1997 MB E320 with Mobil1 0w40, 5400 miles

[moss]

I have been doing ~5K miles per oil change interval, but after this oil report I'm thinking to go 8K miles. The last 2 oil changes I have been using Mobil1 0w40, but for the previous ~40k miles the engine has had only Rotella 5w40. Previous owner used HDEO 15w40.
This is the report from Blackstone from back in March, they recommended to go another 3K miles next time since TBN is still high. They mentioned that TBN 1.0 is low, but since mine is 5.1 I can go easily another 3K miles. What do you guys think?

Car: 1997 MB E320 (M104)
Oil: Mobil 1 0W-40
Miles on oil: 5400 (4 winter months, Nov-Mar)
Miles on car: 196000

Aluminum ------- 3
Chromium ------- 0
Iron ------------- 7
Copper ---------- 3
Lead ------------- 0
Tin --------------- 0
Molybdenum --- 92
Nickel ----------- 0
Manganese ----- 0
Silver ----------- 0
Titanium ------- 0
Potassium ------ 2
Boron --------- 132
Silicon --------- 4
Sodium -------- 3
Calcium ------ 3287
Magnesium ---- 17
Phosphorus --- 971
Zinc ---------- 1203
Barium ---------- 0

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F --- 66.9
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C --- 12.12
Flash Point ---- 405°F
Fuel ---------- Antifreeze ----- 0%
Water ---------- 0%
Insolubles ----- 0.2%
TBN ------------ 5.1

 

[buster]

You could probably go 10-15k on this oil.

 

[moss]

I would be too worried if I went over 10K miles per oil change interval. I know the engine has almost 200K miles, but it still purs like it did when it came out of the factory. It still gets ~30 mpg on the highway.

 

[BobFout]

Look at all that iron.

Moss, did you add any make-up oil?

Yup, I'd re-sample at 8K miles and see how the TBN is. We'll also see if visco levels off or not.

I'd be curious to see how Rotella T6 would do in this engine as far as TBN retention compared to M1 0w40. (CJ-4 vs. Euro)

 

[moss]

Is 7 a bad number for iron? Blackstone report shows that universal iron numbers for my model driven for ~8K miles are 16.
No, I didn't add any make up oil. Even though the engine has a tiny oil leak from the timing cover, the level has never gone lower than minimum. I would have stayed with Rotella 5w40, but the engine has a 5-10 seconds lifter tick in the cold mornings, so I switched to Mobil1 0w40 which did help a little bit. The main reason I did the oil analysis is not to extend the interval, but to see if the lifter was a main concern, but so far so good.

 

[BobFout]

Originally Posted By: moss
Is 7 a bad number for iron? Blackstone report shows that universal iron numbers for my model driven for ~8K miles are 16.
No, I didn't add any make up oil. Even though the engine has a tiny oil leak from the timing cover, the level has never gone lower than minimum. I would have stayed with Rotella 5w40, but the engine has a 5-10 seconds lifter tick in the cold mornings, so I switched to Mobil1 0w40 which did help a little bit. The main reason I did the oil analysis is not to extend the interval, but to see if the lifter was a main concern, but so far so good.


7 ppm Fe is fine, I was making a joke, as there's a commonly held belief among some that M1 oils cause more iron wear.

Topping up the oil can increase TBN.

 

[tig1]

I wouldn't go any less than 10K.

 

[saaber1]

This report looks good. I would run the oil longer.

 

[REDDOG]

Great report-I wouldn't hesitate to extend the oci to at least 8k either.

 

[Thomas34]

Originally Posted By: moss
I have been doing ~5K miles per oil change interval, but after this oil report I'm thinking to go 8K miles. The last 2 oil changes I have been using Mobil1 0w40, but for the previous ~40k miles the engine has had only Rotella 5w40. Previous owner used HDEO 15w40.
This is the report from Blackstone from back in March, they recommended to go another 3K miles next time since TBN is still high. They mentioned that TBN 1.0 is low, but since mine is 5.1 I can go easily another 3K miles. What do you guys think?

Car: 1997 MB E320 (M104)
Oil: Mobil 1 0W-40
Miles on oil: 5400 (4 winter months, Nov-Mar)
Miles on car: 196000

Aluminum ------- 3
Chromium ------- 0
Iron ------------- 7
Copper ---------- 3
Lead ------------- 0
Tin --------------- 0
Molybdenum --- 92
Nickel ----------- 0
Manganese ----- 0
Silver ----------- 0
Titanium ------- 0
Potassium ------ 2
Boron --------- 132
Silicon --------- 4
Sodium -------- 3
Calcium ------ 3287
Magnesium ---- 17
Phosphorus --- 971
Zinc ---------- 1203
Barium ---------- 0

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F --- 66.9
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C --- 12.12
Flash Point ---- 405°F
Fuel ---------- Antifreeze ----- 0%
Water ---------- 0%
Insolubles ----- 0.2%
TBN ------------ 5.1


5400 miles in 4 winter months? what did ur FSS say?

 

[moss]

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes, this time I will wait at least 8K miles before I change the oil, maybe even 10K. If I wait 10K miles than I will sent another sample for analysis.

Thomas34, my car doesn't have FSS (Flexible Service System), so it doesn't tell me anything about when to change oil. FSS was introduced in 1998 in USA if I'm not wrong, also introducing new V6(M112) and V8(M113) (except for S-class which kept older engines until 1999), where previosly had L6(M104) and V8(M119). I think FSS cars use a higher grade oil filter, it's a fleece oil filter for extended oil changes, but in my engine I can use only paper oil filter, so for an extended oil change I probably should change the filter sometime in between.

 

[Thomas34]

Originally Posted By: moss
Thanks for the replies guys. Yes, this time I will wait at least 8K miles before I change the oil, maybe even 10K. If I wait 10K miles than I will sent another sample for analysis.

Thomas34, my car doesn't have FSS (Flexible Service System), so it doesn't tell me anything about when to change oil. FSS was introduced in 1998 in USA if I'm not wrong, also introducing new V6(M112) and V8(M113) (except for S-class which kept older engines until 1999), where previosly had L6(M104) and V8(M119). I think FSS cars use a higher grade oil filter, it's a fleece oil filter for extended oil changes, but in my engine I can use only paper oil filter, so for an extended oil change I probably should change the filter sometime in between.


Not aware of the release of FSS. Thanks for the correction. I have a 99 CLK320 and my last OCI was only 2000 miles with Mobil 1 0W40 and Mann Fleece filter. Yes i know. It was early. But that 2000 miles was in there for 1 year.

 

[HTSS_TR]

My '00 E430 has FSS, the first oil change in 2001 was several hundreds miles passed overdue. M1 0W40 and paper filter is good for 12-15k miles, Fleece filters are good for 20-25k miles.

I am going to do oil change in that car in about 3-4 weeks, I will experience the use of paper filter for 2 oil changes, up to 25k miles or 2 years, to see if it will stay intact or falling apart. I may need to visually check the filter every 2-3 month in the second year to see how it performs.

 

[shpankey]

Originally Posted By: BobFout


7 ppm Fe is fine, I was making a joke, as there's a commonly held belief among some that M1 oils cause more iron wear.


To be fair, that belief mostly centers around M1 5w30, not the 0w40.

 

[BobFout]

Originally Posted By: shpankey
Originally Posted By: BobFout


7 ppm Fe is fine, I was making a joke, as there's a commonly held belief among some that M1 oils cause more iron wear.


To be fair, that belief mostly centers around M1 5w30, not the 0w40.


For a Seq IVA discussion yes, but from this thread here (and others) points to a widespread belief regarding M1 and wear. (Auto Union Addict

)

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/mobil-1-0w-40-6-250-miles-altima-2-5-sl.134151/

 

[daman]

Great report nice add pack love the 0w40 i agree try 10k.