Amsoil 5W-40 European Car Formula
05-31-2015, 08:29 PM
#16
Pro
Thread Starter
You missed this little part of oil literature. Also try to find another car with that size and weight of tappets that has a recommendation beginning with 0.
Otherwise amsoil looks good on these tests.. http://www.upmpg.com/motor_oil/motor_oil_testing.htm
Otherwise amsoil looks good on these tests.. http://www.upmpg.com/motor_oil/motor_oil_testing.htm
05-31-2015, 08:33 PM
#17
Pro
Thread Starter
Were you using the "Signature" or "European" version of Amsoil?
I am trying to understand how the high SAPS changes the equation. The European version comes in medium and high SAPS. Amsoil recommends the high version for both my cars.
05-31-2015, 11:09 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
As I understand it, you want a high saps oil.
Low saps are engine oils designed mostly for diesels with modern emission equipment that can't handle the higher amounts of additives (but those additives are needed in your older cars).
Low saps are engine oils designed mostly for diesels with modern emission equipment that can't handle the higher amounts of additives (but those additives are needed in your older cars).
06-04-2015, 12:20 AM
#19
Three Wheelin'
With how hot it gets in Dallas, I would absolutely not run anything less than 15W-50 or 20W50 in a 944. Your hot oil pressure will be noticeably higher.
I know you didn't want to discuss weights, but that is the bottom line. I am a professional Porsche and BMW technician, and in the much milder climate of Santa Barbara, CA, we run 20W-50 in all older German engines (to the mid-1990s) and they like it much better. That is what they were designed to run in a warmer climate. The lighter weight oil is better for newer engines with tighter tolerances and variable camshaft timing/lift systems that use the oil as a hydraulic fluid.
No experience with Amsoil, but I do know a few people who swear by it. I run Redline 20W-50 in my 951 that sees a lot of track use, and it is great, with excellent used oil analysis results. At my shop, we put Motul 15W-50 in older cars that run synthetic oil, including 964s and 993s.
Porsche's recommendation to run Mobil 1 0W-40 in older cars is COMPLETE BS. As is their 15,000-mile oil change interval for the newer engines, we have seen the dire results . . . . .
I know you didn't want to discuss weights, but that is the bottom line. I am a professional Porsche and BMW technician, and in the much milder climate of Santa Barbara, CA, we run 20W-50 in all older German engines (to the mid-1990s) and they like it much better. That is what they were designed to run in a warmer climate. The lighter weight oil is better for newer engines with tighter tolerances and variable camshaft timing/lift systems that use the oil as a hydraulic fluid.
No experience with Amsoil, but I do know a few people who swear by it. I run Redline 20W-50 in my 951 that sees a lot of track use, and it is great, with excellent used oil analysis results. At my shop, we put Motul 15W-50 in older cars that run synthetic oil, including 964s and 993s.
Porsche's recommendation to run Mobil 1 0W-40 in older cars is COMPLETE BS. As is their 15,000-mile oil change interval for the newer engines, we have seen the dire results . . . . .
06-04-2015, 12:21 AM
#20
Rennlist Member
^^ Well said ^^
06-04-2015, 09:23 AM
#21
Pro
Thread Starter
With how hot it gets in Dallas, I would absolutely not run anything less than 15W-50 or 20W50 in a 944. Your hot oil pressure will be noticeably higher.
I know you didn't want to discuss weights, but that is the bottom line. I am a professional Porsche and BMW technician, and in the much milder climate of Santa Barbara, CA, we run 20W-50 in all older German engines (to the mid-1990s) and they like it much better. That is what they were designed to run in a warmer climate. The lighter weight oil is better for newer engines with tighter tolerances and variable camshaft timing/lift systems that use the oil as a hydraulic fluid.
No experience with Amsoil, but I do know a few people who swear by it. I run Redline 20W-50 in my 951 that sees a lot of track use, and it is great, with excellent used oil analysis results. At my shop, we put Motul 15W-50 in older cars that run synthetic oil, including 964s and 993s.
Porsche's recommendation to run Mobil 1 0W-40 in older cars is COMPLETE BS. As is their 15,000-mile oil change interval for the newer engines, we have seen the dire results . . . . .
I know you didn't want to discuss weights, but that is the bottom line. I am a professional Porsche and BMW technician, and in the much milder climate of Santa Barbara, CA, we run 20W-50 in all older German engines (to the mid-1990s) and they like it much better. That is what they were designed to run in a warmer climate. The lighter weight oil is better for newer engines with tighter tolerances and variable camshaft timing/lift systems that use the oil as a hydraulic fluid.
No experience with Amsoil, but I do know a few people who swear by it. I run Redline 20W-50 in my 951 that sees a lot of track use, and it is great, with excellent used oil analysis results. At my shop, we put Motul 15W-50 in older cars that run synthetic oil, including 964s and 993s.
Porsche's recommendation to run Mobil 1 0W-40 in older cars is COMPLETE BS. As is their 15,000-mile oil change interval for the newer engines, we have seen the dire results . . . . .
- Porsche recommends 0W-40 (I know you disagree)
- Royal Purple recommends 5W-30
- Amsoil recommends 5W-40
- The mechanic that built the motor recommended 5W-30 in Seattle
- The car has been running with 5W-30 for past 10 years without an issue (5 years of that in climate controlled storage)
- Based on the oil pressure gauge, the pressure is fine
The car does not have air conditioning nor a sunroof and it will not be going out on hot days to protect the driver. Although the engine was built 10 years ago, it has very few miles logged on it. This is a hobby car that spends 99% of its time in the garage under a car cover. It is unlikely it will ever see a track at this point. Because of an upgraded cooling system during the rebuild, it runs super cool. I was told the tolerances were very tight by the engine builder.
Your points about tolerances and temperature are consistent with everything that I have read. Also, if the car were to be driven hard on a dyno or a track, I would agree with the need for the thicker oil. Putting around Dallas city streets is not going to be much of a workout. I am more concerned about cold start-up wear (the first number in the oil) at this point.
Like I said, when I wrote this post I was more interested in opinions on Amsoil and the significance of Low, Medium and High SAPs oils.
I appreciate the feedback, but I am happy with the current strategy.
06-04-2015, 10:28 AM
#22
Three Wheelin'
Lol, since you drive so little miles annually, you have good rebuilt engine, why even consider taking the chance and using engine oil with weight that is not even remotely suitable for 951? Porsche has changed their recommendation many times and each time it is what their "partner" produces, not what is best for the engine. Heck, with very calm drive I could get away using the cheapest semi-synth oil on 951 for years but what's the point of it? Save 100 dollars over 10 years?
06-04-2015, 08:57 PM
#23
Rennlist Member
McDonald's will tell you that their food is healthy too. Just because it's newer doesn't make it better.
That oil weight info you're wed to is inaccurate and misleading. What Porsche USA and others are telling you is plain wrong. Just because you haven't had an issue with the light loading you put on the car doesn't mean the oil choice is correct. The whole notion of all this perceived cold start damage is more a red herring than fact. How is it that when all these wonder oils weren't available for decades that we didn't have tens of thousands of 944s stranded at the side of the road, in workshops, up on bricks because of premature engine failure? Porsche motors when used with the correct oils can last hundreds of thousands of miles/kilometers. Yet how many times have we heard of premature wear, spun bearings and worse and find that they had too light an oil with not enough ZDDP in there. Anyhoo.....
That oil weight info you're wed to is inaccurate and misleading. What Porsche USA and others are telling you is plain wrong. Just because you haven't had an issue with the light loading you put on the car doesn't mean the oil choice is correct. The whole notion of all this perceived cold start damage is more a red herring than fact. How is it that when all these wonder oils weren't available for decades that we didn't have tens of thousands of 944s stranded at the side of the road, in workshops, up on bricks because of premature engine failure? Porsche motors when used with the correct oils can last hundreds of thousands of miles/kilometers. Yet how many times have we heard of premature wear, spun bearings and worse and find that they had too light an oil with not enough ZDDP in there. Anyhoo.....
06-05-2015, 01:36 AM
#25
Rennlist Member
Stay off the stiffest setting Mikey!
06-08-2015, 09:04 AM
#26
Newer oils are also based on emissions more than anything else. I refuse to use anything that was not designed to be used in our engines. If you use amsoil I would still use a heavier weight oil.
06-08-2015, 04:56 PM
#28