Fortunately these two grades of fluid are interchangeable w/o any serious damage.

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Mine says "OIL" on the cap but doesn't say anything about what kind. I don't know much about cars so I just went to the grocery store and bought this jug of stuff that said "oil" and dumped that in the crankcase... it's not made by Rotella, it's made by somebody called Canola. Anybody ever heard of it?

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Would you happen to have any links to support or substantiate your 3,000 mile oil change opinions?

What makes you think the opinion you are pushing is any better?

Would you happen to have any links to support or substantiate your extreme oil change opinions?

I have yet to see you post anything to back up your claims. I have posted exactly what it tells us to do in the owners manual and it applies to all 240D, 300D turbo and 300CD turbo cars.

What Mercedes recommends for their CDI engines has nothing to do with the IDI engines that make up the substantial majority around here. The CDI engines are nothing like the old IDI engines, they are barely the same breed. Using non-synthetic in a CDI can permanently damage it while the 61x can run straight SAE40 it's entire life without damage from it.

I was quite certain you would not be able to substantiate in any way your claim of Mercedes-Benz Co. requiring 3,000 mile oil changes.

Your claim does not exist anywhere, for any Mercedes-Benz model or year, let alone FSS..

Point out where I approved 3000mile oil changes? Nowhere? That's right, I have said 2500-5000miles with dino oil (as the manual tells us to) and 3700-10,000miles with synthetic.

In fact, Mercedes says right in the owner's manual that 2500miles for severe conditions is the correct OCI. Therefore, 3000miles for most people is too long.

I have oil sample analysis' to back up my mileage claims for synthetic. I know it is safe to travel 7,100miles+ under averagely severe (city) conditions with synthetic oil. The only reason I changed at 7,100 and not 8,000-10,000 is that a year had passed, as the manual suggests I should do. Do you have anything like that?

Who made that claim? I can't find it.

Right here, you recommended 3,000 mile oil changes.

Shall I post a link to it?

See my previous post quoting you.

Forced Induction did.......

See above quote.

If you re-read it you will see it is an endorsement, NOT a recommendation.

Keep grasping at those straws SRJ.

NOBODY has made a claim of Mercedes-Benz Co. requiring 3,000 mile oil changes.

3,000miles is the industry accepted OCI for most personal cars on the road but has never been meant to supersede manufacturer's requirements. It is better to change the oil early and waste money/oil in favor of a more healthy and long-living engine.

NO manufacturer uses your 3,000 mile claim.

I was certain it was not Mercedes-Benz. Reread your posts.....

Once again, grasp those straws and point out where someone said 3000miles was a manufacturer suggested OCI.

I suggest you reread all the posts and google a bit before you reply.

SRJ,

Welcome to my world.

I have been fighting these insane oil change intervals for years now, on this board. It all started when I challenged the "change it hot and change it often" guy. He recommended 3k miles changes and leaving the oil drain plug out overnight just to make sure you get that last drop out! Yes, you heard/read me correctly.

But you can use all the logic you want, and you still won't convince them. And I've figured out why.

It's because they don't change their oil every 3kmiles for the car, they do it for themselves. I've termed this auto mechanic masturbation.

Auto mechanic masturbation is when you feel you have to do something with the car, something easy, just so you get the rush of it. Most can change their own oil. It gives them a feeling of accomplishment, even though they really haven't done anything productive.

And, of course, you have an industry that continues to spew this crap because it sells oil. Those two things in combination explain why guys still change their oil every 3kmiles.

In order to shock them out of this, I have stopped changing my oil in my 300D in an attempt to convince them. I'll pull the filter once a year, and do topoffs, but no changes. If I go 100 or 200k miles, perhaps a few of them will see how ridiculous it is to change oil every 3kmiles.

But given that it's really a mental disease, it's not likely I'll convince many.

240Joe

PS...and a word of caution. When you point out things like this to some people they get very very hostile. I've been called more names than I can count on this board. Of course, when I responded, I was banned...first for 3 months, then for 6. However, none of the name callers were ever banned. Take that for what it's worth.