You may be interested in this reply to the question of how Porsche tests oils before certifying them for use. It comes from
Ross Smith, Manager- Product Performance, Product Development and Technology, Castrol Technology Centre
Reading - UK
" Up to mid 1990s Porsche were using a combination of Industry standard specifications (API /CCMC) plus a test using a late 70s air cooled federal spec 3164cc air cooled engine.
Due to the old technology of the engine and the difficulty of obtaining extremely consistent parts they decided to develop a new test.
In the interim they simply used the Industry standard specifications and specific physical properties of the oil. This affected companies
such as Castrol as Porsche would not approve oils such as our 0W-30 SLX which we knew would perform extremely well but was outside the
parameters they had chosen.
The new test is now ready and available so all new oil approvals from 2003 onwards will once again need to go through a Porsche engine test.
This test will use the 3.6 naturally aspirated engine from the 911 Carerra. The test will take 200 hours and include cold start, road
test and Nürburgring cycles. A huge number of parameters will be evaluated including wear of all moving parts, deposits (pistons,
rings, cylinder heads, valves etc) and oil physical parameters. These results will be evaluated by Porsche engineers to decide if an
approval is granted. Of course there will still be a requirement for the oil to meet API and ACEA specifications."
Ross Smith, Manager- Product Performance, Product Development and Technology, Castrol Technology Centre
Reading - UK
" Up to mid 1990s Porsche were using a combination of Industry standard specifications (API /CCMC) plus a test using a late 70s air cooled federal spec 3164cc air cooled engine.
Due to the old technology of the engine and the difficulty of obtaining extremely consistent parts they decided to develop a new test.
In the interim they simply used the Industry standard specifications and specific physical properties of the oil. This affected companies
such as Castrol as Porsche would not approve oils such as our 0W-30 SLX which we knew would perform extremely well but was outside the
parameters they had chosen.
The new test is now ready and available so all new oil approvals from 2003 onwards will once again need to go through a Porsche engine test.
This test will use the 3.6 naturally aspirated engine from the 911 Carerra. The test will take 200 hours and include cold start, road
test and Nürburgring cycles. A huge number of parameters will be evaluated including wear of all moving parts, deposits (pistons,
rings, cylinder heads, valves etc) and oil physical parameters. These results will be evaluated by Porsche engineers to decide if an
approval is granted. Of course there will still be a requirement for the oil to meet API and ACEA specifications."
