Mercedes MB 229.51 synthetic oil

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A friend of mine got a fancy AMG C63 Coupe – 507 Edition and says it takes 9L of this Mercedes spec oil. It's the naturally aspirated version and he got it used.

What's special about this oil, and are there similar consumer-grade oils that would meet the Mercedes spec following the warranty coverage?

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Yeah, he's confused, should be 229.5, the 229.51 is for diesels. If you want to think you're fancy, you can buy the special MB Mobil 5w40 oil that's only available at the dealer. But regular Mobil 1 0w40 should be fine. Mobil will probably start having their $12 rebate again in March.
 
Not sure if MB229.51 is meant 'only' for diesel engines, this normally C3 oil surely can be used in gasoline engines.
 
Originally Posted By: zeng
Not sure if MB229.51 is meant 'only' for diesel engines, this normally C3 oil surely can be used in gasoline engines.

But why? It's harder to find, will offer less protection, and TBN won't hold up as well to the sulfer in gasoline.
 
You know what he means.
wink.gif
The rest of the world is using C3 lubes in gasoline engines. We're just not doing so in North America, and the confusion is amplified by oil companies listing C3 oils as diesel oils on their sell sheets, despite a nominal SN rating on all the varieties I've seen.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
You know what he means.
wink.gif
The rest of the world is using C3 lubes in gasoline engines. We're just not doing so in North America, and the confusion is amplified by oil companies listing C3 oils as diesel oils on their sell sheets, despite a nominal SN rating on all the varieties I've seen.

You're right, Garak.
Kia SC here recommends C3 5W40 for its 2.0L gas engine with good result (as is Europe IIRC), not that AxBy is unsuitable.

Besides,I'm 'seeing' C3 delivering equally good performance as is A3B4 or SN/SM with Euro II 500 ppm 'high' sulfur gasoline ....
and the often quoted purported 'under-performance' of C3 vis-a-vis SN/SM AxBy in 'non-ultra low sulfur' gasoline may be a myth afterall, in terms of wear reduction or prevention.
 
Originally Posted By: zeng
Not sure if MB229.51 is meant 'only' for diesel engines, this normally C3 oil surely can be used in gasoline engines.


If you look at the recommended oils, 229.5 is spec for the C63. I don't think 229.51 is actually an approved oil for that motor although it would probably be fine for short term usage. I don't think it meets the specs for their regular 10k oil change interval.
 
Originally Posted By: zeng
Not sure if MB229.51 is meant 'only' for diesel engines, this normally C3 oil surely can be used in gasoline engines.

If you look at the Bevo sheet I linked to earlier, you will see that the only place where they allow MB229.51 oil in this engine is Western Europe. In other parts of the world, it has to be MB229.5 oil.

I'm guessing it has to do with gasoline sulfur levels in various parts of the world. BMW follows similar strategy.
 
Originally Posted By: zeng
Besides,I'm 'seeing' C3 delivering equally good performance as is A3B4 or SN/SM with Euro II 500 ppm 'high' sulfur gasoline ....
and the often quoted purported 'under-performance' of C3 vis-a-vis SN/SM AxBy in 'non-ultra low sulfur' gasoline may be a myth afterall, in terms of wear reduction or prevention.

If a person is running short enough OCIs here, I can't see it being a concern. However, my main concern would be cost. Every C3 oil I've seen here is in one litre bottles, which winds up being much more expensive than a 5 L container of an A3/B4.

As for gasoline engines, as I've posted before, Castrol's lube selector recommends Edge 5w-30 C3/dexos2 as a suitable oil for my G37, because the G37 calls only for an SN 5w-30, with GF-5 optional, not to mention 6000 km severe service OCIs. So, given that Edge 5w-30 C3/dexos2 is also SN, it fits the OEM requirements of the car.
 
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