What is the best engine oil for the very warm areas?

[bilba]

carrera 98

What is the best engine oil for the very warm areas?

The temperature at noon up to 50c

50 ºC = 122 ºF

[Loren]

Approved brands of 5W-50 like Mobil 1.

[JFP in PA]

Because you can get it were you are (it is not available in North America due to its higher ZDDP levels), I would be looking at Castrol’s Pro Edge (not the regular Edge product, the “Professional” line), and I would try to obtain their 10W-60 grade because of the heat that you see. Really good oil, only wish we could get the Pro Edge line here……….

[msaif]

Hi Bilba, I also live in Kuwait and use my 996 2003 Carrera as daily transport. Not sure which grade is used but the official Porsche Heritage dealer in Shuwaikh services the car and it never over heats and runs very smooth even during August at 55c. The crew are very good, ask for Imtiaz at service or the head Pascal and they'll advise you.

[britdave]

Approved brands of 5W-50 like Mobil 1.

Loren, I live in central Florida ( Ponce Inlet/ Daytona beach area) where during the summer the temps can reach up to 105 F (40 Centigrade) I have always used Mobil1 0-40 weight, but you mentioned 5w -50 ? Should I change to this ? Also I've never seen that on the shelf ,it is available usually, and also how about the 0-40 Mobil 1 ? Thanks Dave.

[Loren]

It's your call...

Where i live it gets up to 115 on hot days. In a normal summer we have 23 days above 100.

I use 0W-40 unless I am doing a lot of track time. For track or heavy use in hot weather I would use 5W-50.

5W-50 is harder to find - try some wholesalers and non-chain part houses.

[britdave]

It's your call...

Where i live it gets up to 115 on hot days. In a normal summer we have 23 days above 100.

I use 0W-40 unless I am doing a lot of track time. For track or heavy use in hot weather I would use 5W-50.

5W-50 is harder to find - try some wholesalers and non-chain part houses.

Thanks Loren !

[rwrsmart]

JFP and I had this discussion about a year ago and I have been using only Castrol Sports Edge 10w60 for my last two oil changes in my 996 4s here in Dubai in similar temps. Highly recommended.

[white99c2]

I live in Phoenix where we have almost 100 days a year over 100 degrees. I've tried 5w40, 10w40, 5w50 and 15w50. My temp gauge is at its coolest with 0w40 and the oil pressure goes down when I'm stopped.

I really experimented with all weights and the car runs it best with 0w40 and an oil change every 5k mles. Mobile 1 is all I will ever use with K&N oil filters.

[britdave]

Tell me more about the K&N oil filters, please ? I have been using stock Porsche, Mann, Mahle, Hengst, or even NAPA filters (which are Wix and suppose to be really good) Which filter do most of you guys on here recommend ? Thanks Dave.

[logray]

JMO they are all going to perform about the same.

If you want to change to something different go with the spin on oil filter adapter from L&N, then you use a normal spin on oil filter.

[987_RDC]

I've been using the 5w-40 Pennzoil Euro spec (for higher ZDDP than mobile 1). Good results so far in sunny CA.

[Gonzo911]

Also live in The Phoenix area. My Indy recommends Mobil 1 15w50.

[white99c2]

My car ran very hot with 15W50.

[MiamiC70]

Miami, FL here and I use Mobil One 5-40w

[HalM]

. . Castrol Sports Edge 10w60 for my last two oil changes in my 996 4s here in Dubai in similar temps. Highly recommended.

Any idea if this is the same as the 10-60 BMW sells for E46 M3's?

[JFP in PA]

"Castrol Sports Edge" or "Castrol Pro Edge" are unfortuantely not available anywhere in North America due to the addtive package it uses. You sometimes see it "grey market" on the internet selling for $75-100 for a 5 liter bottle. I seriously doubt that BMW would be selling it as the EPA would be having a fit if they did.

[Mother]

Also live in The Phoenix area. My Indy recommends Mobil 1 15w50.

+1

[boxster-s-dk]

Hope you mean mobil 1. 5w50...??

[Mother]

Nope... I run 15-50w ... Phx heat is extreme: Example, I stopped at a stop light couple years ago at an intersection and it was 145 degree's F at that spot.

Edited July 14, 2012 by Mother

[Gonzo911]

My car ran very hot with 15W50.

I have been driving alot in the past month or so and we have been +105 almost every day. I have not noticed a change in my temp. Always sits on the left side of the "0" in 180. I had questions about the right oil so called my Indy who used Mobil 1 15W 50 on my last oil change. Owned the car less than a year so I am not sure what was in there before.

[perryinva]

We sure don't need another oil thread, and Loren is, I'm sure even more tired of them, so the LAST thing I want to do is fan any flames, but I just DON'T GET where the "higher viscosity oil is better at higher ambient temps" mantra comes from! Oil viscosity and lubrosity/protection have nothing to do with each other! Oil is simultaneously a coolant, a lubricant, and hydraulic fluid. The manufacturer doesn't list viscosities based on selling oil or engines or what ever, as most any oil supplier can meet whatever viscosity is required. They list the values for what best serves the functions the oil has to perform, with the additive packages and shear stabilizers, etc that the oil tested at the time has in its formula, for the majority of users that drive the car, as it would be expected to drive on the street. That is why Porsche constantly updates the recommended oil lists, to compensate for what the oil producers are doing to their oil, and to provide choices of oil, some that may be more suitable for more high speed use vs pedestrian use..

It is unfortunate that Porsche uses the motor oil ina performance engine in so many ways, because it makes it hard to say "As long as this spec is met, it is fine", because the specs may be for things that do not cover what the oil needs to do in this particular engine, for the function it is being used for. No one can expect Porsche to put in writing "If you track your car, change to THIS oil, then on the interstate, use THAT oil", it would be insane, so of course they try to cover as many bets as possible, and just list oils and ambient recommended ranges. Seriously, obviously, it's your car, put what ever you want in it, of course, but please understand that when your start your car in the morning, whether its 40°F or 140°F outside, as far as the engine is concerned, it is cold.The pumps are pushing oil through tiny holes, and minute clearances, and if you run 15w-50, or 20-60, baby, it ain't moving like the engine needs it to, I guarantee..During that time things be wearing. That "thick" oil is doing nothing, because it just isn't there. That local tight tolerance location is heating up and friction rises, and wear with it, because the oil just isn't flowing, which 0w or 5W cold oil will. At operating temperature, 0w-40 or 5w-40, is 40 weight, so it's doing what it needs at that temperature, for normal operating conditions. It's not "too thin" or "water', it's what's needed, as designed. Why does anyone think that 50 or 60 is better, becuase it is harder to flow? The thicker oil does not form a superior barrier to wear, or "take up slop" like it did on old worn Chevy engines from the 60's or 70s.

Now, just like you wouldn't track a car on passenger touring tires, an engine that is purposely track built, will likely need a higher viscosity at the higher temps and constant higher rpms it will run at, because they WILL be operating at higher RPMs and temps, which if you drive your car on the street, even in 115°F ambient temps, even spiritedly, you will not see. Anyone that thinks that production Porsches are hard core track ready is nuts, and I don't even track hardly at all. You can't have your cake and eat it too with oil, unfortunately, just like you can't have a single perfect tire for snow, rain, cruising and the track. It's just that tires are easy to change, and oil is not, relatively speaking. So unless you have your oil tested every time you change it, and KNOW what the results mean, and tear the engine down regularly to check for tolerances and wear, you are either going on the faith that Porsche knows what it is talking about, or your mechanic, or some guy on the internet (no one specifically referenced, just a random example) that "used this oil for 20k miles, and no problems so far". Seriously? Did you expect the engine to be so poorly built that if you used the wrong oil it would explode or something? You CAN'T know whats happening inside, by just feel or driving it. The temp gauge means little, as it is only one reference point. By the time you know whether or not you made a bad choice, it's likely, too late. Is Porsche perfect? Oh HELL NO, let's not go there, but they HAVE been building and lubricating their engines a pretty long time, so since I know I can't come up with a legitimately better educated decision on what to use, I'll go with their recommendation. Just my long winded $0.02. Sorry.