Best oil to mitigate IMS failure?
 

I'm in San Diego, so the temp never goes below freezing.

Is the consensus for warm climates 0 w 40 Mobil 1/synthetic?

(Curious to see if this sets off a huge debate. Looking forward to your responses, as I have an oil change to do this weekend!)

Ron

LN Engineering recommends nothing less than 5W40, as the 0W40 is too thin for your climate. In San Diego, you could easily run 10W40, but 5W40 would be minimum standard. I have no lifter noise at start up and am very pleased over the prior M1 I used, when I first purchased the car. I also change my oil annually which equates to about 2500 to 3000 miles.

Pick your flavor, but I've used Castrol Syntec with great success over the past few years. I just refilled yesterday with the new blend "Edge, with Syntec".


http://www.lnengineering.com/ims.html

I run 10-40 Mobil 1 in mine. Just changed it today ;)

I am near you in SoCal and prefer Castrol Syntec 5w40. Change your oil often (3-5k) and cut open the filter to inspect for shiny bits. Magnetic shiny bits in the filter indicate a sickly IMS.

I do the same and which is what LN engineering says to do.

Im replacing the syntec that is in my car now with Motul 8100 5/40 on Monday

Red Line still seems the best to me.

Me too! I've used Motul 8100 5W-40 after the factory fill, and then M1 5W-40. Got good UOAs but a lot of valvetrain noise on startup. Redline 5W-40 stopped all of that.

Regards,
paul...

Richard, when was the last time you owned a Boxster (986) or any Porsche? Back in 2004/2005? When was the last time you did, or had, an oil change?

I used Red Line 5W40 for a few years with great success. Most recently I used Mobil 1's 5W50. Oil is hard to find. I am very happy with the results. I plan to run for another 1-2 years/oil changes. I expect my next UOA to be slightly better, yet again. If I decide to change oils again, I may use Motul. Right now I can say the Mobil 5W50 is even better than the Red Line (an excellent oil) I ran.

The only way to know "what oil is best" is to do UOA's.....in my opinion.

Lastly, Jake knows the answer to this question, but he will not awswer it (or has never in the past).

is that mobil 5/50 a quiet oil? Im looking for some oil that will quiet down the start up chatter a little (its not bad, but im used to how quiet my BMW is)

My engine is very healthy. Start-up noise is not an issue for me, as I am usually listening to the PSE!:)

for some unknown reason the PO of my car is running 10/30 castrol edge......I am getting that crap out of there ASAP.......its weird too because he actually knows alot about the boxsters and cared for it well (water pump, updated RMS seal as a prevention, updated IMS bolts, clutch, etc) I just cant figure out why he ran that oil

There are other schools of oil though which say thinner is better to get maximum oil flow on start up and oil flow is the primary lubrication mechanism. The rational being that 90% of engine wear occurs on start up and oil flow us better with thinner oil. They would say 0w40 is better than 5w40 for start up. I don't recall high temp track senarios.

This "school" also feels that residual film strength is not helpful. It is oil flow that dies the lubricating.

I am just recounting what I have come across so please don't jump on me.
I like like to rely on solid test results and direct wear measurements. I don't have that for any oil.

I myself run a motul 5w40 on the advise of those in the Porsche community that have done some testing, and personal experience.

The IMS bearing may it's own specific lubrication needs that trump the rest of the engine and it's wear.

FWIW I tried both Mobil 15-50 and Valvoline 20-50 in an attempt to silence start up clatter. Neither was any better than M1 0-40.

I use 10W-40 Mobil 1 High Mileage. Lots of anti-wear compounds.