Satch
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2003
- Messages
- 3,508
- Location
- Surrey
- Car
- S211 E320Cdi Avantgarde Estate & Toyota Land Cruiser
Here is a pretty good explaination of the difference.
"MB229.1 is intended to cover minimum specifications for passenger cars with petrol or diesel engines prior to the introduction of 2002 model year vehicles from Mercedes.
Although it calls for high detergency, MB229.1 is not a particularly onerous specification for modern lubricants and can in fact be achieved even with a plain mineral oil of say, 15W40 viscosity grade if the right additive pack is selected. It equates to ACEA grades A2/B2 and to some of the requirements of ACEA grades A3/B3 but despite its A3/B3 rating it is NOT intended for use over extended drain intervals. This means the oil must be changed every 6,000 miles if it only complies with MB229.1.
The latest generation of engines from Mercedes are higher performance BUT need to give improved economy and longer drain intervals dictated by the need to reduce service time and cost.
Hence MB229.3 was introduced to ensure that the engine lubricants can cope with these new demands.
The need for drain intervals of 12,000 miles or more in higher performance engines can give rise to problems with plain mineral oils since the lighter base stocks can evaporate off over this time, thickening the oil, concentrating contaminants and increasing oil consumption (topping up is required to replace the evaporated stocks). Additionally, the demand for better economy means that the oils viscosity MUST be relatively low and plain mineral oils are not very good at preventing wear when they are low in viscosity.
This incompatibility with plain mineral oils and MB229.3 means that MB229.3 oils are generally Fully Synthetic. Equally they will have low viscosities (typically 5W40 or 0W40 but they can be as low as 0W30!) and must meet the full requirements of ACEA grade A3/B3 "
"MB229.1 is intended to cover minimum specifications for passenger cars with petrol or diesel engines prior to the introduction of 2002 model year vehicles from Mercedes.
Although it calls for high detergency, MB229.1 is not a particularly onerous specification for modern lubricants and can in fact be achieved even with a plain mineral oil of say, 15W40 viscosity grade if the right additive pack is selected. It equates to ACEA grades A2/B2 and to some of the requirements of ACEA grades A3/B3 but despite its A3/B3 rating it is NOT intended for use over extended drain intervals. This means the oil must be changed every 6,000 miles if it only complies with MB229.1.
The latest generation of engines from Mercedes are higher performance BUT need to give improved economy and longer drain intervals dictated by the need to reduce service time and cost.
Hence MB229.3 was introduced to ensure that the engine lubricants can cope with these new demands.
The need for drain intervals of 12,000 miles or more in higher performance engines can give rise to problems with plain mineral oils since the lighter base stocks can evaporate off over this time, thickening the oil, concentrating contaminants and increasing oil consumption (topping up is required to replace the evaporated stocks). Additionally, the demand for better economy means that the oils viscosity MUST be relatively low and plain mineral oils are not very good at preventing wear when they are low in viscosity.
This incompatibility with plain mineral oils and MB229.3 means that MB229.3 oils are generally Fully Synthetic. Equally they will have low viscosities (typically 5W40 or 0W40 but they can be as low as 0W30!) and must meet the full requirements of ACEA grade A3/B3 "
