Seeking guidance: What is the best choice in MBZ 229.3 or 229.5 oils for these particular circumstances?

[AlphaOmega]

Any MB229.5 approved oil. It doesn't matter if it's 0W-30, 5W-30, 0W-40 or 5W-40.

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html

If I were you I'd stay with M1 or M1 FS. Too simple?

"Only the spec matters" is NOT totally correct. Some grades, despite meeting 229.3/5 specs are *NOT* to be used in AMG engines:

 

[930.engineering]

Hard to read your tiny low-res screenshots. Anyway, OP said:

I’d love to get your recommendations for a widely available oil which meets Mercedes 229.3 or 229.5 specs.

which he got. If some AMG engines don't use MB229.3 or MB229.5 it's no my fault.

 

[OVERKILL]

"Only the spec matters" is NOT totally correct. Some grades, despite meeting 229.3/5 specs are *NOT* to be used in AMG engines:

View attachment 78753

Can we get some context for the above? I have to echo @930.engineering's comments that it's extremely hard to read.

If certain AMG engines don't call for 229.5 (which is quite possible, quite a few BMW M engines didn't call for LL-01 for example) and they instead stipulated a specific grade, that doesn't really undermine the validity of the statement that in the context of a vehicle that simply calls for 229.5, that any oil that meets that spec is appropriate.

 

[2EHA]

it’s an ancient tsb that says no 30 grades in an AMG

 

[OVERKILL]

it’s an ancient tsb that says no 30 grades in an AMG

Good to know, as the current BEVO oil finder just shows anything 229.5 or 229.3:

And I would assume the approvals have evolved in the last almost 20 years, as have the oils.

 

[kschachn]

One wonders what hairy edge those engines are hanging onto if that minor difference in HT/HS (per the approval) makes the difference between success and failure. We could be talking the difference of 0.1 depending on the instance.

 

[OVERKILL]

Just one example that a blanket "only the spec matters, viscosity is irrelevant" is a wrong and ignorant statement. This is from a 2021 owner's manual for E class AMG. A 229.5 0w-30 or 5w-30 is NOT permitted to be used in some AMG engines. While 0w-40 and 5w-40 that meet the same 229.5 certification are required. So, viscosity, sometimes, does matter!

View attachment 78777

If there's more than just the spec indicated in the OM or on BEVO then one should take care in heeding what's stipulated in its entirety. Of course if just the spec is indicated (like what appears to be the case for the OP's car) then the options are more broad.

For the car you noted above, if you plug it into BEVO, it notes those specific viscosity caveats, which are absent from the recommendations for the OP's car:

 

[2EHA]

One wonders what hairy edge those engines are hanging onto if that minor difference in HT/HS (per the approval) makes the difference between success and failure. We could be talking the difference of 0.1 depending on the instance.

they have a preference for 40 grades for the longest time and none of their engines back then were sensitive to oil.

porsche did the same with a40

 

[kschachn]

they have a preference for 40 grades for the longest time and none of their engines back then were sensitive to oil.

porsche did the same with a40

Preferences are good.

 

[Astro14]

That’s enough bickering. Bickering removed. Thread is locked for now. We can discuss unlocking when everyone is ready to go back on topic.