oil question

[benz05]

Hey guys i need some help, I am about to perform the first oil change on my 84 sl380. This is the first oil chage that i have done since i havent had the car for that long. What kinda of oil do you guys recomend for a high mileage sl and any hints that you guys can share would be great Thanks

[Gurkha]

Plenty of oil threads around, do a search, for a high mileage engine, a HDEO oil would be nice, Delo 400 or Mobil Delvac Super would clean up the internals nicely.

[Alkraut]

I have been told that the diesel oils are not ideal for gasoline engines. Not sure the reasons. I have found that a good oil weight is 10w-40. I use a high quality conventional oil like like Valvoline Maxlife. Many people use synthetics, which I understand are also fine. I change the oil once a year or at 3000 miles with a filter.

[Gurkha]

Originally Posted by Alkraut

I have been told that the diesel oils are not ideal for gasoline engines. Not sure the reasons. I have found that a good oil weight is 10w-40. I use a high quality conventional oil like like Valvoline Maxlife. Many people use synthetics, which I understand are also fine. I change the oil once a year or at 3000 miles with a filter.

Thats a general assumption which doesn't apply to the HDEO as they have the S, C and ACEA rated for both gas and diesel, in fact they are marketed as multi fleet oil suitable for gas and diesel, being C rated means they usually exceed requirements for gas engines by miles. There are countless UOAs done on gas engines with HDEO and they all return very favorable accounts, I use HDEO in my gas vehicles and my motorcycle as well with no adverse results, the gas engines I use the HDEO have quite high miles on them and their engines still run without any hitches, a testament to the enhanced protection of the HDEO.

By the way, any oil, synthetic, mineral or HDEO should be changed at 6 months, one is is pulling them a bit too far.