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Running Benz This Winter-Oil??

8K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  deanyel 
#1 ·
Hey all you Benz Lovers,

I live in St.Paul, Mn. its about to drop into deep cold winter, last year I ran my 300ce, it started faithfully when my old faithful van went down hard. I'm running 5w30 oil and as mentioned it started and ran well all winter and summer. I want to protect and optimize best I can for my car.

Been hearing a lot about synthetic oil and how it's the recommended way to go now. One dealership says it can make any existing oil leaks worse. Some say stick with recommended conventionall oil. Others say you can use same weight all year round. At 192k my car is running well, want to extend its life....what type oil has gained you guys approval and/or has proven itself year round? 0w40-5w30-???what type, weight etc.. I know what the manual recommends, like.to hear the vets check in cuz......

...Love my Benz
 
#2 ·
A topic that has been discussed to death. Use the forum search feature to "read all about it"

Basically, for conventional a good quality oil with lots of ZDDP (a must for these engines) is Chevron Delo400. Available at Costco

For synthetic, my preference is Liqui Moly Leichtlauf Hightech 5W-40. This oil is on MB's own Bevo lists.

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html
 
#4 ·
I don't think I'd run Delo in an extremely cold climate. I run it year around here on the left coast where 'cold' is the low 40s.

My interpretation of the Mercedes oil tables is that the 10W and 5W oils are ONLY recommended if they are full synthetic meeting the MBZ 229.5 specs.
 
#5 ·
Considering there have been lots of technological developments since these cars were produced over twenty years ago, you would think there would benefits from using the latest products. From my experience, the original lubricants work just fine.

In my v8s I run synthetic but in my I6s and all my other cars I run conventional oil; 10w-40 in the winter, 20w 50 in the summer. Since the sixes have a tendency to leak from a multitude of locations you are asking for trouble switching to synthetic. Synthetic doesn't start new leaks it just seems to love existing ones.

As for longevity with conventional oil, I ran my '88 300e on Quaker State at the weights stated above. I changed the oil and filter every 2500 miles and the motor was running fine at 330k when I donated it. I have no doubt that engine would easily run another couple of hundred thousand miles if the oil change regimen is maintained.
 
#6 ·
I think 5W30 conventional would be an excellent choice for St. Paul. You could go 10W30 conventional in the summer but it's not a big deal. These engines have basically unlimited life on regular oil changes with conventional oil. What you would gain from synthetic oil is a great mystery.

It cracked me up the first time I saw Mercedes confess that synthetic oil could exacerbate leaks - but not cause them. The premise seemed totally implausible - like they were able to wield their extensive corporate influence to get an exemption from the laws of physics for Mobil 1. I think it's actually just a lawyered-up half-assed disclosure that synthetic oil is more prone to leak.
 
#7 · (Edited)

(corrected, I'd originally posted the wrong chart)

thats the original pre-synthetic oil table for the M103, M104.

note it shows 10w30 only for use below 50F/10C, not at all suitable for summer use. 15W40 or 15W50 is suitable for any temps from 23F/-5C and up.

the /new/ Mercedes table, for oils that meet 229.5 (basically full/real synthetic), is...

 
#12 · (Edited)
thats the original pre-synthetic oil table for the M103, M104.

note it shows 10w30 only for use below 50F/10C, not at all suitable for summer use. 15W40 or 15W50 is suitable for any temps from 23F/-5C and up.

the /new/ Mercedes table, for oils that meet 229.5 (basically full/real synthetic), is...
The first chart is not the pre-synthetic oil table for the 103 and 104 motors. I have a 1986 chart and it doesn't look anything like that. API approved 10W30s have been good to the maximum air temperature for a very long time.

And the 2nd chart isn't just for 229.5 compliant synthetics, if that was suggested. It applies to both synthetics and conventionals. Note that all viscosities are good to the maximum temperature on the chart with an arrow going up from there. Note also that the 2nd chart says that viscosity should be chosen based on the lowest air temperature - no mention of the highest. This chart goes back at least 20 years, maybe more.
 
#8 ·
IMO what is more important than the viscosity tables is the ZDDP content.

MY general rule is for single cam motors, especially the ones with the soft cam (pre circa 1990), always use conventional like Delo 400 15W-40. No exceptions

For twin cams and newer engines that see 4 seasons, use synthetic. Heck, even my motorcycle came factory filled with synthetic 5W-40. As said, I use Liqui Moly 5W-40 Leichtlauf High Tech in the W140, eni I-Ride 5W-40 for the bike, and Delo400 for the '95 E300 diesel W124 (yes, it is a twin cam but that car lives in San Diego)

As for engine leaks, all I can say is "find them and fix them".
 
#9 ·
i run 20W50 in my 1996 BMW R1100 motorcycle, it likes ZDDP, but my understanding is that lighter oils don't have any of this anymore.

heh, my 1989 16V 1.8L Jetta GLi ran 20W50 for our coastal climate. I remember a couple weekends up at Tahoe in the winter when it was bitterly cold, that engine took forever to warm up and was really sluggish. If I lived up in the Sierra or anywhere else with real winter, I'd swap oils in the fall and spring.
 
#10 ·
Verrry interesting! That's why I like hanging around here...options. Ok, I think I'll go with changing oil regularly and use the recommended oil for the season. I'm not totally sold on synthetic...yet. The only leak I got now, which is small, is from the oil level sensor. I think if I replace it or maybe the seal I hope that will resolve the leak.

Thank you any ladies and gentlemen.
 
#15 ·
Again interesting, you guys table's are "a bit" different than mine. My table is for my 1991 300ce, also for the 300 E 2.6, 300 E...also the 300 E 4MATIC.

Maybe I'll switch out from conventional to synthetic next spring...ummmm I don't know. Gonna keep listening to the pulse around here a little longer.
 

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#16 ·
CCMC came before ACEA, the euro version of API. MB apparently showed both unapproved version and the approved version just to drive home the point that you needed to get approved version - which is good to maximum ambient temperature. Later charts show just the approved versions. You can't go into a retail store and buy the unapproved version - not now, not then. All 10W30s have the proper approvals and are good to the maximum ambient temperature. Retailers would be crazy to sell something that wasn't suitable below the artic circle.
 
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