Looking at a 94 E500

[Ab150]

Hi all, I am new to this group. I am a Mercedes enthusiast with several Mercedes from a 300D-T to a 300SEL 6.3, but am new to the 500E/E500. I just looked at a for sale 94 E500, 101k miles, all records, and have two concerns:

Oil pressure at hot idle dips to below 1 bar, and rises to 3 bar only around 1900 rpm. No unusual noises from motor. Motor has synthetic oil, 10/30, several years old, nearly full on dipstick but def needs changing. My other Mercedes dip at most to 1.5 bar and hit 3 by 1200rpm or so, so this is concerning to me.

SLS reservoir level is at least an inch below the minimum level. No obvious leaks from the back of the car. Accumulators have been replaced and ride seems fine - not too harsh.

Thank you for any thoughts. I would like to buy the car, and in particular given the 6.3, am accustomed to spending money to keep the car in top shape (some would say obsessive), but these two issues concern me. Thanks again.

Andrew

 

[gsxr]

Low oil pressure indicated on the gauge is likely 2 issues: first, the sending unit is likely original, and they are known to read lower than actual when 20+ years old. A new OE/OEM Hella or VDO sender should help give more accurate readings. Second, 10W-30 oil is slightly thinner than MB recommends for warm climates (over ~80F). xW-40 or xW-50 is what was recommended in the early 1990's. Regardless, I would not be concerned about this if there is no indication of abnormal oil consumption. Search the forum for more information on both issues. The SLS fluid level low could be a leak from the tandem pump shaft seal, look for any fluid leaks on or around the AC compressor, which could be either SLS fluid or PS fluid (since the tandem pump is located directly above the compressor). None of these items are a dealbreaker for purchase, assuming the price is reasonable.