1,000 Mile Oil Filter Dissected

[MPrice2984]

The answer is yes - Mercedes uses Mobil 1 as their factory fill on all models including smarts.

[xcrew229x]

Penske recommends Mobile1 because they are a major Penske racing sponsor. If Uncle Al's Dinosaur Oil was a Penske sponsor, they'd recommend that. Any oil with the proper rating will suffice. Most of the oils on the list I keep seeing aren't commercially available in the USA.

[Old smart]

Setting the above noted three Mitsubishi dealers aside, I speculate that there are three reasons, why smartUSA hangs their hat on Mobil 1 0W-40 over other full synthetics and other viscosities:

a. M-B has supplied smartUSA their own M-B recommendation (229.5) vice anything from Mitsu engineering. There is only one oil listed on 229.5 that is normally available in the U.S. for automobile use - Mobil 1 0W-40. It stands out as the only 0W- of the over 50 listed. M-B 229.5 gives the rest of the world plenty of 5W- and some 10W- recommendations.

b. With lucrative Mobil 1 sponsorships of motor racing activities to both Mercedes-Benz and Penske Racing, they will likely push Mobil 1 where they can. They may be contractually compelled to. I note that my U.S. smart has a "smart recommends Mobil 1" sticker under my engine cover that the Euro demonstrators did not have.

c. Specifying 0W-40 acrosss the board is a convenient (for smartUSA) "one-size-fits-all" mentality, including 0W- in Arizona and 40 in Minnesota. Keeps them out of the viscosity advice game and makes product stocking simpler. U.S. Mitsubishi dealers may think similarly.

BTW, Penske has personally authorized my dealer, sc Virginia Beach, to substitute Castrol SYNTEC 5W-30 for Mobil 1 0W-40. There are some uncommon nuggets of knowledge in the system.

N.B. At 800 miles+ I am on my third oil fill and filter - Mobil 1 5W-30 and a Mobil 1 M1-108 filter. There is no need in the Mid-Atlantic region's moderate climate for either 0W- or 40 weight. So far, I have been too lazy to cut the first filter (the OEM/Tokyo Roki) or the second filter (an OEM/Tokyo Roki clone).

[MPrice2984]

Old Smart - Hey I'm not arguing and I know that you are also correct. I bought 5 quarts of 0 W40 Mobil 1 and a M108 filter at PEP Boys yesterday for $29.99 with a $5.00 rebate. My local WalMart also carries 0-W20, 0-W30 and 0-W40 Mobil 1 so it is becoming more common. I do know you can use 5-W40 in the absense of 0-W40. I think the best thing any new owner can do is start and stay with the same brand of oil throughout the life of the vehicle, be it Mobil 1, Quaker State synthetic (made by Shell and used by Ferrari US), Castrol Syntec, etc. Mitsubishi also uses M1 as the recommended oil for the Evolution models.

[Ron F]

Old Smart--I seem to recall you asking for old oil filters to be sent to you. Have you received any and, if so, could you please give us the results of your analysis. thanks.

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by Ron F

Old Smart--I seem to recall you asking for old oil filters to be sent to you. Have you received any and, if so, could you please give us the results of your analysis. thanks.

Ron,

I did have a used OEM smart/Mitsu/Tokyo Roki sent to me which I cut at the time. My observations were that it was very small profile, and very well constructed. At the same time I cut a Yamaha/Tokyo Roki 5DM-13440-00, and found them absolutely identical, right down to the tool marks on the innards. A little research turned up the fact that Tokyo Roki prides themselves on manufacturing efficient, small profile filters.

I was going to cut some new Purolators and a Mobil 1 M1-108, but before I did I decided to contact Purolator USA, Mobil, and AMS for their take on the smart/Mitsu/T.R. Purolator and Mobil actually did testing, while AMS' response was "It looks like it would work." I sent the Purolators (L14612 and PL14612) to Kane (Evilution) for his evaluation.

After "benchmarking," Purolator subsequently listed the better L14612 semi-synthetic and the best PL14612 full-synthetic fleece in their application guide for the 2008 smart. I note that they are still listed though I sent them Kane's photos showing the exposure of the longer 14612s. Performance-wise, Purolator determined that the 14612's characteristics equaled or exceeded the OEM.

Likewise, Mobil examined the OEM and found their M1-108 the equal of or better than the OEM (filtering capacity, flow rate, bypass valve spring rate, etc.). At the time I talked with them they were waiting to install one on an actual smart to determine clearances before listing it on their application guide. I cannot find a Mobil 1 application guide to see if it is now listed. Physically, the 108 is 2mm less in diameter and 14mm longer than the OEM, but it does not protrude below the bottom of the car though it does have a 20% greater internal volume than the OEM.

AMS' response was not good enough for me to consider the AMSoil EAO12 full-synthetic at this point.

smart uses the M-B Sheet 229.5 for their lube guide, which also includes the necessity to use a full-synthetic fleece filter, and which the OEM smart/Mitsu/T.R. is not. Neither is the semi-synthetic M1-108, but it is a good compromise if the Mitsu engineers are happy without a full fleece.

The only reason I went looking for alternatives to the OEM was for more immediate availability and maybe a little better price. My situation isn't so bad with my dealer 50 miles/1 hour away, but there are lots of owners around the country that are hundreds of miles and many hours away from their dealer.

[jwight]

Somewhere on here is the oil viscosity chart from the UK Operators Manual (maybe posted by Kane?) showing the various temp ranges and recommended viscosity ranges. That's in an approved smart publication, so I'm sure you'd be safe following it.

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by jwight

Somewhere on here is the oil viscosity chart from the UK Operators Manual (maybe posted by Kane?) showing the various temp ranges and recommended viscosity ranges. That's in an approved smart publication, so I'm sure you'd be safe following it.

From Kane's site: Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia . It is an exact facsimile of the chart appearing in the 2008 Euro/English Operators Instructions. Leads one to wonder why the chart is not included in our manual.

N.B. For here in the City of Williamsburg, VA, and averaged over a 64 year period, the climatological data is as follows: Extreme low -05.5F; Median Low +30.2F; Median Mean +59.1F; Median High +87.9F; Extreme High +104.5F.

[Nicholas]

Thanks Feral Collie for your time and information...very much appreciated! And as per all the worries among us...I'm using Mobil 1 full synthetic 5W 30 with a Mobile 1 #108 oil filter with first change at 1,530 miles with planned change intervals at 5,000 miles. If said car blows up due to oil or filter failure you guys will know. Now go out and enjoy the damn thing...

[SLIVERS]

Great reading!!
DEBUNKED - The 3,000 mile oil change is a myth. | California Integrated Waste Management Board