Oil Change twice yearly? With Low Mileage

[Paul]

Porsche has been recommending long oil change intervals since the 914. When will people learn that US car owners have been brain washed into 3 months/3000 miles oil changes?

Originally Posted by Paul

Porsche has been recommending long oil change intervals since the 914. When will people learn that US car owners have been brain washed into 3 months/3000 miles oil changes?

agree. Unless you're driving 10k in 3 months, I don't see a need to change that often

[Paul]

Yes a lot of those miles were put on the car driving to and from 2 Parades. I seldom drive less than 20 miles and I floor the car often.

this is a quick read...one interesting point is that a hotter climate will break down an oils properties more quickly than a cooler one.

oil over time

"As an oil breaks down it combines with combustion chamber residue from blowby gasses to form sludge. High detergent oils dissolve this sludge and hold it in suspension. In addition, as an engine wears small pieces of metal, rubber, and plastic end up in the bottom of the oil pan. Believe it or not, the "granny car" which is "short tripped" will have a lot more acids (condensed from blowby gasses) mixed with the oil than a car which is driven every day! I rebuilt one engine with a thrown rod: (old lady, once a week to the store 3 miles away) The rod bearing had been eaten away by acid deposits!!! Ony 40,000 miles on that motor! Thus on low mileage cars I recommend changing the oil every 6 months, no matter how many miles on them!"

[mptoledo]

3 months sounds rediculous. Heck you might wear out the threads on your oil pan plug. Once a year or no more than 7500 miles(what ever comes first). If you do it every 3 months I am calling al gore on you!!

Here is the question, Do you change it before or after winter(in cold climates)?

[Flavor 987S]

Boxster33:

Congrats on the new car!

Once a year oil change is fine, just before winter hibernation. FYI- there are some great old threads here about winter storage. Search them out.

Good decision on the Motul oil. Porsche approved and high quality. You may also consider Mobil 1's 5W50. This is a very hard oil to find in the USA, but you guys are lucky in Canada because I have seen it in your Wal Mart stores. This is the only Porsche approved 5W50 weight oil.

If you can continue to purchase fuel without alcohol, that would be my choice too. Even 91 octane over 93. I use to be able to buy 93 octane without alcohol in small towns in Wisconsin last year. But no more. Federal regulations mandate the addition (up to 10%) ethanol for "clean air requirements". This use to be a big city issue, so small towns still have 100% gas. Now everyone has to use the blends. Too bad, the Boxster loved the 93 with 100% gas!

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted by mptoledo

Here is the question, Do you change it before or after winter(in cold climates)?

It should always be changed right before being stored, so it would be done in the winter. There's no need to change it again in the spring, simply from the fact that the new oil poured in has 100% of its acid neutralizing properties, and since there isn't any combustion events occurring when the engine isn't running, the oil isn't having any new acids being produced to cope with.

Basically, the last drive in the winter should look like this:

Take car to shop and have oil change performed.
Drive car home.
Put car in garage.
Pop hood, and hook up the battery tender.
Turn out lights, and lock garage.

BC.

[Lil bastard]

Originally Posted by Bladecutter

It should always be changed right before being stored, so it would be done in the winter. There's no need to change it again in the spring, simply from the fact that the new oil poured in has 100% of its acid neutralizing properties, and since there isn't any combustion events occurring when the engine isn't running, the oil isn't having any new acids being produced to cope with.

Basically, the last drive in the winter should look like this:

Take car to shop and have oil change performed.
Drive car home.
Put car in garage.
Pop hood, and hook up the battery tender.
Turn out lights, and lock garage.

BC.

With an internal battery, like the Boxster, I prefer to pull the battery from the car.

The Boxster uses a vent tube to vent away any accumulated Hydrogen or Oxygen gas. There can also be minute amounts of sulphuric acid in this vapor as well. Normally, the air rushing past the open end of the vent tube creates negative pressure (vacuum) pulling these gasses out of the tube and away to the atmosphere.

But, when the car is not running, no air is rushing past the vent tube and so no gasses are extracted and can buildup to the point, over a several month storage peiod, where they accumulate under the hood. The Hydrogen and Oxygen pose a fire and explosion risk, but the sulphuric acid can condense on cold metal parts (hood, firewall, electronics, etc.) and can lead to corrosion - rust. Also, the battery maintains it health better in a warmer environment than in the cold car.

The downside, besides actually having to disconnect and carry the battery away, is that the DME, Tiptronic Control Module (if equipped) and Radio lose their memory functions (and security code in the case of the radio - pre-'03) and will have to re-learn once the car is put back into service. But, this is a minor inconvenience and these things re-learn after just a couple drive cycles.

[vath2001]

Originally Posted by Bladecutter

Basically, the last drive in the winter should look like this:

Take car to shop and have oil change performed.
Drive car home.
Put car in garage.
Pop hood, and hook up the battery tender.
Turn out lights, and lock garage.

BC.

You missed the part about running the tires up to 50 psi+, throwing on the car cover and having a cold one.

And I normally need to pull out the snow blower, clean the plug and get it started.

[Boxster33]

Steve Tinker:
I live in Toronto, Canada and gas usally comes in 87 Regular, 89 Medium, 91 Premium. Only Sunoco has higher (Gold 94) but contains 10% Ethanal (This is what I was previously using). I know the preferred Octane level for the Boxster is 93 but the car is running great with the Shell 91.

[orange260z]

I live in Ottawa, Canada. I drive the car from April to November putting on 5-10,000kms, and change the oil & filter immediately before storing the car (once a year).

I typically use Ultramar 91 octane or Sunoco 91 octane fuel. Is Shell 91 supposed to be any better?

Thanks,
Ayan

[Paul]

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by Paul

Porsche has been recommending long oil change intervals since the 914. When will people learn that US car owners have been brain washed into 3 months/3000 miles oil changes?

I don't see that being advocated here.

[ekam]

I'd say just do the oil change when you take your car out of storage.

You can certainly change oil twice as often, if that makes you sleep better. Oil is cheap afterall.

I keep hearing about Shell 91 gets better mileage than Ultra94, I'm going to have to try it sometime.

[Lil bastard]

Change your oil before placing it in storage so the aforementioned moisture and acids don't have the chance to work over your internals during the storage period. In the Spring, you're all set to go for the coming season.

All oil change intervals assume ideal conditions and very few people actually drive in these. Stop & Go, short hops, dusty conditions, wet conditions, prolonged idling, irregular fuel quality, hard driving, or any combination of the above all qualify as severe conditions and so the service interval s/b shortened.

Porsche doesn't provide a severe service interval, so you need to decide what interval you're most comfortable with. Using a Lab Analysis can help, but ultimately the decision is yours.

Personally, I drive my car in a similar manner to what you describe and I'm comfortable with an annual change just prior to storing the car.