Audi Junkie

These 229.3 oils represent the latest lube technologies. Many other choices than Mobil 1 0w-40. It is cautioned against using 30 weight Mobil 1.


AGIP EXTRA HTS SAE 5W-40
AGIP Synthetic PC 0W-40
AGIP Eurosport 0W-40
Amsoil SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil
Amsoil 10W-30 Synthetic
Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 Heavy Duty Diesel
Aral HighTronic 5W-40
Aral SuperSynth 0W-40
Aral Super Tronic 0W-40
Aviasynth 0W-40
Castrol Formula RS Road and Track 5W-40
Castrol GTX7 DYNATEC 5W-40
Castrol Formula SLX 0W-30 *Available at AutoZone"Made in Germany"
Castrol TXT SOFTEC PLUS SAE 5W-30 *BMW Dealer oil
CIFAB Synthoil Hydrocrack HC7 5W-40
Elf Excellium LDX SAE 5W-40
Esso Ultron 0W-30 (fuel economy)
Esso Ultron 5W-40
Fuchs Silkolene Pro S 5W-40 - 100% Synthetic Oil For All Race Engines
Fuchs Silkolene Pro S 10W-50 - 100% Synthetic Oil For All Race Engines
Fuchs Titan SuperSyn SL SAE 0W-30
Havoline Synthetic DS 0W-30
Kendall GT-1 Full Synthetic 5W-40 *Widely available
Liqui Moly Diesel Synthoil 5W-40
Liqui Moly High Tech 5W-40
Liqui Moly HC7 5W-40
LUKOIL SYNTEETIK SAE 5W-40
Mobil 1 0W-40
Mobil 1 5W-40 *SUV" oil
Mobil 1 5W-50 (first fill SLR-McLaren)
Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel 0W-40
Mobil Synt S 5W-40
Mobil Synt S Turbo Diesel 5W-40
Mobil Syst S 5W-40
Motul 8100 E-Tech 0W-40 *Available in USA
Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40
Pennzoil Synthetic European Formulation 5W-40 *Available at ABC Auto
Pentosin Pentospeed 0W-30 VS
Quaker State Full Synthetic European Formulation 5W-40
Schaeffer Micron Moly 5W-30, 10W-40 *Bobistheoilguy.com
Schaeffer Supreme 7000 5W-30, 10W-30, 20W-50
76 Pure Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-40 *USA
Shell Helix Plus S SAE 5W-40 (Mercedes-Benz)
Shell Helix Ultra 5W-30, 0W-40, 5W-40
Sunoco Synturo Gold SAE 5W-40 (introduced January 2002)
Total FINA First 5W-40
Total Quartz 9000 5W-40
Valvoline SynPower MXL 0W-30
Veedol POWERTRON SAE 5W-30
Veedol SUPER X SAE 15W-

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/oil.html

meanie

229.3 is NOT the latest oil recommendations.
229.5 is !

Audi Junkie

Since you mentioned it, the newest spec, introduced 7/2003 is actually 229.31, the low-ash oils. 229.5 is at least a year older.

229.5 is the same as 229.3 only with an ACEA and fuel economy/sludge stipulation. Basicly, more ZDDP added, whose effect will diminish during service anyway. The oils that meet it are few and far between, especially in the US, no sense for me to recommend them. 229.5 is for 2002 and newer cars with extra-extended drain intervals that many people will not wait for anyway, 25,000 miles.

I have no doubt that a German Castrol Syntec or M1 SUV/Delvac 1 would meet both specs, however MB doesnt test many oils and the list gets shorter with each iteration.

Cheap MB 228.3 HDEO 15w-40 oils like Mobil Delvac 1300S and Chevron Delo 400 and Shell Rotella T fullfill the same parameters as 229.3 except mpg and cold-cranking. They offer better detergent package and viscosity retention (M1 0w-40 thins out below A3 specs only to re-thicken for the end of the test sequence) For 6 months, I am going to use Delvac 1300S in Dads MB to clean out the crap from those long FSS intervals with Mobil 1 0w-40. A good idea for cars with over 30,000 miles and a sparse service history.

I think once-yearly is a good interval with or without FSS, I change 2x a year driving 20,000 miles with 0w-30 German Castrol Syntec aka GC or SLX and that is what's going into Dad's car in Fall. It carries 229.3 and VW 503.01 the long-life spec, the equivalent to 229.5, much better pour-point and it shows better used oil analysis too. Available at AutoZone and I hear, Advance Auto too. Make sure it says "Made in Germany" on the back. One wiff of it and you are hooked, some say it smells like Gummi Bears. (caster oil?) This green menace actually crawls out of the container due it it's exotic di-basic esters. Easily the best oil available in the US, $4.

BadAssBenz

I have a 95 C280 that I've been putting Mobil 1 Super-Syn 10w-30(formerly Tri-Synthetic) in every 5000 miles. Would it be a good idea to switch to the green German Castrol stuff you mentioned? If so, how often should I change it? By the way, what do you do for a living? You seem to know wayy to much about oil!

Audi Junkie

Mobil 1 30 weights are too thin for Euro cars, it's really made for Japanese cars. It is specificly cautioned against using it in the oil recommendations. If you like M1 , add 2 quarts of 15w-50 to thicken it up, (summer only) or better yet, just use 0w-40. Remember, most SAE 30 oils are a light 30 except a few (like GC). German Castrol Syntec is an exotic lube. It is green and crawls out of the bottle due to it's unique esters, smells like Gummi Bears. Yes, Audi tests confirm 2% mph increase with GC/SLX. The Euro rating scale is ACEA A1, A3, A5. A1 and A5 are light oils and A3 is heavier. The test for Euro oils is about 280 hours in an oil-eating machine, API SL test is like 25 hours WITH make-up oil allowed, BIG difference.

I like 6 month changes and to adjust the oil quality for the miles/conditions driven in the period. For an example: Granny's Dodge Dart gets driven 10,000 miles a year, it'll get 2 changes of Chevron, Havoline or GTX dino oil. I change my GC every 6 months, about 9000 miles per. I have 8 cases stored for future use! I just bought some Saab Synth 0w-30 because it is on sale for $3.75...aka Euro Mobil 1 Long-Life Polar. Saab's oil change interval (oci) is 22,000 miles with a turbo. Something to think about. PSS- I like the 5w-40 SUV oil much better than 0w-40. It is relabeled Delvac-1, a trucker oil that is marketed for 100,000 mile changes. I would skip the 229.3 synthetic oils for summer and use a 228.3 oil like $1.75 Delvac 1300S 15w-40 (or any 15w-40) to clean things up. That's what I am doing in Dad's 2000 C280. Check WalMart with a car service center for a wide oil selection, they change oil for almost nothing too, BYO filter.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/...?ubb=forum;f=1


PS I am a builder/real estate guy. It's funny, because all the carpenters and builders I know are completely retarded when it comes to cars, I am good at both. Grew up with Porsches, BMWs and MB. I ws born in an Audi though. (wink) By best buddy owns a Bosch Service Center and holds a full competition race licence.

BudC

The various 30 weight Mobil 1 oils are no longer PAQ based. They are now petroleum based oils that are called synthetics.

Mercedes have told their dealers not to use them and no longer approve of them.

I've been using 15W-50 Mobil 1 in my 300E since the first oil change and I've used it in Minnesota and Arizona. I've compared coolant temps and oil pressures of the original (real synthetic) 10W-30 Mobil 1 against 15W-50 Mobil 1 and under tough conditions the heavier weight oil produces lower temps and higher oil pressure at idle. I change oil twice a year or after a long trip.

BTW, I have now become a wimp and use a Topsider

Audi Junkie

I think they are PAO-based. SuperSyn PAO was a long-time in development. What they lack now is ester content to control the seal-shrinking qualities of PAO, Mobil uses something cheaper. It is definately not a Gruppe III Hydro-cracked oil like most fake synths. M1 30 weights are not even sold in Europe, that tells us something.