stu thornton
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Any tips on choice of engine oil; grade, type, make etc for an 1988 230TE (160K miles).
Any help much appreciated.
Any help much appreciated.
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230TE oil selection - 230TE oil selection
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james watson
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230TE oil selection
hi,
i use magnatec 15w 40 in my 260e-very good oil.
will be fine for yr 230
jim
hi,
i use magnatec 15w 40 in my 260e-very good oil.
will be fine for yr 230
jim
230TE oil selection
James
Please expand on why Magnatec is a "very good oil" when it has a narrow viscosity index and is a mineral oil with a very small percentage of synthetic oil blended in. It may be expensive but price isn't everything.
James
Please expand on why Magnatec is a "very good oil" when it has a narrow viscosity index and is a mineral oil with a very small percentage of synthetic oil blended in. It may be expensive but price isn't everything.
Andy
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230TE oil selection
Hi,
Dieselman you have hit on a very contentious subject. Semi synthetic and Fully synthetic. Having spoke to a few people on the subject. You can put a cup full of the synthetic material into mineral oil and call it semi synthetic. Since there is no code for the amount of synthetic material you put into the oil. Some of the lesser know brands like Morris which I have used have 50/50 ratio. Mobil in their semi syn use 50/50 ratio but a lot as you have pointed out use a bit just so they can then market the oil as semi syn. If the marketing is good. Nobody asks the question.
So What does make a good oil???????????? It would be interesting to see, in the eyes of DIY people out there what they base their opinion on. Or is it the opinion of the good marketing people.
Look forward to reading the replies.
Regards
Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com
Hi,
Dieselman you have hit on a very contentious subject. Semi synthetic and Fully synthetic. Having spoke to a few people on the subject. You can put a cup full of the synthetic material into mineral oil and call it semi synthetic. Since there is no code for the amount of synthetic material you put into the oil. Some of the lesser know brands like Morris which I have used have 50/50 ratio. Mobil in their semi syn use 50/50 ratio but a lot as you have pointed out use a bit just so they can then market the oil as semi syn. If the marketing is good. Nobody asks the question.
So What does make a good oil???????????? It would be interesting to see, in the eyes of DIY people out there what they base their opinion on. Or is it the opinion of the good marketing people.
Look forward to reading the replies.
Regards
Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com
230TE oil selection
Andy
What makes a good oil for me?
1. Low acid number at drain - hmm, difficult one.
2. low boil / burn off ( given set viscosity). Little or no topping required, shows temperature and shear reserves.
3. Clenliness and lack of thickening during life of fill.
4. Quick cold circulation.
5. Slipery-ness at drain. Again shows reserves of life. This is the easiest to ascertain. If your ratchet handle and socket can't be gripped due to slip then the oil is still protecting well.
6. Price. Err - no!
Andy
What makes a good oil for me?
1. Low acid number at drain - hmm, difficult one.
2. low boil / burn off ( given set viscosity). Little or no topping required, shows temperature and shear reserves.
3. Clenliness and lack of thickening during life of fill.
4. Quick cold circulation.
5. Slipery-ness at drain. Again shows reserves of life. This is the easiest to ascertain. If your ratchet handle and socket can't be gripped due to slip then the oil is still protecting well.
6. Price. Err - no!
Andy
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230TE oil selection
Hi
Nice one Dieselman. But I think you are in the minority. I think most people will go on what they have been told in the media, and how dynamic is the presentation on the container.
I know I am a cynic. But what can I say?
Regards
Andy
Hi
Nice one Dieselman. But I think you are in the minority. I think most people will go on what they have been told in the media, and how dynamic is the presentation on the container.
I know I am a cynic. But what can I say?
Regards
Andy
Matt Crooke
Senior Member
230TE oil selection
Andy,
have to agree with you there, the Magnatec adverts of a few years ago, where they claimed the oil works from cold to prevent engine damage.......they had few quid off me!
Andy,
have to agree with you there, the Magnatec adverts of a few years ago, where they claimed the oil works from cold to prevent engine damage.......they had few quid off me!
dave elcome
Senior Member
230TE oil selection
Andy.
When i worked in a garage full time, if we wanted oil, we simply filled a container with as much as we wanted, .......now that is good oil!!!!
Andy.
When i worked in a garage full time, if we wanted oil, we simply filled a container with as much as we wanted, .......now that is good oil!!!!
Andy
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230TE oil selection
Dave
I echo the sentiments. Years ago as a YOUNG apprentice we used Mobil 1. And of course my mini 1000 ran only on the best.
I am sure the oil cost more than the car?!?!?!?!
Regards
Andy
Dave
I echo the sentiments. Years ago as a YOUNG apprentice we used Mobil 1. And of course my mini 1000 ran only on the best.
I am sure the oil cost more than the car?!?!?!?!
Regards
Andy
J
john
Guest
230TE oil selection
Before I saw the light and bought Mercedes, I had a Cinquecento for three years. Being a bit of a miser, I monitored fuel economy closely-that's why I bought it!
After changing to Mobil 1 and a shot of Slick 50, I got genuine increase from 48mpg to 53mpg. Alsocalled Mobil who said I could increase service intervals from 9000 to at least 18000 miles. Ran that car for a good 50000 miles. The maths made sense and I more than saved the price of the oil - now that is a good oil-but only in that set of circumstances.
I now run a 1990 190e with 120k on clock and put Mobil 1 and shot of Slick 50 in 2 years ago. Being an older car - it burns alittle oil - but it burns a lot of oil if that oil is thin. If Mobil 1 was any thinner, it would call itself 3 in 1 and you would be able to find a can of it covered in dust at the back of everybodys back shed! Maths do not make sense any more as it burns roughly 4 litres of mobil 1 every 6000 miles!
Moral of the story - if your engine in good condition - you save long term by increase fuel economy and increased miles between services. if you burn even a bit of oil, I do not think the maths make sense.
PS - I still run Mobil 1, slick 50, 4 point plugs, new leads, rotor arm and distributor cap. I believe no expense is too much for my beloved car and always go for the highest spec available.
Before I saw the light and bought Mercedes, I had a Cinquecento for three years. Being a bit of a miser, I monitored fuel economy closely-that's why I bought it!
After changing to Mobil 1 and a shot of Slick 50, I got genuine increase from 48mpg to 53mpg. Alsocalled Mobil who said I could increase service intervals from 9000 to at least 18000 miles. Ran that car for a good 50000 miles. The maths made sense and I more than saved the price of the oil - now that is a good oil-but only in that set of circumstances.
I now run a 1990 190e with 120k on clock and put Mobil 1 and shot of Slick 50 in 2 years ago. Being an older car - it burns alittle oil - but it burns a lot of oil if that oil is thin. If Mobil 1 was any thinner, it would call itself 3 in 1 and you would be able to find a can of it covered in dust at the back of everybodys back shed! Maths do not make sense any more as it burns roughly 4 litres of mobil 1 every 6000 miles!
Moral of the story - if your engine in good condition - you save long term by increase fuel economy and increased miles between services. if you burn even a bit of oil, I do not think the maths make sense.
PS - I still run Mobil 1, slick 50, 4 point plugs, new leads, rotor arm and distributor cap. I believe no expense is too much for my beloved car and always go for the highest spec available.
Matt Crooke
Senior Member
230TE oil selection
Hi john,
good to have another 190 owner on here!
Im quite fortunate, mine just ticked over too 150k on Sunday coming back from the outlaws in cambridge, yet it dosent seem to burn any oil yet (touch wood)
Im going to give it an oil and filter (s) job pretty soon as the old girl has got to haul a few of us on a 700 mile journey to the Scottish Highlands in June.......but im still unsure of the best oil to use, i think its gonna have to be Magnatec again.
Hi john,
good to have another 190 owner on here!
Im quite fortunate, mine just ticked over too 150k on Sunday coming back from the outlaws in cambridge, yet it dosent seem to burn any oil yet (touch wood)
Im going to give it an oil and filter (s) job pretty soon as the old girl has got to haul a few of us on a 700 mile journey to the Scottish Highlands in June.......but im still unsure of the best oil to use, i think its gonna have to be Magnatec again.
Andy
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230TE oil selection
Hi John
Why don't you replace the valve stem seals. That will reduce the oil consumption considerably.
Regards
Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com
Hi John
Why don't you replace the valve stem seals. That will reduce the oil consumption considerably.
Regards
Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com
Stewart Smith
Senior Member
230TE oil selection
My C-Class has been transformed by the use of fully synthetic - it no longer 'knocks' for a few seconds on start-up (While the oil fills the lifters??? ) - The engine no longer 'warms up' - it seems smooth and quiet from the first turn of the key (possibly because the fully synthetic retains its properties better when cold).
Under hard accelleration it does not sound like the rough four-potter it used to and it seems to both idle and pull cleaner. I'm convinced it's quieter and smoother than it was when it had new BP Visco 3000 ( Rycroft's semi-synthetic oil of choice ).
I used Castrol RS, but I guess any fully synthetic would have done. ( It was being sold off - and I wanted to see if it smelt like Castrol R used to - Unfortunately not )
My C-Class has been transformed by the use of fully synthetic - it no longer 'knocks' for a few seconds on start-up (While the oil fills the lifters??? ) - The engine no longer 'warms up' - it seems smooth and quiet from the first turn of the key (possibly because the fully synthetic retains its properties better when cold).
Under hard accelleration it does not sound like the rough four-potter it used to and it seems to both idle and pull cleaner. I'm convinced it's quieter and smoother than it was when it had new BP Visco 3000 ( Rycroft's semi-synthetic oil of choice ).
I used Castrol RS, but I guess any fully synthetic would have done. ( It was being sold off - and I wanted to see if it smelt like Castrol R used to - Unfortunately not )
230TE oil selection
Ever get the impression we in the UK get ripped-off for everything?
Just found Mobil 1 in the US, price $5.29 = (approx) £3.50/quart (A US quart is just short of a litre).
http://doitbest.com/shop/product.as...mp;mbrid=4724&dept_id=2025&sku=571526
Regards
David
Ever get the impression we in the UK get ripped-off for everything?
Just found Mobil 1 in the US, price $5.29 = (approx) £3.50/quart (A US quart is just short of a litre).
http://doitbest.com/shop/product.as...mp;mbrid=4724&dept_id=2025&sku=571526
Regards
David
Stewart Smith
Senior Member
230TE oil selection
Perhaps us in the MBOA can get together and buy a load of Mobil one Fully Synthetic at a bulk price?
Perhaps us in the MBOA can get together and buy a load of Mobil one Fully Synthetic at a bulk price?
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