

ps: my f350 takes 15 quarts of oil. I couldn't imagine pumping that out the dip stick.

[jeffnhiscars]

as has been mentioned already, I don't trust anything other than loosening the plug. even though I always use full synthetic in everything, extracting oil from the top will always leave sediments in the bottom of the pan. will the build up over time and cause a problem? I don't know....maybe not. it still freaks me out though. it just doesn't seem like a bid deal to stick a jack under the front subframe, raise the car, put a couple of jack stands under the corners and crawl under there. can you replace the filter on an e30 from the top? seems like the manifold is in the way?

ps: my f350 takes 15 quarts of oil. I couldn't imagine pumping that out the dip stick.

I only climb under a vehicle as a last resort so yes you can change the oil filter from above. Unless your patient enough to wait for the manifolds to cool though, you'd better wear something to protect your hands and arms (I have the burns that prove this). Using a claw pliers type oil filter wrench I can undo the filter between the 2 manifolds then going in by the compressor can easily spin is off with 2 fingers and have it land in th drain pan.

You can also reach the drain plug without sticking your face under the car so I just raise the drivers side enough to get the pan underneath and don't bother with stands. This actually helps flush the pan as the drain plug is then on the low side of the pan. All in it's a 15 minute job and M1 & filter is under $30

[MrBurgundy]

keep in mind that newer mercs dont have a dipstick, so a top side change is not going to happen

[reelizmpro]

keep in mind that newer mercs dont have a dipstick, so a top side change is not going to happen

It's a 2016 C300 4matic and it does have a dipstick. From what I understand they did away with it a few years then brought it back, probably for extraction as the car still reads the oil level electronically. They also set the service intervals strictly by time (365 days) regardless if you've driven 5000 miles or 500 miles.

[MrBurgundy]

It's a 2016 C300 4matic and it does have a dipstick. From what I understand they did away with it a few years then brought it back, probably for extraction as the car still reads the oil level electronically. They also set the service intervals strictly by time (365 days) regardless if you've driven 5000 miles or 500 miles.

That's nice they brought it back.

I feel ya on doing the underside oil changes on those. If you don't have a hoist, taking those covers off underneath is annoying.

Some of my customers cut out the plastic so they don't have to remove it to drain it.. haha

[coldweatherblue]

can you replace the filter on an e30 from the top? seems like the manifold is in the way?

agree with you about draining the oil however, yes, on a stock E30 you can replace the filter from above.

Before I got headers I changed the oil with my car on the floor sans jack stands.

Just slide the drain pan under the oil plug, drain the oil, then move the pan slightly towards the passenger side to accommodate the filter oil. Take a ratchet filter tool on the end of a long 3/8 extension and slide it between the stock manifolds.

This is the part where your hands get burned if your car is hot and you don't have gloves and touch the manifold.

Remove the filter.

You can actually slip a new filter through the manifolds and tighten it with bare hands on a hot manifold without getting burned but it's a tight fit and I've definitely been burned before, but that's the price of being lazy.

Impossible though if you have headers.

[varg]

Or a turbo

[Stanley Rockafella]

I don't mind my topside exchanger. I started using it to syphon off ATF on my Focus. Then I just kept using it for all fluid changes. Even the e30 gets it's oil changed with it.

I don't have any worries about sludge/crud using it. As long as the oil has been warmed up sufficiently, it flows fine. Also, all detergent oils (pretty much anything available on store shelves) will hold impurities in "suspension" until you drain/syphon it out.

Only time it gets annoying is with the Lexus. The topsider has a max limit of 6 liters, and the Lex easily surpasses that. I have to remember I can't just "set and forget" while I do other maintenance things like on the e30 or Focus. If I do, I run the risk of a mess/damaging the pump. Overall it's the cleanest oil change I've done so far.

[PDXPeter]

keep in mind that newer mercs dont have a dipstick, so a top side change is not going to happen

My '11 X6M is like this too.

[cscracker]

agree with you about draining the oil however, yes, on a stock E30 you can replace the filter from above.

Before I got headers I changed the oil with my car on the floor sans jack stands.

Just slide the drain pan under the oil plug, drain the oil, then move the pan slightly towards the passenger side to accommodate the filter oil. Take a ratchet filter tool on the end of a long 3/8 extension and slide it between the stock manifolds.

This is the part where your hands get burned if your car is hot and you don't have gloves and touch the manifold.

Remove the filter.

You can actually slip a new filter through the manifolds and tighten it with bare hands on a hot manifold without getting burned but it's a tight fit and I've definitely been burned before, but that's the price of being lazy.

Impossible though if you have headers.

Yep, this is how I've always done it on the iX. There's an axle in the way of getting it from underneath. I used the K&N wrench off filters and a 25mm ratchet wrench to minimize burning myself on the manifolds. Always dread that part of the job. When I turbo it, I'm relocating the filter.

[Rennsport]

Just a tip from when I worked at a quick lube shop in my younger years, do not use a multi-piece tube down the dipstick tube. A employee, we'll call him 'tard, used a multiple piece tube trying to suck the oil out from a vw beetle that had a botched drain plug. The lower piece of the tube came off and got stuck inside the dipstick tube. Instead of stopping the operation there and removing the dipstick tube, 'tard left it in there and didn't say anything. Fast forward a few weeks - the shop had to buy that customer a new engine. The tube got caught in the rotating assembly and wrapped itself around the crank, destroying the bearings.

TLDR - multi-piece extraction tube wrapped around crank, destroyed motor

[Stanley Rockafella]

Just a tip from when I worked at a quick lube shop in my younger years, do not use a multi-piece tube down the dipstick tube. A employee, we'll call him 'tard, used a multiple piece tube trying to suck the oil out from a vw beetle that had a botched drain plug. The lower piece of the tube came off and got stuck inside the dipstick tube. Instead of stopping the operation there and removing the dipstick tube, 'tard left it in there and didn't say anything. Fast forward a few weeks - the shop had to buy that customer a new engine. The tube got caught in the rotating assembly and wrapped itself around the crank, destroying the bearings.

TLDR - multi-piece extraction tube wrapped around crank, destroyed motor

Surely you can't fault the engine's failure on the pump.
It's the fault of the employee, not the pump. I've been using mine for years and have never heard this happening before.

[Rennsport]

Absolutely. It was 100% the techs fault. He shouldn’t of left the tube in there. Worst part about it he must of shoved it further into the pan trying to get the dipstick back in

[reelizmpro]

That would suck. My hose is 1pc but I worry about it melting in the warm engine.

[MrBurgundy]

what kind of rubber is it?

When I would do a topside, I would use a vacuum line, they're great at withstanding heat.