Mobil One Suitable for Boxsters?

[Rail26]

Are you guys getting that puff of smoke at start up? Normal or abnormal? I know the older P cars smoked a little, but should new ones also?

[gharari]

Did anyone notice that the only xW-50 weight oil (on the approved list) was Mobil 1? Interesting. I wonder why.

I can't seem to find Mobil 1 10w-40 in stores. Anyone know where I can get it? Wal Mart had Mobil 1, 5 quart bottles of 10w-30 and 0(I think)w-50 for $20. Can I use one of these safely?

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by gharari

Did anyone notice that the only xW-50 weight oil (on the approved list) was Mobil 1? Interesting. I wonder why.

I can't seem to find Mobil 1 10w-40 in stores. Anyone know where I can get it? Wal Mart had Mobil 1, 5 quart bottles of 10w-30 and 0(I think)w-50 for $20. Can I use one of these safely?

The 10-40 M1 is brand new and many stores don't stock it. You can safely use either 0-40 or 15-50 IF you are in a warmer climate, the manual has the ranges.

I would NOT use the 0-30, which I don't believe is recommended in the manual at all. There is no 0-50 M1 although Castrol makes a 5-50 full syn.

And of course, stick with M1 or other quality synthetic.
Wallie World also has Shell Rotella fully syn 5-40 at a very good price.

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by Rail26

Are you guys getting that puff of smoke at start up? Normal or abnormal? I know the older P cars smoked a little, but should new ones also?

Normal on all P cars with the later model flat six.

[porscheguy]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

Normal on all P cars with the later model flat six.

i get it sometimes. I have not got it since i changed my oil to AMSOIL or ams oil not sure how it goes, but any ways i have heard nothing but good from this oil and i like it alot. Its recomended for european cars.

[blinkwatt]

Mine has a little bit of smoke at start up when it has been sitting for several days. Other then that I havent seen any. I heard it has something to do with the oil seperator and that it is a issue on all 986,987,996 and 997 probably the Cayman(only time will tell).

Here is some good info about smoke at start-ups:

The flat 6 cylinder motors have a tendency to collect oil on the bottom the bores and go through the rings to the combustion chamber and that oil burns up after start up.

There are several sources of it. One is that moisture condenses in the exhaust system after you park the car for the evening. If it is humid and warm, and then cool overnight, it happens even more. Next morning it will burn off. You will see water droplets coming out of the tailpipe as well. Water is actually one of the combustion byproducts, as it turns out when hydrocarbons are combusted, some of the hydrogen molecules mix with some of the oxygen molecules 2:1 and you get H2o. Most of that will turn to steam since the exhaust system gets hot quickly.

It is also normal for a little bit of oil to be burned off from a cold engine. The pistons are sealed by rings, and the rings are lubricated by oil. But as the piston moves, it does not spray any cleaner to clean off the oil on the part of the cylinder wall it just left. That oil film becomes part of the combustion environment and is partially burned. The next stroke down, the rings bring fresh oil and all is well, except for a bit of smoke.

Now add to this the fact that the engine is horizontally opposed. That means that oil inside the cylinders will slowly collect at the bottom (side) of each cylinder overnight. In turn, some of that can slowly ooze past the rings. Not much, and not fast, but some can. That will burn off at startup.

Lastly, there is the head gasket. It is not feasible to have a 100% perfect head gasket, and still be able to disassemble and reassemble an engine. For example on some of the legendary race cars, Porsche did away with the head gasket and used electron-beam welding to weld the heads to the cylinders. This is frighteningly expensive. Therefore a normal head gasket is used in our Boxsters and 996s. A normal head gasket must seal best at operating temperature. If it leaks a little before warming up, you will see a bit of smoke. As long as the coolant level is correct, and stays that way, or if you can maintain it that way, then there is no problem.