OIL and DPF|

[j4a24]

does using 229.5 oil instead of 229.51 cause serious damage?
say 10000 miles of motor way driving in a DPF fitted S320 2008 W2211222XXXXX

although the particulate filter would be to some extent polluted does that matter once correct oil is filled and once you have had a few hours on the motorway to get the filter up to a temperature such that it cleans itself?

does the ash stay in the filter forever or is it removed by regeneration?

what happens to the soot? or is this all the air flow of chimneys?

 

[rf065]

I'm sure Mercedes has said that 229.5 can be used for short term if for example an oil change is due & you need to top up you oil and cannot get 229.51, but it will be changed soon anyway.

I don't think this means 10,000 miles though.

Russ

 

[jimsinessex]

I think once the ash is in the DPF it is there forever. The use of MB229.51 low ash oil means the regeneration of the soot particles leaves minimal ash residue.

There seems a lot of confusion as to whether UK CDI diesels have DPFs fitted. A Mobil 1 ESP Formula leaflet from the MB parts counter read as though ALL European MB and BMW diesels were now fitted with DPFs and required the low ash oil.
My local MB dealer seemed unsure when I initially asked if my 1 month old CLK 320CDI had a DPF or not. Was there a "Low ash oil required sticker under the bonnet?" was their reply. There wasn't.

Eventually checking the VIN number through the parts system seemed to show my car did NOT have a DPF and therefore 229.5 spec oil was sufficient.

It appears as though the Mobil 1 leaflet refers to mainland MB and BMW cars only, not UK ones.

Can anyone enlighten us further?

Jim

 

[rf065]

DPF filters are only fitted as standard in certain parts of europe, not the UK.
That was from a MB executive last year in the motoring press.
Not sure if this will change in the future.

Russ

 

[Rory]

Apparently some S Class and GL's have them. I've also read that they were offered as an option on some vehicles to get them from EU3 to EU4 for tax reasons as a stop-gap before the engines could be re-engineered, but very few were ordere in the UK.

From comments on forums such as HonestJohn about other cars with DPFs if you had one then you'd know about it - they generally seem to be a right pain with random regeneration cycles and some cars (especially those used on short journeys) needing frequent trips to dealers to have the system reset.

(I just looked at the MB website and S320CDI does have a DPF - it's noted in the exterior feature list).

 

[lulu]

Have a look on the Russian site or in the back of your service booklet where there's a list of three digit codes denoting the various options relevant to your vehicle. If you've option 926 on your vehicle you've got the DPF.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Or the quick way is to see if you have soot in the tail pipe, if its super clean then you have a DPF fitted!!

 

[jimsinessex]

Have a look on the Russian site or in the back of your service booklet where there's a list of three digit codes denoting the various options relevant to your vehicle. If you've option 926 on your vehicle you've got the DPF.

Unfortunately MB seem to have done away with the service booklet on recent cars (mine was registered 28th Nov 088)) and nowhere in the paperwork supplied was there a list of codes covering options. The service document was general guide, not specific to my VIN number and did not record service stamps. Apparently we now receive an electronic printout on completion of the service.

All I have to go on is the invoice which doesn't mention a DPF.

The Russian site did not recognise my VIN number - too recent?

The parts guy at my local dealer did seem to get somewhere when he checked my VIN number and said categorically it did not have a DPF.

Jim