It seems no matter what I do, I get an oil leak from between the lower and upper oil pan. I've replaced the gasket twice, replaced the pan once (it had a dent) and the best I've been able to do is slow down the leak and move it to the other side of the pan.

Is there some magic method to torquing down the bolts? Maybe some special voodoo or incantation to the Mercedes gods that I need to say?

-Torqued in Texas

 

7 ft/lbs. I start at a bolt and work around. I've been wondering if I should torque to say 4 or 5 ft/lbs in a more randomly distributed pattern then work my way up to 7 ft/lbs or something.

 

i would coat it with silicone that usualy helps

 

I would not ever coat an oil pan gasket with silicone. There is a very high risk of it globbing and little bits of it getting into the pickup screen and maybe even gunking up oil passages. If you have to use something, use a gasket cement, but never silicone. And be sure all surfaces are completely clean before applying and then give it a day to dry after installing and before you add oil.

Also make sure that it isn't really coming from the turbo drain seal.

 

The original leak I was fixing was on a gasket on which I used cement, though I did not wait a day to let it dry. Maybe that was the problem. I'm a little leary of trying it again. I've seen some posts that say never use gasket cement. Any other opinions for or against this idea?

As for the return oil tube gasket from the turbo, I had a small leak there too and replaced the gasket and o rings on this last round of leak fixing. It was amazing, the old gasket was brittle and broke off. No stretch or pliability left in it at all. That one at least seems to have stopped leaking so I have made some progress.