changed the gear oil in 987.1,a noticable diff!!

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by paulofto

I went to the Porsche dealer in town here and the parts guy quoted me $48.00 a quart (964ml) for OEM Porsche MT Fluid. I almost swallowed my gum I gasped so hard.

The service manager happened to be there and he tells me the stuff is made by Royal Dutch Shell in Europe but it is the same stuff, 75W90 GL-5, available from Quaker State in North America, a subsidiary of Shell. He further tells me that although Porsche specified GL-4 when the Boxster first came out years ago, the GL-5 spec today meets all of Porsche's requirements. Something about the sulfur molecules are now compatible with sychros and high pressure differential gears. A little too technical for me but he said they issued a TSB a few years back now specing the new GL-5 formulations.

Anyway, long story short, I thanked the service guy at Porsche but told the parts guy I can't justify $150 on MT Fluid when Quaker State 75W90 GL-5 sells for about $18.00 a quart at most auto supply places and Crappy Tire sometimes has it for less.

So I picked up 3 quarts of Quaker State and I will be changing the fluid on Saturday. I have 74,000 Km (46,000 M) I am doing all fluids over the next few weeks but starting with engine oil and MT.

I'll let you know if I feel any difference in shifting. Currently it is a little 'notchy' when cold but is fine when warm.

Hate to burst your bubble, but the information you were given is somewhat correct, and somewhat incorrect.

The original Porsche gear oil for the five speeds was developed for Porsche by an obscure Royal Dutch Shell division known Burmah, and was designated TAF21. This full synthetic product was developed specifically for Porsche for the Boxster five speeds only, and should not be use in the six speed boxes due to incompatibility with certain alloy components, which would result in premature wear. Porsche actually published a technical bulleting to that effect. Burmah TAF21 never had any type of GL rating as it simply did not fall into any of the GL categories as defined by the API, which is also why other major oil companies never made an equivalent product. The TAF21 product is made exclusively for Porsche in 20 liter drums. The Quaker State GL-5 product is not an equivalent lubricant, which is also why you are experiencing cold shifting issues, a condition where the TAF21 excels over other lubricants in the Boxster.

[Gelbster]

Don't you just hate it when they specify obscure lubricants?
This link may help?
Castrol TAF-21 (Porsche synthetic transaxle oil) | ATF, Differential, Trans, Brakes, P/S | Bob Is The Oil Guy

[Reebuck1]

JFP what gear oil do you use in the six speed manual transmissions?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Reebuck1

JFP what gear oil do you use in the six speed manual transmissions?

We get ours in drums from Porsche; we use the Burmah product in the five speeds, a Shell product in the six speeds under Porsche part number 000-043-204-19, and for the gearbox section on the PDK we use Mobilube PTX (Formula A) under part number 000-043-204-20.

[san rensho]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

We get ours in drums from Porsche; we use the Burmah product in the five speeds, a Shell product in the six speeds under Porsche part number 000-043-204-19, and for the gearbox section on the PDK we use Mobilube PTX (Formula A) under part number 000-043-204-20.

Jeff. I just bought 3 litres of 999.917.546.00. Is this the correct part no for a 2000 5 spd transmission and if not, is there a litre spec for the correct oil.

Thanks.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by san rensho

Jeff. I just bought 3 litres of 999.917.546.00. Is this the correct part no for a 2000 5 spd transmission and if not, is there a litre spec for the correct oil.

Thanks.

No, that is a six speed oil. The Burmah product for the five speed (N 052 911 C0) in a 20 liter drum. I do not know what part number they put on it in one liter containers.

[san rensho]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

No, that is a six speed oil. The Burmah product for the five speed (N 052 911 C0) in a 20 liter drum. I do not know what part number they put on it in one liter containers.

Do you know of a source where I can buy litres of the correct oil?

[PorscheFan5]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

No, that is a six speed oil. The Burmah product for the five speed (N 052 911 C0) in a 20 liter drum. I do not know what part number they put on it in one liter containers.

JFP in PA,

So the question is what is the Porsche PN for "The Burmah product for the five speed (N 052 911 C0)"? When I called Sunset Porsche yesterday they were ordering the 999.917.546.00...Then I saw this post and I called back today and spoke to Jessie. I am glad I did

He researched and said that there is a new PN that supercedes N 052 911 C0 and that is 000 043 304 71. This is available in 20 liter containers (exactly how JFP described) however he said they can pour it into 1 liter containers and ship it to me. I ordered 3 liters. Price $26.98 per liter!

Hope that helps other people with 5 spd Tx...

[Flavor 987S]

Originally Posted by Reebuck1

what gear oil do you use in the six speed manual transmissions?

Buy the 75W90 Porsche Gear Oil from places like Sunset Porsche or Suncoast Porsche. It's about $39/litre. You need 3.

This is not a lifetime fluid. I think the Porsche interval is 100,000 miles. I always do it a 50K and get a Blackstone UOA done for data.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Gelbster

Don't you just hate it when they specify obscure lubricants?
This link may help?
Castrol TAF-21 (Porsche synthetic transaxle oil) | ATF, Differential, Trans, Brakes, P/S | Bob Is The Oil Guy

Not really, because the Castrol TAF-X product, which is a GL-4 gear oil also sold under their "SynTorq" brand in Europe is a different product developed to address the poor low temperature shifting properties of GM and Chrysler products, and which is available in the US exclusively under GM & Chrysler product part numbers. While it is an interesting low temperature gear oil, completely water-white in appearance, and is also used widely in Nissan products, the Castrol TAF-X carries the API GL-4 rating which means it is still different than the Porsche oil which does not fit in any GL category. Even Mobil 1 once commented that the Porsche five speed gear oil was so unique and represented such a small market segment, that they had nothing even close to matching it and would not be developing anything suitable.

[paulofto]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Hate to burst your bubble, but the information you were given is somewhat correct, and somewhat incorrect.

The original Porsche gear oil for the five speeds was developed for Porsche by an obscure Royal Dutch Shell division known Burmah, and was designated TAF21. This full synthetic product was developed specifically for Porsche for the Boxster five speeds only, and should not be use in the six speed boxes due to incompatibility with certain alloy components, which would result in premature wear. Porsche actually published a technical bulleting to that effect. Burmah TAF21 never had any type of GL rating as it simply did not fall into any of the GL categories as defined by the API, which is also why other major oil companies never made an equivalent product. The TAF21 product is made exclusively for Porsche in 20 liter drums. The Quaker State GL-5 product is not an equivalent lubricant, which is also why you are experiencing cold shifting issues, a condition where the TAF21 excels over other lubricants in the Boxster.

I Guess there is a little confusion. My car is a 2003 S , 6 speed. The dealer service manager did mention the 5 speed fluid is different and that they only have it in drums and don't sell it in Quart containers. The stuff they do sell for 6 speeds is the 75w-90 GL-5 made by, he says, Shell in Europe. He said the Shell, Quaker State, Pennzoil or Mobil 1 GL-5 are all fine in the 6 speed. The stuff currently in my car is Porsche OEM that is the original oil I believe and it is a little notchy in 2 gear when cold. Fine when warm

Anyway thanks for the input. I haven't yet done the change but hopefully I get to it next weekend. The IMS Guardian install took longer than I thought. And I really need to drive on such a gorgeous day so MT fluid change took a back seat.