Oil advice

[npuk]

First service on the a-class since I have owned it is due in a few weeks. At the last service the dealer we purchased the car from used Havoline 5w-40.

The car has a DPF so needs oil that meets Mercedes Benz Approval MB 229.31 / MB 229.51.

Dealer wants £60 for the oil (5.4 litres).

Normally I get oil from Costco but they only sell Mobil 1 and not Mobil 1 ESP that I need. However they do have Castrol Edge 5w40 which meets the required spec for cars with DPF.

Anyone here using Castrol Edge? Has anyone been able to get the dealer to drop the price of the oil?

Thanks.

 

[npuk]

Hmm actualy I dont think it does have a DPF. Nothing on the datacard about a DPF. Also looking at the Havoline top up bottle in the boot it says it meets MB 229.3.

Is there any way to be sure if it has a DPF? The reason I thought it had one is because on the ESS it mentions it but it doesnt say if one is actually installed.

If it doesnt have one I assume there is no problem changing to 0w40 and using the Costco Mobil 1 fully synthetic oil?

 

[grober]

Hmm actualy I dont think it does have a DPF. Nothing on the datacard about a DPF. Also looking at the Havoline top up bottle in the boot it says it meets MB 229.3.

Is there any way to be sure if it has a DPF? The reason I thought it had one is because on the ESS it mentions it but it doesnt say if one is actually installed.

If it doesnt have one I assume there is no problem changing to 0w40 and using the Costco Mobil 1 fully synthetic oil?

Wouldn't be the first time a dealer got it wrong about which oil to use.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/89651-fluids-mercedes-variety.html

 

[npuk]

Thanks, I saw your link earlier today.

The thing is though the user manual for the car lists the different oils that can be used depending on if a DPF is installed or not. It doesnt tell you anything about how to check if it the car has one or not. All it says is that only cars in certain countries have a DPF and it doesnt state which. Looking in the engine bay there are no stickers warning to use low ash oil.

 

[nigel cross]

What is a DPF?

 

[npuk]

Diesel Particulate Filter

 

[grober]

There seems to be a bit of extra small bore pipework associated with a DPF? a visual inspection/part no under the car might tell you?çàï÷àñòè Mercedes: êîäû çàï÷àñòåé ìåðñåäåñ

 

[Rory]

Isn't there usually an orange sticker in the engine compartment of DPF cars warning you to only use LA oil?

I wouldn't have expected your car to have a DPF. Normally you know about it, as the wrong kind of driving causes them to regenerate.

 

[npuk]

Yes I read that there should be a sticker but I had a look around the whole engine bay and there was no sticker.

 

[npuk]

Emailed Mercedes just to check and they have confirmed no DPF on the car.

 

[Number_Cruncher]

As an aside, the Dexos 2 oil sold by Vauxhall dealers meets 229.51, and, if they have an offer on at the time can be very good value for money.

My local dealer recently had a buy 3, get one free offer on, which I took advantage of for their cheaper semi-synthetic oil.

 

[grober]

Emailed Mercedes just to check and they have confirmed no DPF on the car.

Was that from a "customer service" blonde with immaculate nails and a pert a** or someone who actually knows what an engine looks like?

 

[npuk]

Emailed MB customer care UK. The reply came from a man at:

Customer Service
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V.
Gaetano Martinolaan 10
NL-6229 GS Maastricht, the Netherlands

 

[npuk]

The car currently uses 5w-40. Is it okay to change to the below 0w-40 Mobil1. Any downsides to using 0w-40?

Mobil 1 UK | Products | Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel 0W-40

Thanks.

 

[grober]

The car currently uses 5w-40. Is it okay to change to the below 0w-40 Mobil1. Any downsides to using 0w-40?

Mobil 1 UK | Products | Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel 0W-40

Thanks.

If you are fussy about your oil[ and I guess you are?] its best to stick with brands/grades that meet the Mercedes specification. 229.31 or 229.51 or 229.3 or 229.5 without DPF The example you quote doesn't? This may be due to some administrative glitch i.e. that the correct paperwork/approval application hasn't been done but why risk it.

 

[Rory]

The car currently uses 5w-40. Is it okay to change to the below 0w-40 Mobil1. Any downsides to using 0w-40?

Mobil 1 UK | Products | Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel 0W-40

Thanks.

It gets furiously complicated but it's reckoned that, ideally, the closer the two numbers are to each other, the better. Something to do with the additives needed to maintain viscosity.

I honestly don't believe this stuff matters in everyday (not harsh) use in the UK (fairly narrow ambient temp range).

 

[npuk]

If you are fussy about your oil[ and I guess you are?] its best to stick with brands/grades that meet the Mercedes specification. 229.31 or 229.51 or 229.3 or 229.5 without DPF The example you quote doesn't? This may be due to some administrative glitch i.e. that the correct paperwork/approval application hasn't been done but why risk it.

The car doesnt have a DPF.

Although it doesnt state on the other link the oil I linked to does meet 229.3 and 229.5 it is clearly stated on the bottle and the oil spec sheet on Mobil1 site. I will just be changing the grade from 5w40 to 0w40.

http://www.mobil.com/UK-English/Lubes/PDS/EUXXENPVLMOMobil1_Turbo_Diesel_0W-40.asp

 

[NormanC]

It gets furiously complicated but it's reckoned that, ideally, the closer the two numbers are to each other, the better. Something to do with the additives needed to maintain viscosity.

Could you explain why in more detail please?

It seems to me that, if the 2 numbers should be as close as possible, we shouldn't be using multigrade! I'm sure we could take things back 50 years and use something like a straight Castrol 30.

 

[iscaboy]

Could you explain why in more detail please?

It seems to me that, if the 2 numbers should be as close as possible, we shouldn't be using multigrade! I'm sure we could take things back 50 years and use something like a straight Castrol 30.

because there is no such thing as multigrade, it is all monograde, eg 5 weight, or 15 weight, or 30 weight.

What it is is that so called multigrade oils and just monograde oils with long chain polymer viscocity enhancers added, that make it behave like a thicker oil at higher temperatures, so 5w30 is all 5 weight, with viscocity enhancers to make it behave like a 30 weight at higher temps.

trouble is, viscocity enhancers wear out, and nothing wears them out faster than high temperatures.

plus

0w30 has a viscocity "gap" of 30, while 0w15 has a "gap" of 15, they are both 0 weight, but one has more viscocity enhancers than the other, so it breaks down further and faster.

the lower number only applies to cold cranking an engine left overnight, 0 weight it way too thin for the UK.

15 is as thin as you ever need go

once the engine is up to temperature it is the higher weight that comes in to play, 40 is as thick as you ever need to go in the UK

15w40 will do you fine, plus it is not a huge "gap" so even when the viscocity enhancers have failed in 15w40 you are still left with 15 weight oil, which is as thin as you want in a uk engine

 

[grober]

The car doesnt have a DPF.

Although it doesnt state on the other link the oil I linked to does meet 229.3 and 229.5 it is clearly stated on the bottle and the oil spec sheet on Mobil1 site. I will just be changing the grade from 5w40 to 0w40.

Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel 0W-40

After looking at that second spec sheet link it would appear the oil does meet MB 229.3 AND 229.5 approval so should be fine for your non DPF car. In theory the oil should be "thinner " at low temperature which may help cold starting, economy and initial engine oil circulation.
Put it this way-the advantage over a 5W40 would be marginal- and certainly not worth paying over the odds for that little extra "viscosity bandwidth"