oil question
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From: Longing for my ol' white '02 WRX :(
Car Info: 2016 Acura RDX ... meh. Um, nice subwoofer?
10w30 seems the best bet. Mobil1 Synthetic. Thats what I ran at ThunderHill Raceway (~100F) with no problems.
jason
jason
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Do top-quality (non-synthetic) motor oils break down before 3000 miles if the car isn't beat on? I was always under the assumption that frequent oil changes were more for removing dirt and metal filings than for removing "worn out" oil. Therefore, I never put synthetic oil in my 91 Eclispe GSX. Figured it was a waste of money since I chenged oil every 2,500-3,000 miles.
Is my assumption wrong?
I have a 2004 WRX now and used my "free" oil change at the dealer so now I am researching the proper oil to use next time.
Is my assumption wrong?
I have a 2004 WRX now and used my "free" oil change at the dealer so now I am researching the proper oil to use next time.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12
Synthetic Oil has the ability to withstand more temperature extremes than conventional oil; this it's main advantage. The most imporatant thing is to change your oil every 5000 mi or less depending on how hard you push your vehicle. I personnaly run synthetic in my WRX.
Oil viscosity should be kep to the manufacturers recommendation. In this case I Run 5-30 in Winter, 10-30 in Summer. I beleive subaru even allows 10-40 in summer.
It used to be common practice to use 20-50 or even straight weight oils; 50! However, what you need to consider is that the bearing clearances on todays production engines are much tighter than 20-30 years ago. the heavier weight oils do not flow in the bearing surfaces if the clearances are not large enough.
Bottom line. Use synthetic if you can afford it, changes your oil regularly, and use the recommended viscosity on a production engine.
TurboX
ASE Certified Master Technician
Oil viscosity should be kep to the manufacturers recommendation. In this case I Run 5-30 in Winter, 10-30 in Summer. I beleive subaru even allows 10-40 in summer.
It used to be common practice to use 20-50 or even straight weight oils; 50! However, what you need to consider is that the bearing clearances on todays production engines are much tighter than 20-30 years ago. the heavier weight oils do not flow in the bearing surfaces if the clearances are not large enough.
Bottom line. Use synthetic if you can afford it, changes your oil regularly, and use the recommended viscosity on a production engine.
TurboX
ASE Certified Master Technician
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12
I only use 5-30 in the dead of winter. Our last winter here in New Jersey was on the cold side, many weeks below freezing. 10-30 is fine, however, the engine will turn over a little easier when its very cold with 5-10 making for easier starts. the protection level is the same for both
TurboX:
TurboX:
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 204
From: New England
Car Info: '03 Black Sedan
I talked to a rep at Amsoil about this when researching oil...they make high quality synthetics used in aviation but you can buy for cars as well (having said that I'm still using Mobil 1)....you can let this oil go for for like 30,000 miles if you change the filter every 10,000 or so to 'clean it up'...(not that this sounds Subaru Warranty friendly...will do it when the warranty is done)...
Anyway here's what he said specifically about the WRX:
5w-30 if you live in an area with cold temps (i.e. 4+ months of winter) like in New England where I live (-35 F this winter, 82 F today)...no problem to use it year round (as I do)...
10w-30 if you live in warmer areas or areas that don't see below 40 F that much...or switch to 5w-30 for those months that are cooler.
He said the 'special weight' oils (0w-40, 0w-50...etc.) only drain your wallet if you're an everyday to consistently aggressive driver...they only offer more protection under very specific situations and everyday use of the WRX turbo is not it...
Hope that helps!
Anyway here's what he said specifically about the WRX:
5w-30 if you live in an area with cold temps (i.e. 4+ months of winter) like in New England where I live (-35 F this winter, 82 F today)...no problem to use it year round (as I do)...
10w-30 if you live in warmer areas or areas that don't see below 40 F that much...or switch to 5w-30 for those months that are cooler.
He said the 'special weight' oils (0w-40, 0w-50...etc.) only drain your wallet if you're an everyday to consistently aggressive driver...they only offer more protection under very specific situations and everyday use of the WRX turbo is not it...
Hope that helps!
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I run M1 0W-40.
5W-30 or 10W-30 is the 'preferred' oil, however the manual also says this:
Another interesting fact is that in other countries (like Brazil), Subaru recommends a 15W-50 synthetic oil for the WRX and a 20W-50 synthetic oil for the normal Impreza.
Great oil info on the forums here http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/
5W-30 or 10W-30 is the 'preferred' oil, however the manual also says this:
-Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions
If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in areas with very high temperatures, or used for heavy-duty applications such as towing a trailer, use of oil with the following grade and viscosities is recommended.
API classification SL or SJ or SH: SAE viscosity No.: 30, 40, 10W-50, 20W-40, 20W-50
If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in areas with very high temperatures, or used for heavy-duty applications such as towing a trailer, use of oil with the following grade and viscosities is recommended.
API classification SL or SJ or SH: SAE viscosity No.: 30, 40, 10W-50, 20W-40, 20W-50
Another interesting fact is that in other countries (like Brazil), Subaru recommends a 15W-50 synthetic oil for the WRX and a 20W-50 synthetic oil for the normal Impreza.
Great oil info on the forums here http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/
