high mileage m103 3.0 oil change history
 

Are there any high mileage m103 3.0 liter engines out there with a history of 7,500 mile oil changes (factory recommendation)? Do you change with regular or synthetic oils?

My 103 engine has 238K on the clock (1989)
I bought it in 1992 with 45K.
I always changed changed oil and filter between 4 and 5,000 or so with mineral oil and never had any engine problem
JackD

Our 2.6L M103 has been in the family (I had it, Dad had it, I have it back) for 260K of it's 340K-kilometers (about 220K-miles). The oil used is Quaker State dino juice, changed every 7-8K.

The engine uses little oil, does not smoke, and has lots of power. It shakes at idle, but not due to compression loss, but a set of engine mounts I have not had time to change.

I figure the engine has reached about half of it's practical life, maybe less.

Outside of work, I don't mess with cars much(other than my own) with one exception. A good friend owns a 1987 260E, which has been in my care EXCLUSIVELY since day one. I've performed every single scheduled service, on time, since then. The car's odometer now reads slightly over 413,000 miles. I've used several different motor oils, including MOBIL 1, and always used MB filters. As far as the 7,500 mile interval is concerned, I usually do about 4 or 5 extra oil changes per 100,000 miles, at random intervals(usually before or after a long trip). At 275,000 miles I did a complete valve job w/guides because of minor oil consumption and slightly low compression in cyl's 3 and 4. During the work I found NO sludge, very little cylinder wall wear, and only minor dis-coloration of the head casting. The oil pan on this car has never been removed so I know the bottom end has not been touched. The engine purrs so smoothly you'd never think it's got so many miles on it! The lesson I've learned is simple. Use a high quality motor oil(I've used Havoline, Castrol, Quaker State, etc...)and do the service ON TIME!!! If you love your car, it will love you back.

Knowing the mileage interval alone is NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION.

YOU MUST KNOW HOW IT WAS DRIVEN!

I can see where if a car sees nothing but highway miles in long trips, 7,500 mile oil changes MIGHT work. If the same car, on the other hand, were driven back and forth to the office every day that was less than five miles one way, then 3,000 mile intervals would not be often enough.

There are many variables in this equation, make sure you are aware of them all.

Good luck,

I believe that my driving habits would allow me to consider the 7,500 mile interval. I was just wondering if anyone else used that interval and had a high mileage car. I guess I should also have asked if anyone changed their oil at 7,500 miles and suffered a premature failure.

I've changed the oil on my 380 at about 5,000 mile intervals using dino oil (since I bought it at 60k). One of the guides on the single row timing chain broke at about 160k. This was most likely due to the single row design. When I repaired it and installed a double row chain, the inside of the engine was very clean with no signs of abnormal wear.

I bought the 300 with 80k on it. I've been using a 7,500 mile interval with synthetic. The engine uses a quart of oil every 1-1.5k miles. So, I may switch to regular oil and increase the change frequency.

So how exactly do you work out when to change the oil and filter?
I drive about 100kms, not miles per day, its a mix of city stop start traffic and highway. The car has been with Mobil 1 its whole life. I want to have many kms of no trouble as possible. How would I work out the pattern of changing oil and filter?

Thanks

Christian

300TE
E280