2006 SPRINTER

DAN

Seasoned Expediter
Hi,I need help,I just got my 2006 sprinter and I try to find out the best oil to purchase for the oil change.Thanks
 

Mileater

Seasoned Expediter
Definitely Mobil 1, preferably 5w30 for a free flowing engine and getting better MPG. I would also put in 1 quart of Slick 50 or equivalent on every change or so. On just regular GM passenger cars I have put 300,000 miles on them and then sold them in good condition. I have done this many times with GM's.
The only time it didn't help was on a BMW 740iL I had that fell apart on me but that's a different story and nothing to do with the oil. Any part of importance on the BMW is either made of plastic or aluminum, like the plastic radiator that has catastrophic failures at any moment.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I have used Mobile 1- 0W40 fully synthetic since the beginning NO additives.
Bout $5.80 +T a quart at Auto Zone.
Oil Filter at AZ as well about $11.00 +T

Auto Zone has a customer card 5 $20 purchases and you receive a $20 gift card back...so when I buy the oil and filter I split the order into 2 purchases. Every cent counts these days!
 

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
i have been using 5w-30 mob 1 in my mb engines. i think recently mobil changed the synthetic to 0w-40.


Jack Berry
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
5w30 is still for sale Jack...I was thinking when the engine got older about going up to the 5w30...whatta think?
 

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
ovm,

ALL my mb engines are old. the youngest has 170k on it. they are diesel cars. most everyone on the www.mercedesshop.com forum suggests the m 1. some use rotella. i will look for the 5-30 soon.



Jack Berry
 

tazman

Expert Expediter
Hi,

I believe the owners manual calls for a 15W-40 weight oil...you may want to look that up....

And on the subject...many of you are sold on synthetic oils like (m-1)
But in the recent Aug-Sept Land-Line magazine there was a great article indicating that you really have to look what your getting with pure synthetics.

I used to rep for a company in Texas called Lubrication Engineers...go take a look at their website...www.le-inc.com
(homepage) They too have an interesting article from a few years ago about the synthetics.....My point being is that there are super-premium oils (mineral based...and not just LE) out there that do just as good a job and blend well with the additive packages as synthetics to give you the lubricity that is required for the engine...again IMHO

Three things I did learn from being a rep for these guys (and seeing a variety of engines, transmissions and gear boxes ...(both driven and stationary

1. Change filters often...sometimes more often than the oil

2. Do oil analysis to be sure you know what going on (P.S. use an independent lab)

3. Never---ever add off-the-shelf additives ...to you fluids without asking your lubrication company if it will react with what you have in your crankcase or tank....An expert put it this way....if your doctor prescribed an anti-biotic for your condition...would you then also go out and add take something off-the-drugstore shelf ...for a little more help ????

From everything I've read the new diesel engine will require even more help from oil additives blended into the engine oil

Well anyway....I'll get of the soap-box again.

Thanks

Frank in Pa.

"The Beast in the East"
 

Mileater

Seasoned Expediter
It's hard to say whether synthetic oil is economically better at the end, but the price has tightened between regular oil and synthetic.

Although I don't think anyone can question that synthetic is indeed better. Synthetic is made with 100% oil molecules all identical, while natural oil has impurities in it and what oil molecules it has are all varying sizes and the impurities cause a build up of varnish in your engine.
Also synthetic, especially 5w30 is free flowing which will get oil to the important parts really fast upon first starting which accounts for much of the wear and tear on your engine. So we know it lubricates better, flows better in cold weather starts, and can take the heat much better.
 

tazman

Expert Expediter
I'm not so sure that the synthetic product is better .......and this is just an observation.....The article I referred to in my earlier post and one that alos references a Shell oil paper released a while back...reference the fact that additives are more difficult to blend in pure synthetics than in other oils......ther are some other factors...especially when we move to the new engines that may come into play as well...

I'm still a old fossil fuel guy and will continue to use the super-premiums (like LE products) in my vehicles...even though I don't sell for them anymore...

Thanks,

Frank in Pa.
"The Beast in the East"
 

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
i know a guy who works fopr amoco, or is it bp, i their research dept in hinsdale il. he told me once that the best oil to buy for your vehicle was the one on sale. i have not seen him in years but would like to get his opinion on the synth vs reg. debate.




Jack Berry
 

Mileater

Seasoned Expediter
It's been a while, but I remember my auto mechanics teacher talking about this. Basically conventional oil is not all oil. I forgot the percentage but something like 70% oil molecules comes to mind, the rest are impurites. There have been countless side by side comparisons in long term tests and then opening up the engines to see what wear there is and all the ones I have seen are favorable towards synthetic. I would rather have pure oil in my engine rather than just a percentage of it.

You can't argue that synthetic is more liquid and free flowing? Which will save a lot of start up wear and better MPG. Then there's the frying pan test which shows it should be pretty good for when you're idling on a hot day.

So it takes the cold and heat better, what else is there?

From my personal observations, Mobil 1 stays cleaner longer than conventional oil, so the additives must not be too bad. They might be harder to add but they do add them and it appears to be working for me, no sludge build up.

On the other hand I'm sure you won't go wrong just putting in conventional oil because we can only keep our trucks so long anyway. Only one carrier comes to mind that doesn't care how old your truck is.
 
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