Sportomatic Question

[cnavarro]

Hey guys,

I'm doing some research on the sportomatic to familiarize myself with it since I have purchased a '70 911E equipped with one. My primary question concerns oil grade selection and whether or not I can use synthetics, since the engine oil is used for both the torque converter and the engine itself. Any suggestions? Also, out of curiousity, does anyone know why Porsche chose to set up the torque converter this way rather than using a separate atf tank as VW did with their autostick? Does the use of motor oil rather than ATF as a hydraulic fluid affect converter efficiency?

Take care,

Charles Navarro
LN Engineering
http://www.LNengineering.com
Aircooled Precision Performance

[Fishcop]

It is generally recommended that you don't run synthetic in the older engines as they tend to leak as a consequence. I have had this happen to me first hand after switching to Mobil 1. I have since gone back to dino (Shell).

I have never had an issue with the torque converter in my car (but ask me about the vacuum slave!). As for ATF... I suspect it had to do with additional weight/complexity/cost, but I really don't know.

[speeder]

Charles, Take this as an opinion only, since I'm definitely not a Sportomatic expert, but I would stick with dino, (conventional), oil. I have not read of anyone using synthetic oil successfully in a 911 that old, and dino grades are massively improved since the car was new, in other words, SL grade dino is approx. 5-6 grades better than the best oil one could buy in 1970. That would be good enough for me.

[cnavarro]

Thanks guys for your help. I'll see what the owner has been using in it since '72 when I meet up with him this weekend too.

Charles

[McDaniel]

I go along completely with the dino oil, also...check with the PO
as to single weight or multi...ie 30 weight as opposed to 10w30