FWIW

I work as a service engineer in a large international company that makes big yellow diesel engines and big yellow machines. Our products and components are are expected to last from 15,000 (components) to 100,000 (chassis and frames) operating hours. Proper selection of lubricants is key to achieving long life from power train components. Now it's a free world, and you can choose to use what ever lubricants you like, even down to heavy oils. However, you will not achieve the life you paid for, nor will your receive warranty for failures resulting from using lubricants not approved by us, the manufacturer.

Now if you feel that you have more DATA than the manufacturer and are willing to roll the dice with lubricants other than those recommended by the manufacturer, by all means do it. Just don't expect us to pay for your "experiment". I for one will stick with what the manufacturer, Porsche, recommends as I do not have the DATA to provide the security I seek.

Cheers,

 

I'm only talking about the previous recommended weight v. the new wieght of 0.

 

Be careful with Castrol syntec products... they are not fully synthetic products oil like Mobil 1 or Amsoil.

 

Check your facts and then you can correct you erronious posting.

 

It's not completely erroneous... depends on who's definition of "synthetic" you go by...

read this and pay attention to the specific compound castrol has removed from their synthetic blend... (this is what leads me to question if it is fully synthetic....)

http://www.performanceoiltechnology....obilandpao.htm


on another note... I think AMSOIL is one of the best synthetics out there and the company has the data to prove it:

http://www.performanceoiltechnology....lvs.Mobil1.htm

 

Newer cars are designed with tigfhter tollerances and thus need thinner oils to lubercate the parts propperly. The bvelief that thicker is better is old school and does not apply today. Yes there is various reasons for manufactures to recomend thinner oils such as a Fords 5-20W was to hopefully get the F150 MPG slightly higher, but Chryslers recomendation of the thin 5-20 is because the hydraulic components for the displacement on demand does not work well with thick oils. Given the fact that the cams and valve train might be sensitive to viscosity I would not use an unapproved oil for the 996. FWIW Castro 5-50 is a recomended alternative, as are other brands like Amsoil, Valvoline, Shell. I would stick to syntethic oils with a 0-40, 5-40, or 5-50 weight.

 

Oh no - another oil thread. Why not use Mobil1 5W-50 ?

 

I have seen this argument many times. Yet, the fact is, the tolerances in areas where the oil passes are no tighter than any high performance engine built 30 years ago. So many people argue that Porsche "knows all things engine", so you have to assume that when they originally specified 15W50 for the 3.4 engine, they found that this oil provided the best shear protection for the bearing, etc. Or maybe now they should be trusted that the 0W40 oil gives the best protection. Since these two oils are completely different on many areas, they were wrong with one of those recommendations. To the best of my knowledge, noone has rebuild my engine that came from the factory with 15W50.

The push of 0W40 is a marketing ploy as well as a way Porsche can get a little better performance in the short run along with fuel economy. You could run Olive Oil in your engine over the short run and not have any rpoblem with the engine and that might be fine for those Porsche owners who trade their car for a new one every few years. But is you are serious about longevity of the engine, stay away from 0W40 in warmer climates.

 

This is a very timely thread as I am beginning to plan my spring maintainance (oil change, brake fluid flush, possibly plugs) and winter / summer wheel swap for next month.

Does anybody have a list of approved oils that Porsche currently reccomends for a 3.4?

On the same topic, I have also noticed that there are two different filters floating around out there: 996 107 225 52 & 996 107 225 53. Any thoughts between the two?

Thanks,

Jeff
'99 C4

 

Not available in the states.

 

So, tell us: which TSB of approved oils should be followed? Number 1? Number 2? Number 3? Number 4? Number? I mean, if Porsche NEVER is in error, then they would have no need for TSB's. Correct?

 

One supercedes the other. Just order your filter and you will get (in theory) the newest part number.

 

Does anyone know whether 0w40 was available when the 3.4 was first built in 98? Could this explain why 15w50 was initially recommended? Nothing more than a question, don't read anything else into this.

 

I think Amsoil 10W40 would be a good compromise if one didn't want to use a 15W50 oil... look at the specs and it comes very close to the mobil 1 5W50; and you can use it in the winter time as well... I do think Amsoil makes a better oil than mobil 1 or castrol for that fact... for those who don't want to change more than once a year I think it's a great choice.

 

Mobil 1 0W40 was available in (non USA) in 1998.