My point exactly -- with synthetics (Mobil 1 of the appropriate grade has ALWAYS been on the MB approved/recommended list, at least since 1980), oil pressure hot should be higher than with dino oil.

My experience (and that of several professional technicians) is that full synthetics oils drain down from the tappets more slowly than dino oils. In fact, several recommend that one not check the oil level with the engine hot, only cold as much more oil stays up inside the engine hot, and there is a risk of overfilling and wasting oil.

An oil pressure gauge bouncing on the 0 peg at hot idle in an engine with low milage is a problem.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!