Help - Oil Change & Coolant - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Ginger97 · #1 02-24-2003, 06:46 PM

I need to have my oil changed. I have used Jiffy lube in the past. I live in SC and the weather here ranges between 25 degrees in the Winter to 100 degrees in the summer. Do I need different oil in the different seasons?

Please recommend the right oil for me.

How do I check the coolant level, where do I put the coolant, and what type should I use?

Thanks!

leathermang · #2 02-24-2003, 07:00 PM

Ginger, You really need to find at least a copy of the Haynes shop manual... there are lots of things different about your car and MB's in general which are very different from other cars... It will save you lots of grief in the long run...

You probably have not spent much time on forums about cars..... your question about the " right " oil is joked about all the time... because everyone seems to be really convinced that 'their' oil is the very best... this is usually a very hot question when it comes up.. and now many people just roll their eyes and avoid posting..

But I am brave and am going to tell you what several on this board have agreed with me on in the past...LOL

If your car has over 200,000 miles I suggest Chevron Delo 400 in either 15-40 or ( what I use ) straight 40 wt....

Whatever you do be sure that the oil you use is specified for Diesels.... some oils will not provide you with enough lubrication..

These are also mentioned in the Haynes and MB Factory shop manuals....another reason to get one or both and READ them ....LOL

Edit: changed the 10 to 15... something which is actually available...

sixto · #3 02-24-2003, 08:43 PM

Coolant threads also take on a life of their own.

There's a coolant reservoir behind the right headlights. That's the cooling system pressure cap on it so don't open it when the engine is hot. There are faint markings with arrows pointing to the full and add levels. Keeping the fluid level at the seam is probably good enough but I'm talking from 78 450SEL experience, not 78 300SD experience.

Coolant brand is a matter often debated. I'll start this round by saying that MB coolant doesn't cost so much that you can justify a decision based solely on purchase price.

Jiffy-Lube is not something folks on this forum want to hear in any context except maybe that one or more went out of business. At the very least bring your own OEM quality filter (Hengst, Knecht, Mann) along with Diesel rated oil and have them provide the labor.

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

Ginger97 · #4 02-24-2003, 08:50 PM

I have been using 20W50 this winter. Someone told me to because of the cold temps. Is this true?

Do I put straight coolant into the reservoir?

kerry · #5 02-24-2003, 09:41 PM

20-50 is an oil for hot weather. In cold weather an oil beginning with 10 or even 5 might be appropriate. Synthetic oils flow better at colder temperatures so they are best since they make the engine easier to start.

lrg · #6 02-24-2003, 09:56 PM

20W-50 is a bit heavy for the winter in your area in my opinion. It's probably OK for the Summer there though. For the Winter months, especially a Winter as cold as this one, I'd want 10W-40 or even a lower viscosity. In case you aren't familiar with the labeling, the first number is the lower limit of viscosity and the lower the number the lower the viscosity (it flows more easily at a given temperature). In cold weather a lower number is good since it flows easier and lubricates better on startup before the engine warms up fully. In the Summer, if it's hot, the oil stays more fluid when cold and your worry is more about the oil getting too thin if the engine gets really hot. Either way you haven't probably hurt your engine any but given your location I'd think it's safe to use 10W-40 year round unless you are really stressing your engine.

Coolant can be added full strength if you are just putting in a pint or so to top off your system but otherwise you should use a 50%/50% coolant/water mix.

One last thought, since you mentioned Jiffy Lube and 20W-50 oil, I'm guessing there is a possibility that you may have last filled the oil with 20W-50 Castrol GTX (which is sold at JiffyLube as "premium" oil). If that is the case be aware Castrol 20W-50 is NOT approved for diesels. Using it for a while won't kill your engine but it lacks the proper detergents to hold the soot these engines produce in suspension. Others here may disagree but I'd recommend not wasting it, just change it early, somewhere around 2,000 miles.

Ginger97 · #7 02-24-2003, 11:44 PM

Jiffy Lube used Penzoil 15W40 when they did the oil change in September. The last oil change was done by none other than my Ex (sorry I keep bringing him into this). He's the one that told me to use 20W50 in Winter. I also noticed on the old service records from the previous owner that 20W50 was used several times. (Ex: August & January)

Thanks for the help!

rickjordan · #8 02-25-2003, 05:43 PM

Ginger, for oil use Chevron Delo 400 15W-40. This oil weight, per the owner's manual for your car, is good for temps ranging from 23F up to summer time temps. I used to own an '80 SD. However my current TD has the same engine. Chevron Delo 400 can be bought at any Walmart for about $6.25 a gallon. I say gallon because, believe it or not, your engine requires 2 gallons of oil at every oil change. As some have said 10W40 is a good year round oil weight, even the owner's manual says that. Hoiwever there is one problem, I have yet to find a 10W-40 oil that is diesel rated. Diesel rated oil has special additives to help suspend the carbon (soot) that is a big factor with diesels.
If you have a Pep Boys near you, they carry Castrol's diesel rated oil called "RX" and of course it is in a 15W-40 weight.
Whatever oil you choose, be absolutely sure to change it every 3K. Oil is cheap, where as diesel engine isn't. They are actually more expensive to replace than a comparable gasoline eng.
As for coolant, personnaly I use MB coolant. I pay a little extra, just for the piece of mind.
For oil filters, stick with the OEM brands already mentioned. You can buy them and just about anything else by clicking on "Fastlane" at the top of the page.

leathermang · #9 02-25-2003, 06:51 PM

Rick, Re your statement...... " However there is one problem, I have yet to find a 10W-40 oil that is diesel rated. Diesel rated oil has special additives to help suspend the carbon "....
Since I use straight 40 wt... I was not 'aware' of the "10" I placed in my previous post.... certainly the difference between 10 and 15 on the lower side is negligible.... so I change my recommdation to the same as yours... 15-40 Chevron Delo 400....this is certainly a diesel rated oil.... sorry Ginger...

Richard Eldridge · #10 02-25-2003, 07:30 PM

I am sure that Jiiffy-Lube has actually changed people's oil correctly at least once, but I have heard to many horror stories to trust them with my car.

They often use an air wrench (impact wrench) to remove the drain plug on the oil pan. This is okay. The bad thing is when they replace it using the same tool, which can easily strip the threads or bugger the bolt head.

On a friend's car, they cross-threaded the bolt and the oil leaked out. Luckily, he caught it in time.

Another friend several years ago had his oil filter improperly installed and the engine seized due to lack of oil.

On my car, a 300D by the time I bought it, some one had buggered the head on the drainplug so badly I had to get a pro to heat it with a torch to remove it.

Should this happen, the supposed Discount Auto drain plug does not seal properly and you should get a new plug made specifically to Mercedes specs.

There are independent Mercedes shops in most cities. A few dollars more is not too much to pay for competence.

Ginger97 · #11 02-25-2003, 08:03 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I am dropping it off in the morning with an individual MB shop.

Sad thing is, I sat down and made a list of all the items I know that need repair and it is long.... That isn't counting the items the mechanic will find.

I will have to do them one at the time in the recommended order. Doubt I can do any of it, you know, the girl thing. HA! HA!

leathermang · #12 02-25-2003, 09:52 PM

I happen to know that Ginger has beautiful long nails... and I don't want her getting them oily... So BACK OFF....

leathermang · #13 02-25-2003, 10:37 PM

Having met Bill's niece I thought I should explain that he means black nail polish.. not dirty nails.... she is into ' Goth ' style....

jjalex · #14 02-26-2003, 10:11 PM

Ginger,

You won't get dirty nails changing the oil with a topsider or oil change pump(device to suck the oil up the dipstick tube) and a pair of latex gloves ether.

You can get a cheap pump($25) at harborfreight.com or a fancy one($65-$99) at griotsgarage.com.

I prefer Shell Rotella T 15W40 oil in the summer, which is all you will problably see in lovely SC anyway. In our cold winter weather in Wisconsin, I use Synthetic Rotella T 5W40.

But I'm not saying this to start an oil preference war on this thread...

Ginger97 · #15 02-26-2003, 10:24 PM

Had the oil changed today at an MB Shop. Maybe I'll try it myself next time. Charge for oil change, fluids, checking the car out for me to recommend repairs = $40. I was happy with that.

The sad part is that Peter and Ziggy say I don't have compression in 2 cylinders. Bad!!! After looking at the list of obvious problems that I gave him and with what he found, he says I shouldn't sink money into my car. Not worth it for me. If I had other transportation and was a rebuilding enthusist, then maybe.

Like I have posted before, the car needs an incredible amount of work. The list is long. I paid $2000 for the car in August 1998 and have put 52,000 on it since.

I guess I will be looking for another used MB.

In the meantime, I will do the normal maintenance and hopefully it will hold out until I find another one.