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Oil leaks after oil change to 5W40

Ian Bunyan

PCGB Member
Member
In May I had my 993 C4 serviced and the oil was changed from 10W40 to 5W40. About a month ago I noticed some leaks on the garage floor. I have since read that a change such as this can cause oil leaks around the cam covers and chain covers and this is where my leaks are coming from. Question is if I change the oil back, would this reduce the leaks or is the damage done?

Thanks, Ian.
 
Thanks Maurice,

I changed the oil on Saturday, Ive been for two drives since and so far I have no drips from the chain covers which was where I had some before. The cam covers were changed about 7 years ago according to the service history and there were some leaks there too but I cant see there easily. I have left the under tray off for the time being so I can check regulary but so far so good. I will update the blog on how its going.

Thanks again, Ian.
 
Ian Bunyan said:
Thanks Maurice,

I changed the oil on Saturday, Ive been for two drives since and so far I have no drips from the chain covers which was where I had some before. The cam covers were changed about 7 years ago according to the service history and there were some leaks there too but I cant see there easily. I have left the under tray off for the time being so I can check regulary but so far so good. I will update the blog on how its going.

Thanks again, Ian.


Do you know that Porsche recommend 10W-60 for all 6 cylinder air coolde engines?
 
Hi David,

Thanks for the reply, yes I am aware but I took the view on returning to how it was before the service. I will most likely specify Porsche classic oil next time.

Thanks, Ian.
 
Dekker said:
Ian Bunyan said:
Thanks Maurice,

I changed the oil on Saturday, Ive been for two drives since and so far I have no drips from the chain covers which was where I had some before. The cam covers were changed about 7 years ago according to the service history and there were some leaks there too but I cant see there easily. I have left the under tray off for the time being so I can check regulary but so far so good. I will update the blog on how its going.

Thanks again, Ian.


Do you know that Porsche recommend 10W-60 for all 6 cylinder air coolde engines?


They recommend their 20W-50 for early cars
 
T911UK said:
Dekker said:
Ian Bunyan said:
Thanks Maurice,

I changed the oil on Saturday, Ive been for two drives since and so far I have no drips from the chain covers which was where I had some before. The cam covers were changed about 7 years ago according to the service history and there were some leaks there too but I cant see there easily. I have left the under tray off for the time being so I can check regulary but so far so good. I will update the blog on how its going.

Thanks again, Ian.


Do you know that Porsche recommend 10W-60 for all 6 cylinder air coolde engines?


They recommend their 20W-50 for early cars


20W-50 for the 356, later cars 10W-60
 
After 29 years with three 964s and a 993 I wouldn´t care about a few drops - I´ve rarely seen a bone dry Mezger engine that´s used as intended. Worth to check where the oil comes from though. Then I´d decide what to do.

Cheers,

Hacki
 


[/quote]


20W-50 for the 356, later cars 10W-60

[/quote]


10W-60 for 2,7 on, 20W-50 for early 911's!
 


20W-50 for the 356, later cars 10W-60

[/quote]


10W-60 for 2,7 on, 20W-50 for early 911's!

[/quote]


Corrected, thanks.

https://www.porsche.com/u...cthighlights/motoroil/

Also all our air cooled engines with their friction type valve gear require ZDDP (anti wear additive ) above 1,000ppm which are much reduced in modern oils.
You'll only find it in oils marketed as Motorsport or Classic oils.
 
MoC2S said:
I thought this was the 993 forum, why are we arguing about the right oil for 356s ? And 'friction type valve gear' applies to pretty much all motors with a camshaft or two ad infinitum ..

For those now competely confused, the Porsche Classic oil is available as follows (from the brochure so not fake news [:-]): reading spectacles are quite cheap these days ... [;)][&:][8D]

20W-50 for 356, 914 and early
911 models.
For all 356, 914 and 911 models
(up to the 2.7-litre G model),
Porsche recommends the multigrade
version with viscosity
20W-50.
Whether the engine is hot or
cold, this oil ensures ideal care
for the classical engine, with
minimum sediment and excellent
compatibility with the materials
used, such as cork seals or
bearing shells containing lead.
20W-50, 1 litre
Part no.: 00004320928
20W-50, 5 litres
Part no.: 00004320929
10W-60 for 911 models with a
displacement of 3.0 litres or
more.
From 3.0-litre engines with drysump
lubrication upwards, the
air-cooled six-cylinder flat
engines of the 911 are suitable
for use with fully synthetic oil and
thus benefit from the advances in
oil development technology.
Porsche Classic provides ideal
protection for the engine and
keeps it clean – both with cold
starts or with a hot engine at full
load.
10W-60, 1 litre
Part no.: 00004320930
10W-60, 5 litres
Part no.: 00004320931

I guess they forgot the 912 existed, or maybe its not considered a Classic (ducks for cover) .. [8|]

I ran Mobil One 0W 40 for many years without any issues, and as I said before, Porsche Classic and Porsche AGs Oil Approvals differ on the topic. The 993 engine is a specific case where a low cold viscosity full synthetic is desirable and should not cause leaks. If your engine is really tired and worn, maybe go with 10w 60 to help keep hot oil pressure up but be prepared for the tappets to take some time to pump up from cold. And make sure it's still fully synthetic ! A good 10W 60 is available as Castrol Edge (approved for BMW M Sport engines), but if you ask Castrol for a recommendation, it comes out with Edge 5w 40, which is .. drum roll .. the Porsche Approved Oil !

I suggest you use your common sense. I have written on this topic so many times over the years, and now it is Porsche Classic muddying the waters, aided and abetted by inaccurate reading and pronouncement. I despair !

Love your 993, cheers, Maurice


 
Thanks again Maurice and everyone who has replied.

I've been checking under the rear each time and take the car out and still so far so good, there is a bit of weeping but may be thats back to where I was a few months ago. I will keepmchecking and hopefully Im past the worst. I suspect I will need to have work done in the future though anyway.

Thanks again to everyone,

And Maurice, I still love my 993.

Ian.
 
Porsche changed to Mobil 1 0W-40 in 1996 actually, and didnt seem fit to mention this in the owners handbook! I have a 1997 book and no mention of 0W-40, probably the same info as published for the very first models though.
 
0W oil is for outside temperatures of -35? something never seen in UK. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -27? in Scotland. 5W oil is for -30?, 10W for -15? and 20W for -10? and above. On average the coldest months are Jan and Feb in UK with average low of 5?, yes I know we get cold snaps and can have snow and ice on the ground for weeks but I doubt many 911 owners would be driving in it.
Mobil 1 is not a fixed formula of oil but something that has been reformulated several times over its lifetime to keep it up to date with newer engines. Originally Mobil 1 had levels of ZDDP above 1,300ppm whereas the current one has much less, somewhere around 400ppm I believe.
There is a Mobil 1 formulated for older engines and that’s called Mobil 1 Extended Life which has the higher levels of ZDDP (1,300ppm) essential for older style engines.
Mobil 1 Extended Life oil is only marketed at 10W-60 which happens to be the rating that Porsche UK recommends for oil for its 3.0-3.6L air cooled engines and has lead to the belief that the more expensive Porsche branded oil is in fact a rebranded Mobil 1 Extended Life 10W-60 oil.
As for the 0W-40 Mobil 1 of the 1990’s variety, surely this oil was for cars that would end up anywhere in the world and would be OK in countries from Middle East to Alaska and as a running in oil where revs would be severely limited and only for a 1,500 miles or so when it would be changed with its 1st service, to an oil that suited the climate in which it resided.




 
David,
Great post. Thought everyone knew about the viscosity of engine oil and what differing grades achieved in motoring conditions.

Ray
 
MoC2S said:
Modern engine !! David, that article is about modifying Detroit pushrod OHV engines .. if you start with a single camshaft in the V of the engine block, then use long bendy pushrods to drive rocker arms and (eventually) vertical valves in a non optimal combustion chamber, there is a lot of friction, reciprocating mass and timing inaccuracy to lose !

While the air cooled 911 engine is one of Hans Mezger's designs, it does not pretend to be state of the art. The design is more for a compact package of high build quality, excellent reliability and driveability. But definitely rather more advanced than the designs you are quoting as 'the modern engine'.

All 993s came filled with Mobil One 0W 40 ('modern low viscosity high suds oil') from the factory in the 90s, so I can only assume Porsche Classic have done their own research based on requirements for the current ageing fleet. So not a question of what the engine materials, tolerances, bearings, gaskets etc were originally designed for, rather the worn higher mileage engines with warped cam covers. I'm not sure they are correct to bracket the 993 engine into aircooled 3 litre or more, as there is a distinct difference with the introduction of those terribly modern hydraulic valve actuators.

I would rather discussions on this forum were fact-based, myself. Opinions based on internet myths or inability to read are not particularly welcome ! [8|]

Love your 993, cheers, Maurice [&:][:D]

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cylinder head & valvetrain
cast aluminium alloy; four valves per cylinder, 16 valves total, low-friction roller finger cam followers with automatic hydraulic valve clearance compensation, roller chain driven double overhead camshaft (DOHC), continuous adjusting variable intake valve timing

Honda
The Honda K-series engine is a line of four-cylinder four-stroke car engine introduced in 2001. The K-series engines are equipped with DOHC valvetrains and use roller rockers to reduce friction.
 

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