Mobil 1 ESP 5W30 vs Shell Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30

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Not trying to start a war -- just looking for opinions as to which oil would be best to use in a 2008 Sprinter 3500 with a Winnebago box on it (running full GVW, mountain roads, engine braking, high rpm).

In the past I always used Valvoline SynPower 5W-40, but after going thru the Mercedes 'BeVo' lists for their 228.51/229.31/229.51 approved oils I find exactly zero (o) in 5W-40 or 10W-40 weight available in the USA.

So, going on the assumption I'm stuck with 5W-30, and wanting to stay away from the ultra high-end 'boutique' oils, I'm considering both the Mobil 1 and the Rotella T6.

Both happen to be on sale right now at NAPA for about the same price, around $5.75 per quart:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/SHR550046251
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MOR124044?ref=MA==

Again, not looking to start a pillow fight, just wondering if there are any significant difference between the two.
 
The M1 5W30 Euro spec 504/507 is probably the best bang for the buck imo.
 
Valvoline MST 5-40 is a 229.51 oil. Napa puts it on sale and can order it for you. 5-40 oil is what that engine was designed for.
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
The M1 5W30 Euro spec 504/507 is probably the best bang for the buck imo.


Thanks for the tip, but I need to stick with Mercedes 228.51/229.31/229.51 approved oils. I don't see the Euro Spec oil listed on the MB 'BeVo' tables.
 
Originally Posted by loneryder
Valvoline MST 5-40 is a 229.51 oil. Napa puts it on sale and can order it for you. 5-40 oil is what that engine was designed for.


Thank you!

There are three 5W-40 oils made by Valvoline on the MB 229.51 list. I searched for all 3 earlier but must have copied the listing from BeVo. They have it as "Valvoline Advanced MST 5W-40". When you use that wording, nothing that's 229.51 approved comes up. Using just "Valvoline MST 5-40" works. Very strange.

Anyway, good to know. I'd about given up on finding an MB-approved 5W-40 weight oil.

I like to buy a lot -- maybe 12-14 cases at a time, so now I need to wait for a sale.

BTW -- when I searched NAPA they only have the Valvoline SynPower MST Motor Oil 5W30 listed. Maybe they stopped carrying the 5W-40?
 
Originally Posted by sajohnson
Originally Posted by sloinker
The M1 5W30 Euro spec 504/507 is probably the best bang for the buck imo.


Thanks for the tip, but I need to stick with Mercedes 228.51/229.31/229.51 approved oils. I don't see the Euro Spec oil listed on the MB 'BeVo' tables.

M1 5W30 ESP is approved for MB229.51 and slew of other approvals. Also, it is probably one of the best MB229.51 oils.
On Amazon you can get Motul X-Clean 5W40 that is approved of MB 229.51.
Take into consideration that thickness difference between oil such as Valvoline 5W40 MST (I used it in BMW X5 35d) and Mobil1 5W30 ESP (also used it in BMW) is some 7-9%. So, you can go easily with 5W30 and not lose any sleep.
 
Motul 8100 X Clean 5w40 MB229.51 Dexos 2 $39 per 5 liter jug on Amazon.


BA4EF9F9-507E-4C93-9F12-07F99084B5EE.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by sajohnson
Originally Posted by loneryder
Valvoline MST 5-40 is a 229.51 oil. Napa puts it on sale and can order it for you. 5-40 oil is what that engine was designed for.


Thank you!

There are three 5W-40 oils made by Valvoline on the MB 229.51 list. I searched for all 3 earlier but must have copied the listing from BeVo. They have it as "Valvoline Advanced MST 5W-40". When you use that wording, nothing that's 229.51 approved comes up. Using just "Valvoline MST 5-40" works. Very strange.

Anyway, good to know. I'd about given up on finding an MB-approved 5W-40 weight oil.

I like to buy a lot -- maybe 12-14 cases at a time, so now I need to wait for a sale.

BTW -- when I searched NAPA they only have the Valvoline SynPower MST Motor Oil 5W30 listed. Maybe they stopped carrying the 5W-40?

Yes NAPA doesn't list it. When I go to NAPA to order it on sale, they have to look it up in the Valvoline catalog they have. I also think they have changed the name but if it says MST it's Medium Saps Technology. Maybe they didn't get approval on the new name. Eddyvw was in a discussion about this some time back.
I have the OM 642 engine in my 08 ML. It has never used oil with 5-40 oils but when I used the Mobil 1 ESP 5-30, it started using oil. Went back to 5-40 and it stopped. Just my experience. I would not go over 6k oci on that vehicle. That would be "severe service" hauling that weight and pushing all that air.
 
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Motul 8100 X Clean 5w40 MB229.51 Dexos 2 $39 per 5 liter jug on Amazon.


Thanks Snagglefoot! I wasn't aware of that. I may just go that way.

Some of the guys over on Sprinter-Source.com have gotten so fed up with trying to find a 5W-40 weight oil with MB 229.51 approval that they are using Shell Rotella T6. The ash content is low at
T6 has the advantage of being readily available, and it's relatively inexpensive, esp when purchased in bulk. Tractor Supply has 2.5 gallon containers for $56:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...w-40-heavy-duty-motor-oil-25-gal-1292172

That said, the Motul has MB 229.51 approval. It is more expensive, but not too bad. I found Motul 8100 X Clean 5w40 MB229.51 Dexos 2 on eBay for $222 for 6 each 5 liter jugs, delivered. That's $37 each or $7.40 per quart. That was using 'WikiBuy' from the Amazon listing. FWIW, the seller has 100% positive feedback with over 6,900 sales:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTUL-1020...-Oil-1-3-Gallon-x-1-BOTTLE-/401131266409

General forum question: Is there a way to get email notifications of new posts in a thread?
 
Originally Posted by sajohnson
Some of the guys over on Sprinter-Source.com have gotten so fed up with trying to find a 5W-40 weight oil with MB 229.51 approval

Which quite frankly is dumber than bricks since Mercedes-Benz approval 229.51 states 0W-, 5W- and 10W-X grades are acceptable as part of the approval language. What that means is that anything is allowed in terms of grade except a winter rating of 20W.

What is required by the approval is an HTHS of 3.5. This makes the resulting grade irrelevant except for winter rating, and Mercedes-Benz properly accounts for that in the approval requirements.

As is always the case with Mercedes-Benz approvals you should buy the least expensive oil you can find which actually carries one or more of the approvals required by your owner's manual. You can pick a winter rating appropriate for your climate, or just pick a 0W or 5W rating and forget the rest.
 
Originally Posted by loneryder
Originally Posted by sajohnson
Originally Posted by loneryder
Valvoline MST 5-40 is a 229.51 oil. Napa puts it on sale and can order it for you. 5-40 oil is what that engine was designed for.


Thank you!

There are three 5W-40 oils made by Valvoline on the MB 229.51 list. I searched for all 3 earlier but must have copied the listing from BeVo. They have it as "Valvoline Advanced MST 5W-40". When you use that wording, nothing that's 229.51 approved comes up. Using just "Valvoline MST 5-40" works. Very strange.

Anyway, good to know. I'd about given up on finding an MB-approved 5W-40 weight oil.

I like to buy a lot -- maybe 12-14 cases at a time, so now I need to wait for a sale.

BTW -- when I searched NAPA they only have the Valvoline SynPower MST Motor Oil 5W30 listed. Maybe they stopped carrying the 5W-40?

###

loneryder wrote:

Yes NAPA doesn't list it. When I go to NAPA to order it on sale, they have to look it up in the Valvoline catalog they have. I also think they have changed the name but if it says MST it's Medium Saps Technology. Maybe they didn't get approval on the new name. Eddyvw was in a discussion about this some time back.
I have the OM 642 engine in my 08 ML. It has never used oil with 5-40 oils but when I used the Mobil 1 ESP 5-30, it started using oil. Went back to 5-40 and it stopped. Just my experience. I would not go over 6k oci on that vehicle. That would be "severe service" hauling that weight and pushing all that air.



Thanks loneryder, I'll call NAPA and see what they say. If I can get the same stuff I've been using (P/N VV966) 5W-40 that would be great. It's not on sale right now (Mobil 1 is) but I'm not in any hurry. If they can get the 5W-40 Valvoline and I can catch it on sale that would be ideal. When the Valvoline is on sale it's about the same price as Rotella T6.

Otherwise, if NAPA tells me they can't get 5W-40 Valvoline, I guess it'll be between the Motul 8100 X Clean 5w40 MB229.51 Dexos 2 and the Rotella T6 5W-40.
 
Last edited:
I would visit a store to make sure they really look for it. The first time I went in they couldn't find it. After looking for awhile they found it and ordered it from their warehouse which is in Pa. If I can get it at a small NAPA in Romney, WV., you should be able to get it in Md. It may come on sale next month as they usually alternate between Mobil 1 and Valvoline.
 
Originally Posted by sajohnson
Not trying to start a war -- just looking for opinions as to which oil would be best to use in a 2008 Sprinter 3500 with a Winnebago box on it (running full GVW, mountain roads, engine braking, high rpm).

In the past I always used Valvoline SynPower 5W-40, but after going thru the Mercedes 'BeVo' lists for their 228.51/229.31/229.51 approved oils I find exactly zero (o) in 5W-40 or 10W-40 weight available in the USA.

So, going on the assumption I'm stuck with 5W-30, and wanting to stay away from the ultra high-end 'boutique' oils, I'm considering both the Mobil 1 and the Rotella T6.

Both happen to be on sale right now at NAPA for about the same price, around $5.75 per quart:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/SHR550046251
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MOR124044?ref=MA==

Again, not looking to start a pillow fight, just wondering if there are any significant difference between the two.


Pento High Performance II Engine Oil (5w-40) - 5 Liter - $33.39. It's 229.51 approved.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-pentosi...-5w-40-5-liter/pen-space-5w-40-space-5l/
 
I'd run a 15W-40 year-round for sure with a block heater in the winter in MD.

Chevron Delo XLE 15W-40 has MB 228.51 approval.
 
Originally Posted by tundraotto
I'd run a 15W-40 year-round for sure with a block heater in the winter in MD.

Chevron Delo XLE 15W-40 has MB 228.51 approval.

That is not the same as 229.51.
 
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by tundraotto
I'd run a 15W-40 year-round for sure with a block heater in the winter in MD.

Chevron Delo XLE 15W-40 has MB 228.51 approval.

That is not the same as 229.51.


I am well aware of that.

OP posted "but I need to stick with Mercedes 228.51/229.31/229.51 approved oils."
 
Originally Posted by tundraotto
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by tundraotto
I'd run a 15W-40 year-round for sure with a block heater in the winter in MD.

Chevron Delo XLE 15W-40 has MB 228.51 approval.

That is not the same as 229.51.


I am well aware of that.

OP posted "but I need to stick with Mercedes 228.51/229.31/229.51 approved oils."

I forgot about that part.
Apologize.
 
Originally Posted by tundraotto
I'd run a 15W-40 year-round for sure with a block heater in the winter in MD.

Chevron Delo XLE 15W-40 has MB 228.51 approval.


Thanks for the suggestion. I wasn't aware that was an option.

According to my trusty Sprinter owner's manual, 15W-XX is good down to +5*F. We have a RV on a Sprinter 3500 cab-chassis, which means it doesn't see any real cold weather use. I could get away with using 15W-40.

I see that Chevron Delo XLE 15W-40 is a synthetic blend. I'm sure it's fine for most applications, but we have the GVW of the chassis maxed out and do a lot of mountain road driving -- lots of full throttle, high rpm, 3rd gear climbs on steep grades, and engine braking -- again at high rpm (for a diesel) -- going downhill. For that reason I prefer to stay with a full synthetic. It may make little or no difference but I look at it like cheap insurance.
 
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