Fram oil filters, junk or not? - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rickjordan · #46 12-16-2005, 09:39 PM

As for the filters, I doubt you can get them at Pep Boys, or Auto Zone etc. Just go to the top of the screen, click on Fastlane and look your car up. You will find a Hengst filter for $6.39. This filter will come with a new seal for the drain plug.
Now as for the drain plug size, I believe it's 19mm I don't remember. I do know it's huge compared to the 13mm drainplugs on my diesels.
Now as for the whole synthetic vs. dino. oil goes. I don't think that anyone has documentation of how much longer an engine will last using syn. vs. conventional. Just change the oil religously.
Now, since my 911 is solely dependant on oil (ok, air too) to keep it cool and lubricated, I think what Porsche has to say in the owner's manual speaks volumes about oil types and weights. The owner's manual for my Porsche does not state a different oil change interval for synthetic, vs. dino oil. It also says at the top of the oil chart page that the recommended weights are based on temps, regardless of the make up of the oil. I think that if synthetic oil made that much of a difference, one it would of been factory fill at the time. The factory fill was Shell 15W-40 BTW. Two, there would be 2 seperate charts and change intervals listed for the 2 types of oil.
Simply put, syn. cost at least twice as much as convential oil. Now, will your engine last at least twice as long? There are people who put 350,000 miles on a MB V-8 using reg. oil. So, would using syn. make that go at least 700,000 miles, I don't think so.

86560SEL · #47 12-16-2005, 10:15 PM

Ok. Thanks! When you said "factory fill" was Shell 15W-40, were you referring to Mercedes or Porsche?

Thanks

rickjordan · #48 12-17-2005, 01:04 PM

I am sorry, the factory fill remark was for the Porsche.

t walgamuth · #49 12-17-2005, 02:57 PM

that comes in porsches, is it rotella?

tom w

page62 · #50 12-17-2005, 07:06 PM

If it's 15w40, it's Rotella. And that's what's going in my 450SL next oil change.

rickjordan · #51 12-17-2005, 11:18 PM

Yes, Shell Rotella 15W-40 WAS the factory fill in the 80's. Now though Porsches come with Mobil 1. I am sure it all has to do with lucrative sponsorship contracts. Mobil 1 was around in the 80's, why wasn't that used back then? The engine in my Porsche has Shell stickers all over it, from the factory, whereas Mercedes and Porsche now have Mobil 1 stickers on them.

86560SEL · #52 12-18-2005, 12:49 AM

Well, I think I still have some Shell Rotella T 15W-40 from when I had my Suburban, as that it what I used in it, because that is what the PO had used in it since it was new and it had 288K on it and it still did not burn any oil.

Obviously, it is good oil. Do you think this would be my best choice for my 3.8 V8 with 263K? Should I e-mail the PO and ask what he has used and stick with that brand/weight? If he has used a certain weight/brand of oil for the past 5 years, would it harm it to switch over to another brand/weight?

420 SE · #53 12-18-2005, 03:22 AM

Not really.

http://www.mbnz.org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1239788&posts=8&fid=12

rickjordan · #54 12-18-2005, 10:24 AM

Just stick with the Shell or Chevron Delo 400 for 15W-40 oil. Or you could use Mobil Delvac 1300 15W-40. These come in 1 gallon jugs, which makes it easier (quicker) to do an oil change. Just dump in 2 jugs and your done.
The garage I bought my Porsche from said, 15W-40 is what they service all their customer's cars with, except for the Porsches, then they use Kendal 20W-50. This garage services all European makes. Rotella, Delo, and Delvac 1300 all can be bought at any Walmart or "McParts" auto parts store.

#55 12-18-2005, 12:55 PM

First: It never seem to amaze me that people buy a Benz and then cut corners when it comes to maintaining it.
Second; mention or say oil and we all have opinions and half-truths.

This thread started with the questionable quality of fram filter especially in an MB, and progessive took on a live of its own. As a new owner, here is what I will do and I hope I will have answered you questions:

Oil change: changing oil without changing filter is like taking a shower and putting on dirty underwear. the oil and filter changes must be done. Not all filters are created equal. For lack of enough data, I will stay away from fram especially the cartiage type filter. Preferable always use the OE filter. Next in line use Mann or Hengst. If you cannot afford $10-$15 filter, why drive a Benz? I do not believe in cutting corner when it comes to oil change since it is the most important thing you can do for your engine. BTW, there may be two types of filters, the extended interval and the regular interval filter. Always save money by doing 3-4 filter order (year supply) at a time from Fastlane.

Oil type: MB recommends synthetic oil for all later models. There are no reasons why you cannot use same for the earlier models. People that object to use of synthetic for early model just don't have the scientific facts. When it comes to oil there are more opinions that facts. I like to see scientific data from a reputable body why synthetic cannot replace dino oil. The major reason not to use synthetic is based on 2X higher cost. However, with the extended drain interval it becomes a mute point.

Oil grade: Again MB recommends Mobil 1 0W40. Look at the spec. That may be the only oil you need irrespective of where you live be it be it the desert or artic circle. Save yourself the worry....use this same oil all year round. Personal experience for those of you who know Minneapolis MN, I parked at the airport during Xmas holiday for 2 weeks and upon my return the car started at first crank. You may say I have good battery but I say it is the oil.

Oil change interval: I change my oil 10k miles or 6 months, which ever comes first. Typically, it more like 7.5K miles. I do 95% interstate driving at 75mph.
Synethitic oil change at less than 5K miles is waste of money.

In summary:
Use MB/Mann/hengst filter .....$10-$15
Use Mobil 1 0W40 ...............$3-4/quart (always on sale somewhere)
Change it.............................Warm at 7.5k miles or 6 months
Method................................drain it

t walgamuth · #56 12-18-2005, 01:45 PM

what benz you have but personally, i wont use oil lighter than that recommended by the mggr.

in my 616 and 617s i have always used rotella 15w40. sometimes in summer, straight 30w. i change oil and filter at 3000 pretty religiously.

my 350sdl i am using 10w40 mobil one and running 5k.

tom w

Diesel Giant · #57 12-18-2005, 03:09 PM

I think the quality of the Frams is not what it use to be. I always like to stay with a high quality German brand of filter.

rickjordan · #58 12-18-2005, 05:32 PM

PA2TU,

MANN and Hengst are OEM. Go buy any filter from a dealer and it will be one of those, just in a MB box, costing $4-$6 more. Oil filters for the 3.8 liter cost $6.39 from Fastlane. Oil filters for the 603 and 617 diesel engines cost in the neighborhood of $8.

As for MB now recommending syn. oil and that it should be good for the older engines, I don't know. As I mentioned before, synthetic oil has been around for over 20 years, so why only now recommend it, if it is/always was superior to dino. Porsche recommends the same thing, even for older models. I can understand syn for more modern engines due to tighter tolerances, but we are talking about 20 + yrs old engines.
I know someone who owns a 1985 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. He has owned it since new and religously changed the oil every 3K, using Castrol GTX 10W-40. He has 195,000 miles on it and it doesn't burn oil, and the motor has never been opened up.
My father owns a 1985 300D Turbo diesel, has the oil (dino) changed regularly and has 365,000 miles on it. 200,000 of that he has put on.

Hatterasguy · #59 12-18-2005, 07:34 PM

Well said PA2TU. If you don't want to pay drive a Honda. MB's are not cheap to own and they never pretended to be.

btw I bought a PS filter from the dealer, in the official MB box and all. I open it up and it says Mann on it.

So OE, Mann, Heignst, Bosch are all about the same.

86560SEL · #60 12-18-2005, 08:08 PM

Well, I changed the oil in my car today and ANY oil filter would have been better than what was in it. This had to be the DIRTIEST, BLACKEST, oil that I have EVER seen in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I recently bought the car and I knew it needed a change, but this was ridiculous! The oil filter was so OLD that it literally had a big hole in it! No, it was not one of the smaller ones that was supposed to be there either. The PO had put 40,000 miles on the car. It would not suprise me if that oil had at least 20K on it.

I ended up putting in Rotella 15W-40 in it, as several had suggested. I also put in a Purolator oil filter on it......

Like I said, anything would have been better than what was in there. The engine will not know how to act with the new oil. It will probably start burning it now or something knowing my luck.

I still have the old oil and filter. I am going to find some batteries for my camera and take a photo. One would not believe it, unless they seen it for themselves.