Which brand of Oil do you use

Diver944 · May 21, 2004

New Poll (you may have noticed I've unstuck the clutch poll and it has disappeared back down the forum to its date position)

The question about oil occurs frequently, but the trouble is that the different types of 944 have different requirements. So I'll start off by just using the brand names of the major oil manufacturers. I know they do different grades and some of us may use a 10w40 semi-synth while others use a 15w50 Fully-synth or even a 0w40 depending on how much wear your engine has or if it burns oil like the Turbos generally do.

If I haven't included your brand, stick a vote in 'other' and mention it and I will add the brand and transfer your vote into it

Diver944 · May 21, 2004

BTW I use Castrol Magnatech 10w40 in my S2 and use none between 12k services, and Castrol SLX in the Turbo which uses about a litre every 2000 miles of roaduse

NorthernBloke · May 21, 2004

ORIGINAL: Diver944

BTW I use Castrol Magnatech 10w40 in my S2 and use none between 12k services, and Castrol SLX in the Turbo which uses about a litre every 2000 miles of roaduse

Ditto Magnatech in the S2 and ditto uses none [

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Guest · May 21, 2004

Mobil 1 0W-40

I like having the lower temp viscosity for those cold starts.

Uses about 1 l every 2500miles and that includes the couple of wee leaks i have.

Its arguably the best oil on the market these days, and my car deservs it...[

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Fen · May 21, 2004

Because she's worth it [

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I don't know what I use because I get it changed for me (every 6k even though the interval is 12k) and it doesn't use any in between.

Guest · May 22, 2004

ORIGINAL: Fen

Because she's worth it []

I don't know what I use because I get it changed for me (every 6k even though the interval is 12k) and it doesn't use any in between.

I hear the turbo doesnt use much oil either. [8D]

John Sims · May 22, 2004

Castrol RS 10w/60 - fully synthetic vast opperating range, but not cheap.

Probably a bit of a waste of time with Beaky as he spits out about 1 ltr per 1000 miles. The oil doesn't have much of a chance to get contaminated though.

Rotorhead · May 22, 2004

A 0w-40w synthetic oil may be contributing to your 'wee leaks'. It isn't ideal for older engines.

Guest · May 22, 2004

I use Castrol Magnatec 10/40 in the S2, when it got serviced at OPC, they used Esso Ultra 10/40, claiming this the best for my engine.[8|] It has never lost a drop in over a year there fore never top up. Is any one else runing Esso Ultra??? It'll be interesting to see who do.

Kevin Welch · May 22, 2004

You can put me down for the Esso Ultra. Virtually nil consumption between changes.

Paul: Cheers Kevin I've edited your vote into Esso

Fen · May 22, 2004

ORIGINAL: slim_boy_fat

I hear the turbo doesnt use much oil either. [8D]

Oh sh.. I haven't had the Turbo's oil changed for over 2 years. An after me adding an extra sump drain as well.

Less smart comments and more wastegate fitting, please... [

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Guest · May 23, 2004

ORIGINAL: oliver

A 0w-40w synthetic oil may be contributing to your 'wee leaks'. It isn't ideal for older engines.

Mmmm, not sure i follow that. My main concern is the quality of the oil and the protection for the engine, i know Mobil 1 will give me that. As for using "thicker" oil All oil will have the same viscosity when its warm, and the small leaks are round a couple of seal and the age old oil pressure switch. Prob accounts for about 50ml/1000miles.

John Sims · May 23, 2004

All oil will have the same viscosity when its warm,

Not quite - Hence the numbering of a multi grade oil. Whilst I stand to be corrected:-

10w/60 means the oil has the same viscosity of a 10 weight oil in its cold state but retains the viscosity of a 60 weight oil when hot.

Rotorhead · May 23, 2004

There are lots of very good engine oils - it is impossible to say whether one is best. Some people have their own preferences, often influenced by the successful marketing strategies of the manufacturers.

When a 0w engine oil is cold it is so thin that it can seek out leaks and, once established, they are very difficult to remedy. It is for this reason that many owners with older engines use oils with higher cold viscosity.

Guest · May 23, 2004

Bottome line is i woul rather have good colt start oil propeties as thats when most engine wear happpens. Leaks allow me to slowly replace the oil without having to use the sump plug. So theres another bonus..

Mobil 1 is generally regarded as the best, i dont know if it actually is but its a pretty good oil. If its good enought for F1 engines than it will do mine.

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Guest · May 24, 2004

You are correct in your assumption, allow me to elaborate. These numbers are based on comparisons with stabilised monograde oils of matching viscosity grades as determined by the Society of American Engineers (S.A.E.), so as you rightly say, a 10/60 will have the viscosity of a monograde S.A.E. 10 motor oil when cold, but as the oil heats up it thinckens, due to the inclusion of long chain polymer molecules which expand, so that it matches the viscosity of a monograde S.A.E. 60 oil when hot.
I never really worry about how much protection cold oil gives, because with any of my cars, I have never used full throttle acceleration or exceeded 3000 r.p.m. until the engine has reached normal opertating temperature. The wear occurs in a cold engine because the working clearances are greater, so, pistons, rings, big and little ends can 'hammer' against each other.
Back in the days when the bores were lubricated by the crankshaft throwing off oil onto the bores the cold oil theory may have been more relevant, but even the 924 has a drilling in the big end such that as the crank-shaft rotates and the oil-way in the big end journal lines up with the hole in the con-rod, oil is squirted out into the vicinity of the piston skirt and bore. It is this technique which allows the oil to cool the pistons on the turbo.
The only thing I am uncertain of, is whether it is the Society of American Engineers, or the Society of Automotive Engineers. I am sure someone out there knows.

TTM · May 25, 2004

ORIGINAL: slim_boy_fat
Bottome line is i woul rather have good colt start oil propeties as thats when most engine wear happpens.

The "cold start properties" are relevent beyond polar circles, i.e. in countries where temperature is lower than -10°C.

ORIGINAL: slim_boy_fat
Mobil 1 is generally regarded as the best, i dont know if it actually is but its a pretty good oil. If its good enought for F1 engines than it will do mine.

You don't believe the oil they put in F1 engines is the same as the one sold to Joe Public, do you ?

Cheers,
Thom
honorary member of the "Mobil 1 is crap" committee.

Guest · May 25, 2004

ORIGINAL: TTM

The "cold start properties" are relevent beyond polar circles, i.e. in countries where temperature is lower than -10°C.

Cheers,

Lolss please are you serious. You clearly have you ever been to Scotland, let alone lived here during winter. Besides i simply dont believe that -10 figure. A cold start is defined by the engine being cold. i.e. well below the operation temp, not the outside air temp. Unless you appen to live in 90deg heat.. I know France is hot but its not that hot!!

No offence but you use what you want an i will continue with Mobil 1 thanks.

Cheers.

TTM · May 25, 2004

Obviously the engine being "cold" or "warm" or whatever in the morning WILL depend on the climate, unless of course if stored in a heated garage.
I never had the chance to visit Scotland but I'd have a hard time believe it gets as cold up there as it can in the north of Sweden or Canada.

While true that engine internals are more sensitive to wear on cold start ups, turbocharged cars like the 944 do consume oil, and 0W40 is still too "thin" for a turbocharged engine, let alone a modified one exposed to greater stress, at least in my experience and observations with 944 turbo with scored cylinders. As said above, if you let your car idle for, say, at least five minutes and run it gently (below 3000 rpm) for the first, say, 20 miles you should feel non concern with cold start ups.

A discussion with a former mechanic of the french turbo Cup trophy taught me that the thicker the oil in a 951, the better. Castrol RS 10W60 is the best oil that can be used in a 944 turbo.
You turbo may use as little as 1L/2500 miles, but oil consumption on 300+ bhp Cup cars I know - used mercilessly on tracks - is even lower.

Cheers.

PS : Bruce Lee did not live very old [

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Rotorhead · May 25, 2004

Thom,

You are quite correct.

However, Mobil 1's sustained marketing strategy has been so successful over the years that many people believe that it is the best and only oil to use.

I know this because, for many years I also fell for it. However, a long discussion with a petrochemical engineer, in the aviation industry, re-educated my thinking.