Mobil One Everywhere!
 

Alright, I'm changing my engine oil, transmission fluid, differential fluid, and PS fluid. I'm planning on using Mobil One for all of these, any thoughts?

Is there a Mobil 1 power steering fluid? I hope you're not planning to use ATF in place of power steering fluid.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL
83 300SD ... $950, see cars forum

Stick with MB ATF
 

From what I've read - stick with the MB ATF. I don't believe that MB approves a synthetic ATF for the 400E / E420 transmissions. You should be fine with MB ATF if you change it at regular intervals. I've read of some problems after people switch their tranny fluid to synthetic.

I just bought my 1995 E420 in June. I've replaced the ATF, differential lube, brake fluid and coolant with MB products, and run Mobil 1 15W50 in the engine. The mobil 1 is expensive, but I go 6000 miles between changes, offsetting some of the cost (synthetic allows longer drain intervals). PS fluid had been recently replaced by the PO after a steering box reseal.

Keeping the fluids fresh is a good way to get piece of mind for relatively little $. You should be fine with MB recommended products and change intervals for the other fluids. MB approves synthetic engine oils in the M119 engine.

Hope this helps,
Troy
1995 E420 72k

Use MB power steering fluid or fluids marked for power steering.

Use 40 or 50 weight Mobil 1 engine oils. The 30 weights are no longer true synthetics (base 3 instead of base 4).

I use Mobil 1 ATF and differential lube in my '91 300E simply because you never know what a dealer or Indy is using. They don't always use MB ATF fluid. A lot of them use bulk fluids.

I sure wouldn't critisize using synthetic or even Mobil One. But, I sure don't know what you got against bulk. Do you just like throwing away plastic containers with minor quantities of oil into the landfill.

Personally I think they should make everyone pick up their oil in their own container, sort of like grocery shopping in europe. We get almost all our lubricants in bulk. Do you think they pulled that M One out of the ground in that little bottle? It was all in bulk at one time.

Steve,
Businesses use bulk for two reasons...for convenience and to maximize profits.

I seriously doubt that business men ever consider ecology over profit when they make decisions about how they do business.

None of the fluids/lubricants I use come in bulk. However, if a business could show me that they have Redline or Mobil 1 in bulk, then that would be a different story. At least at a Mercedes dealership I can get 0W-40 Mobil 1 and Mercedes fluids and lubricants.

However, as long as I am able to do my own maintenance I can be as anal retentive as I wish to be:D

"Businesses use bulk for two reasons...for convenience and to maximize profits.

I seriously doubt that business men ever consider ecology over profit when they make decisions about how they do business."

Excuse me? I have been in business for over 25 years, because of me 30 people are repairing cars in Gainesville Florida. I don't see why you figure government workers are the only ones with consciences.

To me, business is like a game, winning would mean nothing to me if I cheated.

I totally agree with that. I refuse to pay kickbacks / referral fees to hotel people for the same reason. I'll make their customers happy and that makes them look good - I will not pay them per head like all the other companies, some as much as $3! I'd rather earn it; anybody can buy it.

Re:the bulk issue
Some consider bulk ecologically better because of the packaging. Let's not forget how much plastic is in all those extra bottles of non-bulk. Not to mention, I'd trust a dealer's disposal practices way before shadetree John Doe's. My $.02 anyway...

Motor oil used to come in cardboard cylinders with metal ends. A special spout had to be used and they were very messy. Consumer demand brought the plastic containers that were cleaner and easier to use, they contained the oil and the spout in one neat and clean package. Steve's business uses the bulk containers because they cut costs, are more convenient and are easier to use.

Business need to take ecology into account only where profits will increase. If a company spends more to recycle that it's worth, profits fall and people could get fired. Please take Macroeconomics in College.

When I worked at IBM, there were e-mails about changes that reduced costs through recycling or process.

Profit is actually good.

More On The Subject Of Profits
 

From Dr. Thomas Sowell

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/ts20031223.shtml


http://www.townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/ts20031224.shtml

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/ts20031226.shtml

http://www.tsowell.com/

Enjoy.

Going back to my original argument, I avoid businesses that use bulk fluids simply because they won't have what I'm looking for. How many businesses have bulk synthetic oil?

Since I recycle both the oil and the containers that I buy, I don't feel bad about choosing to use the best products that are available.

WTF is this BS. This has turned into what seems to be a shouting match about business ethics. I'll just use the Mobil One Everywhere.

zeronero

Talk about a derailed thread ....!

If it were my car I would check to see what the manual calls for regarding power steering fluid. Some cars shouldn't have ATF in the PS system.

Regarding the rest, I like using Mobil Synthetics all around.

Haasman

I buy Mobile 1 at Costco. It comes in a 6 pack.

I thought that Mobil 1 made PS fluid but I guess they don't. Instead I'll use either MB or Redline.

Haasman, I know you have a "vintage" W201 like I do, have you notice any problems with the synth leaking in our older engines than the dino oil? Thanks.

Mr. Bain, that sixpack is not what I call bulk ;)

Haasman, it's not rare to see topic go off on this forum, what's rare is someone bringing it back on track :)

Does Castrol make all the necessary fluids......just kidding!

Our local BJ's Wholesale Club has the 6 qt. case of Mobil 1 15W50 SuperSyn for $23.49.

Agreed. A couple of hundred galons might be bulk. I still by my six packs at Costco.

BTW, I did an oil chnage on my 300SE with M1 and a suction device. It was much better compared to the drain method.

It saddens me to pile my empty quart containers in the trash. My understanding is that containers that held oil don't qualify for recycling. I've long campaigned for the popularity of packaging oil in 1 gal or 5 qt containers to reduce waste.

BTW, I let my empties drain overnight into a container to reduce clingage losses and help the environment.

Neither Mobil or Mobil 1 ATFs are on the "Approved Service Products List". As strange as that sounds, it is true. There are 12 brands of ATF that are on the list and they are not synthetics. The newer transmissions call for MB synthetic ATF, but for your '92 W124 car, it would call for one of the 12 regular Dextron III ATFs. I am not saying to not use Mobil 1, I am just saying what is on the "list".

I will say that Mobil 1 ATF helped the shifting on my marginal 126 tranny. Also I have no leaks that I've noticed either.

What is driving me nuts at this point is my 300TE's oil pressure dropping to zero (yes zero, not the recommended minimum of 0.3) at idle. I am running M1 0W-40 right now, but I will probably switch back to 15W50 at my next oil change.

Don't forget to register on Mobile One for the Mobile One Rewards. For every 6 qt case, you can get a $5 gift certificate. This also applies if you have your oil changed by dealer/shop.

I have M1 in my LSD and AT in my 94 RX7. I was able to get 2 qts of ATF replaced (not taking out the torque converter) so no difference noticed. I did notice a smoother acceleration with my differential fluid changed. I also noticed easier startup when using synthetic engine oil. I think PS is a sealed and does not require changing unless it's fouled/leaked.

I'll take a look at that list.