Advice required re engine oil

[MSG2004]

Hello
This year for the first time since I've had the car, I'm pretty certain I won't use MB
for a car service - cars over 8 years old and up until now its
had a FSHMB

The oil - low ash Mercedes 5w 30 is the one I will buy as I guess it is what MB uses
(car is gle, 24k miles 2016 250d)

what oil filter and plug do I need - hoping to use the ones MB use

Am I right in saying my cars oil change capacity is 6.6 litres?
Thanks,

(The cars done less than 2k since last service and 2k before that service - so its done 4k over 2 services 2023 to Jan 2025)

Just saw this kit inc new plug washer and filter

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Fastcar155]

I have found that In my recent experience that main dealers are far more competitive for servicing work than they use to be.

Some Mercedes dealers offer a value service with different levels of service.

Presently I have a Skoda Superb 1.5 Tsi and the VW group have changed the engine oil specification required in my ownership twice.

I wouldn't use the Kwit Fit type of service centre due to a bad experience I had decades ago : they local depot overfilled the engine and when I told them the reply was well you got more oil than you paid for ! In Kwit Fix defence they did drain the oil and fill the engine to the correct level.

 

[markjay]

The oil should obviously be MB229.52. And you can't go wrong with the MB-brandes oil, available from MB dealers via eBay.

Regarding the oil filter, you can simply buy genuine MB (again, from MB dealers on eBay). Otherwise, Hengst, Mann or Mahle will be fine - the genuine MB oil filters that I saw were all Hengst, BTW, though I'm sure they also use other brands.

Regarding the drain plug, firstly you can use a Pela pump and leave the drain plug untouched, or you can replace the washer - in which case the make really doesn't matter, as long as it's a new washer. The drain plug itself can be re-used and it is usually replaced only if the old one is damaged.

 

[190]

Just saw this kit inc new plug washer and filter

Pardon our interruption...

If you are planning to do this long term consider buying the genuine MB oil in a 20L cube for £98 which should do 3 oil changes. As Markjay said this can be bought on ebay. The filters don't have to be genuine MB, any of the quality brands mention above will do.

The best thing I ever did when changing my oil over the last 10 years was to quit lying on the floor and messing with drain plugs which I couldn't get at anyway without removing the under tray. Get an electric oil pump from Lidl and pump it out from above.

I mentioned on another thread that I was changing my MB for a VW Golf which I've now done. My 10 years of DIY services documented on a spreadsheet and printed out was more than acceptable and didn't make a damn bit of difference to the trade in value of a 15 years old car.

 

[tonysmb]

As above, Mercedes - approved 229.52 oil. I've also had genuine MB oil filters stamped 'Hengst'; Mann are also fine and I'd happily use Mahle.

I use a Pela 6-litre suction pump (bought at boat chandler), makes life much easier and cleaner. If it's more than 6-litres, simply stop part way though, empty, start again, With regard to p.ex values, when I enquired about part exchanging an 11-yr old MB, against a new MB, I was told that a full 'dealer' history would have,added £200 to the price offered - not exactly a deal-breaker.

 

[MrGreedy]

what oil filter and plug do I need - hoping to use the ones MB use

I link this not because they are necessarily correct for your car (probably incorrect), but it gives you a couple of filter recommendations and typical price you can pay.

Which Filter? | Engine

To see which OEM is actually OE for your Merc, get the Merc oil filter showing on eBay, and usually on a good close up of a genuine Merc filter, it will also have the OE brand written on their.

I can only talk for the OM642, but they are supplied by Mann.

 

[MSG2004]

I have found that In my recent experience that main dealers are far more competitive for servicing work than they use to be.

Some Mercedes dealers offer a value service with different levels of service.

Presently I have a Skoda Superb 1.5 Tsi and the VW group have changed the engine oil specification required in my ownership twice.

I wouldn't use the Kwit Fit type of service centre due to a bad experience I had decades ago : they local depot overfilled the engine and when I told them the reply was well you got more oil than you paid for ! In Kwit Fix defence they did drain the oil and fill the engine to the correct level.

Not around London they seem to have a closed shop.
The one at Lakeside/Essex was up until a few months ago easily 200-close to 250 cheaper on services costing 700+ and about
150 for others but they are the same price as the ex-MB owned dealerships

Years ago the local MB did a lower price on cars 3+ but that went out of the window a long time ago

I'm just having the oil done - I bet you the cabin and air filters are still like new and the fuel filter, will get changed a few months down the road
and around the same time change the air/cain filters myself.

The due service was a B pulse fuel filter and cabinet /air

 

[MSG2004]

The oil should obviously be MB229.52. And you can't go wrong with the MB-brandes oil, available from MB dealers via eBay.

Regarding the oil filter, you can simply buy genuine MB (again, from MB dealers on eBay). Otherwise, Hengst, Mann or Mahle will be fine - the genuine MB oil filters that I saw were all Hengst, BTW, though I'm sure they also use other brands.

Regarding the drain plug, firstly you can use a Pela pump and leave the drain plug untouched, or you can replace the washer - in which case the make really doesn't matter, as long as it's a new washer. The drain plug itself can be re-used and it is usually replaced only if the old one is damaged.

Cheers - the link I've posted in my OP has the package and that's why I asked just to confirm I need 6.5 litres - its got the oil/filter and seals all MB from MB dealer. (Oil will be drained the usual way by mechanic I used for rear pads)

 

[MSG2004]

If you are planning to do this long term consider buying the genuine MB oil in a 20L cube for £98 which should do 3 oil changes. As Markjay said this can be bought on ebay. The filters don't have to be genuine MB, any of the quality brands mention above will do.

The best thing I ever did when changing my oil over the last 10 years was to quit lying on the floor and messing with drain plugs which I couldn't get at anyway without removing the under tray. Get an electric oil pump from Lidl and pump it out from above.

I mentioned on another thread that I was changing my MB for a VW Golf which I've now done. My 10 years of DIY services documented on a spreadsheet and printed out was more than acceptable and didn't make a damn bit of difference to the trade in value of a 15 years old car.

I did consider that but too old now.
I should have said, I am using a mobile mechanic who changed my rear pads - saved hundreds vs MB - front pads by changed by a local garage - saved hundreds compared with MB

I'm giving the guy hours rate and its easy for him as he lives less than ten mins drive from us.

 

[Bellow]

Changing oil at 2000 miles makes no sense and could do harm.
First off, it's wasteful. An oil with a mere 2000 miles has plenty life left in it.
Secondly - though I cannot verify this - there is a discussion that says that over-frequent oil changes deny the oil it's opportunity to shed its causticity and become Ph neutral for most of its tenure in the engine before becoming acidic at the end of its life. Caustic is alkaline and corrosive.
Thirdly, an oil is at its most 'volatile' from new. That is, the lighter fractions that evaporate and combine with exhaust gas to block EGR passages. This tendency will be highest early in the oil's life.
Even if the second and third points do not exist, it is still wasteful (on many levels) to change oil at 2000 miles. It is 2024 not 1924 and modern practice is to extend relubrication intervals not shorten them.

 

[MSG2004]

Re Bellow: Cheers and IMO my car has been over-serviced - I've had from now just over 24k miles as I left work unexpectedly so less miles - I've had from new in 2016 - first time ever I'm considering not using MB. Your comments have been noted but I will get the oil and filter changed plus plug washed but not the fuel filter and air filters.

Can someone please confirm that my car will require 6.5 lts for a change of oil and the oil kit in the link - is that what MB garges use? It's from a MB garage. Cheers.

 

[markjay]

Changing oil at 2000 miles makes no sense and could do harm.
First off, it's wasteful. An oil with a mere 2000 miles has plenty life left in it.
Secondly - though I cannot verify this - there is a discussion that says that over-frequent oil changes deny the oil it's opportunity to shed its causticity and become Ph neutral for most of its tenure in the engine before becoming acidic at the end of its life. Caustic is alkaline and corrosive.
Thirdly, an oil is at its most 'volatile' from new. That is, the lighter fractions that evaporate and combine with exhaust gas to block EGR passages. This tendency will be highest early in the oil's life.
Even if the second and third points do not exist, it is still wasteful (on many levels) to change oil at 2000 miles. It is 2024 not 1924 and modern practice is to extend relubrication intervals not shorten them.

I agree that replacing perfectly good oil is wasteful, and, like you, I dont know if the other two points that you mentioned are indeed an issue or not.

However, there's another issue to consider here, and it's that the oil absorbs moisture from the air, and - in petrol engines - also gets diluted with petrol. The water and petrol are released from the oil via evaporation once the engine had a good run at optimal operating temperature. The problem with cars who only do low annual mileage is that often (though obviously not always) the oil spends more time cold than hot, and the contaminants are never released. In fact, there's a school-of-thought that says that on cars with very low annual mileage the engine oil should be replaced more frequently than on high-milers for this reason, e.g. say every 6 months instead of every year.

BTW, some Diesel engines has an 'oil quality sensor', what it does is measure the electric conductivity of the oil to determine the water content.

 

[Bellow]

I agree that replacing perfectly good oil is wasteful, and, like you, I dont know if the other two points that you mentioned are indeed an issue or not.

However, there's another issue to consider here, and it's that the oil absorbs moisture from the air, and - in petrol engines - also gets diluted with petrol. The water and petrol are released from the oil via evaporation once the engine had a good run at optimal operating temperature. The problem with cars who only do low annual mileage is that often (though obviously not always) the oil spends more time cold than hot, and the contaminants are never released. In fact, there's a school-of-thought that says that on cars with very low annual mileage the engine oil should be replaced more frequently than on high-milers for this reason, e.g. say every 6 months instead of every year.

BTW, some Diesel engines has an 'oil quality sensor', what it does is measure the electric conductivity of the oil to determine the water content.

OP's car is a diesel.
Modern day PCV systems circulate air which should go a fair way to clearing water vapours but, if a concern, then oil analysis will reveal the level of water contamination and whether problematic. This is the modern way. Using oil analysis to determine what is occurring and set drain intervals accordingly.

 

[markjay]

....Using oil analysis to determine what is occurring and set drain intervals accordingly.

That's the optimal way, and that's how managers of large truck fleets typically do it. But for the average motorist, it's actually cheaper to just have the oil replaced instead of sending a sample to the lab for analysis.

 

[Bellow]

That's the optimal way, and that's how managers of large truck fleets typically do it. But for the average motorist, it's actually cheaper to just have the oil replaced instead of sending a sample to the lab for analysis.

I see £98 being quoted - enough for three oil changes. Oil analysis would cost about the same (circa £30). But, the analysis would give information as to how often it actually needs changing. Skip the analysis and you are back to changing oil without knowledge, merely fearful and are committed to the same cost in perpetuity. Retrograde.
Progressive would be to pay more for better quality oil with potentially longer drain intervals and use analysis to determine the required drain interval. Works for me.

 

[ALFAitalia]

QI.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/can-one-change-oil-too-often.230830/

Fresh Oil = Stripped AW ???

Maybe I am missing something...but it seems that some things are being overlooked. To me there are so many other variables at play during an oil change when compared to the "newness" of the add pack as you are discussing... When I change the oil...these are SOME of the system changes that may...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[190]

QI.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/can-one-change-oil-too-often.230830/

Fresh Oil = Stripped AW ???

Maybe I am missing something...but it seems that some things are being overlooked. To me there are so many other variables at play during an oil change when compared to the "newness" of the add pack as you are discussing... When I change the oil...these are SOME of the system changes that may...

bobistheoilguy.com

That was my understanding of why an oil change initially causes more wear. The anti wear additive is similar to the detergent and the new oil strips off the previous layer of antiwear additive which then takes time to rebuild. I firmly believe that a 2 year oil change interval is perfectly acceptable for low annual miles provided that those low annual miles are not all short trips. Mine are not so I will be taking advantage of the fact that my VW Golf has as an option, a flexible interval of up to 2 years based on some algorithm which presumably counts cold starts, oil temperature etc. MB used to do this until the late 2000's but perhaps they were pushing the oil too far in a quest to make fleet servicing costs look competitive.

 

[MSG2004]

I agree that replacing perfectly good oil is wasteful, and, like you, I dont know if the other two points that you mentioned are indeed an issue or not.

However, there's another issue to consider here, and it's that the oil absorbs moisture from the air, and - in petrol engines - also gets diluted with petrol. The water and petrol are released from the oil via evaporation once the engine had a good run at optimal operating temperature. The problem with cars who only do low annual mileage is that often (though obviously not always) the oil spends more time cold than hot, and the contaminants are never released. In fact, there's a school-of-thought that says that on cars with very low annual mileage the engine oil should be replaced more frequently than on high-milers for this reason, e.g. say every 6 months instead of every year.

BTW, some Diesel engines has an 'oil quality sensor', what it does is measure the electric conductivity of the oil to determine the water content.

I've thought about that and always had the car serviced at 12 to 13 months max apart from last year at MB at 13.5 months
I am certainly going to have the oil/filter etc replaced within a few weeks all being well.

I thank everyone that has posted here but my mind re oil is made up.

Can anyone confirm I've got the right olil - the Ebay link from MB - it matches my car exactly - and do I need 6.5 litres? Cheers again

 

[MrGreedy]

Can anyone confirm I've got the right olil - the Ebay link from MB - it matches my car exactly - and do I need 6.5 litres? Cheers again

In lieu of guesses here, just message through eBay and contact the eBay seller, giving your reg No. and they will check against the Merc system and confirm 100%

If you scroll down the listing, they usually also have a phone No. if you don't want to message and just ask them over the phone.

 

[markjay]

I've thought about that and always had the car serviced at 12 to 13 months max apart from last year at MB at 13.5 months
I am certainly going to have the oil/filter etc replaced within a few weeks all being well.

I thank everyone that has posted here but my mind re oil is made up.

Can anyone confirm I've got the right olil - the Ebay link from MB - it matches my car exactly - and do I need 6.5 litres? Cheers again

The oil is 100% the correct oil for your Diesel engine:

I'd imagine that the quantity provided (7L) is correct as well, given that the seller is an MB dealer.