10,000 mile oil change - Page 5 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dannym · #61 01-26-2006, 09:26 AM

Hey,
I've been reading this thread again trying to keep an open mind.

First to Babymog, great post. I always said the best way to warm up an engine is to drive moderately until the temp comes up. thanks for confirming that. And I think for now on I'll add oil to the filter bowl when doing a change.

Ok back to the point.
The first thing we know is soot=bad because it's abrasive.

Mercedes spec for soot is 2%. Now what I see is 2% is 2%. They never specified how much soot an oil can handle. For example they didn't say 2% or whatever your oil can handle.

Second how do you know how much soot an oil can handle in the first place?
Keep in mind were not scientists here, except for babymog maybe. How does one walk into a store and pick up a bottle of oil and know how much soot it can handle?

Danny

DieselCJ · #62 01-26-2006, 09:40 AM

I was talking to a mechanic about my 7,500 mile Delvac-1 OCI, I know everyone has their own opinions, but he chose to go with a 3,000 OCI due to his concern about the formation of acid (moisture and combustion byproducts combining?) in the oil over time (possibly resulting in bearing damage), regardless if the oil is syn or dino.

Anyone heard of that?

#63 01-26-2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240Joe

Excellent post babymog.

I think maybe the "change it hot and often" crowd actually derives some type of psychological therapy from this ritual. And it seems to be more habit forming than smoking.

Maybe I should develop a 10 step program....

Joe

Here we go again!

The last time 240Joe got into this ranting he started throwing personal insults that time too.

Maybe you should simply change your oil whenever and however you like and let everyone else do the same. That way EVERYONE is happy.

Have a great day,

babymog · #64 01-26-2006, 01:06 PM

Your mechanic is correct, these things can turn the oil more acidic. Oil is designed to maintain a proper pH for what the manufacturers consider to be its useful life, via additives, and is espressed as TBN (Total Base Number or a measure of how long the oil should maintain a basic pH). Oils have different TBN depending on the additive package, higher is better. I'm not really sure where/if a good public independent oil properties listing is, would be handy for comparison. The oil basestock is the cheap part of most oils, the additive package costs money.

The cleaner your engine runs, longer you run it between starts (run, not idle), the less you idle, all help the oil to last longer (I have my 300miles in today). In my work I have driven 1500miles/week average (sales engineer) in my cars so a 3,000mile change doesn't make much sense to me. Other guys I know run to the Jiffy-Lube every 3,000miles, to each their own.

As some have mentioned, extended drains are an individual choice. If your engine burns clean, is run regularly on the highway, and you have an oil with a good additive package you might be a candidate. If you see a lot of black smoke, lots of stop-and-go, use lowest-bidder oil, definately not.

- Jeff Miller
'87 190DT

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselCJ

I was talking to a mechanic about my 7,500 mile Delvac-1 OCI, I know everyone has their own opinions, but he chose to go with a 3,000 OCI due to his concern about the formation of acid (moisture and combustion byproducts combining?) in the oil over time (possibly resulting in bearing damage), regardless if the oil is syn or dino.

Anyone heard of that?

BenzDieselTuner · #65 01-26-2006, 01:12 PM

i use Amsoil Series 3000 100% Synthetic Heavy Duty Diesel, SAE 5w-30

works great

i had a quite noticiable performance increase as i switched to all amsoil fluids (ATF, also in the Power steering, Severe Gear in the diff.)

i am a delivery driver for a Papa Johns.......i drain every 12k miles or so......if i had bypass filtration, i could basicly go on indefinately.....

i havent yet wasted money on an oil analyisis, because i am quite confident in my vehicle, also, because over in Germany, we ran our 1991 Opel Kadett Kombi Diesel, 1,7l 5-speed on the cheapest oil from the Baumarkt, only changing once a year, which was like every 60k miles..........

after years of this, and now a total of 700 some thousand kilometers, she's purring like a top still.....

babymog · #66 01-26-2006, 01:21 PM

Sounds like you're expecting a lot from your oil. Be careful of what an Amsoil salesman will tell you because he isn't the one paying for your broken engine. Good oil, but only if properly filtered and maintained.

Are you at least changing filters regularly?

- Jeff Miller
'87 190DT

240Joe · #67 01-26-2006, 04:56 PM

Give me a break Larry. When this topic was being discussed before I was called every name in the book....liberal, environmental wacko, lefty, etc, etc, mostly from the guys from Texas. I responded in kind....simple as that. And I certainly don't believe I insulted you. Maybe you're just a little too sensitive.

I was, and still am, just trying to point out that we could all save a lot of oil, and probably a lot of our kid's blood, if we all adopt proven oil change habits. It's the data that brings me there, not any political agenda, but isn't it nice that maybe that's a little side benefit?

One of the reasons I drive these cars is the 27 to 30 MPG while still in a safe vehicle. I do care how much oil we use, and I think most people do.

The jury is in. Extended oil change intervals can be done by most on this board and I know you understand that. I just wish you would drop the byline.

Joe

dlssmith · #68 01-26-2006, 05:20 PM

Not to be reckless with the oil changes, but as much oil changing as I've done over the years it didn't prevent all the other crap from happening to my cars that ultimately ruined them. Every auto I've ever had ran like a top, until the body fell apart.

Truth is engines are fairly easy to maintain, especially with today's oils. But the rest of the car???...

#69 01-26-2006, 06:06 PM

Like I said.... Here we go again.

Have a great day,

Change oil hot and change oil often.

Larry

dlssmith · #70 01-26-2006, 06:19 PM

Sorry Larry about the digression.

I think that ritualized oil changes are the best way to handle things if you've got multiple engines to maintain or daughters or sons who can't seem to realize that there is more to a car than the stereo and the cigarette lighter. Such rituals, or habits have made for excellent results over the years despite the crap bodies on some of the cars and the salt and so forth.

On the farm, we habitually change oil every 100 hours in our tractors, and there is nothing happy about coming in from the field after 12 or 14 hours and having to get all together to drop the oil (while it's hot). Especially when you want nothing but to drop into bed. But we do it. At over $100k for a decent tractor, it's well worth the effort, and changing oil when the engine is cold, just never seemed to make sense...

Change it hot and often. Words to drive by...

#71 01-26-2006, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlssmith

Not to be reckless with the oil changes, but as much oil changing as I've done over the years it didn't prevent all the other crap from happening to my cars that ultimately ruined them. Every auto I've ever had ran like a top, until the body fell apart.

Truth is engines are fairly easy to maintain, especially with today's oils. But the rest of the car???...

Yes, I guess I'm lucky being a carnut and not living in a part of the world where there is salt to ruin my precious cars. Of course, the heat here doesn't do paint and interiors any good but at least they usually live a long life for me and die a mechanical instead of a corrosion death.

I don't farm on a large scale but I do have a diesel tractor to take care of and you can bet that it sees the same frequent, hot oil change interval as my trucks and cars. Isn't it funny how my tractor continues to run too?

My $0.02,

Stevo · #72 01-26-2006, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlssmith

Sorry Larry about the digression.On the farm, we habitually change oil every 100 hours in our tractors, and there is nothing happy about coming in from the field after 12 or 14 hours and having to get all together to drop the oil (while it's hot). Especially when you want nothing but to drop into bed. But we do it. At over $100k for a decent tractor, it's well worth the effort, and changing oil when the engine is cold, just never seemed to make sense...

Change it hot and often. Words to drive by...

If you guys would switch over to Amsoil or M 1 you could still "change it hot, but
not so often" and not spend so much time "under" the tractor...old ways die slow

rg2098 · #73 01-26-2006, 06:44 PM

I'm adding my miles not for or against long changes but just for data for an average.

70% city / 30% highway about 8000 miles a year

3000 miles on 10W-40 dino oil run during the summer
5000 miles on synthetic 0W-40 during the colder months.

#74 01-26-2006, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevo

If you guys would switch over to Amsoil or M 1 you could still "change it hot, but
not so often" and not spend so much time "under" the tractor...old ways die slow

Yes, old ways do die slow, but thanks to my frequent oil changes and proper care, my cars die slow too.

Have a great day,

240Joe · #75 01-26-2006, 07:14 PM

Larry,

If your oil change procedure is so superior to others (including the factory recommended 5kmile interval) why did your 240D break a timing chain? I have a 240D with over 325k miles (not as many as yours before you broke the chain but not that far off) and its timing chain is original and in great condition.

Maybe you've focused on the wrong thing?

Joe