5w30?
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Columbia, SC
W212 E63
5w30?
Picked up my 2012 E63 from service B today and as I always do, I asked for a couple quarts of oil for top offs. They gave me 2 quarts of 5w30 229.51 spec. I consulted with the maintenance manual when I got home to double check and it indicates to use 0w40 or 5w40 229.5 (which is what I previously received). Upon questioning, the service dept stated the 5w30 is newly approved but could not offer any documentation. There is some debate still as so whether I should have received 229.51 so I'm waiting for a call back from the parts manager tomorrow with details about what was actually put into the car. Any one using 5w30 and any harm in doing so? Is 229.51 safe for gas and diesel engines alike? Thanks in advance.
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SLC43,E500
My owner's manual shows 5w-30 as one of the many available choices.
5w-30 is listed along with 5w-40 & 5w-50 as viscosities intended for approx -10 to greater than 90 degrees F.
Thinner oils like 0w-30 or 0w-40 may be recommended for extremely cold environments like Canada etc.
For most of the USA, 5w-30 is probably about the best all-around go-to viscosity that would likely be ok for most any car on the road.
I'm not sure about the 'newly approved' comment from the service dept, given what the owner's manual shows and what I understand about 5w-30 as a viscosity in general.
5w-30 is listed along with 5w-40 & 5w-50 as viscosities intended for approx -10 to greater than 90 degrees F.
Thinner oils like 0w-30 or 0w-40 may be recommended for extremely cold environments like Canada etc.
For most of the USA, 5w-30 is probably about the best all-around go-to viscosity that would likely be ok for most any car on the road.
I'm not sure about the 'newly approved' comment from the service dept, given what the owner's manual shows and what I understand about 5w-30 as a viscosity in general.
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SLC43,E500
Maybe they have special viscosity recommendations for the E63.
Does your owner's manual or other info specify E63-specific viscosities?
Strike that I just noticed the footnote in the manual.
E63 recommends "only 0w-40 or 5w-40".
It would be interesting to hear more about the 'newly approved' status.
However, it should not be surprising that 5w-30 is ok, given that from a viscosity standpoint, it is possibly in-between 0w-40 and 5w-40.
Does your owner's manual or other info specify E63-specific viscosities?
Strike that I just noticed the footnote in the manual.
E63 recommends "only 0w-40 or 5w-40".
It would be interesting to hear more about the 'newly approved' status.
However, it should not be surprising that 5w-30 is ok, given that from a viscosity standpoint, it is possibly in-between 0w-40 and 5w-40.
Last edited by v12driven; May 20, 2014 at 08:31 PM. Reason: update
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SLC43,E500
I know the M157 E63 engine is very special, handcrafted and engraved with the builder's name.
When you take delivery of a new E63, are you provided with extensive details of the engine like blueprints or other such internal engine build details?
If so, it seems like that kind of info would perhaps definitively recommend a viscosity range intended for the specifics of the build.
Did the service dept provide a bulletin or anything in writing related to the viscosity recommendation update?
When you take delivery of a new E63, are you provided with extensive details of the engine like blueprints or other such internal engine build details?
If so, it seems like that kind of info would perhaps definitively recommend a viscosity range intended for the specifics of the build.
Did the service dept provide a bulletin or anything in writing related to the viscosity recommendation update?
Last edited by v12driven; May 20, 2014 at 08:40 PM.
Thread Starter
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From: Columbia, SC
W212 E63
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 40
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From: Columbia, SC
W212 E63
After more carefully scrutinizing my invoice, it would appear the car was filled with MB part # 000-989-83-01 which corresponds to Mercedes Benz 5W30 229.5 synthetic. That alleviates my concern regarding the 229.5 vs 229.51 but I'm still perplexed about their decision to use a viscosity not recommended in the maintenance manual.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Columbia, SC
W212 E63
What was used in my latest oil change was neither Mobil 1 or Valvoline. Rather, it is Mercedes Benz branded oil which MB provides directly to the dealer. I never had issue with the brand as that's irrelevant in my book so long as the viscosities and spec are approved. There was a document read to me by the service manager which stated that 5W30 is approved for the M157 engine (dated ~ 6 months ago), but MBUSA could not confirm this claim. Since such confusion seems to exist, they're doing the right thing and changing my oil once again to 5W40 to prevent any future liability.
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2010 E63 AMG
What was used in my latest oil change was neither Mobil 1 or Valvoline. Rather, it is Mercedes Benz branded oil which MB provides directly to the dealer. I never had issue with the brand as that's irrelevant in my book so long as the viscosities and spec are approved. There was a document read to me by the service manager which stated that 5W30 is approved for the M157 engine (dated ~ 6 months ago), but MBUSA could not confirm this claim. Since such confusion seems to exist, they're doing the right thing and changing my oil once again to 5W40 to prevent any future liability.
MB branded oil is nothing more than Mobile1 in a MB branded container and then priced up to gouge the uninformed. Save yourself some money and buy some Mobile1 and give it to the dealer to put in.
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From: Columbia, SC
W212 E63
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'20 GLC300 SUV
Picked up my 2012 E63 from service B today and as I always do, I asked for a couple quarts of oil for top offs. They gave me 2 quarts of 5w30 229.51 spec. I consulted with the maintenance manual when I got home to double check and it indicates to use 0w40 or 5w40 229.5 (which is what I previously received). Upon questioning, the service dept stated the 5w30 is newly approved but could not offer any documentation. There is some debate still as so whether I should have received 229.51 so I'm waiting for a call back from the parts manager tomorrow with details about what was actually put into the car. Any one using 5w30 and any harm in doing so? Is 229.51 safe for gas and diesel engines alike? Thanks in advance.
The motor was a mere 1.5-2 quarts low. 5w-30 (229.5 spec) was all that the dealer carried so that is what they added.
My car has run absolutely fine since the top-off.
I know that the thicker viscosity 0w-40 and 5w-40 oils are recommended for the M156 motor but apparently, a few quarts of 5w-30 are okay.
Regardless, I'll be requesting 5w-40 exclusively for my oil change.
