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[Sal_2013]

Hi Folks

Is carlube good manufacture for engine Oil? The reason i ask is Makro sell Carlube 5litres fully synthetic for £19 where as Castrol 4litres is going for £26. My Brabus takes 4.5 Liters of oil which means ill have to buy 1 litre extra of castrol for £7. Hope it makes sense.

Thanks

[basilbrush]

They should be as good as any other synthetic oil on the market. Don't be swayed just on price though look on the container and check that contents meet the Mercedes specification in your handbook. If it doesn't the extra £7 will be well spent.

[Alex]

It has to meet MB229.5 spec, and ACEEA A3/B3 or B4. Don't buy those new low fuel consumption oils, they are too thin for a brabus.

I use Shell 0w40 and it's the right spec for our cars. Engine oil price is the least of our expenses with our car, so don't skimp on it.

[mr singh]

Shell 0w40 and it's the right spec for our cars.

depending on where in the world you live

[funkydoodycool]

0w40 covers about any temperature range round the world.

The manual specs it for -25 to 35 degrees C.

[evilution]

It has to meet MB229.5 spec

I use Shell 0w40 and it's the right spec for our cars.

No it doesn't.
and
No it's not.

Firstly, Mercedes only test a small range of oils. Just because it hasn't been tested doesn't mean it wouldn't conform to the correct standards.

Secondly, 0W oil is designed to protect engines during cold starts in cold temperatures. Cold as in Canada, Norway etc. Not the UK.
5W is the lowest you should consider using in the UK. It's what Mitsubishi recommend and it's their engine.
Just because there are 0W oils listed on the MB229.5 spec doesn't mean it's OK to use.

I find it funny how people who don't really understand think that 0W oil is some super multi purpose oil that can be used wherever and whenever. It's not a universal premium oil that should be used if you can afford it. You never hear people say "I'm gonna use 20W/50 oil because it's mentioned in the manual".

This 0W in everything nonsense is going to be hard to stop because people don't understand or listen.

Oil NEEDS to cling onto surfaces to work. In our temperate climate the temperature is too high so the 0W oil is too thin to cling. This reduces the protection you get during a cold start. Once the oil heats up it becomes the 2nd figure, 30 or 40 which is fine as that's what the car is designed to have at operating temperatures. However, 90+% of engine wear occurs at the start up.

[funkydoodycool]

Why then does the manual show a full list of oil grades, any of which 10W and under are shown as suitable for UK temps, and beyond (including 0Ws)?  As a person who isn't amazingly well versed in the science of engine oil, going by the manual I could use ANY of the oil grades listed in the manual throughout 80% of the year (barring the 15W and 20W in the coldest snaps).

(Don't get my tone wrong, I would love to be enlightened on this.  I understand how the numbers relate to the relative viscosity of the oil at cold and running temps, but have never given it more thought than to ask MB what oil I should use).

I've previously used either 5W30 or 10W40 in every car, simply because most of my car's manuals said that was right.  Both MB and S2 Smarts list Shell Helix Ultra (5W30) as the preferred oil for the Brabus (and all the Smart range), and S2 have used that oil in my last two annual services there - now I have a car worth caring for I want to do it right.

Another interesting thing in my Primera and Micra's manuals - they tell you 10W40 is generally ideal, but 5W30 should show an improvement in fuel economy - I assume this is because it is thinner at running temp, and therefore allows a little more free movement?

[funkydoodycool]

In reply to the OP - my experience with cheap oils isn't great.  I bought some "Comma" oil (10W40) from Allparts, about £20 for 5 litres.  It is very noticeably less viscous than the same grade from the big names.  More like pouring ale than honey!  I put some in my Primera, and while it was in there it burned oil at a much faster rate than it did with the more expensive stuff.

So yeah, sometimes cheap stuff isn't worth it, based on that experience.

[Alex]

What is it in the 5w that makes oil cling on to surfaces in UK weather? Because looking at a spec sheet shows that 0w40 is actually thicker at 40C than 5w30, and the same at 15C.

I've never chosen an engine oil looking at SAE grade alone. I've looked at API rating, MB spec and then chose one of those that had appropriate viscosity.

But still, if I would know what makes 5w  better than 0w that would be great as I could make a more informed decision next time I buy engine oil.

[basilbrush]

I would say best to use a starting viscosity of 5w now. Although 0w40 is fine for new engines all your engines are getting long in the tooth now and you need that little bit of extra viscosity at cold start up to keep your oil pressure in the bearings.

[Fast Eddy]

I think a good quality 5/40 fully synthetic meeting the required specs is the best to use.  That is what i use in mine.

Eddy