I am contemplating the purchase of a 2005 or 2006 320CDi. Must the belly pan be removed to access the crankcase drain plug or is there an access plate? Thanks!

 

MB expects you draw the oil out through the dipstick tube.

 

MOST PROBABLY YOU WILL REMOVE THE COVER SINCE IN DIESEL THERE IS A DAMPING STRIP INSIDE.

 

Buck wrote, "MB expects you draw the oil out through the dipstick tube. "
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______
The 2005 CDi is not equipped with a crankcase dipstick. DB relies on sensors and expects us to believe what they say about oil level. Elsewhere I hav inquired about the availability of a dipstick assembly that can be adde3d to the engine.
================================================== =================================
Sleepwalker wrote, "MOST PROBABLY YOU WILL REMOVE THE COVER SINCE IN DIESEL THERE IS A DAMPING STRIP INSIDE. "
I was afraid of that! It would be too simple to provide an access panel like BMW, Subaru, etc., etc. do, huh?
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____
Thanks guys :-)

 

MUST REMOVE REAR LOWER ENGINE COMPARTMENT COVER TO ACCESS DRAINPLUG . ONLY 6 8MM SCREWS.

 

DB must hire their production engineers from Bangladesh or someplace similar. Having to remove 6 fasteners to get to the crankcase drain plug is ridiculous.

 

You might start singing different note, when you realize, that the cover hanging on those 6 bolts might give you additional 3 kph and fuel savings as well.

 

3 kph huh? Mebbe so if you are telling me that the entire belly pan has to be removed permanently to change the oil. <grin> Perhaps I didn't make my point very well. I question why six bolts must be removed for access to the drain plug. BMW, for example has a 6" square plate secured by one thumb fastener under the drain plug on E39 cars (same size car as the E-class Benz). Some Japanese cars use a similar hatch for access to the drain plug. It simply appears that DB made a simple task difficult, for no discernable reason. Am I wrong?

 

Nobody says, that MB is perfect in everything.
Lot of big engines have draining valves installed in accessible place, so all you have to do is attach piece of hose, put it into old milk bottle and turn the valve open.
But that thing takes lot of space and might actually whistle with the speeds above 100 MPH.
I think dealing with 8 small bolts every 2 years (average) is small inconvenience for whatever benefits the shield can bring.

 

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________
The shield ( belly pan) isn't the point. The point that I was trying to make is tha DB made access more difficulty than necessary. If BMW, Mazda and others can provide a user friendly access panel, why can't DB do so? I didn't even mention that DB doesn't provide a dipstick on the 320CDi engine!