MB GLE 350 engine oil weight

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Folks:

For the vehicle in my signature, I am about to change oil and it calls for 229.5 speced MB fluids

Pennzoil Platinum has been my favorite for years and its comes in 5W30, though most MB owners I have spoken to use 0w40/5w40 M1

Let me know your thought
 
As long as it meets that particular Mercedes spec, I don't see a problem using it. There is Euro-spec PP but that's hard to find. If you're buying oil at Walmart, M1 0W-40 or Castrol Edge 5W-40/0W-40 are your best bets.

Mercedes is kinda weird - they recommend M1 for service fill, but they work with Shell for OEM-fill fluids.
 
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
Folks:

For the vehicle in my signature, I am about to change oil and it calls for 229.5 speced MB fluids

Pennzoil Platinum has been my favorite for years and its comes in 5W30, though most MB owners I have spoken to use 0w40/5w40 M1

Let me know your thought


Pennzoil Platinum 5W30 does not meet the required specs for your vehicle - you will need to use the Platinum Euro 5W-40.
 
My intention is to stick with 30 weight since the engine is new - it may be a good idea when it goes into the 100K+ range to switch to 40 weight.
 
Here is the Euro L:

52497C5D-025A-4AD1-AE53-EBB7A8D20E4E.jpeg


69EA43E0-406D-421E-BCD2-1CA0E5E84B9C.jpeg
 
Originally Posted by zeng
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
This is what I saw in Walmart

https://www.pennzoil.com/en_us/prod..._SAE_5W-30_Fully_Synthetic_Motor_Oil.pdf

This Euro L carries C3 and 229.51.
Go for it.


This is a common mistake. MB 229.5 and 229.51 are TWO different specs. They spec 229.5 for gas engines and 229.51 and 229.52 for diesel engines. Because they have a 10k oil change interval, you're better off with a 229.5 oil than a 229.51 oil although you can use a 229.51 oil in a car that calls for 229.5. It's been covered multiple times in past threads.

I believe Mobil is actually the OEM maker of oil for Mercedes. Shell makes a bunch of transmission fluids you can use such as 236.14 and 236.15.

Check out the list of approved MB 229.5 fluids. You will not find the 229.51 fluids on there.

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/bevo-sheets-sort1.html
 
The OP wants to use a 5w30 oil. The Euro L, which is designed as a diesel motor oil, is also rated C3 which is fine for a gasoline engines He was also partial to Pennzoil products.

Is there a 5w30 229.5 product out there? I've seen 5w40 229.5 products but so far I haven't see a 5w30 version. I certainly could be wrong about that. Please let me know.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
This is a common mistake. MB 229.5 and 229.51 are TWO different specs. They spec 229.5 for gas engines and 229.51 and 229.52 for diesel engines. Because they have a 10k oil change interval, you're better off with a 229.5 oil than a 229.51 oil although you can use a 229.51 oil in a car that calls for 229.5. It's been covered multiple times in past threads.

I believe Mobil is actually the OEM maker of oil for Mercedes. Shell makes a bunch of transmission fluids you can use such as 236.14 and 236.15.

Check out the list of approved MB 229.5 fluids. You will not find the 229.51 fluids on there.

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/bevo-sheets-sort1.html

Here is another common myth/mistake on this board.
A 229.5 is meant for a MB gasoline engines ONLY , and it's NOT for (light duty ) diesel engines (with modern emission systems) .
However, a 229.51 mid saps oils is always meant for a diesel engines, AND gasoline engines.
 
I always thought the MB 229.5 was originally based on the ACEA A3/B4 specs, but actually it's only mandatory to pass the ACEA tests when the specs are claimed on the package, if I understand correctly.
I am yet to see a 229.5 that does not carry A3/B4, I guess when you reach 229.5 perfs, the ACEA comes for "free" !

There are some OM 646 and VW TDI tests for MB 229.5 though.

Ok, that is to say, to me pretty much all MB229.5 oils are also ok for light diesel use, and that's precisely what I use in my old old old diesel...simply because the Total 5W40 I use is cheap and carries it.
(but yes, contrary to the .51/52, if you have emission aftertratement devices, avoid 229.5 in your engine)

Also I thought Petronas was the current OEM for Mercedes (at least in Europe) ?
 
Last edited:
Here is the back panel of a bottle of Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w40. One of the specs it meets is MB 229.5. In the white box it says "For diesel and gasoline engines". It also says AECA A3/B4. Enjoy.

2181B687-A25C-44B8-AE43-4C29463B8DEE.jpeg
 
Originally Posted by zeng
Originally Posted by Wolf359
This is a common mistake. MB 229.5 and 229.51 are TWO different specs. They spec 229.5 for gas engines and 229.51 and 229.52 for diesel engines. Because they have a 10k oil change interval, you're better off with a 229.5 oil than a 229.51 oil although you can use a 229.51 oil in a car that calls for 229.5. It's been covered multiple times in past threads.

I believe Mobil is actually the OEM maker of oil for Mercedes. Shell makes a bunch of transmission fluids you can use such as 236.14 and 236.15.

Check out the list of approved MB 229.5 fluids. You will not find the 229.51 fluids on there.

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/bevo-sheets-sort1.html

Here is another common myth/mistake on this board.
A 229.5 is meant for a MB gasoline engines ONLY , and it's NOT for (light duty ) diesel engines (with modern emission systems) .
However, a 229.51 mid saps oils is always meant for a diesel engines, AND gasoline engines.


While that's somewhat true, if you take your car to an MB dealer, they will only put MB 229.5 oil into a gasser and MB 229.51 or 229.52 into a diesel. Yes, you can use 229.51 or 229.52 in a gasser, but it's not ideal. That's why MB specs 229.5 still for gassers. MB 229.51 or 229.52 doesn't supersede 229.5. Whereas you can use 229.52 where 229.51 is called for. If you have a choice of oils, just use 299.5 oils in a gasser, it's not making it better by using 229.51.
 
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
The OP wants to use a 5w30 oil. The Euro L, which is designed as a diesel motor oil, is also rated C3 which is fine for a gasoline engines He was also partial to Pennzoil products.

Is there a 5w30 229.5 product out there? I've seen 5w40 229.5 products but so far I haven't see a 5w30 version. I certainly could be wrong about that. Please let me know.
smile.gif



You just look up the approved list to see if it's on there. There's a few on there:

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html
 
229.5 is for gas engine and should be used with a fleece filter for the service reminder system. 229.51/52 is for diesels and their exhaust treatment systems. You can run a 229.51/52 oil in a gasser but your service reminder will not be accurate. Also if you run longer oci's on the 229.51/52 in a gasser you will experience sludging. MB actually experienced this and stopped using .51/52 in gassers.
For years the 3.5 engines came with and used 5w-40 syn oil. They only recently went to 5w-30 for CAFE reasons.
Use whatever 229.5 oil you want but I would stay away from .51/52 oils in your car.
 
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Just to check. Who makes a 5w30 with a 229.5 certification?


Nobody though Pennzoil has a 5w30 certified fluid on the MB approved list.
Today I headed to Walmart looking for European formula (idiots in Europe have some stupid certifications that most Americans wouldn't even know about it, incl. me) engine oil.
The idiot in the oil section looks up his catalog (Castrol catalog) and told me any 5w30 would work. I left humbled that this guy in the oil section wasn't aware of American vs Euro certifications.

I am lost with these stupid Euro certifications.
 
Even the Benz manuals can be a little cryptic about these specifications. My goddaughter has a Benz and it doesn't say much of anything useful in the manual. So yes, I do feel for the parts guys, not to mention guys just going to the parts store who aren't members of a place like this.

At least the Castrol website itself should give proper information. Personally, the European certification aren't too bad once you get used to them, particularly the base ACEA specs themselves.
 
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