Would you change your oil if your dealer used this??

[mystro]

I recently bought a pristine 1988 911 Targa 3.2L. It has 60k on the odometer and the original owner had extremely good maintenance done including all the service records. I always do a oil change on any car I buy just so I know. My local independent P mechanic changed the oil with Mobile 1 10w-30. After looking through all the records I noticed the previous owner ran Castro 15w-40 synthetic.
What would you do at this point??? I live in central Pa. and dont drive my 911 in the winter months. Should I just run the M1 10w-30? Drain and switch back to 15W-40? or drain and use M1 20w -50?? I should add the car doesnt nor has ever leaked a drop of oil. I see in the manual 10w-30 was/is a approved oil. Please advise.

[mrk_d]

Looking through records on my car, the "shop" that worked on it at one point used 0w30 full synthetic in my 3.2 (!!!). I have switched to 20w50 dino and the car seems happier. I say switch over to something with sufficient ZDDP and that is the proper weight like Brad Penn or VR-1 conventional.

[masraum]

The M1 is fine and shouldn't cause any problems. It should be better than the previous.

Don't worry about it.

[Hendog]

I respectfully disagree. The M1 weight is too light unless you will be driving in very cold weather.

The 15-40 was a better choice however as mrk-d said, use Brad Penn 20W50 withe proper ZDDP for the engine era.

[nut11]

As hendog says... BP 20-50. Only way to go w/ confidence and not get too hung up w/ other oil and weight options. You will be SAFE w/ BP!

87 blk coupe
11 GTI

[Joe Bob]

You need to speak SLOWLY to your mechanic. Specify what you need....or learn to change your own oil......

[3stewartS]

Well said Joe Bob. As a professional "mechanic" I find customer's usually get what they ask for when they ask nothing.

[whiz05403]

That car is stunning!! Great find.

I have always read that if you have a rear spoiler you should also have the front spoiler, something to do with driving characteristics.

I use VR-1. My Targa likes the taste of it pretty good as it burns it up pretty fast

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by whiz05403

That car is stunning!! Great find.

I have always read that if you have a rear spoiler you should also have the front spoiler, something to do with driving characteristics.

I use VR-1. My Targa likes the taste of it pretty good as it burns it up pretty fast

Agreed and Specially with THAT Rear Spoiler! Balance for Looks and handling at least get the smaller front spoiler than will mount directly to what you have.

WHen Very cold I will use 10W 40 and when Cold I will use 15 w 40 and whenh warm I use 15 W 50 (Motorcycle Oil) and hot I use 20 W 50. The only 30 weight I would ever consider would be Straight 30 which is rated higher than 10 W 40! Like the others said Very Nce car!

[mystro]

Double post

[mystro]

My mechanic and I go way back to many other Porsche cars I have owned. When I ask for a oil change I would never have thought to ask for a specific weight of oil. I's there anything technically wrong with 10w-30? I am now wondering what he would have put in all may other 911's over the years. Perhaps 10w-40....? They all ran great.

I was planning on a front chin spoiler. The original owner left the dealer brand new the way it sits. I have the original window sticker and all the goodies. It still has all the original hand written assemble stickers on under the carpets. Being a Comemerative limited edition it has some interesting writing on the stickers and signatures.

[regency]

Forget all the "oil speak", that's a nice lookin rig!

Steve

73 911 T MFI Coupe, Aubergine

[McLaren-TAG]

Hey Mystro, I'm a new 3.2 owner as well... in central PA. I'll PM you.

[racer]

Well.. you've already read the owners manual and saw that 10-30 is an acceptable oil.

Stop worrying then!


imho, 20-50 is for HOT temps or track use.. Same with 15-50. 10-40 is a fine year round oil. Not sure I would run 10-30 in the heat of summer though. But since, given your limited use, you might plan on changing oil twice a year (spring and fall) you can worry about replacing the 10-30 in the spring.

[47silver]

Our era of Air cooled Porsches do not have hydraulic lifters. The cams push directly on the tappets. The tappets and/or cams wear out if the oil does not have enough zddp (zinc dialkyldithiophosphate). From what we read on here and on classic car forums, most modern oil does not have enough ZDDP to protect the cams and tappets.

I use Brad Penn which is made in Bradford, PA and meets or exceeds the recommended dose of ZDDP. BP is readily available if you give them a call. Their distributor delivered 4 cases to me a couple months ago. Cost was similar to Mobil 1.

[mystro]

I did a search and couldn't believe how deep the passion runs with oil. I never remembered the topic coming up 20 years ago in the PCA. I thought I would ask. Nuff said.

Originally Posted by racer

Well.. you've already read the owners manual and saw that 10-30 is an acceptable oil.

Stop worrying then!


imho, 20-50 is for HOT temps or track use.. Same with 15-50. 10-40 is a fine year round oil. Not sure I would run 10-30 in the heat of summer though. But since, given your limited use, you might plan on changing oil twice a year (spring and fall) you can worry about replacing the 10-30 in the spring.

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by 47silver

Our era of Air cooled Porsches do not have hydraulic lifters. The cams push directly on the tappets. The tappets and/or cams wear out if the oil does not have enough zddp (zinc dialkyldithiophosphate). From what we read on here and on classic car forums, most modern oil does not have enough ZDDP to protect the cams and tappets.

I use Brad Penn[snip]

+1 on Brad Penn. Oil is cheaper than cams and tappets.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by nut11

You will be SAFE w/ BP!

BP = Brad Penn. Threw me for a second. British Petroleum no longer markets lubes that I am aware of in the US under a BP name. They do own Castrol.

[mholbrook38]

You are in PA, cool weather coming up. Leave in the M1. Get a bottle of Redline Break In Additive which is very high in ZDDP. Add that and leave it in there. I use a bottle every oil change for the additional Zinc. Normally I use 15w40 Delo Diesel Oil from Costco. A case will cover an oil change plus a quart or two.

Get a front spoiler on that baby. I put my tail on a couple days before the front and it was unsafe over 70. You'll thank yourself later. Stick like glue.

[NOLAsc]

Originally Posted by mholbrook38

Get a bottle of Redline Break In Additive which is very high in ZDDP. Add that and leave it in there. I use a bottle every oil change for the additional Zinc.

That's good info. I've been using straight VR1 and have been worried about low ZDDP levels.


Shawn