boater07

Have not found much on this subject since 2012.
Apparently the problems have been resolved?? Frankly I didn't know I was buying this technology in 2012.
My non- dealer mechanic is pushing injector cleaner [ Lubro Moly]
Is it worth it?? Then what about their oil additive.
I have been using the 229.5 oil spec.

CEB

Is the car under warranty? Are you having problems?

If so, then complain to the dealer about your problem.

Additives and cleaners are generally a complete waste of money.

Need4Speed

don't waste your money on additives.

RNBRAD

Oil's with the (energy/resource conserving) within the API seal already have Moly. It's an awesome additive but not sure the MB engine needs it. The european Mobil 1 formula 0-40 does not have it. Mercedes Benz, from the factory use to somehow encorporate Moly into the critical engine parts. Not sure if they still do. It has lubricity properties that are better than almost any substance known to man and will actually "bond" to metal. This is the stuff that when your car runs out of oil, your lubrication is still there and can probably run without oil for a long time. You will notice though that most of the lower weight oils, like 30 and below have this additive and above that do not. Having said these things, knowing and have used "good" Moly additives in the past, I've seen the benifit. This is not a typical snake oil additive, if it's truely a good molybdenum disulfide additive, I would use it in a heartbeat. Do your research, but Moly is some really really good stuff!!!!! I definitely use it in all my greases.

axhoaxho

I had my 2012 E350 (DI engine) for almost three years -- Drove it every day in all weathers and conditions, no problems at all. It started every time like it was new, no soot found in exhaust pipes, and ran like a charm.

Can't speak for other brands, yet for Mercedes DI I am confident enough that now I have a 2014 E550 (also DI engine.)

Munich77

That is what I like to hear. I had one of the first BMW direct injection engines - the N54 and the engine had serious problems with carbon build up. I had to get carbon build up removed at 50,000 miles. It was so bad that one valve was not closing properly.

CEB

Yes it is. There are specialty additives on the industrial/commercial side of the house that are incorporated into various fluids but this is the consumer product that has no added value.

RNBRAD

What are you talking about? I'm talking about Molydenum Disulfide!! It is not a snake oil!!! It's probably one of the most used anti-friction elements used in the world. From NASA, the military, every oil comapny in the world endorses and uses it. Car manufacturers, even Mercedes Benz. It was used during WWII on our battle ships. It was the only lubricant that would bond to the bearing of the gun turrets as salt water would wash off and rust other lubricants. I've researched the stuff, even called a chemical oil engineer at Conoco in Texas before they even started using this stuff as an oil additive globally. My dad thought it was a "snake oil" it is by far that. Do your research and you will see what a good additive it Moly is. I've used it in an old engine, Chevy 350 that smokes on start up. I poured in 10 oz of Moly Black Gold for those that have heard of it and it immediatly increased my gas mileage and stopped the smoking on start-up. I did this till they started putting it in my oil. Good stuff, been using it for 25yrs, even before all the oil company's started using it as an additive. So if it's a snake oil, all the major oil company's wouldn't put it in their oils and lubricants. But to say it's crap cause it's a consumer products need explanation. The product may be crap itself, but Moly is not, by far!! That's why you find a product that has a good moly additive. Moly is not your "teflon" Slick 50 stuff. No comparison!!

CEB

I guess you didn't read what I wrote.

RNBRAD

I did. What you basically insinuated is that a consumer level product brings no added value. Added value is only brought to the table through the industrial/commercial side. That is how I perceived your comment.

In an effort to explain this logically with some reasoning instead of bold statements with no explanation but rather a total discreditation. Makes no sense, especially in this specific case and here's why.

The consumer world was the first to bring forth the Moly additive as a supplement to car oil cause car oil didn't have it but really should have. I blame the corrupt auto/oil industry. The industrial/commercial (oil manufacturers) followed suit a decade later. Why did this happen? Car manufacturers and oil company's knew this was a superior additive than anything else but they took their time in making this happen, afraid of what it may do to their longterm bottom line. The auto industry is what drives the oil quality today. Product performance between oil company's is what brought Moly forth. Oil company's products were tested against each other and the best product got the million/billion dollar contracts. Realize that car manufacturers and oil company's make decisions that are not always in the consumers best interest. It's about money, repeat customers etc. but there is also a competitive side to have a superior product which means more business. Now realize the oil industry has changed significantly in the last 1 to 2 decades. Oil quality has gone through the roof. Oil change intervals are better, with also better protection of the moving parts. Two things are the reason behind this. 1. Moly additive 2. Hydrocracker refining process. Hydrocracker refining (example: pure base, hydroclear etc.) is much better than solvent refining. It allows for a purer base oil that is as pure as filtered water. Meaning way less to no contaminants. Add Moly with a superior additive package and you have one of the best lubricant packages in the world. Moly is solely the best antifriction additive brought to our world from a consumer product sitting next to slick 50 at your local wal-mart. True story and look where it is today. Endorsed by any and everyone that knows anything about car engines, oil, lubricants etc.. So discrediting a product based solely because its a consumer products is bunk and I just gave you the reason why.

It's people that can explain why they feel the way the feel instead of these blanket statements with no merit that perpetuate myths. It helps those looking into these types of things to use science and facts to help guide them in the decision making process than someone saying don't do it cause consumer level products have no added value. I rest my case and Moly is one hellofa an additive for oil!!!!! Only thing I can't figure out is why they don't use it in the higher grade oils and only reason I can think of is wet clutch application generally use higher weight oils and Moly will make a wet clutch slip about everytime you use it. Once Moly bonds to cltuch fibers, it's done!! Also rely and trust these car and oil manufacturers as far as you can throw them. They have raped us for years with inferior lasting products to keep the cash flowing. Delay in the use of Moly was exactly that. Soon Moly will be a gas additive and maybe already is. It will soon be in almost every antifriction application one can use a lubricant to prevent. It's a slow process, but in the meantime many of us can enjoy the benefits earlier with some of these consumer offerings. The true snake oils in the industry has scared so many people away that like you, you just lump them all together. This is a different animal all together but fortunately I grew up in the oil industry rubbing shoulders with top oil engineers and having access to classified oil tests. This is why my perspective is different than yours. Now if whatever you use does not already have this as an additive, go buy and use it then report back here as to your experience. I'm betting it will be a good one. I'll say it again, this is not your typical "snake oil" additive!!!!!! Sorry for the disertation, lubricant performance, properties, additives has been a lifelong passion of mine.

shortspark

I owned a Honda Ridgeline truck before purchasing an ML350. I recall very early on at the internet forum known as The Ridgeline Owners Club (ROC), that a great deal of discussion took place concerning oil change intervals and the role of the Ridgeline's Maintenance Minder. Part of the maintenance minder included an oil life expectancy gauge that gave you percentages of oil life left. When it read 15% life remaining, it would notify you to start thinking about changing oil and if you let it reach 0%, the notification would never go off your screen.

The point of the discussion was some people wanted to change oil every 3000 miles or X number of months but if they reset the minder at that point it would throw all other maintenance notifications out of synch, such as tire rotations, cabin filters, various fluids, etc. People simply did not trust the maintenance minder and wanted to change their oil the "old" way.

It was pointed out to these people by some people closely associated with Honda, that Honda had an additive in the "break-in" oil that was necessary during this crucial stage of a car's life and should not be taken out before the first oil change notification. They never disclosed what that additive was but many members did Blackstone Lab oil analysis and discovered the oil contained a huge amount of Moly, even more than was contained in Havoline dino oil (not synthetic), which at the time contained more Moly than almost any other manufacturer. The assumption was that this was the additive that Honda used in their "break-in" oil, hence the recommendation not to change the oil prematurely based on some arbitrary X number of miles/X number of months. The instructions were to leave the "break-in" oil alone until the maintenance minder told you to change it (in my case it was after nearly 7,000 miles).

Once it was agreed that the "secret" ingredient was Moly, the debate centered around where it came from. Some people felt it was packed to the oil while others felt that what was being read was not an additive pack per se, but only extra factory lubes that were left in the motor on purpose for the intention of "break-in" safety. No matter how it got there, it appears Moly is a highly respected additive and used by some of the biggest and most reliable car manufacturers in the world.

CEB

I guess you work for those guys or for a company that represents them. If you really believe that 10oz of anything will immediately decrease gas consumption then you've really bought into the marketing.

While some additives are very helpful, the watered down concentration in over-the-counter consumer products does little.

I'm also confused as to how an oil additive is helpful in an injector cleaner.

If people want to waste their money then that's just fine, but to believe that one bottle will increase gas mileage to a point where it is measurable is ludicrous. If that same 10 oz product decreases oil burning at the same then it would be a wonder product. Those combined claims are a hallmark of snake oil.

Oil additives, added at the refinery, are valuable but the additives pushed by the dealers are completely useless. Most manufacturers actually warn against additives in the owner's manual.

RNBRAD

That is exacly right!! Like I said and CEB doesn't believe, I was using Moly long long before it was put into commercial products. I saw the benefits and experienced them, no sales gimmicks and we see that today. It came to the consumer sitting next to hundreds of snake oils, but this one was not as proof by industry reaction to the additive. You wont find an oil manufacturer that does not endorse and use this additive nor a car manufacturer. Also Mercedes was using Moly long before too into their engine. I heard they coated internal metal parts with Moly long before it was put into consumer and commercial products. I agree most additives are a total joke and wouldn't think twice except when it comes to Moly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also CEB don't be so resistant and open yours eyes long enough to ask "what If"? Moly helps many things on the injector side. Study it's properties then ask yourself how this might help? It coats and lubricates the entire fuel line allowing for nothing to bond anywhere, you injectors stay clean cause nothing sticks. Not only that but the lubricant properties for your top end. Think about it, it's not difficult to figure this out. I'm telling you this stuff should be in our fuel if it is not already. It should be in our transmission, rear differentials, all our zerks should be greased with Moly. I use Moly grease solely and nothing else and have for years. Why? you can't find a grease without it to touch it's properties. But hey if you don't belive me, call someone who is in the know. All oil company's have 1-800 numbers. Call BP, Conoco/Phillips, Exxon, they will transfer you to an engineer to tell you about Moly. That's how I learned and I called them long before they used it in oil. I asked them why is it not in our oil. He didn't know but thought it mayu be in the future. That call happened in 1991. Look where we are today.

mtrevelino

I am sorry for not following this too closely, but what does all your talking about oil additives have to do with the OP asking about fuel additives?
Mike T.

RNBRAD

This additive that is mainly used in oils and greases can and does add remarkable benefits to our fuel systems and top ends. When you look at fuel additives, you will see many of the same ones used in oil. Moly is no different. I don't know for sure but wouldn't surprise me if it is used in fuel additives and injector cleaner products. I know it's been used in injector cleaning products for 25 years that I know of.