2004 Mercedes M-Class; Why synthetic oil?

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wavinwayne

wavinwayne

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My wife's '04 Mercedes ML350 specifies synthetic oil ONLY, which meets MB #something-or-other oil spec. It's MB 229.3, I think, for vehicles with the FSS.

The engine in her ML350 is a 3.7L V6 non-turbo. Why the synthetic oil requirement? Is it only because of the long OCI's, which can be up to 13k in the '04 ML350? Is there some other reason that I'm over-looking?

Would an API SM 10w40 dino oil, or an API SM HDEO 15w40, changed every 5k miles work just as well? Does anyone have any data that suggests this engine really needs synthetic, other than for the long OCI's? FWIW, it holds 8.5 quarts.

Thanks
 
I have a 1995 Mercedes E320 with 114,000 miles on it. It is an inline 6, no turbo. The local indy mechanic specializing in German cars uses plain old 15w-40 in it when he changes it, I do the same when I change it.

I'm pretty confident that if you want to keep your OCI under 7,500 miles or so that would be surely be sufficient for your car. I change mine every 5,000 miles, but I bet it could go farther than that. 15w-40 year around hasn't led to any cold starting problems here in Tennessee, either.

I think the newer Mercedes 0w-40 recommendations I've seen are for attempts to extend the interval out to 10,000 to 15,000 miles.
 
Quote:

....I think the newer Mercedes 0w-40 recommendations I've seen are for attempts to extend the interval out to 10,000 to 15,000 miles.

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Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, too. When I drain the GC that is currently in the Mercedes, I will probably go with an HDEO 15w40, whichever one is the cheapest among the 5 or 6 readily available name brand HDEO's. I'll change it every 5-6k miles, which will be roughly twice a year.
 
Quote:

My wife's '04 Mercedes ML350 specifies synthetic oil ONLY, which meets MB #something-or-other oil spec. It's MB 229.3, I think, for vehicles with the FSS.

The engine in her ML350 is a 3.7L V6 non-turbo. Why the synthetic oil requirement? Is it only because of the long OCI's, which can be up to 13k in the '04 ML350? Is there some other reason that I'm over-looking?

Would an API SM 10w40 dino oil, or an API SM HDEO 15w40, changed every 5k miles work just as well? Does anyone have any data that suggests this engine really needs synthetic, other than for the long OCI's? FWIW, it holds 8.5 quarts.

Thanks

Click to expand...


You might want to see if API "SM" is recommended for your engine. A lot of so-called European spec oils are not "SM". If it were me, I would use that M1 10W40 synthetic that you use in your other car. It is not "SM". Actually, I might use something like Castrol Syntec 5
w40 European Formula, which is API SL, and is recommended for BMW, Mercedes, VW, and Porsche engines that spec 229.1 and 229.3 to be super safe. With the appropriate OCI, the cost should not be any more than with dino.
 
Does the Mercedes have an engine management system similar to late model BMW's where the operating temperature is allowed to rise at steady highway speed so as to increase fuel efficiency? If so, that might be a reason to stick with an approved oil.
 
Because the FSS drain interval is based on oils meeting 229.5 specs.

I personally wouldn't follow the FSS no matter what oil I used. But if you don't use synthetic make sure you keep the drain intervals at no more than 6 months or 6000 miles.
 
Quote:

Does the Mercedes have an engine management system similar to late model BMW's where the operating temperature is allowed to rise at steady highway speed so as to increase fuel efficiency?....

Click to expand...


I don't know.
 
I don't think engines are designed for synthetic oil only. Other than for long OCIs I suppose synthetic is recommended for fuel economy and cleaner engine.

On the other hand I run VW 502 approved oil in my 2.0L non turbo. But I'm sure it will run just fine with a conventional oil just not for 10,000 miles.
 
Stick with what you know, you know it needs an oil that meets Mercedes Spec 229.3/229.5. Get an oil that has that spec and use it.

No reason to no do it that way and I wouldn't worry too much about longer OCIs. I wish I had a glorious 8.5 quarts in my sump.

That my friend is a lot of oil for a V6 that size.
 
Quote:

Stick with what you know, you know it needs an oil that meets Mercedes Spec 229.3/229.5. Get an oil that has that spec and use it....

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While there is nothing wrong with your logic, I tend to have a problem with any authority telling me what I must do. I can't help it; I'm wired wrong, I guess.
wink.gif


I'm going to try an HDEO, either in 10w30 or 15w40. I'll send a 5k mile sample off for a UOA, to see how it works. The way I see it, I don't like to do long OCI's in my wife's vehicle, and if an HDEO will get the job done every 5k miles, there really is no need to spend twice as much for MB approved synthetic.

I must admit that the same argument I just made could also be used to prove that my wife doesn't need to drive a Mercedes. I couldn't make an argument to the contrary.
ooo.gif
 
I have no data, but my friend has a hand-me-down 98 ML320 and no job. He drives 3K each year. He can't afford a yearly oil change with 8 qts synthetic. I told him a yearly oi change with regular 10W-30 will work fine. He's been running this way for three years and his engine hasn't 'grenaded'.

I use regular 10W-30 in my 95 E320.
 
Quote:

I have no data, but my friend has a hand-me-down 98 ML320 and no job. He can't afford a yearly oil change with 8 qts synthetic. He's been running this way for three years and his engine hasn't 'grenaded'.


Click to expand...


offtopic.gif

He hasn't had a job in 3 years!?
shocked.gif
 
I would bet that either GC or RTS 5W-40 would be fine in this ride, and neither is really costly.
No syns?
How about either Havoline or Trop-Artic? Both have shown good UOAs. Heck, even Supertech is fine with reasonable OCIs.
On the one hand, you have bought an expensive ride, so giving it syn doesn't seem all that much. On the other hand, I would wager that any number of current oils, other than those labeled syn, would do just fine in that tepid
V-6, keeping in mind that the OEM oil spec is for extravagantly long OCIs.
 
Quote:

...On the one hand, you have bought an expensive ride, so giving it syn doesn't seem all that much...

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You might be surprised what I paid for this Mercedes. In fact, people routinely pay WAY MORE for new Chevy & Ford pickups, than I paid for this Mercedes. Although the dealer still made money on the deal when we bought the Benz, I promise you it wasn't much.

As far as what I'll actually do about the oil for this ride, who knows? I'm wishy-washy on most things. I'll just have to see how I'm feeling at oil change time, which at the current rate, is still a long way off.
 
The ML is not a premium priced Mercedes, however, you still payed a decent buck for the thing.
You don't even want to think of the cost of openeing up the engine.
 
Wayne,

I agree with your thoughts on not mindlessly doing what 'you are told' and wanting to do things your way. But you still have bought a 'premium' automobile, because you want the finer things in life. Doesn't this extend to the car's oil? Do you really want to stick pedestrian dino oil, that goes into worn-out clunkers, into your MB?

I'm just saying I'd do it as a source of personal pride; my expensive car has expensive oil in it, and yours doesn't...nya, nya!

:p
 
Quote:

Wayne,

...But you still have bought a 'premium' automobile, because you want the finer things in life...

Click to expand...


No. I bought a 'premium' automobile because my wife wanted it. There's a difference.
grin.gif
 
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