Gerard996

Greeting Everyone

My name is Gerard im from Durban,South Africa. The average temperatures here in Durban is 28 degrees Celsius or (82'F). I currently have a 2001 Porsche 996 Turbo with 56000km or 35000miles. I have read many threads about motor oils for Porsche 996 turbo but not many directly linked to hot climate. I currently have mobil 1 0w40 at the moment i have noticed that the oil gets eaten up quite quickly. If the engine is warm and the oil indicator says full and if i take the car for a drive down the coast and get back it would be 1-2 bars lower.Is that Normal? Please can i get your help with regards to me doing a oil change what oil should i use or should i just stick to the 0w40?

Thanks for your help
Gerard

Macster

Here's a cut/paste of my response to this query in the 996 forum:

Well, I have to point out that with around 35K miles on the engine the 0w-40 oil must be doing something right. It doesn't take long for an inadequate oil to make itself known.

If you want extra protection given the ambient temperatures where you live and drive switch to Mobil 1 5w-50 oil. Note this is not a typo for 15w-50 oil.

The 5w-50 oil is an approved oil, and obviously brings with it a higher high temperature viscosity grade.

I recently switched both my Boxster and my Turbo over to 5w-50 oil as a recognition where I live and drive temperatures do not get that low (rarely below freezing and then not for more than a few hours at most and during a time when I'm not driving the car) but can get quite high, over 100 degs F. and can remain there for hours during which time I can be in one of my cars and driving in traffic. I have monitored the Boxtster engine coolant temperature under these conditions and the coolant temperature can be 226F. God only knows what the oil temperature is. I have not monitored the Turbo's coolant temperature but I'm sure it stays lower -- the Turbo has better engine cooling -- but the oil pressure reading nominally at around 1.7 bar drops to 1.5 bar at hot idle. This suggests the oil is quite warm, but not scary warm.

As for the change in oil level the usual explanation for a drop in oil level after an extended drive is the extended drive with the engine at full operating temperature over this time resulted in the boiling off of water in the oil which has reduced its volume.

(Do not dismiss this build of water in the oil: As I have mentioned before it was the presence of 7% water in my Boxster's factory fill oil -- the UOA done with around 4K miles on the oil -- that prompted me to adopt a 5K mile oil/filter service schedule rather than sticking to the factory's 15K mile oil, 30K mile filter, service schedule. The engine I think liked this 5K mile schedule for now with over 287K miles the engine is still just fine.)

If the extended drive was preceded by a number of short trips, short drives, the loss of oil volume due to the removal of water from the oil becomes the more likely explanation.

Also, depending upon how you drove the car, the drop in oil level might be due to oil consumption. This does not have be past the rings, or past the valve guide seals, or even past the turbo seals. Those are possibilities, but so to is the AOS. The AOS may not be that efficient in removing oil vapor from the crankcase fumes and thus some oil makes it through the AOS and is routed to the intake and on into the engine where it is burned.

Switch to Mobil 1 5w-50 and relax.

Gerard996

thanks Macster much appreciated.

Carlo_Carrera

I agree with Macster, use 5W-50.

x50type

Oil change on the 996 Turbo couldn't be much easier - takes no more than 15 minutes, 10 of which is the oil draining. You can search on Rennlist for specifics - may even be on youtube.

"02996ttx50

when it is hot i run a 50/50 MIX of ( this fill ) castrol edge full synth in 5/40 X 5/50 and i've never had a smoother idle/sound at hot temps. the mixing of the two different viscosities was taught to me by some track people that have been mixing it for the added extreme heat of track conditions for years.

Gerard996

Thanks guys for the replies. Just having a problem getting the mobil 1 5w50 oil and plus now i can get the 0w40 for $25 for 4litres or 4.2 quarts. What to do....

Gerard996

But still going to try and find that mobil 1 5w50..

LexVan

Did you try Amazon?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...?nodeId=596186

Sent from my iPhone using Rennlist

x50type

Gerrard996

According to my information Durban weather is mild and sub-tropical; summer temp max 28c [82f].

I live on the US gulf coast where it's hot [relative] much of the time and apparently hotter than Durban SA. I use 0-40 all the time as recommended without a problem.

You could try the mixes suggested in this thread if you are not comfortable with the 0-40.

Macster

While 82F is not that hot, in town stop and go driving can really heat the engine, and of course the oil. It is borderline I suppose whether a heavier oil is really required. Too heavy an oil can raise oil temperature due to the increase in friction of the heavier oil.

The OP is ok using 0w-40 (as 35K miles of problem free driving can attest) but he could use 5w-50. I mean the the real concern is running too thick an oil at too low a temperature, which is why in colder climes 0w-40 oil is recommended, rather than a 5w-40 oil.

Regarding mixing oils, I am not a fan of this. Modern oils have very specific additive packages to make the total oil and mixing oils means compromising the additive packages.

Even if one ignores this I can't really believe that a straight up 5w-40 oil is not "thick" enough, while a straight up 5w-50 oil is too "thick", but a 50/50 blend of 5w-40 and 5w-50 for a 5w-45? is just right.

Kevinmacd

Down here in S Fla, and that's what I use 5w-50. Rule of thumb is 5w-50 for temps above 40 deg F. Its not to thick, after all it has the property of a 5 weight oil in lower temps! Its available on Amazon

5ive0

fyi- the guys in the southern US states will have hotter climates that Durban.. So personally I would do what the the Florida/texas/ Luisiana crew of porsche owners are doing.

Secondly, I believe 5w50 is used by a lot of guys who track/race, and I'm certain you can find it where you are, if not Durban, then definitely Joburg.

Also, without turning this into an oil/ Mobile 1 discussion. I'm on the side of the fence, that the majority of the major oil brands do a good job on their oils and I personally would not be fixated on Mobile 1.

mdkelly1

Mobil 1 5W-50. I buy it online at: http://www.avlube.com/mobil15w50.html

Don't know how you'd source it over there, but a search online might help.

"02996ttx50

i'm going to bet you haven't tried mixing oils, and yet having said that, it is such a minor variance on viscosity, that i in fact sometimes wonder if i'm really just humoring myself by following the advice of guys that race cup cars and suggested it to me in the first place. this is their HOT track temp heat cycle oils combo of choice. not the castrol per se, but the mixing of the 5/40 w 5/50.

who am i to second guess well known speed shop porsche builders. though it is not suggested by porsche themselves as far as we/you/i know. so, it's all a bit of an experiment. but one with minimum downside i would venture.

my car however, has never run "quieter" and that was a huge issue for me before, that rattle we "all" have is gone and my 122k mile car purrs at idle.. i'm never what i would consider a "fan" of that which i haven't tried or experienced. i am at best quizzical. but i suspect you err on the side of official document suggested info, coupled with your vast knowledge of how things "work", so stay with what you "know".