If you run Mobil 1 synthetic, you want to use 5W40:

http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil_1_Turbo_Diesel_Truck_5W-40.aspx

The 0w40 stuff is a couple dollars a qt cheaper and works fine also...we have it in the '83. I am insane though, and pay $$$ for the special 5w40 stuff to put in my engine. I have to go to an oil distributor here in GR to get it too, its carried essentially nowhere.

my 617 takes 7 on a drain and fill. that gets it right over the min mark. and buying by the gallon, every 7th oil change is free.(well, not really, but all i need is a filter.)

Ok, so lemme get this straight. if I ran a synthetic oil in the summer of 5 or 0W40, it'd make enough pressure in the engine, and won't bleed from my gaskets? My 617 has over 400,000k on it and 10W40 in the summer I get a 1 bar decrease in oil pressure warm at idle.

OK, found the problem:



I'm an idiot.




lets just say, thats the blackest ATF I've ever seen; and that I'm ordering the proper books for this car soon.

Oh my... :D Its ok, everyone learns from their mistakes, I sure do. :)

If your ATF is dark/blackish then it urgently needs a tranny fluid and filter change. Yikes. I'd look into that Asap.

We're all here to help, many of us will even provide complex instructions and take photos of our own cars to help someone out...including me! Just ask away!

Personally, I wouldn't run 0W40 in a 617/616, but I do fine with 5W40 in mine year around. You should expect you hot idle to be between about 1 and 2 bars regardless of oil type. If you have oil leaks, you have oil leaks regardless of the oil used, just fix them.

The W40 is the viscosity when the engine is up to temperature. No matter what the first number is, it will NEVER be thinner when cold than it is when warm.

Even a 0W40 will be thicker than a straight 30 weight oil at operating temperature.

Very true, the concern is whether the 0W40 is adequate when cold. The 5W40 is quite thin when cold and does a very good job for starting in cold ambient temperatures. IMHO, 0W40 is overkill for a 616/617 and the Mobil 1 5W40 has much better diesel specs anyway. The only disadvantage of 5W40 is availability.

:bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl:

Sorry but its just so!:D

I'm getting a "topsider"


or something like that...

ok this may be a dumb question but how did the engine oil get into the trans? in the first post you said that what you drained out was less than a gallon.[from the engine]if this is so you've got a problem.engine burning it's own oil from turbo bearings.

I'm assuming that he means he checked the transmission fluid and it read overfull, that he wasn't checking his engine oil at all.

Drained the trans. thought it was oil)

poured in 2 gallons....



Checked the diesel oil level.



She runs good now. - It's all corrected.

Just Checking In
 

I haven't been on this site since I sold you my baby (all the MBs are gone at the moment).

Just a reminder about the oil fill - you'll recall that I described to you how I changed out the oil pan with one from a 190D that DID NOT have an extra capacity chamber on the side. I'm pretty sure I gave the side chamber to you with the other spare parts in case you ever wanted to put it back.

It looks like it holds about a quart, so the specifications on that car will be off by that amount. It's custom!