gstatus929

Hey guys,

Im sure this topic has been beaten but my searching didnt find me much.

I want to change the oil on my 2010 E63 myself. Last one was completed by dealer.

I live in NYC, climate is warm now but this oil change will lead me through the winter.

What is the proper oil to get for our climate and where is the best place to buy.

Where can I purchase the original filter online.

Is there anything else needed besides the oil and oil filter?

8 quarts enough?

E-Ridium 63

5w-40

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...a_M_5W-40.aspx

manual says you can do 0w-40 or 5w-40 but its not that cold in the NE so you should be able to easily crank 5w-40 in NYC. Thats what i use and i have no problem. i'm in the NE as well

hyperion667

wow! a reply...............

that's why I don't post here.............
you could go insane waiting for an answer from these guys

220S

It's probably because it's such a simple question that anyone can answer for themselves with a tiny bit of effort.

The oil is the oil that is required under 229.51 MB specs. That info is in the manual and all over the net including MBUSA's website (which has links to tech info.) Capacity is in the manual (it lists all fluid capacities; also check your maintenance manual.)

Call the dealer for a price on the filter. Ask what else is needed (btw, it's a copper crush washer for the drain plug.) Then simply Google the part number and go shopping.

Same with the oil. Get it at your local auto parts store or Google for online vendors (beware that oil weighs a lot so shipping can cost as much as the oil itself.)

Plus there are lots of DIY posts here and on the net for changing your oil. It's the same M156 motor that's in the C63, so the same issues apply.

It's not rocket science. But the bottom line I think is that it's the old "give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, but teach him to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime" sort of thing....

Doing your own research will also lead you to other things you will want to know about your car. After all, it was an expensive purchase. When it comes to more esoteric issues, then people here do help each other. And you'll find lots by searching here, too.

gstatus929

The post was done from pure laziness. By the time I got a reply I managed to find it all out. Either way thanks to all those that took out the time to help.

The actual help (E-RIDIUM) was truly valued.

FYI a few mercedes dealers advised me to get 0W-40 due to the cold weather? what do you think?

E-Ridium 63

The lower the viscosity rating the easier it is to crank the engine on a cold start up. After that, you really want an oil that is heavy enough to protect high performance engines like in the AMGs because the operate at higher temperatures. So while going lower on the visc ratings may turn the enigine over easier, it offers less protection at high temperatures because it is thinner (more viscous at low temperatures)

I'm near NYC and use 5w-40. I've lived in colder climates and never had a problem cranking 5w. I don't think there is any need to run 0W

220S

fwiw, I use the 0w-40. And I live in warm California. I also own an air/oil cooled Porsche with a dry sump motor and oil is a big deal with those cars. I've spent a lot of energy and time (and money) dealing with "the oil issue" and with each drain I also get a UOA done so I can monitor things and figure my drain intervals.

The issue with modern cars and modern oils are the additives. The concern that auto mfgs have isn't about how long your motor will last, but how long the emissions systems will last. The cats have a federally mandated warranty of 8 years or 80k miles (EPA420-F-96-020)

Mobil 1's protective additive is phosphorus (ZDDP.) Phosphorus is their active anti-wear additive for motor longevity. But it also can kill cats prematurely. You might see where I'm going with this already.

The auto mfgs demanded to implement ILSAC GF-4 for motor oils from the oil companies. Why? Because they most likely don't want to build more robust emissions systems and cats. And they sure don't like the EPA's 8 year/80k mile warranty.

These two quotes are from Gulf Oil Int'l Tech Updates:

"Ford expects the oil to meet significantly tightened emission requirements at high mileages. They want the phosphorous in the oil to be reduced – as they feel it is dangerous to the catalytic converters."

"Daimler looks into increasing the durability of the oil – better control of oxidation, nitration, wear, deposits and used oil pumpability. They are also worried about the phosphorous content attacking the converters."

Mobil 1 0w-40 has more ppm of phosphorus than their 5w-40. AMG recently said to use 5w-40 and feels that the 5w-40 has "enough" phosphorus, but they really are more concerned about the emissions system.

Here's what Mobil 1 says about their phosphorus:

"The active ingredient is phosphorus which is added thru a component called ZDDP. For products that meet the new ILSAC GF-4 specification the phosphorus levels for the oil must be less than 800 ppm phosphorus. The ILSAC level for phosphorus has been reduced to protect the catalytic converter and other emission protection equipment. The engine manufacturers are confident that this level of phosphorus will protect both new and older engines. However, there are Mobil 1 products which have a higher level of phosphorus and can be used in engines in racing or high performance applications."

Whether the less ppm of phosphorus found in the 5w-40 will really matter over the years remains to be seen (it certainly won't matter if you're leasing your car.) But I use 0w-40 because of its higher phosphorus (I bought my car new and for the long haul.) My last UOA showed 978 ppm!! of phosphorus after 5k miles on the oil. I'll let Daimler replace my cat under the emissions warranty if it ever dies.

Don't worry about the viscosity. The last UOA I did said my cSt viscosity was actually low whereas the SUS viscosity was fine. The SUS is what you should be concerned about. Yeah, the 0-40W can get the oil circulating a bit easier in super cold climates, but really the bigger issue is the ppm of phosphorus.

btw, a guy who knows his oil (esp for Porsche) is Charles Navarro (he makes NSC plated cylinders for Porsches) Here's a fun read: http://www.lnengineering.com/oil.html

hyperion667

It's probably because it's such a simple question that anyone can answer for themselves with a tiny bit of effort.

220S

YEAH..........that's probably it man!!!!!!

E-Ridium 63

Uh, ok...I guess.

Jon2007E63P30

Great post, I have seen this in bits and pieces in the past, but not all together.

Since I bought mine in 2007, there was only one oil approved at the time, the 0w-40 Mobil1. So for the most part it is good for use anywhere and the better wear properties are very important to me since I plan to keep this thing until I can buy a depreciated W212 TT. About 5-6 years, and I might keep it even then

220S

Jon, it's important to me too. The interesting thing is that nothing has changed internally on the M156 since 2007, when the 0w-40 was the official spec oil. But now the 5w-40 has been recommended and the only real difference here is the ppm of phosphorus (although the 5w-40 does have a narrower viscosity index and therefore probably less polymers in it.)

Another option would be to go to more frequent OCIs with the 5w-40. Mobil 1 is used in racing and that fact sells oil, but as you know the oil is drained after every race. Maybe cut 2k miles or so off your OCI and use the 5w-40.

Here are the 5w-40 "features" according to Exxon Mobil:

"Mobil 1 ESP Formula M 5W-40 is engineered to help prolong the life and maintain the efficiency of emission systems."

"Low sulphur and phosphorous content helps to reduce poisoning of gasoline catalytic converters."

Mobil 1 is a good oil but there are certainly 'behind the scenes' economic (and technical) reasons why a specific oil is chosen by a mfg. The ILSAC GF-4 oil spec was implemented by the auto mfgs and not the oil companies themselves.

I've only used 0w-40 so far and know the exact oil properties after x number of miles on my engine by doing the UOAs. So I might try the 5w-40 just to get a comparison of both oils. That way I can see for sure the ppm of phosphorus and the other additives in the 5w-40 compared to the 0w-40.

gstatus929

So I went to MB today and got 9 quartz of 0w-40, as they said its suggested for amg engines specifically. Any down side to this?

220S

Mobil 1 0w-40 European formula is fine and a 229.5 spec oil for the M156. It's what I use, what Jon uses (he tracks his car often) and what a lot of people use. My dealer and Indy also use it instead of the 5w-40 (for the reasons I posted above.)

In the end it's really more about how well the oil (any brand) is doing in your environment and with your driving style while between your drain intervals. I recommend doing the UOAs esp if you own the car and plan to keep it for a while. It can be pretty informative (tells you if you have any contaminants like coolant or fuel, too.) Otherwise just use any 229.5/229.51 spec oil for the M156 motor and don't think about it....

Pushing_Tin

I usually run a 5-30 Amsoil in my cars, I'm surprised to see the 40w recommendation! Where is the best place to buy a filter online?? And how much of a PITA is it to drop the belly pan without a lift? My Jag was such a pain.

Jon2007E63P30

Not bad. Getting it back on is a PITA, but I do it 2 times a year.

Using the Amsoil will void your warrantee. Not approved.

Jon2007E63P30

They never took the 0W-40 off the list, so technically both are equally "approved".