long hood oil stick

[SteveC]

do you know where the stick is to check the oil?

997 mezgers are digital, others have the yellow capped stick

was told it was on the left of the engine and can easily fall in

cant seem to find it anywhere around the engine left or right

thanks!

[michel]

Look inside the oil filler - sits in there 

%5BURL=http://s615.photobucket.com/user/micheloaks/media/IMG_0043.jpg.html]

[Harvs11]

Look inside the oil filler - sits in there 

%5BURL=http://s615.photobucket.com/user/micheloaks/media/IMG_0043.jpg.html]

checking the oil on that car pictured above seems like too little, too late.  

[SteveC]

Thanks michel!

interesting cars these - dipstick in the same funnel as the filler. thought id note that i also found a little tube in the funnel for the dipstick which when inserted correctly stops the dripstick from falling into the tank!

any thoughts on which oil? hope this isnt a can of worms question

thinking a mineral 25w50

[michel]

Peter M where are you

[Stew F]

 

any thoughts on which oil? hope this isnt a can of worms question

thinking a mineral 25w50

You had to ask...

[red clubbie]

Hang on a minute while I get my popcorn.....  

 

Cheers,

Geoff.

[Peter M]

Steve,

A reprint of the shortest answer I can give:

 

Porsche 911 Air Cooled Engine Oil

 

I’ve been searching for the best engine oil for my 911’s for over a year now.  After trawling forums seeking the truth, even a couple of manufacturer and SAE papers for good measure, there seems to be five distinct points of view:

 

Thick and ZDDP is Best – This enclave sees engine oil as simply a combination of viscosity and zinc based anti-wear additives and are happiest with either a 20W-50 or a 10W-60 and an absolute minimum ZDDP content of 1200ppm.  Most likely encountered on American forums where they use fear as their best tool of persuasion and reference the destruction of “flat tappets” engines as solely related to “thin oils” and the reduction of ZDDP in the ILAC requirements and infer this is the reason some 911 engines pit their cam lobes.  The fact that ILAC requirements only affect Xw-30 and under viscosity grades doesn’t seem to register

 

Generally there is no reference to API, let alone ACEA or any of the manufacturer oil approvals.  They think HTHS is a kind of long lasting milk and also love antidotes about the failure of particular engines that someone who knew someone else’s friend had because the oil was “to thin”.  I reckon it would be great to be a member of this group as life is simple as everything is black or white with no room or need for grey here.

 

Favourite oils are Valvoline VR 20w-50, Brad Penn 20w-50 and Mobil 1 Vee Twin 20w-50 and they will go to extraordinary lengths to obtain these brands due to the mythical attributes these oils bring to their engines.   Penrite HPR30 is also a favourite brew locally.

 

Mixed Fleeters – This group has largely developed from the stories of success that engine builders of using “diesel” engine oil to make their flat tappet cam lobes last in American V8’s in the late 80’s and 90’s.  Whilst the real reason for the lobe wear was probably related to the turmoil in the American auto industry at the time and the outsourcing of many engine parts to cheaper, usually foreign providers, this group identified that mixed fleet engine oil is cheap, of consistently high standard, subject to more controlled testing that any other engine oil due to the widespread fleet usage and importantly, the API classifications of CI and CI Plus contain around 1500ppm of zinc compounds and other anti-wear additives

 

In many ways the use of mixed fleet oil in 911’s should not be a surprised as Porsche themselves used these oils as first fill for much of the ’60’s for many of the reasons stated above.

 

Whilst the mixed fleet oils are widely acclaimed by all, the viscosities are generally restricted to 15w-40’s making them not thick enough for the “Thick is Best” group and too thick cold for our next faction, the “Euro oilers” below.

 

Favourite oils are the API CI and CI Plus classified Mobil MX 15w-40, all the Shell Rimula’s and Caltex Delo’s.  However the later CJ classified oils have also proven very effective even with the reduced SAPS and by definition zinc content.

 

Euro Oils – This group are enthusiastic users and have posters of Mobil 1 0w-40 adverts on their bedroom walls, talk at length in tedious code about ACEA, A40, MB 229.5 and know their air cooled 911’s have never had “flat tappets” cam followers.  They also realise that the pitting of cam lobes is primarily due to corrosion and will happily point you to a Google search of Lycoming aircraft engines to support their beliefs.

 

This group is prone to carry our used oil analysis, antagonise the “Thick is Best” flat earthers when it’s reasonably safe to do so on forums.  However the sheer numbers of “Thick is Best” mob usually drives back any incursions pretty quickly.  Their worst habit, besides being a little to smug, is to bang on about how the low temperature viscosity of their oils protects their engines on start- up not realising that any vaguely suitable oil pumps at the same speed irrespective of viscosity due to our oil pumps being positive displacement. (Also has any one disassembled an old engine that had completely dry bearings, even 12 months after it was last run?)

 

They acknowledge that ZDDP is a cornerstone anti wear compound and are satisfied that their preferred brews contain around 1100ppm.  They are also quick to point out that there are many more modern anti-wear compounds that can’t be detected in a simple $35 oil analysis kit that only major oil companies can develop and this is what makes these oils unbeatable.

 

Favourite oils are Mobil 1 0w-40 if they can afford the cost and Shell Ultra 5w-40 for those hard up.

 

Porsche Classic Oils – This group has been recently created by the Porsche Classic marketing department to exploit those 911 owners that suffer engine oil related anxiety, have money in their pockets and like the novelty of a specially illustrated tin container.  Their Youtube video illustrates this marketing approach by devoting the majority of the video to the development of the tin rather than the contents.  Porsche Classic decided to offer a 20w-50 and a 10w-60 as they thought that’s what their market segment were expecting to see.

 

The 20w-50 has been independently tested at less than 900ppm of zinc and both oils do not have any API or ACEA certification as it is a manufacturer supplied oil.  I still haven’t figured out why Porsche doesn’t see the inconsistency of this approach with their A40 oil approval scheme that they also recommend for any post 1984 car. 

 

Nothing makes this group prouder than displaying their fancy oil tins in the “man cave”.

 

The Non Forum User – Surely the most common user group that is happy to use any quality oil that meets the API classification and viscosity specified in their car’s Driver’s Manual.  They even don’t know what a sliding finger follower is and are happily unaware that their engine has 8 of them.  However it is clear that lubrication systems of these air cooled engines are robust and the use of oils that comply with the Driver’s Manual and replaced regularly does lead to a long engine life.

 

 

 

So what is the best oil?

 

No one will ever know!  In fact there is no statistically valid evidence to support any of the above will lead to a better longer lasting engine than the other.  What is more important is:

 

Effective air cleaner – Chuck that K&N to the shit house and replace with an OEM style paper filter and check all the ducting is leak free.

 

Warm Up the Engine Before Trashing – Drive off as soon as you can and allow the engine to warm up gently to the first notch before putting your foot in it.

 

Limit Your Short Trips – but drive regularly to keep internal corrosion at bay.

 

Keep the Oil Tank Clean – A quirk of the pre 964 engines is that the oil pumped from the external tank is not filtered before it reaches the bearings so just remind yourself to use a clean funnel and clean, preferably paper towelling to wipe the dip stick when topping up.

 

Relax – Remind yourself “It doesn’t matter!” as you won’t live long enough to find out.

 

 

 

[SteveC]

Peter M good read, thank you!

ived used mobil 1 0w40 for everything although these have been late model cars

something tells me it may be a bit thin starting up for a long hood, and seems like the the 20w50/ 25w50 figures are coming up a bit

 

[Peter M]

something tells me it may be a bit thin starting up for a long hood...

Steve,

You'll never have a problem with an engine oil being to thin on start up as the actual viscosity will be much thicker at low temperatures than at operating temperatures by a factor of about 7 and higher irrespective of what multigrade you use.

With regard selecting suitable SAE viscosity grades, using what's recommended in the driver's manual is the safe bet. However I wouldn't be seeking out the specified API Classification of SC, SD or SE of the late 60's and early 70's as they are long obsolete and there is much better quality classifications available now like ACEA  A3/B4.

But as I've said above, I don't think it really matters in the end provided the viscosity is half way sensible and a quality brand. 

 

[michel]

Thank you and amen @Peter M

[OZ930]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6VLMfUz34R0

[clutch-monkey]

Steve,

You'll never have a problem with an engine oil being to thin on start up as the actual viscosity will be much thicker at low temperatures than at operating temperatures by a factor of about 7 and higher irrespective of what multigrade you use.

With regard selecting suitable SAE viscosity grades, using what's recommended in the driver's manual is the safe bet. However I wouldn't be seeking out the specified API Classification of SC, SD or SE of the late 60's and early 70's as they are long obsolete and there is much better quality classifications available now like ACEA  A3/B4.

But as I've said above, I don't think it really matters in the end provided the viscosity is half way sensible and a quality brand. 

 

seconding every thing Peter has posted on the subject- I have ten years track work on my engine and it shows no signs of slowing down, and that's using any oil in the 5-15w40 range with half decent zinc or moly content.

given the amount of kms these cars typically drive between oil changes it really doesn't matter that much.