Lee Levitt wrote:
Are there any issues in converting a 175K miles 2.5L td motor to
synthetic motor oil if it's been using dino in the past?
Conventional wisdom used to be that you could not convert an older
motor to synthetic...that the seals would leak.
I don't know offhand whether the PO of my car used synthetic or
not, will ask...but I plan to run synthetic in New England.
What's the best choice for a synthetic oil in New England? Mobil
1? Special diesel/truck version?
There is NO evidence that Mobil synthetics (manufactured in the last
decade or so) will CAUSE a leak. Mobil 1 synthetic actually have an
agent in them that will reduce leakage around seals/gaskets. I have
received many more surprised reports of small leaks subsiding after
changing than of new leaks appearing.
I have converted the last 7 OM60x engines (including the OM602.96 engine
in my 190D 2.5T that had almost 200kmi on it when I converted) I've
owned to synthetic when they had anywhere from 100-200+kmi of wear on
them and there have been NO problems.
It would be a little less unusual for you car to start leaking oil after
you converted to synthetic than it would be for your car to leak oil if
you DIDN'T convert to synthetic! Your car will likely leak when the car
is ready not when you change the oil (everything else being equal).
For ANY Mercedes diesel made before 2000 I would suggest using Mobil 1
Truck & SUV 5W-40 oil. There are other Mobil 1 oils that are
satisfactory, but I believe the M-1 T&SUV represents the best value.
I'm NOT sure about using M-1 T&SUV in a current OM64x CDI engine just
yet, but I don't know of any better oil available in the US.
Marshall
--
Marshall Booth Ph.D.
Ass't Prof. (ret.)
Univ of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Department of Pharmacology 1300 BST
Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
