car: 97 E420
miles: 105k miles


my previous owner used 20W-50 dyno oil every 3500 miles, but i want to start using valvoline maxlife dyno oil since i've had good luck w/ it. it's easier for me to get 5qt 5W-30 containers, is there any reason why i can NOT use this oil ? i think 20W-50 is too thick for michigan anyway, i think they were using this b/c it should give more protection in a high mileage engine, but i think the maxlife 5w-30 should be close..

Use full synthetic (Mobil 1 is good, there are others). MB does NOT recommend 10W30 or 5W30 oils, use either the 0W40 or 5W50 truck and SUV oil and you will be fine.

You will need to do an extra filter change after 1000 miles or so when switching to synthetic oil from dino oil -- all the varnish and stuck down sludge (and there will be quite a bit) will dissolve and all the solids will end up in the filter, cloggin it.

You can easily run 6000 mile intervals with synthetics, more if you have an oil analysis done and change when it needs it.

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!

You have a 97 E420. This has a powerful and efficient V8 engine that demands synthetic oil which provides much higher-performance protection than conventional oil can dream of.

Why do you want to put crap conventional oil into your engine? Are you deliberatley trying to shorten the life of your engine?

__________________
Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k

well teh car has seen dyno oil its entire life for 100k miles, and i'm not sure what benefits, if any, i will see if i switch NOW. i've heard it can actually cause more harm by accelerating leaks

any ideas?

Crimminy, when will that stupid rumor finally die? Synthetic oil DOES NOT CAUSE LEAKS. The seal shrinkage problem was solved in 1972, and NEVER affected oil sold to consumers. Sigh. At least the old cogers don't try to get you to use single weight non-detergent oil anymore.....

You want to use synthetic because it will make your engine live forever rather than grinding the cams flat by 160,000 miles.

It really does work, it very greatly reduces wear, and it costs almost exactly the same as changing dino oil every 3000 (or 2500) miles.

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!

cool! that's good to know.

will get Mobil1 0W-40 full synthetic tomorrow!!! thanks