997 Gear Lubricant Data
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,122
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From: Downers Grove, Illinois
I was experiencing the famous intermittent 1st gear engagement issue, so I took my car to the dealer for the following services:
1) Change gear lube (they used Mobilube according to the receipt)
2) Bleed the clutch hydraulic fluid
3) Adjust clutch cable
I would say that I don't feel any improvement, and unfortunately the intermittent 1st gear engagement issue persists. I guess at this point I have to live with it....
1) Change gear lube (they used Mobilube according to the receipt)
2) Bleed the clutch hydraulic fluid
3) Adjust clutch cable
I would say that I don't feel any improvement, and unfortunately the intermittent 1st gear engagement issue persists. I guess at this point I have to live with it....
Racer
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 326
Likes: 4
From: Wilmington, Delaware
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 465
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During summer months I have no problem. During "cold" california winter months I simply depress the clutch pedal twice to get into 1st. works like a charm. I use all genuine porsche dealership fluids. I just pretend i'd driving a race car - oh never mind - no need to pretend. 
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 588
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From: Calgary, AB
Many transaxle equipped cars unfortunately suffer from issues with shifting.
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 588
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From: Calgary, AB
Honestly, with my limited experience, it probably has to do with shifting style / technique. Mashing 1-st or 2-nd pretty hard doesn't help. And if you are second or third owner you essentially have no idea how previous owner drove that car. Unless of course he offered you a ride before your test drive.
Double de- clutching always helps. I often do that going from 1-st to 2-nd when cold. It somehow helps to minimize stress on synchros.
I've seen a lot of bad std. Tranny shifting habits. Not that I'm perfect, trying hard however to prolong its life.
Again, most importantly proper lubricant, condition of your clutch, cables and bleeding will help in most cases. I cannot stress enough importance of proper lubricant. Have a look at Richard Widman's web site explaining differences between GL4 and GL5 lubricants and short section on transaxle requirements. It is quite eye opening.
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Luke
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 588
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From: Calgary, AB
Update
One more update.
This time with Millers EE Transmission 75W-90.
The VI and KV @ 0*C for this fluid don't follow the trend well, so I sorted it by KV @ 0*C (freezing point) as calculated by Widman calculator (meaning not 100% accurate).
It's one of the most viscous fluids at 100*C with relatively high VI.
It also contains Nano Technology.
This time with Millers EE Transmission 75W-90.
The VI and KV @ 0*C for this fluid don't follow the trend well, so I sorted it by KV @ 0*C (freezing point) as calculated by Widman calculator (meaning not 100% accurate).
It's one of the most viscous fluids at 100*C with relatively high VI.
It also contains Nano Technology.
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One note for all: when you change your oil doublecheck the gearbox-side of the cables. The cable jacket mounts in a sheet metal bracket. Mine were half popped out causing some binding. I pushed them back in and safety wired them so they can't pop out (they're only retained by a plastic snap). No amount of cable adjustment will help if you have this issue.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 65
From: Austin, TX
Agreed... it will be amended to our DIY sticky.
IMHO: once/yr if you track; once/2 yrs otherwise; lifetime according to Porsche = when the warranty ends.
IMHO: once/yr if you track; once/2 yrs otherwise; lifetime according to Porsche = when the warranty ends.
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Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Calgary, AB
I recently changed my Shell Spirax G-box fluid to Millers CRX 75W-90 NT.
The first 250 kms or so were quite a bit notchy in close to freezing point weather (yes, we’re getting it already. Don’t laugh! Please…). Shifting improved quite a bit with the lubricant bedding in. I would not recommend it for a daily driven car (say, by your better halves) in moderate climates. That said, my wife really liked shifting while fully warmed up and I didn’t even solicit her opinion. It is one heck of a lubricant for track or similar higher load application. Millers received nothing but accolades for this fluid.
I would still recommend Shell Spirax for daily driven 996/7 in moderate climate that includes winter like conditions and a casual driver.
Millers has yet another fluid, that is EE Transmission 75W-90 that has far lower viscosity at 0*C. See the table above. It has NT technology and may be a better fit for 996/7 transmissions. I will be a lot smarter when I come back from Millers HQ in mid November. Please hang on with Millers specific questions until then.
Guys, all fluids above are 75W-90, all are GL-5 (many GL-4 & 5). Isn’t it amazing how much their viscosities vary at 0*C? Many (most? All?) of them are not Newtonian fluids, so the 0*C KV is only approximate, yet the bracket is still quite amazing!
Note that Millers EE Transmission does not fit well with its VI and KV @ 0*C values. I have no intelligent explanation to that. In other words its VI would suggest lower KV @ 0*C, but it doesn’t plot that way. I will ask Millers Techs for their comments.
Regarding frequency of change, many thanks to USMC for a very diplomatic and elegant answer.
I also posted some comments on Renntech. Link here:
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...-oil-analysis/
The first 250 kms or so were quite a bit notchy in close to freezing point weather (yes, we’re getting it already. Don’t laugh! Please…). Shifting improved quite a bit with the lubricant bedding in. I would not recommend it for a daily driven car (say, by your better halves) in moderate climates. That said, my wife really liked shifting while fully warmed up and I didn’t even solicit her opinion. It is one heck of a lubricant for track or similar higher load application. Millers received nothing but accolades for this fluid.
I would still recommend Shell Spirax for daily driven 996/7 in moderate climate that includes winter like conditions and a casual driver.
Millers has yet another fluid, that is EE Transmission 75W-90 that has far lower viscosity at 0*C. See the table above. It has NT technology and may be a better fit for 996/7 transmissions. I will be a lot smarter when I come back from Millers HQ in mid November. Please hang on with Millers specific questions until then.
Guys, all fluids above are 75W-90, all are GL-5 (many GL-4 & 5). Isn’t it amazing how much their viscosities vary at 0*C? Many (most? All?) of them are not Newtonian fluids, so the 0*C KV is only approximate, yet the bracket is still quite amazing!
Note that Millers EE Transmission does not fit well with its VI and KV @ 0*C values. I have no intelligent explanation to that. In other words its VI would suggest lower KV @ 0*C, but it doesn’t plot that way. I will ask Millers Techs for their comments.
Regarding frequency of change, many thanks to USMC for a very diplomatic and elegant answer.
I also posted some comments on Renntech. Link here:
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...-oil-analysis/
RL Community Team
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Atlanta
The stock one from the dealer. I've driven a car with Delvac and even had the Liquimoly in my gear box for a couple of weeks. Very difficult engagement in first with both of those, especially when cold. So I went back to whatever Porsche sells in their service department. For street-driven cars stick with the OEM fluid.
My 2009 C2S manual states PTX only. If I took my car to this dealer, they would have filled it with Delvac.
I ordered the PTX from Suncoast and supplied it to my indy. $115 for 3 liters plus UPS ground shipping.
See another post on this subject here: https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...-synchros.html
Peace
Bruce in Philly
