Factory fill - 1,316 miles - 2015 Mercedes GLA250

[doyall]

I certainly was hoping that MB engineered a gasoline direct injection engine that did not fuel dilute but maybe not. On delivery with only 50 miles the dealership "concierge" did let the car idle for 20 or 30 minutes while explaining/demonstrating the car's features/functions. The typical drive is 10 miles to work, 10 miles home. Either the dilution and/or mechanical shearing has already got it to a 20 viscosity where the MB 229.5 spec calls for 0/5w-30 or 0/5W-40. In any case, I can not let this oil go the MB recommended 10,000 miles before a change. Maybe after wear-in things will change.



POLARIS LABORTORIES
Lubricant Analysis Report
North America: +1-877-808-3750
Overall report severity based on comments. 2/4
Component Information
Component ID: 2015 MERCEDES BENZ
Secondary ID: GLA250 M270 2.0L I4 GAS TURBO
Component Type: UNLEADED GASOLINE ENGINE
Manufacturer: MERCEDES BENZ
Model: Missing Information
Application: AUTOMOTIVE
Sump Capacity: 6 qt
Lab Location: Indianapolis
Data Analyst: RAM
Sampled: 10-Jul-2015
Received: 13-Jul-2015
Completed: 16-Jul-2015
Filter Information
Filter Type: FULLFLOW
Micron Rating: 0
Miscellaneous Information Product Information
Product Manufacturer: FACTORY FILL
Product Name:
Viscosity Grade: Missing Information

Comments Flagged data does not indicate an immediate need for maintenance action. Continue to observe the trend and monitor
equipment and fluid conditions. FUEL DILUTION is at a MODERATE LEVEL; FUEL DILUTION possibly caused by excessive idling;Silicon is at a MINOR LEVEL; SILICON sources can be abrasives (dirt, Alumina Silica), seals and gasket material, lube additive or lube supplement, and/or environmental contaminant; Copper is at a MINOR LEVEL; Copper source may be from LUBE COOLER, Main/Rod Bearings, Bushing/Thrust Metal, Turbo Bearing Metal (Engines) or Lube Additive in some gasoline engine oils;

Iron.......................... 18
Chromium....................... 0
Nickel......................... 0
Aluminum....................... 2
Copper........................ 30
Lead........................... 0
Tin............................ 1
Cadmium........................ 0
Silver......................... 1
Vanadium....................... 0
Silicon....................... 29
Sodium......................... 6
Potassium...................... 6
Titanium....................... 0
Molybdenum..................... 0
Antimony....................... 0
Manganese..................... 12
Lithium........................ 0
Boron......................... 92
Magnesium..................... 18
Calcium..................... 2560
Barium......................... 0
Phosphorous.................. 921
Zinc........................ 1075

Lube Time.................. 1,316 mi
Unit Time.................. 1,316 mi
Lube Change................ NO
Lube Added................. 0 qt
Filter Change.............. NO
Fuel Dilution.............. 3.1 % Vol
Soot....................... Water...................... Viscosity 100 °C........... 8.6 cSt
Base Number................. 9.22 KOH/g
Oxidation...................... 8 abs/cm
Nitration...................... 9 abs/0.1 mm

 

[Pontual]

Yes, 3.1% fuel dilution is a high number for 1300 miles. You should heat the engine oil more often.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Engine is breaking in. Wear for break in, even with load of fuel in oil, is low enough not to worry about.

Sump size? Planned interval? fuel brand and grade used?

Southern climate, 0w40 or 5w40 is an easy choice.

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html

 

[doyall]

Originally Posted By: Greasymechtech
... Sump size? Planned interval? fuel brand and grade used?

Southern climate, 0w40 or 5w40 is an easy choice. ...


Sump - 5.9 Qt.

Interval - Depends on analysis trends under typical operating conditions. Probably will not be 10K.

Fuel - 93 octane from (primarily) Costco.

0w-40 Euro Mobil 1 in waiting.

 

[Nate1979]

It's too early to draw any conclusions.

 

[Justin251]

Mobil 1 0w40 and forget about it.

Hey I'm in LA too!

 

[901Memphis]

Much too early to draw any conclusions. I will say that break in metals seem fairly good for the FF though.

 

[Travis99LS1]

Mobil 1 0w40! That's a very sweet ride man...best of luck with it. Does it have a drain plug? Or is the oil changed with a fluid evacuator via a fake dipstick tube?

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: doyall
In any case, I can not let this oil go the MB recommended 10,000 miles before a change.


Did you just take a sample or dump the FF for new oil?

 

[doyall]

Originally Posted By: Travis99LS1
...That's a very sweet ride man...best of luck with it. ...


Thanks.

Originally Posted By: Travis99LS1
...Does it have a drain plug? Or is the oil changed with a fluid evacuator via a fake dipstick tube?


It has a drain plug and a real dipstick with tube!

 

[doyall]

Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Did you just take a sample or dump the FF for new oil?


I took a sample through the dipstick tube. Getting ready to suck what oil I can out through the dipstick and replace. Not going to change the filter now. Hopefully that will get most of the fuel contamination out as I *think* the filter contents drain back into the sump.

 

[285south]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979
It's too early to draw any conclusions.


Many agree

Originally Posted By: Justin251
Mobil 1 0w40 and forget about it.


With a bottle of LM Ceratec then forget about it. Every 25,000 miles add a bottle. MolyB is godsend.

 

[Clevy]

Absolutely pointless doing a used oil analysis this early. Nothing can be gleaned from the data.

I didn't even look at it but here's my educated guess. Wear metals will be high because the engine isn't broken in.
Fuel dilution will be high because of the rings not sealing,because it isn't broken in.
And 10000 mile intervals are a piece of cake with m1 euro or castrol euro. Why do people think they are smarter than the engineers who build the vehicle and the tribologists who formulate the oil.
Funny.

Originally Posted By: 285south
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
It's too early to draw any conclusions.


Many agree

Originally Posted By: Justin251
Mobil 1 0w40 and forget about it.


With a bottle of LM Ceratec then forget about it. Every 25,000 miles add a bottle. MolyB is godsend.


I like both these products but until it's broken in don't add anything to the oil.

Wait 10000 miles. Break in the engine then establish trends. You are paying for useless data that doesn't reflect anything in relation to the engine.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: 285south
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
It's too early to draw any conclusions.


Many agree

Originally Posted By: Justin251
Mobil 1 0w40 and forget about it.


With a bottle of LM Ceratec then forget about it. Every 25,000 miles add a bottle. MolyB is godsend.


And cera-tec is a completely different product than molyb. In fact there isn't any molybdenum. In ceratec whatsoever.

Just sayin

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
And cera-tec is a completely different product than molyb. In fact there isn't any molybdenum. In ceratec whatsoever.

Ceratec has the element molybdenum, & quite a lot. I don't think it has it in the pure form moly-sulfide, which might be what you are referring to.(?) It has [NH4]2MoS4 ammonium molybdate, and a lot of it, for some reason. I guess we can assume the [NH4]2MoS4, which does contain MoS anyway, has similar anti-friction properties as the typical MoS2 that we are used to.
Originally Posted By: Izb
VOA of Ceratec: http://bmwservice.livejournal.com/38285.html
Mo:5419(!) ppm
Bo: 359 ppm

Which microceramic? Laughing?
Mainly ammonium molybdenum (strictly according to MSDS: 5%)


It is the 359 ppm boron we usually associate with Ceratec being a ceramic particle additive, but the use of NH4-molybdate is a mystery, hope it does something good.

http://www.chemical-check.de/clientversion/pdf1/566/3721_0007_19-01-2011_EN.pdf

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Originally Posted By: Justin251
Mobil 1 0w40 and forget about it.

Hey I'm in LA too!


Hey visit Hollywood while you're there! (Or is it Dollywood in that part of the country?)

Any 0w-40 MB229.5 oil is fine. Castrol and M1 0w-40 are about as cheap as bottled water at Walmart, so THAT.

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Much too early to draw any conclusions. I will say that break in metals seem fairly good for the FF though.

Metals could be a lot higher after a thousand new miles. Wondering if Mercedes isn't smoothing the hades out of the surfaces in there!

 

[doyall]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Absolutely pointless doing a used oil analysis this early. Nothing can be gleaned from the data. ... You are paying for useless data that doesn't reflect anything in relation to the engine.


Maybe for you as you have no continuing interest in the car, but to make such a blanket statement is ... well, shows you didn't think much about it. The fact that you make the statements and then went on to say you didn't even look at the analysis is even more telling.

The analysis, along with the six additional ones over 2,500 more miles (at ~$14 I consider them a good investment), tells me many things:

1. MB, apparently like all other manufacturers, obviously doesn't have the engineering capability to make a gasoline direct injection that doesn't fuel dilute when not driven significant distances with every cold start.

2. MB obviously used a factory fill oil that was an SAE 30 viscosity at operating temperature, probably so they could get their better MPG figures.

3. I have fuel dilution data to compare with post-wear in data to see if the condition is getting any better. (BTW, MB suggests 1,000 miles as a wear in figure.)

4. I have a very good idea under what operating parameters a particular level of fuel dilution will occur.

I perceive all this (except maybe the factory fill part) to be extremely beneficial because when I get a 5% dilution reading on an analysis I will be presenting everything to the dealership and hopefully MB proper in order to get their response. These responses will dictate to me whether I will ever buy another car from this dealership and/or from MB again. It will also tell me whether to get my money back for the extended warranty I bought and plan on selling the car right before the base warranty expires.

If you didn't have anything more to offer, perhaps you shouldn't even have got in on this thread ....

 

[Eddie]

Item #1 doesn't relate to all DI engines-My 2014 Mazda for instance. Do what ever makes you happy. I also see little value in UOA for the first 5,000 miles since there is usually too much variability. ed

 

[doyall]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Item #1 doesn't relate to all DI engines-My 2014 Mazda for instance. ...


Ever had it tested? Do not find any tests posted. If it has not been tested you can't make that statement with any degree of accuracy. And I qualified the statement with admittedly a less than concise parameter but perhaps the qualification doesn't apply in your situation. Tell us more. I will narrow my parameters if you have some analyses you think may be pertinent.