BallGoFar

For my first set of questions I would like to have some opinions of the best oil/oil filter to use as well as what are the best other fluids to use for my car. I'm going to have all of the fluids replaced first thing and want to make sure I'm putting the best in my car. I have an 86 944 n/a.

After I do that, I'm going to have the timing belt/water pump replaced and then probably the plugs/ plug wires. Distrbutor cap and rotor so I'd love to have some opinions about plug wires and distributors too.

Then what should my next step(s) be?

rpm's S2

This question is easier asked than answered. Most Rennlisters seem to prefer Mobil 1 synthetic. Porsche, Ferrari, and BMW agree. However, there seems to be some evidence that cars not raised on synthetic oil are best left using traditional lubricant (dino oil). It is possible that the engine seals in higher mileage cars that have not used synthetic before might tend to leak because of the uniformity of the molecular structure of the synthetic.
My car has always had Mobil 1 every 3-5k and is going strong at 125k.
Stick with Mahle oil filters and you will not go wrong.

BallGoFar

Well I can definately attest to that fact now!! I had the car for three days before I had the oil changed and had no leaks of any kind..I checked and rechecked. Anyway I had them put synthetic oil in and guess what?? I'm now leaking oil!!! Will the synthetic do any harm or is ok to leave it for a couple of months, top off my oil and then have it changed back to Dino or Castrol ( the two brands I've seen the most on this board?)

rpm's S2

Sort of depends on how clean you want your driveway/garage floor, doesn't it. I used to use Castrol GTX with fine results. By the way, Dino is not a brand, but the source (dinosaurs).

scular

What the synthetic did was remove the buildups, so I don't swicthing back will make a difference. Just a little note most synthetics are fully compatible with the dino, so to top it off just use dino, its cheaper.

Adrian

Dear Ballgofar,
The environment where you live and the 944 lives should also play a role in the type of oil and grade (weight)you use.
I converted my 944 (now owned by my daughter) from Dino to Castrol GTX 5w 30, full synthetic. 5w 30 is an all season oil and works really well in the winter months. I had a small oil leak before hand and now it is gone. No idea why. The grade of oil used and your environment may have played a role. What oil did you actually use. If you live in the warmer climes and used 5W 30 or 0W 40, I am not surprised it leaked.
To your other questions. Replace all the ignition system components. If you pull off the rotor arms you have to replace them anyway. It is worth doing. The most expensive part is the ignition leads.
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4