C55 Oil Change. . .10K what!
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 694
Likes: 3
From: Bethesda, MD
Porsche
Originally Posted by schwarzwagen
this thread proves that leasing makes it possible for idiots to buy MBs. back in the day, you had to have all the money to afford MBs. special break-in fluid, what moron thought that up? and who at AMG did they "talk" to? what a bunch of BS. ask any real tech and they will tell you that life trans fluid is total marketing crap. they recommend renewing the fluid at the same intervals as the old hydraulic transmissions, no question.
change the trans fluid once a year
change the diff. fluid once a year
change the engine oil every 3,000 miles
guess what, my engine is original, my trans is original and shifts firmly without slip, and my diff. is OE as well... can't argue with those results.
change the trans fluid once a year
change the diff. fluid once a year
change the engine oil every 3,000 miles
guess what, my engine is original, my trans is original and shifts firmly without slip, and my diff. is OE as well... can't argue with those results.
Over the years my family and I have been changing the oil according to the manufacturer's guidelines and we've never had a problem..
Eric...
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
OK I'd believe that AMG uses Mobil 1 for factory fill (and the dyno testing), they are a division of MB and do their own thing. I don't see any problem with having mobil 1 in for 10k miles. there should be no issue.
Someone did post a website that shows first fill oils are different than service fill oils. I am absolutely certain that this is the case for BMW and MB. I personally know this from the industry I work in.
Mobil 1 is on par or above the quality of a factory fill oil, that probably why AMG just uses that.
I dont think the factory fill oil breaks anything in special, it just has high treats of antiwear agents, antioxidants, friction modififers, that sort of thing. Better chance that things will get properly protected from the start. Its good to start off the engine on a good foot.
Someone did post a website that shows first fill oils are different than service fill oils. I am absolutely certain that this is the case for BMW and MB. I personally know this from the industry I work in.
Mobil 1 is on par or above the quality of a factory fill oil, that probably why AMG just uses that.
I dont think the factory fill oil breaks anything in special, it just has high treats of antiwear agents, antioxidants, friction modififers, that sort of thing. Better chance that things will get properly protected from the start. Its good to start off the engine on a good foot.
Originally Posted by awiner
Speculation on a 'special' break oil has been discussed for years here at MBworld. I had the opportunity to ask an AMG engineer in Germany some questions about a year ago. One of my questions was about the oil used. Mobil 1 0W40 is the factory fill for all AMG's. No special break in oil is used.
HOWEVER, I should have asked what kind of oil they use when they run/dyno each engine before shipment to the chassis assembly plant.
I should email AMG and ask, I still have his email.
HOWEVER, I should have asked what kind of oil they use when they run/dyno each engine before shipment to the chassis assembly plant.
I should email AMG and ask, I still have his email.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: South Florida
09 ML350
Changing the oil at the recommended service intervals will not due any harm to your engine. I can tell you that most customers to the dealer (at least the cars that I work on in south Florida) have their oil changed between 8500-11000 miles. It is not often that a car comes in with 13000 miles between oil changes (unless they go over), most people bring the car in before the end of the service limit, they will have 1 or 2 k left and they get the oil changed. Where you get in trouble is when you go over the service limit, or do not use an approved syn oil, do not go over or the oil will start to slug up and major problems will happen. Personally I would change my oil every 5k with Mobil 1, tans at 30-50k, diff at 30-40, don't forget spark plugs, and fuel filters, and air filters, coolant every 2 yrs, and brake fluid every 2 yrs. These are all normal maintenance items and are on the Mercedes service sheets.
As far as the AMG specific oil, there is no Mercedes literature that I have seen that suggests such a thing.
At the dealer where I work we use 0-40 Mobil 1.
Also as long as you are in warr I would use a Mercedes oil filter if you plan on changing your own oil.
As far as the AMG specific oil, there is no Mercedes literature that I have seen that suggests such a thing.
At the dealer where I work we use 0-40 Mobil 1.
Also as long as you are in warr I would use a Mercedes oil filter if you plan on changing your own oil.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,475
Likes: 5
From: City with Tall buildings!
C43/55,2k11 Volvo S60 T6AWD,2k Audi B5 S4,95 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD 500+awhp
First of all let me say that I don't use mobil1 anymore.. I use Amsoil Euro Synthetic 5W40 .It's more expensive , a much better and purer synthetic and I change it every 3500 miles.I use tranny fluid from MB and I change that every 5k-8k miles for cheap insurance.I think the dealer intervals are insane and I have heard of trannies being lost and engines being screwd up by the insane 10,000 mile interval and lifetime tranny fluid fantasy.Some people with MB's have waited even a lil longer with the oil change.Some one mentioned to me a while back that there was a class action law suit against MB because of this.
Synthetic oil burns,but just at a higher temperature than conventional oil does.I have personally seen the inside of engines that wait for this 10,000 mile interval and a lot of the internal parts have serious heat varnish as such. Compare the inside of a engine that does a 3k oil change vs one that does a 10k oil change and believe me you will see a big difference visually,not to mention the wear and tear that you obviously cannot see.Synthetic oil obviously costs more than conventional oil and the only thing I can think of other than the Synthetic oil properties is that because of price they tell customers to wait 10k.
BS change your oil and filter every 3-3500 miles it's cheap insurance.I do this in my BMW as well.Be diligent with the tranny fluid also because MB trannies are suspect to failure. Just my .02 cents.
Synthetic oil burns,but just at a higher temperature than conventional oil does.I have personally seen the inside of engines that wait for this 10,000 mile interval and a lot of the internal parts have serious heat varnish as such. Compare the inside of a engine that does a 3k oil change vs one that does a 10k oil change and believe me you will see a big difference visually,not to mention the wear and tear that you obviously cannot see.Synthetic oil obviously costs more than conventional oil and the only thing I can think of other than the Synthetic oil properties is that because of price they tell customers to wait 10k.
BS change your oil and filter every 3-3500 miles it's cheap insurance.I do this in my BMW as well.Be diligent with the tranny fluid also because MB trannies are suspect to failure. Just my .02 cents.
Last edited by ProjectC55; Jan 24, 2005 at 10:49 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 3
From: OC
C32
Speaking of fluids. Why does MB use radiator coolant that needs replacing every 2 years, instead of the 5 year stuff 
Makes no sense considering they say you never have to change your trans fluid.
Makes no sense considering they say you never have to change your trans fluid.
Admin Alumni
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,143
Likes: 19
See Garage
Originally Posted by awiner
Speculation on a 'special' break oil has been discussed for years here at MBworld. I had the opportunity to ask an AMG engineer in Germany some questions about a year ago. One of my questions was about the oil used. Mobil 1 0W40 is the factory fill for all AMG's. No special break in oil is used.
If gasoline mileage is any indicator of break-in periods, you'll find gas mileage improving over the course of 10,000 - 15,000 miles. If it is true that synthetic oils allow an engine to not show wear, this might explain why it takes so long to achieve steady state gas mileage maximums.
Keep in mind, also, that the MB engines have huge oil pans (the 3.2L V6 is 8 quarts). Any shavings should settle to the bottom and not circulate with that much oil in the system.
Finally, the oil monitor system will tell you when to change the oil based on your driving habits and the amount of stop and go vs city traffic. On my car, the computer was on a 13,000 schedule, but the dealer has allowed me to change the oil under scheduled service every 10,000 for the last three years.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
Bob, I buy Mobil 1 Tri Synthetic 0W-40 here in California all the time. Most of the main Auto Parts stores (Pep Boys, Autozone, etc.) carry it as an in stock item. I just bought 40 quarts for $3.99 each a month ago. 
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,367
Likes: 3
From: MA
'24 Porsche Macan
Originally Posted by MB-BOB
... Notice that you can't find Mobil 0W-40W off the shelf in the US... at best 5W-40W, last time I looked. But I'm sure someone will dispute this as there is always an exception...
Rgds,
Norm
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,894
Likes: 8
From: Connecticut
2003 CLK55
My CLK55 is now over 12,000 miles and still no oil change or service. I called my service rep and he says don't do a thing until the computer tells me to. Also the service will not be free unless I follow the computer. I think it says I still have a couple more thousand miles to go!
Oh Robert Feller (my engine builder as well) please tell me you didn't **** in my crankcase!!!
Oh Robert Feller (my engine builder as well) please tell me you didn't **** in my crankcase!!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,475
Likes: 5
From: City with Tall buildings!
C43/55,2k11 Volvo S60 T6AWD,2k Audi B5 S4,95 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD 500+awhp
Originally Posted by Stiggs
My CLK55 is now over 12,000 miles and still no oil change or service. I called my service rep and he says don't do a thing until the computer tells me to. Also the service will not be free unless I follow the computer. I think it says I still have a couple more thousand miles to go!
Oh Robert Feller (my engine builder as well) please tell me you didn't **** in my crankcase!!!
Oh Robert Feller (my engine builder as well) please tell me you didn't **** in my crankcase!!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,825
Likes: 3
From: New Jersey
things with and without wheels
with today's machining technology of engines and improved lubricants - old school does not apply anymore.you can waste your money changing the oil so soon but you will not harm anything as long as you dispose the old oil properly.transmission oil will last the life of the vehicle as long as you dont abuse the vehicle or overheat it 
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,475
Likes: 5
From: City with Tall buildings!
C43/55,2k11 Volvo S60 T6AWD,2k Audi B5 S4,95 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD 500+awhp
Originally Posted by RobertG
with today's machining technology of engines and improved lubricants - old school does not apply anymore.you can waste your money changing the oil so soon but you will not harm anything as long as you dispose the old oil properly.transmission oil will last the life of the vehicle as long as you dont abuse the vehicle or overheat it
Yea you could believe that BS. Unless you own a W202 C43 or w210 E55 I strongly dissagree with you on the tranny lifetime oil issue.There are alot of folks that do normal driving in the following that I mentioned and had tranny failure.Do a search on transmission problems and you will see that the follwing cars I mentioned are plagued with tranny issues from not changing the tranny fluid.I change my tranny fluid often as hell and drive my car hard as hell and thank God I have not experenced what several people have experienced with these supposedly indestructable trannies.
Last edited by ProjectC55; Jun 13, 2005 at 03:35 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,923
Likes: 3
Mercedes Benz
Originally Posted by RobertG
with today's machining technology of engines and improved lubricants - old school does not apply anymore.you can waste your money changing the oil so soon but you will not harm anything as long as you dispose the old oil properly.transmission oil will last the life of the vehicle as long as you dont abuse the vehicle or overheat it
not likely
do you also believe in the tooth ferry?
nothing has changed to make these things last longer. they just say cross your fingers and hope it works out for you. the techs change theirs @ 30k or so and I will go with what they think not the bs MB uses for advertising.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,825
Likes: 3
From: New Jersey
things with and without wheels
if you read what i said carefully and think about it .....
you can abuse your trans just being stuck in traffic (heat is the problem)
as well as incorrect fluid level.that is one of the reasons they dont put dip-sticks in them.overfilled transmission as well as underfilled fluid is very bad -airation occurs in the fluid and you burn clutches by slipping them .synthetic fluid tries to withstand the heat generated in your trans,it's up to you how much heat you generate by your driving methods or the roads you travel.
you can abuse your trans just being stuck in traffic (heat is the problem)
as well as incorrect fluid level.that is one of the reasons they dont put dip-sticks in them.overfilled transmission as well as underfilled fluid is very bad -airation occurs in the fluid and you burn clutches by slipping them .synthetic fluid tries to withstand the heat generated in your trans,it's up to you how much heat you generate by your driving methods or the roads you travel.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,330
Likes: 0
1967 Morris Cooper "S", 1983 911SC, 1997 Toyota Tacoma, 1999 HD FXSTB, 1998 C43
ATF and Recommended Oil
Firstly, if MB felt that the transmission fluid only needs replacing at 100K miles...why is it that they do not warranty the transmission for that mileage?
I replaced the ATF on my C43 at 80K only because I recently purchased it and the vehicle possessed 78K on the clock. The ATF that came out of those lines looked like crap.
Word to the wise, replace that fluid 20-40K miles, depending on where you live. Traffic conditions vary widely...i.e. sitting in traffic in NYC for that commute versus driving in Phoenix contending with 115 degree weather.
Same applies to the oil in the sump. I replace that oil at 5K intervals, it's cheap insurance. I use 0W-40 Mobil One and I have no problems finding it at WalMart and Autozone, Advance, etc...
I replaced the ATF on my C43 at 80K only because I recently purchased it and the vehicle possessed 78K on the clock. The ATF that came out of those lines looked like crap.
Word to the wise, replace that fluid 20-40K miles, depending on where you live. Traffic conditions vary widely...i.e. sitting in traffic in NYC for that commute versus driving in Phoenix contending with 115 degree weather.
Same applies to the oil in the sump. I replace that oil at 5K intervals, it's cheap insurance. I use 0W-40 Mobil One and I have no problems finding it at WalMart and Autozone, Advance, etc...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,825
Likes: 3
From: New Jersey
things with and without wheels
Originally Posted by StapleGun
RobertG - Put down the crack pipe! You're smoking it if you think ANY kind of ATF lasts the lifetime of any vehicle. 
or as many times as you need to comprehand that transmission fluid can last the lifetime if you dont abuse it.personally i dont change my synthetic oils as often to save money for my crack
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,475
Likes: 5
From: City with Tall buildings!
C43/55,2k11 Volvo S60 T6AWD,2k Audi B5 S4,95 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD 500+awhp
Originally Posted by RobertG
now that you feel better putting me in my place with your name calling try to read what i wrote -again.
or as many times as you need to comprehand that transmission fluid can last the lifetime if you dont abuse it.personally i dont change my synthetic oils as often to save money for my crack
or as many times as you need to comprehand that transmission fluid can last the lifetime if you dont abuse it.personally i dont change my synthetic oils as often to save money for my crack
The MB trannies seem very sensitive to lack of tranny fluid changes.
Last edited by ProjectC55; Jun 14, 2005 at 02:13 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,923
Likes: 3
Mercedes Benz
It is a simple item. The second car care costs became an issue mb changed the whole system to save the customer money. So this change took place with the introduction of the 5 speeds back in 1997 and then with the introduction of FSS in 1998. So you want us to believe that in that one year period 1997-1998 trans fluid and motor oils went through a complete overhaul and were suddenly good for 2x the life (or for ever)? I highly doubt that. Call me a skeptic but the proof rests that MB wanted to keep costs low so they could sell more cars. Claims like service your car every 20k and never change the trans fluid sells a MB to cheap people who look to save a buck. To do the same with an AMG car is crazy.
The Trans and Diff in my 55k's are under some serious stress and I have changed the fluid in both already (under 20k miles). Something about 530 ft lb of tq makes me think its stressed a little. The same goes for the cars with less torque because those trannies and diffs are not built for the stress.
Take care of you car and don’t cheap out on the little things. If you need to save money on a trans service how the heck do you pay for the car? If you need to save some money change your own oil and then pay someone to do the trans and diff. The motor oil is a snap to change....12 minutes tops!
The Trans and Diff in my 55k's are under some serious stress and I have changed the fluid in both already (under 20k miles). Something about 530 ft lb of tq makes me think its stressed a little. The same goes for the cars with less torque because those trannies and diffs are not built for the stress.
Take care of you car and don’t cheap out on the little things. If you need to save money on a trans service how the heck do you pay for the car? If you need to save some money change your own oil and then pay someone to do the trans and diff. The motor oil is a snap to change....12 minutes tops!
Last edited by CynCarvin32; Jun 14, 2005 at 02:32 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,923
Likes: 3
Mercedes Benz
Originally Posted by Stiggs
Whats a tooth ferry? Does it take your teeth to block island and back?
thats how I fund my need for speed. but dont tell anyone my secret.
thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,825
Likes: 3
From: New Jersey
things with and without wheels
if you have a performance car you cant help yourself driving it like it is ment to be driven.i never said that it would last a lifetime weather you abuse it or not.i said that if you dont abuse it, it can last the life if the vehicle.I change my motor oil twice a year because of the synthetic oil that i use Mobil 0w-40
there is nothing wrong with overservicing your equipment especially a fine machine like a e-55.(Correction a precision machine).If you read some complaints from some owners ,and they compare their previous vehicles like Pontiac Boneville to a Benz it kinda gives you an idea where are they coming from.they will never tell you what they did wrong with the car just what went wrong with it.Its much easier to blame something or someone else than yourself.
I drive a 2001 E-320
1999 Chev Blazer
1988 Pontiac GTA
1989 Suzuki 1100 gsxr
each one is driven differently because of it's design or capabilities
synthetics do last longer than conventional oils period.
there is nothing wrong with overservicing your equipment especially a fine machine like a e-55.(Correction a precision machine).If you read some complaints from some owners ,and they compare their previous vehicles like Pontiac Boneville to a Benz it kinda gives you an idea where are they coming from.they will never tell you what they did wrong with the car just what went wrong with it.Its much easier to blame something or someone else than yourself.
I drive a 2001 E-320
1999 Chev Blazer
1988 Pontiac GTA
1989 Suzuki 1100 gsxr
each one is driven differently because of it's design or capabilities
synthetics do last longer than conventional oils period.
