Thread: 98 ML320 sludge
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Old 12-14-2003, 02:55 PM
joe p joe p is offline
it leaks, its german
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: raleigh nc
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I dunno. I've seen 103's and 104's with well over 200k on 'em that have been serviced on 7500 mile intervals their entire life. I can see 3K service intervals on a engine that only holds 4 quarts but, not on one that holds 8. I see a 5k interval as ok except in tropical or "low mileage" conditions. With synth, a 7500-8000 is fine. (4.0 jeep, 170k, synth since 70k, never had a issue with 7500 mile service intervals, personal sled, uses 1 qt every 5k)

A lot is dependant on driving habits. A car used in a commuter enviroment that see's 10 miles a day need more frequent changes as it never gets good and warmed up, while one that is driven 20 miles 1 way at a decent speed dosen't. In tropical enviroments the internal condensation issue needs addressing, therefore more frequent changes. Same deal in very cold climates where the car sits outside, internal condensation. (my 617 has 270k on it, it has been serviced every 7500 or so all its life, pretty clean internally and uses a quart every 2000 miles, running with full boost enrichment at 76-80 mph for 40 miles every day)

The 112's seems to do fine with 7500 mile intervals in normal climitary conditions and good synth oil, with dino I'd do 5k. These engines run hot and beat oil up pretty good, therefore need more frequent service than 10-14k. Part of the coking issue IMHO is the sprayers they have that cool the lower half of the piston in relation to the wall and face temps. The transition line looks to be right in the oil control rings area, hence the coking there without the typical sludging of the valve covers.

The 113's are less suseptable to this. I think its the fact the engine runs a bit cooler across the board, afterall a 5.0 dosen't work as hard as a 3.2 in the same chassis.


I recomend fss cars get serviced every 7500 under normal conditions using a good oil (I use pentosin 5-40), every 5 k under "severe" conditions. Everyone else I recomend 5k intervals on dino. BMW's with synth get done every 7500 and dinos get done every 5k. So far in 20 years I've seen/had pretty much nada as far as oil related failures.

Joe
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