Engin oil

[djcheung]

Good morning all,

Just wondering how much oil is normally required to top up if the oil level is down to the bottom of the dipstick and before the low oil level message appears - 2 litres
That's how much the garage said they topped up with 10w40 ( as they say specified by MB ???????) now mixed with my 0w40 mobil 1 fully synthetic
I thought normally about 1 litre when the warning message shows!

Is this correct?

 

[grober]

You omitted to say which model of mercedes you have. The "garage" you refer to is I expect non MB. MB "approved "oils cover a wide spectrum of specifications varying from dino mineral oil to fully synthetic depending on model/engine/service schedule so could be anything. Most 10w40 are semisynthetic although there are one or two fully synthetic ones around I think. Personally I was told years ago by a mercedes technician that mercs dont like to be overfilled so I always aim for a cold oil level half way between the full and topup marks on the dipstick. But thats just me. The volume between full and topup should be stated in your owners handbook.

 

[djcheung]

Hi Grober,

Mine is a 98' W210.
The point I was trying to make was that I normally put a litre of oil in when the Low Oil Level message comes on. But this occassion the garage put in two litres of oil before the warning light comes on. I have checked the oil level and sure enough it was on the max on the dipstick now. But surely the warning would have come on well before then.
By the way, this is the same garage that replaced my shock absorbers and refused to look at the knocking issue unless I pay them again or I have to take it to the Merc dealer and do it under parts warranty.
I know I won't be going back there anymore and I will not be recommending them to any of my friends.
I am taking my car to my usual garage. Although I have to pay them, but them at least I know the job will be done properly and safely.

 

[grober]

The only potential damage would be from overfill. The 10w40 oil should do no damage but might shorten the time before you need to change the oil slightly if you are on a long service interval regime. If you are worried you could drain a litre out via an oil extractor pump.

 

[Dieselman]

The 10w40 oil should do no damage but might shorten the time before you need to change .

Why would that be? The only diference is that the cold oil viscosity is slightly higher. There is an argument to say that modern thin oils are bad for the engine as they don't always provide enough viscosity to stop wear as the polymers tend to break down so don't thicken properly.

 

[DieselE]

Hi Grober,

Mine is a 98' W210.
The point I was trying to make was that I normally put a litre of oil in when the Low Oil Level message comes on. But this occassion the garage put in two litres of oil before the warning light comes on. I have checked the oil level and sure enough it was on the max on the dipstick now. But surely the warning would have come on well before then.
By the way, this is the same garage that replaced my shock absorbers and refused to look at the knocking issue unless I pay them again or I have to take it to the Merc dealer and do it under parts warranty.
I know I won't be going back there anymore and I will not be recommending them to any of my friends.
I am taking my car to my usual garage. Although I have to pay them, but them at least I know the job will be done properly and safely.

If your car has a dipstick, I'd strongly recommend regularly checking the oil level using that rather than waiting for the warning light. The handbook should tell you the quantity of oil to be added to move the level from the minimum mark on the dipstick to the maximum.

One of the very few things I don't like about the W211 is the total reliance on electronic checking of oil level. I may be an old fashioned engineer but I like to be able to keep oil level at just below the max mark by adding small quantities.