Tips to Detect Metal Shavings in the Oil of Your Porsche

by admin May 21, 2021

Your Porsche may develop metal shavings in the oil due to shoddy engine oil or other reasons. When you drive a high-performance car, only high-quality materials should be used. Excessive wear and lack of lubrication are the most common causes of metal shavings building up.

You bought a luxury sports car and may want to drive it like you stole it, but by doing so, you are subjecting your vehicle to excessive wear. Below we will discuss further the warning signs and what to do if you experience metal shavings in the oil of your Porsche.

Motor Oil: The Breakdown

Motor oil, also known as engine oil or engine lubricant, consists of two components, a base oil and additives. Common additives in oil include:

Antiwear: This helps to prevent metal-to-metal contact between gears.
Detergents: Detergents have two functions; to keep hot metals clean and to neutralize acids.
Dispersants: These help keep the engine free of deposits, such as from soot in a diesel engine.

The oil in your car is important to maintain to help lubricate the engine, optimize performance, and protect against wear. Engine oil saves fuel by reducing the amount of friction.

Causes of Metal Shavings in Your Oil

A small amount of metal shavings within your oil is normal from everyday wear. However, when large metal shaving fragments start to build up it becomes quite a problem. There are several causes for a build up of larger metal shavings within your oil. Listed below are a few:

Going over the red line of your RPMs. This can lead to engine damage which causes metal shavings to build up.
Using non-recommended oil. It is important to only use the oil recommended for your Porsche.
Skipping oil changes. Low oil leads to a lack of lubrication within your engine, which in turn leads to metal shavings.
Using discount oil services. While these service shops may offer a low price compared to those trained in your luxury vehicle, they often use a cheap, low-grade oil.

Warning Signs

Metal shavings in the oil of your Porsche can cause several problems within your car. High-performance oil is important to use in your vehicle. If you fail to properly maintain your Porsche’s engine, you may notice the following signs.

Rough idle: A buildup of debris causes friction within the compartments of your engine. In turn, this causes your vehicle to idle roughly.
Engine overheating: Overheating is the direct result of improperly maintained oil levels.
Slow acceleration: The reduced lubricant within your engine block results in poor performance of your Porsche.
Engine failure: While this one may be obvious, it is important to note that a buildup of metal shavings within the oil can cause irreversible damage to your engine.
Check engine light: An illuminated check engine light is never something to ignore. Your vehicle is alerting you to a problem that you may not be able to physically see.

McIlvain Motors for Your Porsche

If you find yourself in need of service or repairs, McIlvain Motors is here for you. We are conveniently located in Tempe, AZ, and Porsche Oil Change serve the community of Mesa, Phoenix, and Scottsdale.

The original McIlvain Motors was opened by Scott’s family in 1919. Unfortunately with the death of the late Joe Mcilvain, the business closed in 2006 after 87 years of service. The current McIlvain Motors was established in 2012, where we specialize in Porsche. Scott, the great-grandson of the original owner, E.H. Mcilvain, was one of only twelve people nationwide to be accepted into the Porsche Technology Apprentice Program in Atlanta, GA. After two years of school and six months of training, he went on to graduate first in his class.

You can contact us via phone or by filling out a message request on our website for all of your Porsche service and repair needs. To receive your online estimate, you will just need to provide us with your full name, phone number and/or email, make and model, and the current needs of your high-performance car. We are here to get you back on the road, as fast as possible, with the highest quality service around.