My beloved Delvac 1 is not on the list of approved oils (229.5) from Mercedes.
I am not sure of the availability of the others on the list (they all seem to be "european formula"). Can anyone suggest an oil that is appropriate for my application? (I have a quantity of REDLINE 5w-30, would this be appropriate?
Additionally, Mercedes mentions the use of a "fleece" filter, is this a dealer only item, or is it available aftermarket? Thanks

Woochow,If that toy was mine I would start it out on MObile1 15W50 and change it every 4000 to 5000 miles and you and the CDI will be happy customers.
Lucky you.
Tom Brown Va Section
1995 E300 D 140K mi
1995 C220 49 K mi (hers)

that the 15w50 mobil 1 is on the list of approved oils, but personally i would not use anything that is not listed in the owners manual, in case it is not.

you may have to read the fine print on the labels, etc. sm sj, etc.

btw when going up to auburn last weekend, my buddy's 04 audi tt came up a litttle low on oil. we had to go three places to find an oil listed in the manual to put in the little bugger.

i was amazed at how hard it was to find an acceptable oil. found it at autozone. of 20 choices only one met the spec. i think we endedup with mobil 1 5w40.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I would use the recommended oil but in mineral oil for the first 15K - 20K miles.

Change oil after 600 - 800 miles ( as new metal components rub against each other, fine metal filings result ). Then change again at 3000 miles.

During the first 3K, drive carefully - taking off slowly, keep RPM around 2500, and avoid hard braking. This is the breakin period for the mechanical components in the engine.

After 3K, u can drive normally. Do ur regular oil changes and after about 15K switch over to synthetic oil. Changing to synthetic from the go would arrest the smooth break in of metal components in the engine.

The benefits of the breakin period come later in the car's life when u have less mechanical problms and oil/fuel leaks.

Being a new engine, this is the most important time in its working life.

I know Mercedes, and many others, send cars from the factory with a high quality Mobil 1 fully synthetic oil, and even Mobil says that using their synthetics from new is fine and that resistance to break-in from using synthetics is only a myth. Probably true in a gasoline powered vehicle, but not diesel.

If it were an engine I had re-built for example, and a synthetic wasnt required, I would run a good brand of mineral or semi synthetic 10w-40 or 15w-40 for a few thousand miles, and run it hard. If you dont run it hard, you could end up glazing the bores, and it could breath and use more oil than normal.

Glazing occurs when cylinder temps and pressures drop to the point where the fuel doesnt burn completely, and so, ends up on the cylinder walls on its way past the rings. It also occurs when injectors arnt spraying, rather leaking. An engine is glazed when the rough hone marks have been ereased from the cylinders and so a proper seal cannot be made.

I dont want to worry you for no reason. The injection pressures of a CDI are so high, its unlikely that any fuel would be un-burnt, just dont idle it often when warm; 15 / 30 seconds to let the temps of the head and turbo cool just a little after a 'full load run'.

There are engines which can never be without a synthetic oil. One I know well is the VW 'PD' diesels, which uses engine oil in the cylinder head, under compression from the cam shaft running on a plunger, to create the very high injection pressure (29,000 psi). They must use 'PD' engine oil, which is only produced in fully synthetic form, 5w-40, by Castrol and Motul. Mercedes dont use a system like this (as far as I am aware), and to my knowledge, only specify a 10w-40 semi synthetic, for all there CDI's. I think this is mainly to allow a good break in, but after several thousand miles, I would be running a good fully synthetic motor oil like Delvac 1 or Amsoil, and you could most certainly run VW 'PD' rated oil, VW 505.01 with no problems.

John Deere actually sell a break in oil, and it used to be poured at the factory, probably still is. It would then be changed within very few hours..... I think 100 hours. 1000 hours = 50,000 miles.

Hope this helps, DM

Ask your dealer and look at the owner's manual. My bet is that they recommend the Mobil 1 0W-40, but for diesels I'm sure the CI rated 5W-40 is better. If it's not recommended and you do your own oil changes, maybe you can use it but you'll have to keep it quiet. Let us know what you find out.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

fudge on the oil in a new car. just follow the book. if there is a prob. i am sure they will analyse the oil and if it is not in the book you have a prob.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

In your case, the CI-4+ rated Delo 400 changed at 5000 miles interval or 6 months would be ideal and most cost effective.

__________________
99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo

2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo

2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT

thanks for the replies, guys.