Down the fill hole of a 3.0L MB

[Quattro Pete]

Unfortunately all you can see is the timing chain.

Just got this car with 24k miles on the clock. Dealer service dept. uses Valvoline Synpower 5w-40, so I'm guessing that's what's in there now.

Shame on me for not cleaning the area around the filler neck before taking the picture.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Looks SPOTLESS!

 

[Audi Junkie]

HELLO!!!

 

[dsmith41]

With 24k it better be spotless! Are you gonna stick with the Synpower or switch to something like GC?

 

[panthermike]

Looks like it has 24K miles Keep it up!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: dsmith41
Are you gonna stick with the Synpower or switch to something like GC?

5w-40 is the recommended weight. I'm hoping Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5w-40 will be come available soon, but if not, I might just stick with Valvoline.

Another option would be Mobil1 Formula M, if I can find it somewhere at a reasonable price.

 

[The Critic]

It's an 08?

That one is on the 13,000 mile service schedule. So I assume the only oil change it received was the one at the 13,000 mile mark.

 

[Quattro Pete]

The oil is too clean to have been there for 11k miles.

According to dealer records, it had an oil change at 12k then again at 23.5k when they certified it. They also changed the brake fluid and put on new tires.

 

[addyguy]

That exactly the same as my BIL's 1985 Nissan truck - all you can see is chain down the fill hole, but it is clean like that.

 

[Johnny]

I thought the 08 C300 recommended Mobil 1 0W-40. That is what the MB dealers in Dallas and Ft. Worth are using and what my sister uses in her 08 C300.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I'm pretty sure M1 0w-40 would work as well. I'm not sure why that particular dealer uses Valvoline.

 

[Johnny]

I contacted four different MB dealers today in WI, even our local MB dealer and they all use Mobil 1 0W-40.

I would say your dealer is using the Valvoline because of price.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I wouldn't be surprise. Not going to go back to that dealer anyway - they're kind of a PITA to deal with.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

How did you get such a clear picture? I can barely seem anything through my fill hole let alone take a picture.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
The oil is too clean to have been there for 11k miles.

According to dealer records, it had an oil change at 12k then again at 23.5k when they certified it. They also changed the brake fluid and put on new tires.



That makes sense.

If the original service was at 12k then the next one would be due at 25k. Since it was within 2000 miles of the next service, the CPO program requires the next scheduled service to be performed as part of the certification process.

Originally Posted By: Johnny
I contacted four different MB dealers today in WI, even our local MB dealer and they all use Mobil 1 0W-40.

I would say your dealer is using the Valvoline because of price.


You just need a MB 229.5 approved oil. Valvoline has 229.5 approved products.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
How did you get such a clear picture? I can barely seem anything through my fill hole let alone take a picture.

Good source of light helps. This car shows its guts rather easily. My 530i is another story - there's a baffle just under the oil cap, so you can't see anything.

 

[tig1]

My daughter and husband has two late model MBs(one is a SL500) and their dealer(Tri Star) in St. Louis uses M1 0-40.

 

[addyguy]

How easy is it for you to get Valvoline 5W-40 outside of the dealer? I've never seen it at all!

 

[Quattro Pete]

NAPA carries it around here, although I'm not 100% sure it's the right version of 5w-40... there are a few.

Anyway, looks like M1 0w-40 would be easier to find.