I have just had the engine rebuilt. Oversize pistons like Larry Bible rec. (Thank you). Diesel pistons cost a lot of money!

I also had the turbo done at Turbo City. They said: Use a diesel oil and change it at 3000 miles w/filter. I had to have the oil lines put in a hot tank for two days. The lines had layers of hardened oil in them.

Went to Auto Zone and asked which diesel oil they sell the most of. Dello 15w40 is the brand they sell the most. At this location.

Which oil do you rec. for a new rebuilt motor that will run for at least 400,000 miles. grrrrrr.

Thank you
Nick

Hello,

I would use Delo or Rotella dino oil until about 10k, at that point I would switch to synthetic.
The first oil change I would do at 1,000 miles, then I would change it every 3,ooo until 10,000.
Sythetic is the way to go once it's broken it.
Thanks, Adam Bush

Nick,

Lots of oil posts here, so do a search for more info.

Mobil Delvac 1 is my first choice but it is expensive and hard to find. So Mobil 1 15W50 is my second choice. Shell Rotella 5W40 synthetic is often on special at Walmart and Castrol Syntec 5W50 is another choice. I've been using Mobil 1 15W50 in my 300SD for 130,000 miles (total miles 240,000+) and it uses about the same amout of oil between changes as it when I started using Mobil 1 and I change the oil and filter every 10,000 miles.

I see the guys at the shop gave you the old mechanic's wife tale about changing the oil every 3000 miles. That might have been true 30 years ago before synthetic oils were available but it is now a myth which has been proven by oil analysis.

Maybe they meant a first oil and filter change after 3000 miles. That I agree with and don't use a synthetic oil for the first 3000 miles. You actually want to wear the rings into the cylinder bore to make a good seal between the ring and the cylinder.

P E H

Nick,

I live around the corner from you and use Mobil Delvac 1 in my newly rebuilt '91 300D 2.5T. I'm coming up on my first 10K oil change.

Yes, it's expensive -- but just think of the price of five new pistons, lol. You can buy Delvac 1 for about $90 a case of four gallons at Topanga Oil in Sylmar. Call in advance. Or check www.avlube.com about having it shipped direct.

The Shell Rotella T 5w-40 synthetic, sold at Walmart (again, call to see if it's in stock), is about half the price. Like Delvac, it's made for diesels. Some say that because it's reformulated dino oil that it's inferior to Delvac. Personally, I think you can't go wrong with either one, or most synthetics, for that matter.

My MB doesn't leak a drop of oil. Would love to see your car someday.

__________________
'91 300D 2.5 Turbo 330K
'00 VW TDI Golf, 190K
'67 BMW R50/2
'73 Norton Commando Interstate