Not an oil thread, but an oil observation and ?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

LUVMBDiesels · #1 01-08-2009, 03:17 PM

I bought my SDL last year. It had always been run on dino oil. It had a few oil leaks but did not burn anything. I changed over to Rotella 'Synthetic' 5w40 and it ran fine and the internals became much cleaner. I tried M1 TD 5w40 and the leaks got worse. It was so bad that I had to switch back after only 2000 miles. On Rotella the leaks were better but it still marked its territory wherver it went. Well to make a long story short, I tried M1 again when I could not get Rotella at Wally world. Magically the leaks stopped. He driveway is now free of fresk droppings. However, I now have a lifter tapping noise!

Has anybody else exprienced lifter noises with M1? Did they go away or did youhave to stop using it? I have had the oil in the car for about 300 miles so far and the noise happens regardless of the engine temp.

Thanks!

rrgrassi · #2 01-08-2009, 03:20 PM

The M1 does clean all the parts...it could be that a piece of sludge got trapped in a lifter.

LUVMBDiesels · #3 01-08-2009, 03:28 PM

That is what I was thinking. I wonder if it will work itself out or if I will have to replace the lifters

LAbioCars.com · #4 01-08-2009, 03:33 PM

how about just fixing your leaks

rrgrassi · #5 01-08-2009, 03:50 PM

It can "fix itself", providing oil is passing through the lifter. If not, it will be time to replace the offending lifter.

Fixing leaks is a good idea, but it will not solve the tapping issue.

LUVMBDiesels · #6 01-08-2009, 04:07 PM

She has stopped leaking on her own. The M1 was has swelled the gaskets as I was hoping it would do...

pawoSD · #7 01-08-2009, 04:53 PM

When I used to run M1 TDT 5w40 in ours they were indeed noisier, more valve clatter/top end noise. Its much quieter on the Rotella....part of the reason (aside from the ridiculous cost) that I don't use M1 in the diesels. I do use it in my gasser though....but I only change that one twice a year....so its not as big a deal...and it holds less.

rrgrassi · #8 01-08-2009, 05:01 PM

That could be true for the OM616/617, but the OP's car should have the OM60x.

Hatterasguy · #9 01-08-2009, 07:46 PM

It probably cleaned something and a bit of crap got jammed in the little lifter passage.

The downside of using a good synthetic in an older motor is that it does clean, a lot! Which can be a mixed blessing.

After almost 40k miles of the stuff you can eat off the valve train in my 603.

LUVMBDiesels · #10 01-08-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

It probably cleaned something and a bit of crap got jammed in the little lifter passage.

The downside of using a good synthetic in an older motor is that it does clean, a lot! Which can be a mixed blessing.

After almost 40k miles of the stuff you can eat off the valve train in my 603.

After running the OM603 on the Rotella syn for a year the engine looked clean to me.If you look at the camshaft it looked clean and shiny even on the non wearing parts. I guess the M1 has even more detergent than the Rotella.
I will let it go for this oil change cycle and then probably go back to Rotella 5w40.

C Sean Watts · #11 01-08-2009, 10:43 PM

put it best...

'Synthetic oil will not cause a leak but it sure will find one.'

#12 01-09-2009, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAbioCars.com

how about just fixing your leaks?

That is the best advice in this thread.

curtludwig · #13 01-09-2009, 10:25 AM

I've had both of these issues. When I first got my 190D and put M1 in it it got to leaking about a quart in 1000 miles. Its now (70,000 miles later) down to a quart in 5,000 miles or better.
I've also had lifter noise before. You say you've had it for 300 miles, have you driven it HARD in that time? When mine was bad I took it on the highway and flogged the snot out of it for half an hour and the noise went away. I've been told a piece of carbon probably got into the lifter and made the noise and after the hard driving the carbon got crushed and passed on through. Hasn't happened again.

rrgrassi · #14 01-09-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Despite him being Brian of LOVECRAP in disguise, that is the best advice in this thread.

Maybe he'll learn something then, and stop pushing the sorry single tank perversions.

LUVMBDiesels · #15 01-09-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtludwig

I've had both of these issues. When I first got my 190D and put M1 in it it got to leaking about a quart in 1000 miles. Its now (70,000 miles later) down to a quart in 5,000 miles or better.
I've also had lifter noise before. You say you've had it for 300 miles, have you driven it HARD in that time? When mine was bad I took it on the highway and flogged the snot out of it for half an hour and the noise went away. I've been told a piece of carbon probably got into the lifter and made the noise and after the hard driving the carbon got crushed and passed on through. Hasn't happened again.

I just took her on the highway and ran her up to 80+ for about 20 miles. It seems to have helped!

The difference between this car and the 300SD at speed is amazing. Where the 617 was screaming and the car felt like it was really straining past 80 the SDL just goes zoom up to over 90 before I backed it down.