6.9 sump removal

[s class]

The state of trusty rusty's oil tank and euro oil cooler has left me desiring to remove the sump to flush it out properly. The amount of rubbish that came out of the oil system leads me to suspect the oil pump pickup gauze may well be clogged, and my thoroughness won't allow me to proceed without at least examining it.

My plan has been to unbolt the engine mounts and lift the engine up a few cemtimetres with the engine crane to get some clearance between the sump and chassis cross member, and then remove the sump. I have spent some time examining the situation and I now strongly suspect that one of the metal A/C pipes running across the lower front of the sump may prevent this.

Does anyone KNOW if it IS possible to remove the sump as I intend? I'm basically too lazy to remove the whole engine just for this.

Thanks

 

[Michel]

The state of trusty rusty's oil tank and euro oil cooler has left me desiring to remove the sump to flush it out properly. The amount of rubbish that came out of the oil system leads me to suspect the oil pump pickup gauze may well be clogged, and my thoroughness won't allow me to proceed without at least examining it.
My plan has been to unbolt the engine mounts and lift the engine up a few cemtimetres with the engine crane to get some clearance between the sump and chassis cross member, and then remove the sump. I have spent some time examining the situation and I now strongly suspect that one of the metal A/C pipes running across the lower front of the sump may prevent this.
Does anyone KNOW if it IS possible to remove the sump as I intend? I'm basically too lazy to remove the whole engine just for this.
Thanks

It is great to have you posting very interesting information here Ryan,

I will be the first to disagree with you on the 'lazy' part.
If anyone isn't lazy and is a hard worker on his cars...it is you....

Sorry if i don't have the info you are asking for, but I am sure someone (Styria, RonB, etc...) will answer soon.

Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[s class]

Well I should add that yes, it would be simple to disconnect the A/C line, but I really don't want to do that and incur the costs of regassing.

Over at M-100.cc RonB suggested that the sump could be removed in this manner, but he didn't elaborate on what other work (such as removing the A/C line may be required first.

If noone here has tried this escapade, then I guess I may as well be the first.

 

[Styria]

Hi S-Class,

Whilst I have never had to remove the Oil Pan with the engine in situ (and thankfully so, I might add), my trusty 6.9 manual provides the following (edit-abbreviated version) information:

1. Remove bonnet 2. Drain engine oil, coolant, accelerator linkage regulating shaft.

2. Loosen radiator shell (what is meant by that) AND PLACE ACROSS FAN

3. It says "LOOSEN" but I think they mean REMOVE, transmission oil lines, oil hoses from reservoir to oil sump, lower oil hose from filter housing to oil cooler (Euro models - my edit), guard for oil hoses (tank to sump).

4. REMOVE refrigerant compressor WITH carrier - in other words, the bracket and the whole lot that secures the unit to the engine block (the second part of the sentence is MY wording).

5. LOOSEN (?) front engine mounts and lift engine at 'mounting eye' - (the bracket attachment on top at the front) and remove oil pan TOWARDS the front - obviously after having undone the million and one Allen headed oil pan retaining bolts.


Ryan, the nastiest job of this lot is the Air Con. compressor. Now, you may well be able to leave the refrigerant hoses attached to the compressor, but I think that they are metal refrigerant pipes with special fittings that locate into the rear of the compressor. So, I would daresay that you will have to sacrifice your gas, because with that compressor even lowered or pushed to the side (and I don't think there is enough room), it'll just be in your way forever and a day thereafter.

I know that your approach to rectifying problems and issues is totally thorough and methodical, but why not fill up the oil pan AND the oil tank with degreaser, say 2-3 litres, use a blower extension and drain the degreaser from both the tank and oil pan - obviouisly, do not turn engine. You may also consider removing the oil tank and cleaning it on the bench - however, again another 'not so nice' job. Hey, the possibilities are limitless, don't you agree ? Anyway, good luck with it - I'll be most interested to know how you get on if you decide 'to bite the bullet'. Regards, Styria

 

[s class]

Thanks styria,

That was very helpful information.

At present the radiator, oil cooler and fan shroud are already out, which makes it easier. Obviously all those lines are disconnected as well. I have already (a month or so ago) removed the engine oil tank. It has now been ultrasonically cleaned, de rusted, leaks braized up and painted. The worst part of that job was disconnecting the 3 fat oil lines which were rusted fast. I kid you not, it took me the best part of two afternoons to get them separated.

There was so much filth in the oil tank it came back seemingly weighing half what it had before!

I think my next plan is this - I will go and inspect what is involved in dismounting the A/C compressor, and what the feasibility is of moving it a little still connected to that metal line. I don't think it needs to move much. If that steel line could move forward perhaps 25mm I think I will be OK.

 

[s class]

Well for the curious, this is what the oil tank looked like when it came out :





This is what the timing case area looks like. Really sad.

 

[WGB]

As far as the Airconditioning goes the manifold of pipes that comes off the back of the compressor is RHD and 6.9 specific and almost irreplaceable.

The pipes were repaired on my 6.9 but are relatively fragile and I would think the comparatively small price of a re-gas would mean discretion could be the better part of valour.

If you still have the old gas it may be worth trying to preserve what you have but if it has already been converted.......

Bill

 

[s class]

THanks for that caution Bill. THis is the kind of shared experience that makes forums useful.

 

[s class]

Well, some progress this evening. I got the sump off. Styria, your procedure was spot-on, but I need to add one step. The two flanges on the side of the sump, to which the thick oil lines from the tank connect, are more than just flanges - they have necks that protrude into the oil pump, and so must be removed before the sump can be lowered.

So was it all worth it? Well it did give me an evening's entertainment, but further than that, I discovered some small chunks of alloy from who-knows-where lying in the sump. The oil pump pick-up gauze was not clogged, but there is a lot of grit lying in the baffle just below the gauze (on the dirty side of the gauze.

The engine is heavily varnished as expected, but no sludge or anything else untoward. The cylinders show honing marks at their lower extreme - rather haphazard honing that I struggle to believe is MB's doing. Perhaps this engine has been apart? The bores show glazing, but no ridge at the lower ring landing area. Perhaps there is some hope for this engine.

The bearing caps and rods have also been engraved (by hand) with the cylinder number - is this normal for 6.9 engines, or is it further confirmation that the engine has been disassembled before?