Difference between Mercedes-Benz spec 229.3 and 229.5

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I've gotten caught up in the craze over the GC like the rest of you. (I once had a stash of over 80 gallons of Delvac 1 that I bought at a very good price, so I know a bit about "oil collecting"). I have a car which needs an oil meeting MB 229.5; the only two I have found are the M1 0w-40 and the Elf Excellium 229.5 (but Elf apparently lost the only 2 cases which were in the US; at least according to their NJ offices!) Apparently the GC meets 229.3 rather than 229.5. It is possible that 229.5 didn't exist at the time GC was manufactured and was wondering if anyone knows the difference between the specs. I was considering the GC for an 05 Mercedes CDI.
 
The bottles of the very first GC ever posted about on here have 229.3 on the back. Current GC meets 229.5. I think you would be safe using either in your car that requires 229.5.

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quote:

Originally posted by Michael Wan:
Amsoil 5w-40 gets my vote at about $6/qt shipped when purchased by the case. I'd personally use it over M1 0w-40 as the Amsoil product stays in grade and provides better long drain performance.

How do you know that? How much Mobil 1 0w40 and Amsoil 5w40 have you used and compared the results of UOAs of both?
 
quote:

Originally posted by G-Man II:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Wan:
Amsoil 5w-40 gets my vote at about $6/qt shipped when purchased by the case. I'd personally use it over M1 0w-40 as the Amsoil product stays in grade and provides better long drain performance.

How do you know that? How much Mobil 1 0w40 and Amsoil 5w40 have you used and compared the results of UOAs of both?


I knew this was coming.
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If you go and take a look at the M1 0w-40 UOAs in the UOA sect, you'll notice that rarely does this oil stay close to its original viscosity around the 14-15cst range. It often stays as a high 30 to borderline 40wt. On the other hand, of the limited 5w-40 Amsoil analysis results that are posted there, the oil has always stayed at a solid 40wt.

Tooslick's results on his 225HP, Audi TT running 5w-40 Amsoil for 10K with 1% Fuel Dilution confirmed the oil's ability to stay in grade as a solid SAE 40.

By no means am I saying that only a SAE40 will deliver solid results in this engine, I'm only saying that for those people who wish to use an oil that stays as a solid 40wt, Amsoil 5w-40 is a better choice that may also deliver a longer service life.

Mike
 
quote:

Originally posted by G-Man II:
The bottles of the very first GC ever posted about on here have 229.3 on the back. Current GC meets 229.5. I think you would be safe using either in your car that requires 229.5.


Are the 229.5 bottles of GC green or gold? Could that partially explain the differences in the add packs?
 
Amsoil 5w-40 gets my vote at about $6/qt shipped when purchased by the case. I'd personally use it over M1 0w-40 as the Amsoil product stays in grade and provides better long drain performance.

Mike
 
I'm running the BC (Belgian Castrol) in my Mercedes, BC is also sold at Autozone and is a 5W-40 opposed to the 0W-30 GC. The 5W-40 states right on the FRONT in large print of the bottle that it meets MB229.3 and 229.5, it also meets BMW and VW specs as well.

I run the GC in My Miata but the BC is what I'm trying out in the MB. Mine is a Euro 280e with the 110 engine in it. Anything is going to be better than the pissoil from wally world the PO was running in the car (at least he used a Mann filter).

BTW here's the Complete List of all MB approved oils Complete List Here!

[ November 02, 2005, 07:20 PM: Message edited by: 1badmkIrocco ]
 
quote:

Amsoil 5w-40 gets my vote at about $6/qt shipped when purchased by the case. I'd personally use it over M1 0w-40 as the Amsoil product stays in grade and provides better long drain performance.

Can you show at least one example of both oils in the same application, under the same conditions, including the same distance driven? Otherwise your recommendation is based on speculation, and as such, rather vapid.
 
moribundman, here is 1 application for you to see. In the thread below, read the original poster's comment part way down about viscosity retention as well. The iron numbers are all there to see as well. Amsoil 5W-40 is amazing stuff in terms of wear and viscosity retention indeed - very rare for a high VI 40 weight oil to hold its viscosity in the 1.8T. The Mobil 1 0W-40 can certainly do long drains, so I'm not addressing that here. There are other examples too showing similar results, but this one is all in one thread.
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http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002398
 
Original poster: I have charts showing the differences between 229.3 and 229.5 specs and think I got the link to it on this site. I think the Ethyl corporation published it since their name is printed at the bottom of each page. Maybe you can find it yourself on here by searching. There are many differences in the test limits and other aspects of these 2 oil specs, but I can't say how much difference in the real world this will make. That's a tough question. But as said, the new Gold GC meets 229.5.
 
quote:

moribundman, here is 1 application for you to see. In the thread below, read the original poster's comment part way down about viscosity retention as well. The iron numbers are all there to see as well. Amsoil 5W-40 is amazing stuff in terms of wear and viscosity retention indeed - very rare for a high VI 40 weight oil to hold its viscosity in the 1.8T. The Mobil 1 0W-40 can certainly do long drains, so I'm not addressing that here. There are other examples too showing similar results, but this one is all in one thread.

So then we are to believe that one ppm more or less equals more or less wear? The comparatively elavated Fe number is pretty much meanigless, because M1 shows routinely higher Fe than other brands.

We are also looking at snapshots of an engine at various stages of break-in. My Audi engine kept loosening up noticeably till at least 50-60k miles. The numbers don't appear to mean much. If anything, the numbers at 29k miles may be more impressive than those at 60k miles, considering break-in.

All of those oils should have been run longer and I don't think either one can be considered to be outperforming any of the others.
 
If, in your opinion, UOA allows you to gauge wear differences down to a few ppm, then I am shocked.
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LoL. It's 6 in the most generous comparison! 6 > few. Don't make me show the less generous difference.
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I'm not too concerned about it either. I figure if you can use an oil that meets the right specs and gives slightly better UOAs, go for it.
 
The way I see it, the difference between MB 229.3 and 229.5 is exactly .2 (predicted accuracy of this assertion is plus or minus 0)
 
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