ACEA A3/B4, ACEA C3, MB 229.50, 229.52 - Do any of these specs have a seal treatment requirement for the oild to prevent oil leaks in older cars?

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Would anyone know if the European oil specs, specificially: ACEA A3/B4, ACEA C3, MB 229.50, 229.52
have any test or requirement that oils have a seal treatment requirement for the oil to prevent oil leaks in older cars,
similar to a regular non Euro High Mileage Oil?

If the answer is "no", would anyone know of a Euro High Mileage oil? Thanks.
 
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Thanks Overkill, as always, for providing such great data.

I hope it's ok if I ask a few questions:

[1] The MB 229.52 has a test called: Elastomer seal compatibility. I wonder if they might mean it treats old seals to prevent oil leaks?

[2] Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30: Which year approval does it have for API C3 and MB 229.52.
Other oils only meet the older specs (Ex: Penzoil Platinum Euro L only is approved for ACEA C3-12 which is less stringent).
The hope would be that since Mobil 1 is recommended by Mercedes that Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 would
satisfy the latest ones: ACEA C3-21, MB 229.52 (2019).
 
Thanks Overkill, as always, for providing such great data.

I hope it's ok if I ask a few questions:

[1] The MB 229.52 has a test called: Elastomer seal compatibility. I wonder if they might mean it treats old seals to prevent oil leaks?

[2] Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30: Which year approval does it have for API C3 and MB 229.52.
Other oils only meet the older specs (Ex: Penzoil Platinum Euro L only is approved for ACEA C3-12 which is less stringent).
The hope would be that since Mobil 1 is recommended by Mercedes that Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 would
satisfy the latest ones: ACEA C3-21, MB 229.52 (2019).
It just means that the it won't cause premature failure of seals rather than recondition them. The seals on euro cars harden due to heat. Once it starts it's game over. You have to replace them



The Mercedes specification takes precedence over ACEA. So any oil bought today with a Mercedes approval meets the latest seal compatibility test. BTW..Seal compatibility has always been part of the ACEA categories (ex ACEA 2012 used CEC L-039-96). Per Lubrizol the test has been updated to reflect use of current materials.
 
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It just means that the it won't cause premature failure of seals rather than recondition them. The seals on euro cars harden due to heat. Once it starts it's game over. You have to replace them



The Mercedes specification takes precedence over ACEA. So any oil bought today with a Mercedes approval meets the latest seal compatibility test. BTW..Seal compatibility has always been part of the ACEA categories (ex ACEA 2012 used CEC L-039-96). Per Lubrizol the test has been updated to reflect use of current materials.
Total anecdote, but M1 0W-40 stopped the valve cover seepage on my M5, lol. Which I was quite happy about, as I wasn't looking forward to changing those gaskets.
 
Thanks Overkill, as always, for providing such great data.

I hope it's ok if I ask a few questions:

[1] The MB 229.52 has a test called: Elastomer seal compatibility. I wonder if they might mean it treats old seals to prevent oil leaks?

[2] Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30: Which year approval does it have for API C3 and MB 229.52.
Other oils only meet the older specs (Ex: Penzoil Platinum Euro L only is approved for ACEA C3-12 which is less stringent).
The hope would be that since Mobil 1 is recommended by Mercedes that Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 would
satisfy the latest ones: ACEA C3-21, MB 229.52 (2019).
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My service advisor at the local BMW dealer recommended using Lubro Moly Motor Oil Saver. I've had good results using it in my Club Sport and Clubman.

 
this is special thing on us market, we don´t have such here.
I have bought Valvoline Maxlife High Mileage oils from OpieOils and from EuroCarParts.

They are not something you will find for sale in Costco but you can find them if you are prepared to shop around.
 
Total anecdote, but M1 0W-40 stopped the valve cover seepage on my M5, lol. Which I was quite happy about, as I wasn't looking forward to changing those gaskets.

You got me curious now!

I assume the seal tests focus only on testing the seals (elastomer?) and the impact of the oil on a set of specific materials ... and don't necessarily cover any other side effects (positive or negative) on any other parts of the engine. No?

For example, whose responsibility is it to make sure that valve cover material, sealant or any other material exposed to engine oil is compatible with the oil?

Do gasket or sealant makers have to test or provide proof that the material is compatible? There has been cases of rear diff on some specific years of Toyota Tundra seeping very lightly (kind of a non-issue but some owners don't like it) and some have argued that it is due to the type of oil and/or the sealant material used, including a Toyota master tech I talked to ... Wondering if that's the case, who dropped the ball?
 
You got me curious now!

I assume the seal tests focus only on testing the seals (elastomer?) and the impact of the oil on a set of specific materials ... and don't necessarily cover any other side effects (positive or negative) on any other parts of the engine. No?

For example, whose responsibility is it to make sure that valve cover material, sealant or any other material exposed to engine oil is compatible with the oil?

Do gasket or sealant makers have to test or provide proof that the material is compatible? There has been cases of rear diff on some specific years of Toyota Tundra seeping very lightly (kind of a non-issue but some owners don't like it) and some have argued that it is due to the type of oil and/or the sealant material used, including a Toyota master tech I talked to ... Wondering if that's the case, who dropped the ball?
Definitely a legit question, elastomer compatibility is a sequence, but the range is pretty generous.

Specifically to BMW, the material used is just butyl rubber, which loves to harden and shrink with heat. Clearly, mine weren't far enough gone that they couldn't be conditioned into sealing properly again.
 
Total anecdote, but M1 0W-40 stopped the valve cover seepage on my M5, lol. Which I was quite happy about, as I wasn't looking forward to changing those gaskets.
It just means that the it won't cause premature failure of seals rather than recondition them. The seals on euro cars harden due to heat. Once it starts it's game over. You have to replace them

The Mercedes specification takes precedence over ACEA. So any oil bought today with a Mercedes approval meets the latest seal compatibility test. BTW..Seal compatibility has always been part of the ACEA categories (ex ACEA 2012 used CEC L-039-96). Per Lubrizol the test has been updated to reflect use of current materials.
so if an oil won't have the power to recondition them, as BMWturbodzi claims, then how some oils manage to do stop leaks? what could be in M1 ow40 or any other oil that can do that?
 
so if an oil won't have the power to recondition them, as BMWturbodzi claims, then how some oils manage to do stop leaks? what could be in M1 ow40 or any other oil that can do that?
Which oil? Euro certs only require seal compatibility. Some euro oils may use for example an ester to insure seal compatibility. Eaters can swell a seal which hasn't turned into plastic. This is why a small amount is used with PAO and perhaps GR3+. It just depends on how the product is blended.

"High Mileage" oils usually contain a larger dose of esters or something else to swell seals. How much I have no idea. Success depends on the material of and state of the seal when it's found to be leaking.

If you want proof just look at BMW. Compared to the population they leak oil all the time even within warranty. If euro oils were so good at stopping leaks why do BMW's still leak? BMW uses Viton and Silicone for some of their gaskets.
 
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What happens if the engine seals are ok/normal and you use one of these oil that swells the seals?

If you go back to a regular oil (non-Euro?) what happens to the seals? Do they shrink back to their normal size and if so, would that process (swelling then shrinking) cause any permanent damage or premature aging or have any other potential side effects?

I'm sure this question may have been answered many times but I don't recall since I don't use high mileage oils but have used some Euro oils in non-Euro engines from time to time when on sale or have good prices.
 
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