Should I use Porsche Classic 5w50 in a low mileage 996?

Hi all, My 996 has 65000 miles. I've been using 0w40 in it every 5k miles. I live in the Pacific Northwest as far as climate goes. Should I switch to the Porsche Classic 5w50 even at this low of mileage? Thanks!

Oh boy! Another oil thread....

Asking an 'oil' question is a brave endeavor...lots of opinions without one clear answer. Since you've asked....I'll dip my toes in the water by asking you a question. If the car has been living comfortably on 0w40 all this time...and there are no signs of issues....why contemplate a change? If you haven't done an oil analysis (ever or recently)...first step could be sending in a sample to get a sense of the 'health' of your engine. In my humble opinion....the most important thing when it comes to oil is to use quality product and perform regular changes. Cheers!

While you're picking up your genuine Porsche oil, don't forget to buy the matching man-pouch, jacket, driving gloves, and hat.

Seriously though, Driven DT-40 was specially engineered by L&N Engineering for our engines. Run that with 4K OCI, using a stock Mahle filter, make sure you have a magnetic drain plug. There's a LOT of good oils out there, but only one specifically engineered for our engines.

I agree with sasilverbullet. If no other issues or concerns on the stock engine at your miles, use the Driven.

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Credit to and with permission from B3FREAK

Who makes the Classic oil, anyway? Is it just relabeled something?

^ Asking the real questions. I tried to look it up and of course the source is a tightly-kept secret. All Porsche seems to want to divulge is that it's a "German Supplier." Most sellers seem to indicate that the manufacturer is "Porsche." https://www.porsche.com/internationa...r%20engines%2C Even Porsche themselves seem to allude to them being the manufacturer, (even though this is most likely not true.) The verbiage for the Air Cooled model is 100% marketing speak.

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Porsche has a partnership with Mobil, so my guess is Mobil.

Speaking strictly on the oil weight, and not "oil brand " ......I will say that if you have 4 Bar or more oil pressure at 4k rpm with 40 weight oil at your normal operating temp, you can/should stay with 40 weight. But if your engine has less than 4 bar oil pressure at 4k rpm at normal operating temp using a 40 weight , then use a 50 weight..

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Not to hijack this thread, but I went out this morning and took a pic for discussion. I am coming up on an oil change next week for this 2003 C4S. 43,000 on the clock.I have been considering a move to Mobil1 5-50 European from Mobil 1 0-40 European. She is using the renowned 1 qt per 1000 miles and I'd like to see that go down a bit going into the summer driving season. Here is a pic I took this morning. She's well warmed up in 75 degrees ambient. So if I may ask Mr. Porschetech3 sir , how should I be thinking about this insofar as the move to 50? Thank you in advance. Rick , how should I be thinking about this insofar as the move to 50? Thank you in advance. Rick

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I'd pick the oil based upon what's best for the engine (of course there/s no "perfect" answer to that either) rather than based upon oil consumption. My 996.1, with now close to 80k miles, doesn't use any oil at all between oil changes. I'm using DT-40. You seldom get the chance to have an oil made specifically for your engine type (I can't think of any others), so it's a no brainer for me to use that. Is DT-40 really better for the 996? I have no idea, but it seems like the safest choice. The DT-40 price doesn't bother me at all -- I would never skimp on oil in any car, and especially the 996 which is probably more sensitive to oils and temperatures and other factors than most other engines.

This is the oil i have been using for years, great stuff but getting harder to find every day. My favorite oil filter. Also getting hard to find.

And i think we are done here.

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What's the best type of oil to keep that guy's arm moving smoothly?

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I don't get involved in "oil debates" but since your question pertains to a technical aspect of oil viscosity of which is well documented and classified by many organizations with real world technical tests, I will give you my short and sweet answer. I would not switch to a thicker 50 weight oil just for economic reasons alone,( assuming that's why you want to switch, you didn't say why). Even if the switch to 50 weight cuts oil consumption in half to 1/2 quart per 1k miles ( which it probably won't ), it will only save you about $5 , and the fuel consumed to pump the heavier 50 weight oil will probably cost $10 more over 1k miles... There are many other things to consider about oil viscosity, like the "turnover rate" of the oil and the aeration that it causes on the oil, but that's a deep subject with many many other variables..

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Armsoil

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[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:] https://rennlist.com/forums/graemlins/roflmao.gif

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Snap!

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dude i used to formulate motor oils I spoke with driven directly i looked at their product information sheet to see the chemistry. I also spoke with Mobil at technical level 3, yes I had to identify myself and go thru tech support level one and two before getting to talk to a tribologist. I use Mobil 0w40 with almost a 50 percent mix of 5W50, both of them same chemistry just different viscosities. I�m also in Houston today it�ll be 102. My chain tensioners rattled if the car sitted for a week, now no issues. You the op if you don�t have any considerable oil consumption and your oil pressure is good when hot stay with Mobil 1 0W40 change it every 6 months. I just got an 03 turbo and I�m going to run Mobil 1 on it too. By the way LN engineering is not the formulator of the oil they just sell it. There are a bunch of questions about the driven oil for which there are no clear answers, where is it made, is the facility iso certified, who approved the formulation, are the using group 4 PAO synthetics base oils or are they using group 3 severely hydro cracked oils, who they buy the additives from, do they custom formulate , i mean component by component or are they using some additive company package at a certain treat rate. I can go on and on. By the way Mobil 1 is pretty affordable and the porsches come from the factory with it.

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Forgive me Porschetech3 for chuckling when I read "economic reasons". How can I be interested in economics when I drive a car that now stands me almost $70 k that gets lousy gas mileage, and costs a small fortune to maintain properly? Seriously,I really just want to be sure I am doing the best thing technically for the car. It has 43xxx miles on the clock. I have trouble understanding why some 996.2 cars are said to consume 0 oil between changes, and I am consuming 1 qt for 1000 miles. I have owned two Porsches previously, a Camaro z28, a fleet of BMWs, 2 Nissan Maximas, and a bunch of Jeeps and I have never seen oil consumption like I am seeing here. I'm really just trying to do the right thing. If I run the 5-50 maybe the car loves it and shows her gratitude by consuming less. But, looking at the oil pressure pictures if I'm seeing 4.5 bars at 4000 revs, what will I see at 6000 RPM? Thus my worry of too much oil pressure with the 5-50. Thoughts?

rev to 6k and have a look at the gauge, that's the pressure you will get with 5w50 too. you won't get 'too much oil pressure' as the pressure control valve will do just that: control the oil pressure irrespective of oil viscosity ( oil weight). When the oil pressure increases beyond that pressure some of the oil is diverted back to the oil pump intake side (for it to be squeezed again and heating up in the process) instead of going into the engine. The short of it, like Porschetech3 already said: stick to 0w40.

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I had a 2005 STi that I bought new. It used about 1/2 quart every 2500 miles. It used that much when it was brand new. It used that much at 100K miles. I just drove it and kept an eye on the oil level.

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Elbow grease

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I assumed for economic reasons because that drives a lot of people in thier decisions, and in the oil Industry also, as in the ultra light weight oils for increased fuel mileage, and the changes in formulation to make catalytic converters last for 120k instead of 80k by different additives to replace ZDDP when the oil is consumed by the engine. Oil is a consumable more so today than in years past. Low tension rings is responsible for most of that. I know low oil consumption is a big plus for some people, due to inconvenience of having to add oil. My Grandson will kill an engine in 5k miles if it uses 1qt per 1k miles because he won't check the oil regularly.He has already done that to a Ram pickup I bought for him, I won't buy him another vehicle, he has to buy his own now..lol . He has to lean to take care of things.. Burning 1 qt per 1k miles is not harmfull to the 4 stroke engine and is an gas/oil ratio of 5000/1 where as my Mercury outboard and all my sons Race Bikes are 32/1 to 50/1....( on purpose).. It can be an indication of a problem, but always look for other symptoms also before jumping to conclusions..lol

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Porsche does NOT �make�/manufacture oil� Period!� So, yes - it is just re-labeled something.

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Definitely agree, Porsche does not make the oil. The "potential" advantage of a Porsche oil is if it is specifically spec'ed by Porsche to work best with their engines. If it's just relabeling of an existing oil, then there is little benefit. If it is a Porsche-specified formulation, then it has the potential to have some advantage, depending on how successfully Porsche spec'ed it vs a quality alternatives (like Mobil One or DT-40). I'd care a lot less about who makes the oil for Porsche and a lot more about the formulation. Just looked up this ( https://www.porsche.com/internationa...ghts/motoroil/ ) and it sounds like they did formulate it specifically for their engines and are using a German oil producer to make it. I find the 50 weight for 996 and 60 weight for air cooled 911's a bit odd (maybe they are presuming engine wear for "classic" 911's?), so I probably wouldn't be inclined to use it over my current DT-40, but it doesn't sound like it's a simple relabling of a previously available oil.

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ok so the problem is older engines that were not driven properly, maintained properly etc, so they start using , consuming oil, bore scoring etc. As the old thinking would say increase the viscosity. Yes your oil consumption will be going down, but that�s what you can see. 70 percent of wear happens at startup, now using a thicker oil, yeah what you see lower oil consumption but that engine is going to last less time. 2 you are paying a porsche s�per tax with that oil. I would instead try a mix of Mobil one 0w40 and 5W50, cheaper and more efficient. Monitor your oil consumption and adjust your percentage mix of the 50 oil until you get close to a quart Every 750 miles. i mix them and change my oil every 6 months, I�m in Houston so for the hot time If the year like right now I�m almost 50 percent 5W50, about 33 percent the rest of the year.

Have we scared the OP away or is he another one of those "cut'n run" thread starters?

Oil threads are a dangerous thing to start...always have been...always will be.

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Ton of great knowledge there, thanks for sharing Ptech. Having ran Porsche water pumpers for over 20 years now, I think 1qt/1K mi and for some, between changes (< 2500K/yr) are normal indicators. Flat motors do smoke on start up some times. it's expected. It has been same for me while using recommended M1 in a 3.0 ltr./4 S2, 3.2 ltr./6 986S 3.6 ltr 6 M96 or 3.6 ltr. M96/70. I have never experienced any of the other motor malfunctions as others. No Scoring, No IMS (996 M96 was replaced before purchase by seller @29K mi.), No AOS issues. No water pumps I have done Coil packs over time, but I would include those now in plug changes. I feel blessed in all those regards though Not immune from Clogged radiators, Key lock switches, batteries , etc. Overall, P car ownership has been totally rewarding, reliability being a big contributor. I used what M1 Oil is recommended for that application and get expected results. I use recommended viscosity of M1 in all of my Toyota's, never an oil issue. It works for me. Kinda of like Mequiers products, stuff has always worked for me. Most cars give indicators things are wrong with that particular system. I find I must observe it, confirm it , correctly diagnose it, then w guidance w others expirences if available, determine next steps while continue to observe ,then correct if needed and document all of issue, even through repairs. Not saying other brands of are bad or better, Just my experiences.

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I�ll be as brief as possible. When an engine is designed it has specific clearances tolerances. To attain perfect lubrication, �hydrodynamic lubrication�, where there is no metal to metal contact, you need a certain film thickness. That�s why from the factory they choose 0W40. When you move the recommendation as porsche has done now they are telling you to use 5w50 have the engine clearances have really changed?? Not they are addressing a problem that exist on these engines oil consumption bore scoring etc by using a higher viscosity oil, not any different than adding and oil additive that will thicken the oil, ie motor honey, stop smoke etc. If someone likes Raby builds you a engine and tells you to use 20w50 from the start why wouldn�t you. There are marketing reasons why porsche went to this. Use OW40 and put some 5W50 on it, don�t pay the useless and maybe detrimental porsche tax. I formulated oils, I retired from this but no snake salesman will fool me. If you want thicker viscosity go ahead and pour gear oil in your engine see how that�s going to turn out long term.for whoever want to know the viscosity grades haven�t changed in like forever.