AN MD-80 PILOT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM OF INCORRECT AND IMPROPER MEL DEFERRALS. HIS OUTBOUND ACFT HAD ALREADY BEEN FLOWN FOR THREE DAYS WITH A R ENG AMBER LIGHT MEL PROCEDURE NOT COMPLIED WITH.

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ARRIVING AT THE ACFT; I NOTICED THE AMBER R ENG VALVE ANNUNCIATOR FLICKERING ALONG WITH THE ASSOCIATED BLUE ENG ANTI-ICE ON LIGHT. REVIEWING THE LOGBOOK PRIOR TO DEP; I DISCOVERED REPEATED ENTRIES FOR INTERMITTENT ENG VALVE ANNUNCIATOR ILLUMINATING. 3 DAYS PREVIOUSLY; THE DISCREPANCY WAS RPTED AND DEFERRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MEL X-1. HOWEVER; BOTH THE WRITE-UP AND THE SIGNOFF REFERRED TO THE ENG VALVE ANNUNCIATOR; AND MEL X-1 APPLIES ONLY TO THE BLUE ENG ANTI-ICE LIGHT. THE INOP STICKER HAD ALSO BEEN PLACED ON THE BLUE LIGHT. THE PERSON DEFERRING THE LIGHT CITED THE INCORRECT MEL PARAGRAPH; APPARENTLY BECAUSE IT WAS EASIER TO COMPLY WITH. THE DEFERRAL SHOULD HAVE USED MEL X-2; NOT X-1. MEL X-2 ALSO REFERS TO X-3; WHICH REQUIRES THE VALVE INVOLVED TO BE IDENTED AND DEACTIVATED AT THE ENG. IT ALSO IMPACTS PTPS PERFORMANCE AND ENRTE FUEL CONSUMPTION -- THE LIST OF REQUIREMENTS TO COMPLY IS EXTENSIVE. NONE OF THIS HAD BEEN DONE; SO WE CALLED MAINT; MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH; ALL AGREED WE WERE CORRECT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN OTS. THIS ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR 3 DAYS IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE MEL; AND NO ONE HAD CAUGHT THE ERROR; ALTHOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME. THIS IS A CHRONIC PROB AND WARRANTS ATTN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HE NOTICED THE INCORRECT MEL DEFERRAL AFTER ARRIVING AT THE ACFT. THE R ENG AMBER LIGHT WAS FLICKERING; ALONG WITH THE ENG ANTI-ICE BLUE LIGHT. BUT THE AMBER LIGHT COMES ON ONLY WHEN ANY VALVE AND SWITCH IS IN DISAGREEMENT.