QS SAE 30 HD for a $550,000 Mercedes Gullwing?

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Watched Peter Klutt's Legendary Motorcar show on Velocity the other day.

They were restoring a 1950's Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.

They paid $550,000 for the Merc not running.

Klutt's mechanic was pouring QS SAE 30 HD into the oil fill hole on the Merc.

Probably an excellent choice for a period vehicle.
 
I want to cringe at using some really cheap SAE 30, but objectively, I can't think of a reason to not use that Quaker State (if it calls for an SAE 30).
 
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
If Klutt's mechanic had asked here on BITOG, I wonder what advice we would have given him.


Interesting thought. I would guess that there would be a lot of HDEO suggestions.
 
I was reading a bit about car and choice does not likely matter with modern oil. The recommended OCI was 1000 miles. My guess this car won't get driven much anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
If Klutt's mechanic had asked here on BITOG, I wonder what advice we would have given him.


City Star.
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I restored several 300SL's 356C's and 190SL's. Back in the day multi-viscosity oil was not a quality product because of shear. Thus most if not all German companies insisted on straight viscosity oils. Today's oils are quite different and shear is no longer a significant issue. I would use Mobil 1 0W-40 if I was going to restore one of those vintage vehicles. Some mechanics are stuck in the past.
 
Rod Hadfield built a Rolls Royce Merlin engined 1955 Chev, and in working with Caltex (Oz Chevron), they used SAE30 lawnmower oil in it as a "most appropriate" modern oil (Caltex Delo 500 SAE 30 was rebottled as mower oil in the day.

Saw this going into an engine on GasMonkey Garage (excuse TV screenshot)...
IMG_07061.jpg.html


A set of round cam lobes later, they changed to Brad Penn I think.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
If Klutt's mechanic had asked here on BITOG, I wonder what advice we would have given him.


0-20. No doubt about it.
 
I saw not one but two 300SL Roadsters on the Pacific Coast Highway last month -- one cream and one black, both being driven the way the cars were intended to be driven, swiftly. If I'd seen them parked and had had a chance to speak to their owners, I would have asked what oil they used.

Probably would have heard, "Oh, whatever my mechanic recommends."

Remember, the 300SLs, Gullwing and Roadster alike, were built to be driven on the autobahn as well as in the city. They weren't intended to be delicate garage queens. MB made them to work and to last. So those engines wouldn't have been too finicky about oil, as long as it was the correct grade, would they?
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
If Klutt's mechanic had asked here on BITOG, I wonder what advice we would have given him.


0-20. No doubt about it.


M1 0W20 w/15,000 mile oci.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Rod Hadfield built a Rolls Royce Merlin engined 1955 Chev, and in working with Caltex (Oz Chevron), they used SAE30 lawnmower oil in it as a "most appropriate" modern oil (Caltex Delo 500 SAE 30 was rebottled as mower oil in the day.

Saw this going into an engine on GasMonkey Garage (excuse TV screenshot)...
IMG_07061.jpg.html


A set of round cam lobes later, they changed to Brad Penn I think. We don't know who "ate" what regarding the rebuilding costs of the damaged rebuilt engine, but one would think the rebuilder would have been VERY specific on what oil went into it. There may be more to the story. If I were in the rebuilding business I wouldn't let an engine out of the shop without the proper oil if damage due to improper oil was that easy to do. I'd tape a jug right to the engine.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
If Klutt's mechanic had asked here on BITOG, I wonder what advice we would have given him.

TGMO 0w20. It has the high VI you know. LOL
 
Hi,
SilverC6 - Yes it was a good choice!

Measurements on the lubrication system that engine family were taken with an SAE10 lubricant at 100C

Most German engines of the era were on a FF of a SAE20 HD lubricant
 
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