OK...
So I asked what kind of oil to put into my 1983 300D, in Los Angeles.
In the meantime I decided to call my mechanic at home, since I needed to go out and my car needed oil.
He said 20w50...which I got. I put in alot, basically filled it to the top line (it was low)
I got a post saying If i love my Car i would only put in "diesel rated 15W40".
SO.....my question is this...do I have to drain the oil out that I put in (and how would I do this)....OR is this ok and in the future just use 15W40; and I didn't see any diesel ratings when I was looking at the oils at Kragen...is there a special type oil for diesels, my mechanic said my car doesn't car.
Thanks
JumptheGunLinda

If it's not diesel rated, what I would do is change it after about 1500 miles. Diesel rated oil contains more and better soot control agents than non-diesel oil. Soot control agents are needed in diesel engines due to their increased soot production over gasoline engines. Soot is abrasive, like little bits of sand only it's not silica it's carbon. Lindajane, this has been discussed to death on this forum and is common knowledge to everyone here. If you want your car to last, use DIESEL rated oil and change at the appropriate mileage. This would also be a respectful thing to do for the next owner.
Read the back of the labels, look for API rating CH or CF, or any of the numerical variations. You could go to the API website and look for the most current up to date rating and try to match it at the store.
Your mechanic's attitude is far too cavalier for him to be working on your car.

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'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

OK,
I'm learning as I go along, and I'm finding that everyone seems to have a differenent opinion on this oil thing. But as I want my car to last, and I don't ever intend to sell it...I'm going to start putting the appropriate oil. I will disagree with my mechanic on this issue, who states that it doesn't matter what kind of oil I use..I'll note the 1500 mile oil change...
Linda

Lindajane,

Try one of these types of oil:

Shell Rotella 15W-40 (my personal favorite)
Chevron Delo 15W-40
Mobil Delvac 15W-40
Valvoline Premium Blue 15W-40

Happy Motoring!

"everyone seems to have a differenent opinion "

Send us the name and address of anyone that thinks diesel rated oil is not necessary in a diesel engine... we will fix them....

You will find that everyone has a prefrence for each different brand, but as long as its a diesel rated 15w40, you will be fine.

I personally use Delo 400, but I think that other diesel motor oils are just as good.

My advice is to stay away from house brands. The no name house brands typically dont have the same quality or amount of additives that the name brands have.....

The list of motor oils in the list above this post are the oils I would reccomend to anyone. And I will even add one more to the list, Castrol GTX Diesel.... Just saw it last week in the local Autozone......

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1983 Mercedes 300D
Atlanta, GA

First, relax. ANY oil, even if it is not 'diesel rated' is better than low/no oil.

Make a note of 'diesel rated' oils for the next oil change.

Is it 'using' oil to the point where you have to add oil before 3,000 miles? If so, have a quart or two on hand so you can top off.

No harm done, even the 'wrong' oil will take a long time to damage an engine, longer than one oil change.

Best Regards,
Jim

What about the years when there was only straight wieght oil for anything......? Eh ? ...You wanna take this outside ?


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__________________
[http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/01/14/youve-got-problems-not-issues/ ]

"A liberal is someone who feels they owe a great debt to their fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."

A few quarts of gasser oil is not going to be like poison for diesels. It's probably better than the oil which were available when the car was new. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Just change to a 15W40 on the next oil change.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

"What about the years when there was only straight wieght oil for anything......? "

You have changed what I said... I said Diesel Rated... that is different from viscosity rating...

And for the record... which I have stated many times before... I run straight 40 wt Dello 400 in my tractor and my 240d...

Stick to Delvac Super or Delo 400 and if you feel like spending more, Delvac-1 synthetic for the ultimate protection, if you don't do much short driving the extra cost of Delvac-1 will pay off in extended drains.

I'm in L.A. and I get the Delo 400 at Costco. Nice 4-pack (or 6-pack?) boxes of handy gallon jugs.

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J. S. Park

'82 240D Manual 240D (sold)
'83 300D-T 230k (sold)
'84 300D-T 118k (sold)

a diesel but it's certainly appropriate . .
A friend of my tech (Exclusive Motors, my page about the middle), was on the road and stopped for gas (car is '95 E320). He asked the attendant to check the water. BION, the attendant added water via the oil fill hole. . . and, to boot, filled it up to the top!!!!!

The car died a short distance from the station; the engine froze tighter than a drum. . .everything bent/broken. . hard to believe but sadly true.

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Regards . . . . JimF
-------------------
'94 S500 Cpe

Visit my Mercedes Web Page

I second the Costco Delo 400, comes to like $6.33 a gallon!

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Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)