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Originally Posted By: SL8R It's just water from condensation that doesn't get entirely "boiled" out of the oil in winter. Have you been using the car for longer trips compared to last winter? Have the ambient temperatures been substantially warmer than last year? No on both counts. That's why I...

I'm not; the engine puts it there. It's an oily sludge under the filler cap, with a consistency similar to peanut butter.

We have a 1998 Mercedes ML320 with the 3.2 liter V6 (the 112 engine--only engine available in '98). When we moved from Texas to Michigan I switched to M1 0W40. Every winter since then (East Texas doesn't have winters) I noticed a buildup of gunk under the oil filler cap. A lot of Mel owners...

The transmission fluid in my W163 ('98 ML320) is not recommended to be replaced, but when it started shifting badly at 114K I replaced it. 80-100K change intervals seem reasonable to me. The OEM transmission fluid is required. There is a dipstick tube but no dipstick on my W163; is your W164...

Originally Posted By: fatgroundhog ...I take the occasional autobahn trip averaging about 80 mph... Wow! I drive faster on the Interstate, I can't imagine going less than 100 on the Autobahn, where it's allowed anyway.

One of the all time great drivers. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years ago; he was gracious and a great storyteller. May he rest in peace.

My local Auto Zones have discontinued the entire Zerex line. I had to get a gallon of Mercedes antifreeze online (I was ordering parts anyway so it didn't cost me shipping). Had I planned ahead NAPA would have ordered me some, but no one around here (West Michigan) keeps it in stock.

I'm not familiar with the V8's but the 112 engines (3.2 liter V6) all do that. It's pretty normal, though if too severe it can indicate blockage in the PVC system. No oil is going to fix that, you have to go in there and remove the blockage. Check out one of the Benz forums to see if your...

Originally Posted By: lostwrench When I see stout, I think beer. Dry stout, sweet stout, or Imperial stout? If I heard this reference in terms of oil, I'd still think beer, but then I'd say they're referring to shear stability. Or a good add pack. I don't know, I've never called an oil that.

I'm kind of interested in Red Line myself, having used it in my race car in the past (though not the 10W40). Start with a 5K OCI and do send a sample out, it will tell you how long you can go. Get the TBN analysis with it. 290 degrees is awful hot but then you're in California, and it probably...

Didn't see this thread 'til today. I've always has higher mileage cars. 1998 VW GTi VR6, 170,000 engine replaced due to timing chain failure 6,000 miles ago with another used AAA engine. Currently running the cleaning phase of Auto-RX treatment using Rotella 5W40 synthetic. Red Line MTX in the...

I quit running M1 0W40 when I saw how much varnish is in my VW VR6 engine after only 160K mi. The 15W50 years ago would not do this.

I'll catch a sample tomorrow when I change the oil. Don't yet know if I'll send it in, as 2500 miles may not be enough to see how the oil holds up to my driving. Originally Posted By: Saturn_Fan I was smelling my spare bottle of ARX this evening and it really smells like Halls cough tablets...

Does anyone see any benefit in sending out for UOA during either phase of an Auto-RX treament? I'm using Rotella synthetic 5W40 in a 1998 VW GTI with the VR6 engine. I'm curious as to how the Rotella works in the VR6 compared to M1 0W40 and GC, but 2500 miles might not be enough to tell? I'm...

I have never done an oil analysis until after this incident. Never even thought about it.

Something is not right. I would be peeved if I bought a high performance car and it overheated after five laps. Germany still has open Autobahns in places, and German cars were always made to run wide open all day long. If I had one it would have the six speed, but that's immaterial. Since the...

One more thing. The rod bearings showed scuffing, more than I expected to see. Here are some [censored] (whoa, that's a VERY strict censor!) photos to illustrate... Maybe the 10K OCIs are more of a problem than the 0W40. Maybe the timing chain would have failed anyway. If nothing else...

A few updates. First off, though failures of the upper timing chain tensioners are common in the VR6, this was a failure of the lower timing chain. A close visual inspection of the chain showed what appeared to be a lot of wear in the links prior to failure. There is no pcv valve on this car...

I just lost an engine to timing chain failure. I used M1 0W40 since 38K mi, engine failed at 164K. 10K OCI. The engine looked VERY dirty upon disassembly. 1998 VW GTi VR6. I'm not sold on M1 0W40. For better or for worse, I'll run two cleaning cycles with Auto-RX and probably switch to RLI in...

It's not the chain that's so difficult, it's everything that goes wrong when pistons hit valves...