PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

JHZR2 · #11 03-25-2010, 11:49 AM

Everyone has their list or hierarchy of which oils are the best, and they are all wrong.

The best oil continually jumps around as formulations change, additive chemistries update, etc. One can judge to some extent based upon cranking/pumping viscosities, pour point, viscosity index, additization, but all that is always subject to change. You cannot really go wrong sticking with any one of the majors.

15w-40 is acceptable for use any time temperatures will not go below 0-2F. Depending upon how easily your car starts in ambient conditions will drive the decision to go to a 5w-40 from there.

IMO, you can never go wrong with syn long-term, though in some situations/applications it can be overkill. The syn will pump better at all startup temperatures, and you can never go wrong with increased oil flow faster...

That said, Id do a number of quick oil changes, likely 50 miles, then after another 100 miles, then after another 250 miles, then after another 500, then after another 1000. The key is to do some cleaning and get the remnants of moisture and broken-down oil and acids out of there as quickly and effectively as possible. For those id likely go with rotella 15w-40, not because it is better than any other 15w-40 HDEO out there, but because you can buy a 2.5 gallon jug of it at wal-mart for $25.