SLK 55 Oil and Filter Change
Tools Needed:

• 11 mm Socket (removing underbody plastic panels)
• 13 mm Socket (oil drain, and some underbody panels)
• 12 mm Allen Wrench/Key (opening the Oil Filter Cap)
• New Oil Filter with O-ring set (4 different ones?) Make sure to get the SLK AMG specific Oil Filter. This Oil filter is slightly shorter and made out of wool rather than paper.
• 2 copper crush/compression washers.
• 9 quarts of Mobil 1 0-40 (check manual for actual volume you need) Mobil 1 with the Gold top cap used to be MBs recommended oil when these cars were designed.
• All procedures have been written the way I did it. Not responsible for anything you may do to your car. Perform procedures at your own risk.

There is a long standing argument about whether to drain the oil or suck the oil. It’s pretty clear that after sucking out the oil (the way most dealerships do it) you can still drain about 1/3 of a quart to 1/2 quart of oil from the 2 drains which is why I always use the drains.

1.) Begin by jacking up the car. I did the oil change from the left side of the car, so this is what you should see (doing it from the right side is a little easier, but you get a better view from this side). [left side of photo is front of the car]

2.) remove both plastic panels, the forward one first, and then the rear ones. Keep track of all the bolts, they are perfect for sticking holes into your tires.

3.)Once exposed you should see the following. The rear drain (circled on the right) should be emptied first, this is where MOST of the oil will drain out.

4.) as the rear is draining, you can drain out the front as well.  Here it is circled (near the front of the car), either put a high spout, or some rags here as it will drip EVERYWHERE.

5.) leave the lower drains to empty, go up and open the oil fill up and stuff a clean rag into the hole (Clean means NO LINT!).  Use the Allen wrench to open up the Oil Filter Cap.  A bunch of oil will now drain out of the forward drain.

6.) I usually pour a little bit of clean oil left over from previous oil changes down the filter area and down the fill-up point just to flush things clean.  Reinstall the lower oil drain bolts, just tight enough to make a good impression into the copper (basically as hard as you can tighten with a palm length ratchet).  Go back up, fill up the car.  If you are worried you might overfill, or have lost track of how much you’ve put in, err on the low end, then check the fluid (can be done through the service menu accessed by the triple-reset-trick), and slowly top off (with the car on level ground).  The Oil Filter cap has a torque rating on the cap itself.  It’s basically hand tight with a palm length allen wrench.

7.)  Keep the lid of the oil filter box, write down your mileage and staple a copy of your receipt for your oil and keep it with your manual. This will help to show the next owner of the car that you did regular maintenance.

8.)  Go into FSS and set the service as completed.  (use the triple reset trick for this). I’ll put details in another DIY, or you can check SLKworld.com.

http://www.slkworld.com/slk-r171-class-diy/9239-diy-r171-reset-service-indicators.html