Oil, tyres, suspension, top, leather parts, PCM, SSK....

[nmlss2006]

Here I come again with several questions. I do not know what the board specific etiquette is: should I have subdivided these into separate posts? If so, feel free to tell me and I will rectify my behaviour.

Onto the questions:

- Oil: It is my understanding that MY04 US turbos came from the factory with the (evil) 0W40 and should, per Porsche factory spec, keep being filled with 0W40. My mechanic agrees. RoW cars still take 5W50 and I am *really not comfortable* with a 40-weight oil in a turbo configuration. Kevin at UMW agrees with me and recommends 5W50. What is the board recommendation? I brought back up from the past a post relative to a source of 5W50 which turned out to be NLA... advice would be helpful.

- Oil, rev II: I noticed MY04 US cars don't have an annual maintenance any more(thanks for providing the checklists - my service manual is stuck toghether so badly that I can't read anything from there), effectively increasing the oil change intervals to minor maintenance, that is, 2 yrs/15kmi. Again, I am *really not comfortable* with having the same oil in the car for 24k km, as much as I don't share the 'oil should be changed every 3kmi' opinion that is a lot more prevalent in the US. Am I just being paranoid, again? I'd like to keep this car going for a lot of miles - I don't tend to replace my cars, I tend to keep them and add others in time.

- Oil, rev III: I started off at 42,320 miles in San Diego with two lit segments in the oil check. I added a quart, it went up to six lit segments. All well and good. I am now at 46,1xx. I have four segments lit therefore the engine burned 2 segments - 500g - of oil in 3800 miles. That comes out to 81g every 1000km, or 810g per 10k km. This is so much less (about 8-10 times less, to be precise) than my Euro coupe that I have to ask... is it normal? The european car will devour oil if driven slowly - and sure enough, the tips of the exhaust will darken etc. This one does not.

- Other fluids: do I follow the factory guidelines or do I replace transmission fluid earlier, given that four years have passed? Also, do the pentosin for the clutch/steering and the coolant need replacing before, say, ten years?

- Clutch: the clutch seemed fine when I got the car. Now the engagement is decidedly brusque and it seems to be happening very close to the top of the pedal motion. Is this a sign that the clutch is about to leave this world? If so, given the intention of putting an UMW stage 2B kit in the car, what replacement options do I have? Lightweight single mass flywheel? Dual mass with GT3 clutch? Pros? Cons?

- PCM: I have a 'voice' button in my PCM. The online manual here doesn't mention a 'voice' button and unfortunately the original manual is not available, though I did order replacements. Does this mean that my PCM is phone-enabled and therefore will accept the bluetooth module that Eric has? This would be (very) good news. Does this also mean that I have to order a different PCM manual, to be accurate? (Yes, I am anal, thank you for asking).

- Tyres: the dealership where I bought the car refinished the rims (on the car, getting paint on the calipers... yes they should be shot) and put new tyres on the car. Lovely Pilot Sport Rib AKA MXX3. These were very mediocre tyres in 1995, especially in the wet. My Euro car has Yoko Advan Sport tyres on it and I'm very happy with them, save for a tendency to drone and for decidedly suboptimal duration. What is the consensus stateside? PS2? Yoko? RE050A PP? What I would like most is a clean, progressive breakaway at the limit and good wet behaviour. The Yokos provide both. So do the RE050A PP, on a (very) different car... the PS2 is said to be a grippier tyre, with worse wet performance though. Again, opinions?

- Suspension: Is the RoW kit from carnewal the best way to go? Will sunset have the same parts for less money? I will not believe for a moment that importing parts from europe is a cost effective way to go, even with EURUSD at 1,349.

- Top: my top has three issues, one is wear on the outside, the second is that the glue on the flap of the interior liner on the C-pillar on the driver side has come off. I assume this can be reglued without particular issue, right? I also assume that a competent shop can replace the outer shell - which can be ordered for a SURPRISINGLY SMALL amount of money from Porsche - and reuse the interior. Am I correct? Finally - a nice bird visited the 'static' pieces of cloth that cover the rollover protection and the crap has stayed there for too long. There now is a stain which isn't going anywhere. Since I was going to change to the grey top anyways, does anyone have the part #s handy - or can point me to a place where I can get them?

Bonus question: some people in europe actually *remove* the whole mechanism before putting the hard top on for the winter, to avoid having the top stay folded for several months (here, from November to march, at the very least). Is it feasible? Is it advisable?

Bonus question II: when the top latches and unlatches there is a very noticeable SNAP noise. Is it supposed to be there? Can it be mitigated? It's a bit unnerving.

- Leather parts: I discovered that the A pillars and the part to which the sunvisors attach are leather on my car - and from the order guide, they seem to be leather by default. I am performing an E70 retrofit and in the spirit of overkill which always seems to permeate my decisions, I was wondering if the door mirror finishers and the dome lamp surround can also be ordered in leather. I recall seeing the option somewhere but it doesn't seem to be there in the MY04 cab order guide. Can someone confirm/deny and if possible provide part #s?

- Bonus leather part question: Are all hard tops alike? I.e. can I go purchase any 996 top with a black interior or were there different (vinyl / leather) options?

- Short shift kits: again carenewal mentions that the factory SSK retrofit requires 'destroying rubber bushings' and provides a kit with a whole new carrier, identical to what the factory would've provided if the option had been ordered to begin with, per their wording. Is this the case? Can this be ordered from Sunset?

Thanks for reading up to here :)

[wross996TT]

Here I come again with several questions. I do not know what the board specific etiquette is: should I have subdivided these into separate posts? If so, feel free to tell me and I will rectify my behaviour.

Onto the questions:

First make sure you tell us about the car...you gave MY, but is it tip or manual, any mods, last service done....

- Oil: It is my understanding that MY04 US turbos came from the factory with the (evil) 0W40 and should, per Porsche factory spec, keep being filled with 0W40. My mechanic agrees. RoW cars still take 5W50 and I am *really not comfortable* with a 40-weight oil in a turbo configuration. Kevin at UMW agrees with me and recommends 5W50. What is the board recommendation? I brought back up from the past a post relative to a source of 5W50 which turned out to be NLA... advice would be helpful.

See the Porsche TSB for recommended oil. 0W40, 5W40 and 5W50 all are OK. BTW, Kevin knows his stuff!

- Oil, rev II: I noticed MY04 US cars don't have an annual maintenance any more(thanks for providing the checklists - my service manual is stuck toghether so badly that I can't read anything from there), effectively increasing the oil change intervals to minor maintenance, that is, 2 yrs/15kmi. Again, I am *really not comfortable* with having the same oil in the car for 24k km, as much as I don't share the 'oil should be changed every 3kmi' opinion that is a lot more prevalent in the US. Am I just being paranoid, again? I'd like to keep this car going for a lot of miles - I don't tend to replace my cars, I tend to keep them and add others in time.

I change mine at least once/year...I have 13K on an 04 (like yours). I also have my indy cut the oil filter apart to check for "stuff".

- Oil, rev III: I started off at 42,320 miles in San Diego with two lit segments in the oil check. I added a quart, it went up to six lit segments. All well and good. I am now at 46,1xx. I have four segments lit therefore the engine burned 2 segments - 500g - of oil in 3800 miles. That comes out to 81g every 1000km, or 810g per 10k km. This is so much less (about 8-10 times less, to be precise) than my Euro coupe that I have to ask... is it normal? The european car will devour oil if driven slowly - and sure enough, the tips of the exhaust will darken etc. This one does not.

There is a lot of variation in oil usage. Be happy tours does not burn a lot....you are fine.

[wross996TT]

- Other fluids: do I follow the factory guidelines or do I replace transmission fluid earlier, given that four years have passed? Also, do the pentosin for the clutch/steering and the coolant need replacing before, say, ten years?

Replacing fluids depends on a number of factors....how the car is driven, environment, etc. Since this is new to you, I would start with a clean slate of fluids (except perhaps coolant). Definitely change the brake fluid.

- Clutch: the clutch seemed fine when I got the car. Now the engagement is decidedly brusque and it seems to be happening very close to the top of the pedal motion. Is this a sign that the clutch is about to leave this world? If so, given the intention of putting an UMW stage 2B kit in the car, what replacement options do I have? Lightweight single mass flywheel? Dual mass with GT3 clutch? Pros? Cons?

Lots here...it is quite possible the slave or accumulator are starting to go....to test the clutch go WOT in 3rd and shift to 5th....you should feel the clutch disengage. If you are going to mod....you will eventually need a new clutch. I went with the Sachs stage 2 GT3RS w/LWFW (bought from Kevin). It does chatter!

- PCM: I have a 'voice' button in my PCM. The online manual here doesn't mention a 'voice' button and unfortunately the original manual is not available, though I did order replacements. Does this mean that my PCM is phone-enabled and therefore will accept the bluetooth module that Eric has? This would be (very) good news. Does this also mean that I have to order a different PCM manual, to be accurate? (Yes, I am anal, thank you for asking).

All 04 turbos have that voice button....unless you have the factory phone installed (or an after market equivalent) it does nothing. I'm not sure what BT module you speak of....I have installed the Dension Gateway 500 and I believe the BT does not work with my model.

- Tyres: the dealership where I bought the car refinished the rims (on the car, getting paint on the calipers... yes they should be shot) and put new tyres on the car. Lovely Pilot Sport Rib AKA MXX3. These were very mediocre tyres in 1995, especially in the wet. My Euro car has Yoko Advan Sport tyres on it and I'm very happy with them, save for a tendency to drone and for decidedly suboptimal duration. What is the consensus stateside? PS2? Yoko? RE050A PP? What I would like most is a clean, progressive breakaway at the limit and good wet behaviour. The Yokos provide both. So do the RE050A PP, on a (very) different car... the PS2 is said to be a grippier tyre, with worse wet performance though. Again, opinions?

You did not state the intended use?.... Assuming street.

JMHO...I have had Bridgestone S02s, MPS2s and MPSC...I am now driving on Yoko Advans (like you)....IMHO the Yokos are the best tire for the street, but you will hear many fans of the over-priced PS2s

- Suspension: Is the RoW kit from carnewal the best way to go? Will sunset have the same parts for less money? I will not believe for a moment that importing parts from europe is a cost effective way to go, even with EURUSD at 1,349.

Again depends on intended use....for street mainly....RoW provides a lower stance, but I have heard a rather harsh ride. I went with Euro PSS9 set-up and am quite happy. For more aggressive rides....JIC, JRZ, MOTON...

[wross996TT]

- Top: my top has three issues, one is wear on the outside, the second is that the glue on the flap of the interior liner on the C-pillar on the driver side has come off. I assume this can be reglued without particular issue, right? I also assume that a competent shop can replace the outer shell - which can be ordered for a SURPRISINGLY SMALL amount of money from Porsche - and reuse the interior. Am I correct? Finally - a nice bird visited the 'static' pieces of cloth that cover the rollover protection and the crap has stayed there for too long. There now is a stain which isn't going anywhere. Since I was going to change to the grey top anyways, does anyone have the part #s handy - or can point me to a place where I can get them?

Don't know this one...try Sunset first

Bonus question: some people in europe actually *remove* the whole mechanism before putting the hard top on for the winter, to avoid having the top stay folded for several months (here, from November to march, at the very least). Is it feasible? Is it advisable?

I do NOT use a hardtop ever, so mot point for me. Keeping the top folded ids not an issue...just put the top up on a warm sunny day and you are GTG.

Bonus question II: when the top latches and unlatches there is a very noticeable SNAP noise. Is it supposed to be there? Can it be mitigated? It's a bit unnerving.

Some folks use a lubricant (can't remember the name...something like crytox)...FWIW mine does the same thing.

- Leather parts: I discovered that the A pillars and the part to which the sunvisors attach are leather on my car - and from the order guide, they seem to be leather by default. I am performing an E70 retrofit and in the spirit of overkill which always seems to permeate my decisions, I was wondering if the door mirror finishers and the dome lamp surround can also be ordered in leather. I recall seeing the option somewhere but it doesn't seem to be there in the MY04 cab order guide. Can someone confirm/deny and if possible provide part #s?

I don't know this one either...I redid mine in CF.

- Bonus leather part question: Are all hard tops alike? I.e. can I go purchase any 996 top with a black interior or were there different (vinyl / leather) options?

No hardtop here.

- Short shift kits: again carenewal mentions that the factory SSK retrofit requires 'destroying rubber bushings' and provides a kit with a whole new carrier, identical to what the factory would've provided if the option had been ordered to begin with, per their wording. Is this the case? Can this be ordered from Sunset?

Not sure what Gert is referring to other than he wants to sell the whole unit. I bought the B&M SSK and have 0 problems with it....very nice mod....the car should come like this. There was no option to buy an SSK during ordering AFAIK.

[plima]

I drive a 2004 GT3, track and road, and think that the Porsche factory knows more about oil than I do. I stick with Mobil 1 0W-40 and think it is wise to do so. I do change the oil every spring before track season starts; some years this means 7K miles, other years this has been 3K miles. With 36K miles on my car including many track days, I do not burn any more than "one or two bars" of oil in a year of driving. My first 911 (1968 "L") used 1 qt in 1K-1.5K miles; technology has gotten much better in 40 years. Btw, one very good reason for the "0W" part of the oil rating is the cold start lubrication is better, and the variocam mechanisms work.

Edited October 18, 2008 by plima

[nmlss2006]

First make sure you tell us about the car...you gave MY, but is it tip or manual, any mods, last service done....

You're right, I apologise. 06/04 build, manual, stock for now. Last service .. well, WAS the Porsche 30kmi at 28,xxx in Apr 07, but the 45kmi is being performed as I type, at Forest Hill here in NJ.

See the Porsche TSB for recommended oil. 0W40, 5W40 and 5W50 all are OK. BTW, Kevin knows his stuff!

See, this is precisely the point: both Kevin and I don't like anything but the 5W50. However, Porsche is OK with the 0W40. Then again... what could they have done, if the 5W50 isn't for sale any more?

I change mine at least once/year...I have 13K on an 04 (like yours). I also have my indy cut the oil filter apart to check for "stuff".

I think that's what I'll do. Excellent idea on the oil filter cutting, I'll pass that along.

There is a lot of variation in oil usage. Be happy tours does not burn a lot....you are fine.

See that is the point: I have never met a European car that eats *this little oil* and I'm familiar with quite a few. As a bonus, since I got the car, I got <oil lamp> signal failure a couple times in the BC and the oil pressure gauge has occasionally dropped to zero. It's being looked at, it feels electrical.

[nmlss2006]

Replacing fluids depends on a number of factors....how the car is driven, environment, etc. Since this is new to you, I would start with a clean slate of fluids (except perhaps coolant). Definitely change the brake fluid.

Yes... I realise that. Oh well, I'll just change it and we'll see.

Lots here...it is quite possible the slave or accumulator are starting to go....to test the clutch go WOT in 3rd and shift to 5th....you should feel the clutch disengage. If you are going to mod....you will eventually need a new clutch. I went with the Sachs stage 2 GT3RS w/LWFW (bought from Kevin). It does chatter!

It appears that the salve was replaced. I'll perform the test you suggested, though I am not entirely clear on it.

All 04 turbos have that voice button....unless you have the factory phone installed (or an after market equivalent) it does nothing. I'm not sure what BT module you speak of....I have installed the Dension Gateway 500 and I believe the BT does not work with my model.

Precisely that which you mentioned: the BT-1500 or BT-2000 to be connected to the Dension Gateway. Now I guess the decision becomes, 'how many parts do I have to replace to get BT to work'?

You did not state the intended use?.... Assuming street.

JMHO...I have had Bridgestone S02s, MPS2s and MPSC...I am now driving on Yoko Advans (like you)....IMHO the Yokos are the best tire for the street, but you will hear many fans of the over-priced PS2s.

Yes, street. Yokos it is.

Again depends on intended use....for street mainly....RoW provides a lower stance, but I have heard a rather harsh ride. I went with Euro PSS9 set-up and am quite happy. For more aggressive rides....JIC, JRZ, MOTON...

Yes, street: I would be ... surprised if the stock RoW were harsher than the PSS9, which are considered *rather firmer than stock* in Europe. Having both cars, I would say that the RoW suspension is lower but not necessarily firmer. Then again, however, the road surface quality makes direct comparisons difficult.

[nmlss2006]

Not sure what Gert is referring to other than he wants to sell the whole unit. I bought the B&M SSK and have 0 problems with it....very nice mod....the car should come like this. There was no option to buy an SSK during ordering AFAIK.

I thought I had seen one - maybe it was in the RoW? I know at least three cars - including my other one - that have it from the time of ordering.

[nmlss2006]

I drive a 2004 GT3, track and road, and think that the Porsche factory knows more about oil than I do. I stick with Mobil 1 0W-40 and think it is wise to do so. I do change the oil every spring before track season starts; some years this means 7K miles, other years this has been 3K miles. With 36K miles on my car including many track days, I do not burn any more than "one or two bars" of oil in a year of driving. My first 911 (1968 "L") used 1 qt in 1K-1.5K miles; technology has gotten much better in 40 years. Btw, one very good reason for the "0W" part of the oil rating is the cold start lubrication is better, and the variocam mechanisms work.

This is not about 'knowing about oil'. This is about 'dealing with market realities': Porsche can't tell you, obviously, to go buy oil in Canada or Europe. And Porsche *most certainly* isn't interested in maximising duration of their cars any more: I have had proof of this enough times that it's not even worth discussing. They're better than others, but the evolution of required maintenance on the cars - not to mention my various discussions with various service departments around the world - paints a pretty clear picture.

With that said, I agree with you that the 0W is an excellent thing and will do very good things for engines. However, in a turbo - which has a fairly different oil temperature profile from a GT3 - the 40 weight when warm may be insufficient.

[wross996TT]

Some random follow-up:

1. Changing the clutch slave is not changing the accumulator...this sounds like the issue

2. The oil arguments are just that. Read Doug Hillary's well documented posts on the studies he performed. He is quite happy with 0W40 as is Porsche for a number of years (mobil 5W50 is the only oil of this viscosity approved?)

3. As temps drop, you will feel the ill effects of oil viscosity too high. Your oil sensor is the problem.

4. You need the phone buttons for the BT Dension to work....not the voice buttons...(perhaps you know this?)

5. the clutch test is simply to see if it is slipping or holding. when the clutch is disengaged in the higher gear you should feel the car rpms drop fast...if not it is slipping.

6. I have not driven the RoW suspension so it is not fair for me to judge it. I do have the PSS9 and can attest to the fact that the ride is actually better than stock (I don't feel the bumps and handling is way better).

[nmlss2006]

1. Changing the clutch slave is not changing the accumulator...this sounds like the issue

I see: would there be other symptoms? Another ... feature of the car which *to me* is not normal is ... well, a significant amount of rattling noise under low throttle application below 2000 RPM. My mechanic says 'the engine is lugging'. The sound is more like a lightweight flywheel rattle... and it doesn't happen in the 03.

2. The oil arguments are just that. Read Doug Hillary's well documented posts on the studies he performed. He is quite happy with 0W40 as is Porsche for a number of years (mobil 5W50 is the only oil of this viscosity approved?)

I shall. As to whether it's the only oil approved, I do not know, but if an engine has run on mobil1 for 46kmi, I am not going to change it.

3. As temps drop, you will feel the ill effects of oil viscosity too high. Your oil sensor is the problem.

So that should be replaced.

4. You need the phone buttons for the BT Dension to work....not the voice buttons...(perhaps you know this?)

I read about it - the thing is, I have never seen a US PCM with the phone buttons. Do you know if, in a fit of lunacy, I could just swap them?

5. the clutch test is simply to see if it is slipping or holding. when the clutch is disengaged in the higher gear you should feel the car rpms drop fast...if not it is slipping.

Pardon me for being miraculously dense tonight: basically, I want to judge how quickly the RPMs drop when I lift the pedal, correct?

6. I have not driven the RoW suspension so it is not fair for me to judge it. I do have the PSS9 and can attest to the fact that the ride is actually better than stock (I don't feel the bumps and handling is way better).

Ah, this is interesting: the car with the PSS9 has a *more comfortable* ride than stock, on top of improving handling?

[bTW - thanks for all the replies! Your post on the leather was also very helpful]

[wross996TT]

So that should be replaced.

My guess without seeing your car.

Pardon me for being miraculously dense tonight: basically, I want to judge how quickly the RPMs drop when I lift the pedal, correct?

Yep

Ah, this is interesting: the car with the PSS9 has a *more comfortable* ride than stock, on top of improving handling?

That is what I wrote....true that!

[nmlss2006]

Update:

I tried the clutch test, it seems fine, it's just very sudden when it engages. When we lifted the car a fortnight ago - for the 45kmi service - we noticed what was patently a new slave cylinder - but we didn't look at the accumulator. I am going to jump the gun and order accumulator + slave. I think someone was running a special?

The car still has a VIGOROUS rattle at small throttle angles below 1800 RPM. My mechanic still maintains 'they all do that, the engine is lugging' - I don't have it in the 03 in europe. This is combined with a marked vibration in the rear centre console (coins in the ashtray will make quite a din) under hard acceleration. Should I worry? Should I stop fussing?

Now I have the passenger side window to contend with, but I searched and I'm going to test the microswitches before I start a thread about that.

[Chuck Jones]

My goodness WROSS....you certainly were busy on the keyboards....good and thorough response.

Nmis: I just came home with ten cases of Mobil 1 5W-50 that I was able to find at a Mobil distributor in Norther California...so it is available, but you just have to look around for it. I have an 02 996TT and will be changing out to the slightly higher viscosity next spring when the temps start climbing here in central California. Although I only burn about 1 qt every 1500 miles or so, it also depends upon how hard you have been driving your car....and althought the 0-40 worked well, I was able to get the 5-50 cheaper per quart than the 0-40...so it seemed prudent.

[nmlss2006]

Chuck - thanks for the update on the oil, we've been conversing on Rennlist about it. For now, I've given up on getting oil because I'm trying to get other car-related purchases finalised and I don't need another thing on my prod-to-get-done list.

The stupid windows are being entertaining: they work for about two days, then they need to be reset. If they do it again, I'll start a thread.

Engine noise - see thread on rennlist, I am GENTLY PERSUADING my mechanic to take everything apart and check heads (cfr. Pierre's engine) and flywheel/clutch.

PSS9 - the trick is in the progressive rate springs, I think I'll pass.

Oil sensor - being replaced.