Neb

Just got my first oil analysis back, car is a 2003 C4S with 115,670km. Anything to worry about?

KrazyK

Uh bruh, why do you have 9500 miles on that oil?

fpb111

looks like it may really be 9500 KM

Neb

From Canada, only 9500km on it. Considering Porsche Canada recommends oil changes every 20000km or every 2 yrs.

Hurdigurdiman

I think you may be leaving the oil too long before changing it. 9,500 Kms. Thats just below 6000 miles. From what I read 5000 miles is about right under normal driving conditions. Half that milage if you are tracking the car. I know synthetic can be pushed up to 7000 miles but I wouldn't even push synthetic beyond 5000 under normal driving conditions. Why risk even the slightest of unwanted wear on our engines by pushing oil to it's limit. Thats only in my honest opinion. Bollox to what Porsche Canada says. They are talking a load of crap and delight in selling engines to unsuspecting customers.

KrazyK

I completely agree. Oil and filter is cheap compared to +$20K for a new engine.

street rod

I knew you guys would get along.

nick49

Like the report says " a bit more piston scuffing than average" is where your excessive aluminum is coming from. Iron may be rings, piston pins, cams, crank, chains or possibly bearing material.

I might consider doing a flush if the oil has run long mileage cycles. This would be to get an inexpensive oil, paraffin based 5w30 or 5w40 and run it for a day or two then change it. If running another than recommended weight I'd not push the car hard. The mineral oil will be a great seal conditioner and lifters like it too. Then change it back to the synthetic that you usually run. In the '60s we would flush motors with a mix of kerosene and motor oil 50/50, run for half an hour and flush out the sluge. This was before detergent oils were popular.

Macster

Your oil's numbers are in line with the averages.

These engines are alum. and a bit of flashing in the oil gets pulverized and can bump that alum. number up some. Or if the oil gets acidic it can start to corrode the alum. and this can bump the number up too.

As for iron the pistons are coated with the stuff to prevent alum. piston the alum. cylinder wall scuffing.

Metals that would be present if an IMSB wear coming apart are not present.

About the only thing I would go along with that others have posted is the oil is probably about 1000 miles past its change by date or miles. 5K miles is about all I'd run an oil. (Do not read in the Turbo forum where I posted I let my Turbo run 10Kmiles between oil changes... I'm so ashamed.)

There's no sludge to remove.

I'd never run any 5w-30 or mineral oil or kerosene in these engines. All this would likely due is cause accelerated wear to the camshaft lobes, lifter tops, and VarioCam hardware.

Approved oils for these engines are all high detergent oils.

The engine's interior is fine.

Just change the oil/filter and go back to driving your car. I mean it is running ok right? Just keep doing what you've been doing, except running the oil for 9500km.

djantlive

i wouldn't worry at all. those average numbers do not reflect different engine design and material used.

as for oil change frequency, i actually think you are changing it fairly frequently at 5k miles or 10k km. i changed mine at 10k mi every two years. engine holds 9-10 qts and this extends the service interval greatly. changing it at 5k miles is even a waste imo. there are those that still subscribe to 3k miles, which is a complete waste of resources.

jerome951

For comparison sake, I just had my oil tested. 5,300 miles of use on a 93,000 mile engine. Blend of M1 15W-50 and Castrol Syntec 5W-50.

My alum was 4 (and very close to previous report)
Iron was 6 (ditto)

rpm's S2

Macster - An awesome response! Detailed, helpful, and easily scannable.

Neb

Thanks everyone for your reply, I did the analysis more to prevent IMSB issue. The engine runs fine, more preventative. The engine has already been changed under warranty, and has about 52k km on it. I guess I will try to change it more often at 7500km. I store the car in the winter, so I just changed the oil in Nov. Good to have fresh oil over the winter to prevent any corrosion.

Ubermensch

I'm really not sure where you guys get the idea that synthetic oil will only last 5k miles during street use. While it agrees with random people on the internet that repeat what others say, it disagrees with the oil manufacturers, the engine manufacturers, oil analysis from these engines, and SAE reports on oil durability. When not tracking the car and doing more than 10k miles in a year I ran 10k mile intervals and my oil analysis looked fine (I'll need to look up the Fe and Al levels for the OP). In general I'm never against preventative maintenance, and these are your cars so you can do whatever you want, however suggesting that someone is doing something wrong by following a 9500km change interval is inaccurate.

MiamiC70

Mobil 1 every 5k miles no matter what has served me well for last 2.5 years