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Any ideas on what this is guys?

1K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  Stevie Wildey 
#1 ·
I recently noticed my oil cap getting hard to undo by hand, upon inspection ive noticed this black crusty build up, any ideas whats causing this and what it is? Ive got clean oil and nothing in the dipstick... cars only done 3k in about 18 months, ive booked it into the garage to get flushed and a new oil filter and oil to, is this the best approach?
 
#5 ·
Thank you for your reply, ive only had the clk around 18 months and put 3k on it, miles is 72k garage supposedly did a service upon sale am im going to change the filter and oil myself. Ive only used it for long journeys but cannot disclose the previous owners usage! Ive been told it wont damage the engine but is due to poor oil or lack of changes in the past..
 
#8 ·
I would bet that the garage did not do an oil and filter change at time of sale,,,,so who knows how long that oil has been there,,,,obviously too long.
Use an oil that meets MB spec 229.5 fully synthetic.
I would probably run it for a short time, maybe a few hundred miles, then,change it and the filter again.Cheap insurance.
 
#7 ·
I would use a Mobil 1 oil that meets MB specification and change oil every 3 to 5k miles. Unbelieveable how much sludge Mobil 1 can remove.

Would be helpful if you update your profile so we know your model & year of your car. Don't forget your general location, recommended oil weight will depend on it.
 
#9 ·
I would do a double oil change. First round with some cheaper (synthetic or blend) oil and a good filter, along with an additive like SeaFoam or something similar. Take it for a drive for an hour or so. Do this a couple times with cool offs in between. Keep the RPMs low to mid range. No more than a couple hundred miles. Then change oil and filter again with a high quality oil. Personally, I always use Royal Purple. I'm not so concerned about "MB Spec 229.5". I'm not under warranty anymore. MB doesn't test every oil, manufacturers pay to become certified. Some manufacturers don't feel the need to pay MB to get this cert. Royal Purple certainly doesn't need to pay MB to be told they are worthy. I'm at almost 110K miles and when I did my valve cover gaskets everything looked immaculate. Good luck and post follow up pics if you can!
 
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