Was getting my shock replaced and noticed this head on the bench at my indie's shop.

He said he's never seen one this bad. Looks like the synthetic oil turned itself into pudding....

http://photoshare.shaw.ca/download_image.php?image=user/f/8/a/31589/31589_QWvdvk1143474750nuIzAU/240306_1626.jpg&viewImage=1

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2003 E500
2002 C230 Kompressor
1986 420SEL

That car was run with synthetic oil? I wonder what the oil change interval was? 20k miles?

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Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

It would take a lot longer than 20K to do that, especially with synthetic oil. I'm thinking the change interval was "never."

- JimY

I would suspect that the car had been in a flood.

We see that, and worse every day ,in the machine shop business. Some motors will do that regardless of how often the oil was changed. Toyota is currently having these issues.

No flood, in fact the car was driven in to the shop.

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2003 E500
2002 C230 Kompressor
1986 420SEL

Reminds me of an old Pontiac I had once, before I bought it it had run its whole life on Amalie, "better than it has to be" paraffin based oil. The tops of the heads were completely caked with solidified wax.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Reminds me of a little Ford Ranger I saw a few years ago.
Came into the dealer with a severe engine knock & low oilpressure.
Had 50 k miles on it,.............with the original oilfilter ( painted gray, same as the rest of the engine).
Dealer replaced the engine as a " Good Will gesture ".
I would have taken that guy & shoved him up the tailpipe.

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2007 C 230 Sport.

I wonder how many miles it took to do that? If its that factory stuff that was probably Mobil 1 0w40 at some point in the past!

Well I hope its a lease car! 2 year lease= turn the key and drop off at the dealer 20k miles later for another!

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Mobil had a problem with mobil one turning to sludge when used with premium unleaded fuel.
Here in Australia Mobil ran a campaign with mercedes benz during which they changed oil and filters for free just in case the problem had started ot occur in a given car. I think it only affected M111 motors too. That looks like a M111head to me.

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Andrew
300e 294,000mi
380sel 185,998mi
380se 309,980mi

It doesn't take many miles to do this. Don't equate what you are seeing, to lack of maintenance. We've seen many a 30,000 mile motor sludged, with oil change receipts and documentation.

I know that BMW is having similar issues on some current motors, typically when owners are following the service indicator lights for oil change intervals.

Rgds,
Chris W.

Back in the late 90's Toyota had a problem with poorly designed crankcase vents. Their engines would sludge up like that no matter how often you changed the oil. AFAIk that problem was fixed in the 1999 my.

I have never heard of poor crankcase ventilation in a MB.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

AS for using Mobil one and using premium fuel? This gets me worried. I have a 93 corvette and the car must and must only use mobil one and car only uses premium fuel. My vette runs perfect 17k miles but this thing is not making me worried?

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2001 E55

2001 E320 Sedan

2001 Subaru Legacy

2006 SLK280

2016 Subaru Outback 3.6

Well considering every late model MB in the US comes with 0w40 from the factory, and thats all that MB specs, also thats what the dealers use. Not to mention I can't think of one that doesn't use premium. (91-93 octane)

I wouldn't be worried in the least, never heard of this being a problem at all.

I don't see how octane level of fuel can affect the oil.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200