Advice from AutoHQ: Motor Oil
07-15-2008, 10:23 PM
#47
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hey now, lets keep this civil 
I'd think with the pistons being on their sides, it would be easier to oil the motor, because the oil doesn't have to be pumped so high up. Inline motors you have to pump it all the way up to the top of the head. In our motors, it doesn't doesn't have to go very high up, and easily moves side to side. As long as there is plenty of oil and oil pressure, we're covered.
I definitely agree with Mike and Noah on how they treat newer cars and older cars, as well as their track cars.
I'd think with the pistons being on their sides, it would be easier to oil the motor, because the oil doesn't have to be pumped so high up. Inline motors you have to pump it all the way up to the top of the head. In our motors, it doesn't doesn't have to go very high up, and easily moves side to side. As long as there is plenty of oil and oil pressure, we're covered.
I definitely agree with Mike and Noah on how they treat newer cars and older cars, as well as their track cars.
07-15-2008, 10:32 PM
#48
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LOL. AutoHQ has provided about as much "fact" as I have.
Its just interesting that they are the only shop I have ever heard of suggesting oil changes every 1500 miles. You gotta be kidding me, where are their tests to back up what they have claimed here today? They mention articles.. wow. Show me controlled groups of scientific tests before you completely denounce what the manufacture suggests.
Originally Posted by AutoHQ
If you ever see the oil light on your dash, that is really bad. It usually comes on once the oil level is really low, more than low enough that the engine already probably has damage.
Given some Turbo Subarus may need an oil change every 1500-2000 miles.. that is way too generalized. Check your oil, if it is not low then don't change it. Don't believe me? Then take a sample of your oil and send it in for an Oil Analysis and tell me that at 1500-2000... or even 3000 miles the oil has lost its "viscosity" and in turn is not properly lubricating the insides of your motor.
If Subaru of America thought "hey these motors should have an oil change every 1500-2000 miles" they would have explicitly said so. Why would they recommend higher mile (almost double) of what AutoHQ says if it was bad for the motor? Wouldn't that lead them to have to cover more engine issues out of their pocket by telling people to do oil changes every 3k miles or x amount of months if they saw that 1500 miles was more adequate??
What is more rude? What I said about AutoHQ or them playing us as idiots that will believe anything a shop says? "OMG a local shop said so! It certainly HAS to be true!!!"
Don't be so naive.
hey now, lets keep this civil
I'd think with the pistons being on their sides, it would be easier to oil the motor, because the oil doesn't have to be pumped so high up. Inline motors you have to pump it all the way up to the top of the head. In our motors, it doesn't doesn't have to go very high up, and easily moves side to side. As long as there is plenty of oil and oil pressure, we're covered.
I definitely agree with Mike and Noah on how they treat newer cars and older cars, as well as their track cars.
I'd think with the pistons being on their sides, it would be easier to oil the motor, because the oil doesn't have to be pumped so high up. Inline motors you have to pump it all the way up to the top of the head. In our motors, it doesn't doesn't have to go very high up, and easily moves side to side. As long as there is plenty of oil and oil pressure, we're covered.
I definitely agree with Mike and Noah on how they treat newer cars and older cars, as well as their track cars.
Last edited by evsoul; 07-15-2008 at 10:38 PM.
07-15-2008, 10:41 PM
#49
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The boxer engine requires thicker oil because of the relatively poor oiling of the boxer engine. The horizontal design (and gravity) is the cause.
Boxer engines tend to run out of oil film on the top due to gravity. And especially at cold start up the piston skirt is lying on and in contact with the bottom/lower cylinder wall.
Brandon
Boxer engines tend to run out of oil film on the top due to gravity. And especially at cold start up the piston skirt is lying on and in contact with the bottom/lower cylinder wall.
Brandon
The boxster motor has no problem with it's relation to cylinder heads with regards to oiling other than in high G load situations where the oil does not find it's way back to the pan fast enough and becomes pushed out the breathers thus creating oil lose through blow by the gravity of the oil plays little to no bearing on this. This is something that is typically only noticed in cars driven hard.
The gravity of the oil does not seem to remedy this as it typically only slightly slows the event due to it's thickness.
From what I can tell for any street driven cars the owners are best served sticking with a 10w oil and performing routine oil changes (3K) checking their oil once a week and perhaps if they do rag the **** out of their car looking into a proper baffled oil air seperator (not a catch can).
If gravity caused oiling problems then Evo owners would be screwed with their heads sitting up top like that, at least ours are on the side
(lets not get into their poorly designed pick up placement causing premature bearing wear from high G cornering 
)Mike
07-15-2008, 10:47 PM
#50
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^^HAHA someone with a catch can should check their oil daily since it doesn't recirculate it back into the system.. instead removes it from the system. Everyday is an obvious exaggeration.
If anyone is worried about Oil loss... then do yourself a favor and read this:
http://wrxmodders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10101
If anyone is worried about Oil loss... then do yourself a favor and read this:
http://wrxmodders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10101
Last edited by evsoul; 07-15-2008 at 10:49 PM.
07-15-2008, 10:52 PM
#51
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^^HAHA someone with a catch can should check their oil daily since it doesn't recirculate it back into the system.. instead removes it from the system. Everyday is an obvious exaggeration.
If anyone is worried about Oil loss... then do yourself a favor and read this:
http://wrxmodders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10101
If anyone is worried about Oil loss... then do yourself a favor and read this:
http://wrxmodders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10101
Mike
07-15-2008, 10:57 PM
#52
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^^Thats what I mean.. by removing the oil from the intake it drops it straight into the can.. so yeah like you said its no longer in the "system". So levels should be checked pretty frequently.
07-16-2008, 01:13 AM
#59
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I even went ahead and highlighted the pertinent parts for you guys, so you don't have to read through a whole 2.5 page article
This is from a shop manual for a USDM 2004 STi, from subaru.
So, we can all agree that we do not live in the arctic right? Because alaska is part of the US. Here's a shout out to our subie boys who SHOULD be rocking 5w-30
For the rest of us mojito sipping bay area denizens, if you drive a stock turbo subaru non-aggressively, and do not track or auto-x, you should be using 10w40. Now that's a surprise. But hey, it's right there in the shop manual.
So let's say you are the average I-clubber. I'd say that description fits us all pretty well, right? You have probably modified your car. Probably. Also, you probably drive your car harder than the average soccer mom. Probably. You guys still with me here?
OK, next point. In the subaru manual, and using common sense, the harder a car is driven, or the more heavily modified (subaru does not address this, but we are going to go ahead and presume that modifying the car will cause higher levels of wear. This is very non-technical, we are trying to keep this simple) You should then be using a STILL THICKER OIL. Subaru even recommends a few viscosities. INCLUDING 20w50!!!!!
Did that totally blow your mind? I'm going to have a cigarette, I'm spent.
So to sum it up, the answer isn't at AutoHQ, or anywhere in this thread. It is in the shop manual for your car, had you bothered to read it.
I hear the real estate market in Alaska is fantastic this time of year.
07-16-2008, 01:22 AM
#60
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It should also be mentioned that subaru recommends changing the oil every 3750 miles. This is down from the previous 7000 miles, which they changed due to engines having problems under warranty, with oil degeneration.
My previous point holds here too. More heavy driving and modifications, more frequent oil changes.
I hate to sound like a crotchety ****, but there is a lot of hating on brandon, treadjacking... and you have no ground to stand on. If you want, go to AutoHQ, talk to kevin, read the literature, etc.... instead of e-thugging in an otherwise informative thread, which I will not stand for.
My previous point holds here too. More heavy driving and modifications, more frequent oil changes.
I hate to sound like a crotchety ****, but there is a lot of hating on brandon, treadjacking... and you have no ground to stand on. If you want, go to AutoHQ, talk to kevin, read the literature, etc.... instead of e-thugging in an otherwise informative thread, which I will not stand for.