R129 engine oil - which one please?

[Gillsl500]

Evening chaps,

Recently acquired my 68000 mile 1998 r129 sl500. Super clean and ticks all the boxes, apart from one...there seems to be a ticking noise coming from the engine?? Oil pressure is solid and always around 3.

The ticking can only be heard when cars engine is started and stood still. As I rev up the noise diminishes.

The garage I brought the car from did a "oil service" but feel as though it may have been bulk brought low quality oil.

From a search I did, I understand that low quality oils and oil filters maybe the cause of this problem?

So questions are...

1) what oil should I use for my car given the mileage and age etc?

2) what oil filter should I use?

3) is my engine a r129 or somthing else. As I read some where in 1998 the engines changed to m113 (I think?)

Thanks guys

 

[ivan1983]

1998 was a crossover year I believe, my 1998 had a m119. it could either be a m119 or m113. If you do a Google and look at the pictures you will be able to tell which one you have.
The m119 doesn't need anything special a good 10w40 semi synthetic changed regularly will be fine
The m119 filter is a cartridge type, Mercedes, Mann, hengst etc will be fine

Is the ticking noise present all of the time?

Failing hydraulic lifters have been known to cause tapping on the m119

 

[Gillsl500]

1998 was a crossover year I believe, my 1998 had a m119. it could either be a m119 or m113. If you do a Google and look at the pictures you will be able to tell which one you have.
The m119 doesn't need anything special a good 10w40 semi synthetic changed regularly will be fine
The m119 filter is a cartridge type, Mercedes, Mann, hengst etc will be fine

Is the ticking noise present all of the time?

Failing hydraulic lifters have been known to cause tapping on the m119

Many thanks for the Info. It sometimes stops and other times appears. Will try an oil change then take things from there?

Is the hydraulic lifters an expensive job? Will it hurt the car if their not done immediately?

 

[Gazwould]

Ouch , 10W40 semi synthetic .

Upgrade to a 5W40 synthetic .

 

[Doodle]

Why ouch? It's a 20 year old understressed engine with no turbo and no extended intervals. Semi-synth is perfectly fine, especially if that's what it's been running thus far.

It's worth remembering that unless you're buying oil made from Group IV/PAO base stock (which is expensive), your "fully synthetic" is most likely process treated mineral oil.

 

[Gazwould]

OK , then I suggest a 5W30 albeit a thick 30 grade which is a German staple diet !

 

[Gillsl500]

Why ouch? It's a 20 year old understressed engine with no turbo and no extended intervals. Semi-synth is perfectly fine, especially if that's what it's been running thus far.

It's worth remembering that unless you're buying oil made from Group IV/PAO base stock (which is expensive), your "fully synthetic" is most likely process treated mineral oil.

Hey Doodle, you've been a great help so far considering my last thread.

So would changing engine oil potentially make this ticking problem go away?

I've read people mentioning 0w40 mobil 1?? What do you reckon pal??

If the problem is the oil tubes...where could k buy the metal upgrade ones? Any ideas on part numbers or manufacturers?

Thanks pal

 

[Gazwould]

It does sound like an initial upper cylinder lubrication , even newer low mileage cars can do it on cold starts .

A 0W is worth trying .

 

[Gillsl500]

Thanks Gazwould. Will definitely bare it in mind pal.

Doodle, just read your question on my other thread. Will check to see which engine it is later for sure. From memory I'd say it's a m113 engine??

 

[Gillsl500]

Doodle...Just checked its definitely a m119 engine pal

 

[Doodle]

A 0W is worth trying .

I'd be interested to know your reasoning behind that.

 

[Doodle]

If the problem is the oil tubes...where could k buy the metal upgrade ones? Any ideas on part numbers or manufacturers?

The metal oiler tubes are sometimes scavenged from old M119s (they were originally alloy before being changed to plastic, but you can only order the plastic ones from MB), otherwise it's an aftermarket part ordered from the US (I don't think there are any UK suppliers). However, the plastic ones have lasted 20 years, how likely are you to need to do them again?

 

[alabbasi]

Depending on the engine:
Mobil 1 15W50 if it's an M119
Mobil 1 0W40 if it's an M113
Use a quality filter and make sure it's a fleece filter for the M113

 

[Gazwould]

I'd be interested to know your reasoning behind that.

Tap , tap , tap .

 

[Doodle]

Assuming it's a lifter. If it's the oiler tubes, then thinner oil will not help the situation. Going thicker will help mask the problem but the real resolution is to replace them.

The oilers are generally a higher pitched noise than the lifters, but that's far from an empirical measurement and open to auditory judgement.

 

[Gillsl500]

Thanks so much for the info chaps. Spoke to a r129 specialist today and he recommended I use a 5w40 229.3 spec synthetic oil for my m119 engine??

He said he wouldnt know if this would solve the ticking problem, how ever said that this is the correct oil spec for the car?

What do you guys feel?

 

[Gazwould]

Use a 5W40 by all means but an updated one will give you better oil performance perameters .

 

[Doodle]

Thanks so much for the info chaps. Spoke to a r129 specialist today and he recommended I use a 5w40 229.3 spec synthetic oil for my m119 engine??

He said he wouldnt know if this would solve the ticking problem, how ever said that this is the correct oil spec for the car?

What do you guys feel?

Oil opinions are like ars*holes, everyone has them and they frequently stink.

A quality 5w40 synthetic is well within the specification for the engine. There are always thinner oils out there, but whether the M119 can make use of them is a matter of debate. A quick scan of the Opie Oils site (as an instant example) shows the majority of the 5w40 oils they sell meet API SM/SN et al.

 

[Gazwould]

No opinions just know where and how to look .

If 229.3 , as a bare minimum upgrade to 229.5

 

[Doodle]

Which is fine if you understand what you are looking at, and its relevance to the situation at hand.

When Mercedes update their 229 listings, it's based around the requirements and standards of the current engines in their lineup. This means both the standards and viscosity change to meet those requirements.

Retrospectively applying those changes across the board to engines designed and built with previous specifications in mind doesn't necessarily work in the way you appear to be implying it does. More is not automatically better.