which engine oil would you recommend?
24 January 2008, 12:11 PM
#121
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Going on this line of thought, these 'fancy' oils, have no real benifit.
I'm not saying I agree with this, but I hope you can see my point.
24 January 2008, 12:15 PM
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24 January 2008, 01:19 PM
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My car is pretty heavily modded Chris; it's running over 40% higher bhp and torque than it came of of the factory with so I'd argue that a 50 weight oil is appropriate.
I think Oilman gives the best counsel, if the car is std, refer to the user manual and do what Subaru say - it's worth paying the extra for a fully synth of the grade they reccommend as theses are better oils, but if you can't/don't want to then it's not a biggie.
However, if the car is modified or gets beyond normal road use, you should seek professional advice i.e. not most of us on here!
Ns04
I think Oilman gives the best counsel, if the car is std, refer to the user manual and do what Subaru say - it's worth paying the extra for a fully synth of the grade they reccommend as theses are better oils, but if you can't/don't want to then it's not a biggie.
However, if the car is modified or gets beyond normal road use, you should seek professional advice i.e. not most of us on here!
Ns04
24 January 2008, 01:22 PM
#131
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you're telling me! i've just about read the whole lot and yep not much wiser. Got some Mobil 1 0w 40 the other day but i still have the receipt!!!!!
this is the stuff of sleepless nights!!
this is the stuff of sleepless nights!!
24 January 2008, 01:32 PM
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I'll say it again, but the 'experts' on here all have so many opinions as to the common causes on impreza engine failures.
From oil grade to oil pumps to fuel to 'the scoop not working over 80mph' to etc. And I get very wound up when they offer expensive solutions for all of them! Funny that!
From oil grade to oil pumps to fuel to 'the scoop not working over 80mph' to etc. And I get very wound up when they offer expensive solutions for all of them! Funny that!
24 January 2008, 01:52 PM
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I'll say it again, but the 'experts' on here all have so many opinions as to the common causes on impreza engine failures.
From oil grade to oil pumps to fuel to 'the scoop not working over 80mph' to etc. And I get very wound up when they offer expensive solutions for all of them! Funny that!
From oil grade to oil pumps to fuel to 'the scoop not working over 80mph' to etc. And I get very wound up when they offer expensive solutions for all of them! Funny that!
Yep, I see your pont (try doing your flies up
), I'm not one to advocate spending a fortune if it's not necessary (hence the gearbox being std) but a decent fully synth doesn't cost much more than say, the Shell Helix, that Subaru suggest and since no-one disputes that the ester based synths are better, why not spend the few extra quid?
24 January 2008, 02:04 PM
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Chris,
Yep, I see your pont (try doing your flies up ), I'm not one to advocate spending a fortune if it's not necessary (hence the gearbox being std) but a decent fully synth doesn't cost much more than say, the Shell Helix, that Subaru suggest and since no-one disputes that the ester based synths are better, why not spend the few extra quid?
Yep, I see your pont (try doing your flies up
), I'm not one to advocate spending a fortune if it's not necessary (hence the gearbox being std) but a decent fully synth doesn't cost much more than say, the Shell Helix, that Subaru suggest and since no-one disputes that the ester based synths are better, why not spend the few extra quid? And it's not 'a bit' more, it's over twice the price!
24 January 2008, 02:22 PM
#135
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Wasn't aware it was twice he price, but what are we talking, (damn I don't have my bill for the last oil change handy
) lets say 60 quid vs 30 quid, so not a huge sum of money to benefit your most valuable asset i.e your engine.Also, I think ester based synthetics have advantages over and above the their durability.
I'm with you on the whole 'don't go overboard spending when not required' thing, but with something as critical as oil, I'd always suggest you get the best you can afford
24 January 2008, 02:49 PM
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Then wouldn't you recoup the difference if you just used the more durable/stable ester based oil for the recommended 7k miles?
Wasn't aware it was twice he price, but what are we talking, (damn I don't have my bill for the last oil change handy) lets say 60 quid vs 30 quid, so not a huge sum of money to benefit your most valuable asset i.e your engine.
Also, I think ester based synthetics have advantages over and above the their durability.
I'm with you on the whole 'don't go overboard spending when not required' thing, but with something as critical as oil, I'd always suggest you get the best you can afford
Wasn't aware it was twice he price, but what are we talking, (damn I don't have my bill for the last oil change handy
) lets say 60 quid vs 30 quid, so not a huge sum of money to benefit your most valuable asset i.e your engine.Also, I think ester based synthetics have advantages over and above the their durability.
I'm with you on the whole 'don't go overboard spending when not required' thing, but with something as critical as oil, I'd always suggest you get the best you can afford
But when 911 says that he has always used shell helix 10w40 in his race car (fairly highly modded sti v3) alarm bells start ringing.
According to experts on here, his engine should be in pieces! And he is an advocate of api like yourself!
24 January 2008, 03:35 PM
#137
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Very interesting subject and no definitive answers. Back in the early days of scoob ownership 97 -99 I was told not to use 0w or 5w as they were 'too thin'.
From way back then I used a Castrol 10w60 and had no problems. Modified the car with close to 500bhp. When I moved to Cyprus no 10w60 was available. I started using Redline 15w50 and after a year or so spun a bearing. Changed it every 5000 kays. Was the oil choice wrong? Dont know, but most likely cooked the oil on a few ocassions in the 40 degree summer heat and it did not provide the right protection and ultimately the engine failed.
After rebuild I continued to use Redline 15w50 for a few months until I managed to locate Liqui Moly 10w60 and have recently swapped over to Millers 10w60 on advise from ZEN. No problems since then, although the car now has an oil cooler and will only be used for hillclimbs and occassional street use. With the oil cooler have seen just on 100 degrees after hammering it on a 40 degree day with 1.8bar. In normal driving it is on 75-80 degrees even in summer and a few degrees higher in traffic. With the Redline it was up to 10 degrees hotter even with the cooler. So in my case the 10w60 is better than a 15w50 in hot conditions.
BTW another expert and someone who has been modifying and breaking Scoobies way before anyone in the UK started, recommended a mineral monograde 40 for track/drag use and for my spec engine which I bought from him. He did not use synthetic and said they were a waste of money.
I did not follow his advise
From way back then I used a Castrol 10w60 and had no problems. Modified the car with close to 500bhp. When I moved to Cyprus no 10w60 was available. I started using Redline 15w50 and after a year or so spun a bearing. Changed it every 5000 kays. Was the oil choice wrong? Dont know, but most likely cooked the oil on a few ocassions in the 40 degree summer heat and it did not provide the right protection and ultimately the engine failed.
After rebuild I continued to use Redline 15w50 for a few months until I managed to locate Liqui Moly 10w60 and have recently swapped over to Millers 10w60 on advise from ZEN. No problems since then, although the car now has an oil cooler and will only be used for hillclimbs and occassional street use. With the oil cooler have seen just on 100 degrees after hammering it on a 40 degree day with 1.8bar. In normal driving it is on 75-80 degrees even in summer and a few degrees higher in traffic. With the Redline it was up to 10 degrees hotter even with the cooler. So in my case the 10w60 is better than a 15w50 in hot conditions.
BTW another expert and someone who has been modifying and breaking Scoobies way before anyone in the UK started, recommended a mineral monograde 40 for track/drag use and for my spec engine which I bought from him. He did not use synthetic and said they were a waste of money.
I did not follow his advise
25 January 2008, 09:06 AM
#139
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I see your point and I have always used mobil 1 15w50 in all my scoobs upto now (two sti's and one uk turbo) with no ill effect.) Infact, my first sti 4 had done over 100000miles with the new owner until the big ends went (bought it off me at 72000). Funny how they went less than 1000miles after a td05 20g upgrade and an andy forrest remap.
But when 911 says that he has always used shell helix 10w40 in his race car (fairly highly modded sti v3) alarm bells start ringing.
According to experts on here, his engine should be in pieces! And he is an advocate of api like yourself!
But when 911 says that he has always used shell helix 10w40 in his race car (fairly highly modded sti v3) alarm bells start ringing.
According to experts on here, his engine should be in pieces! And he is an advocate of api like yourself!
Subaru did build the car after all, they know what they talking about. However, like everything else on the car, the components are specified to a price. Their engineers will know full well that an ester based fully synth is better, but are they going to specify that to a chorus of the press saying "bladdy Scoobies, expensive to service...how much for oil etc..." No way. Even Subaru themselves state in the manual that if the car is used in testing conditions e.g. lots of short journeys, on a track etc.. then the oil should be changed more frequently. So where does that leave us all? I reckon: if the car is std, you should use the grade and type that Subaru recommend, but if you can afford a proper fully synth of the same grade then this is to be encouraged - it is better oil after all, and you can confidently stick to the normal oil change intervals even if you use the car hard. If the car is modified, you should definately consider using a proper fully synth, if you don't, you'll need to change the oil more frequently than you would with a proper fully synth oil (just as 911 and Chris do).
Hows that?
25 January 2008, 09:28 AM
#140
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From memory when I mapped it around 3 years ago this was not a high mileage car, the oil I would recommend for a highly tuned 100,000+ miler for example would not be a semi 10w40. Also consider that the oil on this car may only do less than 1000 miles between changes therefore will degrade very little, which is also something to factor in.
Andy
25 January 2008, 10:30 AM
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millers 10/60, always use it with no probs at all,changed every 1000 miles.
oil debates can go on forever to be honest.there s so many types avail nowdays that no one oil can be the best surely?i chose millers because thats what was in my car to start with,iv read that scoobys dont like brand changes of oil once there established with one oil.i could be wrong as iv read this in a post on here somewhere
.sorry to waffle on.
oil debates can go on forever to be honest.there s so many types avail nowdays that no one oil can be the best surely?i chose millers because thats what was in my car to start with,iv read that scoobys dont like brand changes of oil once there established with one oil.i could be wrong as iv read this in a post on here somewhere
.sorry to waffle on.
29 January 2008, 10:48 AM
#142
TBH, 3000 mile changes on an unmodified road used scoob are completely mad unless you are using a cheap semi-synthetic which will degrade very quickly.
Certainly Silkolene recommend 6-9000 miles on Pro S for a stock road car (even then you could be tipping good oil)
They also recommend 10 track hours on the Pro S
Cheers
Simon
Certainly Silkolene recommend 6-9000 miles on Pro S for a stock road car (even then you could be tipping good oil)
They also recommend 10 track hours on the Pro S
Cheers
Simon
29 January 2008, 11:26 AM
#143
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I wussed out in the end! Changed my oil this weekend with my old faithful - mobil 1 15w50. Atleast I know that it works!
29 January 2008, 04:10 PM
#145
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I think the grade of oil you use is probably up for debate depending on what car its going into, but my opinion is that its foolish to put cheap oil into your car. I just bought some silkolene pro S 10-50 from opie for under £35 to fill my subaru (bought 20 litres, so got a small discount above a normal 5l can).
Even if its no better than a semi synthetic or 'psuedo' synthetic, its certainly no worse. Suppose you change your oil every 5000 miles, at 250 miles to a tank and £60 a tank thats £1200 in fuel over 5000 miles. To me its pretty silly to 'save' £20 on oil when your spending £1200 in petrol over the life of that oil, especially when theres a good chance the oil is better for your engine, but horses for courses as they say.
Even if its no better than a semi synthetic or 'psuedo' synthetic, its certainly no worse. Suppose you change your oil every 5000 miles, at 250 miles to a tank and £60 a tank thats £1200 in fuel over 5000 miles. To me its pretty silly to 'save' £20 on oil when your spending £1200 in petrol over the life of that oil, especially when theres a good chance the oil is better for your engine, but horses for courses as they say.
29 January 2008, 06:37 PM
#146
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I think the grade of oil you use is probably up for debate depending on what car its going into, but my opinion is that its foolish to put cheap oil into your car. I just bought some silkolene pro S 10-50 from opie for under £35 to fill my subaru (bought 20 litres, so got a small discount above a normal 5l can).
Even if its no better than a semi synthetic or 'psuedo' synthetic, its certainly no worse. Suppose you change your oil every 5000 miles, at 250 miles to a tank and £60 a tank thats £1200 in fuel over 5000 miles. To me its pretty silly to 'save' £20 on oil when your spending £1200 in petrol over the life of that oil, especially when theres a good chance the oil is better for your engine, but horses for courses as they say.
Even if its no better than a semi synthetic or 'psuedo' synthetic, its certainly no worse. Suppose you change your oil every 5000 miles, at 250 miles to a tank and £60 a tank thats £1200 in fuel over 5000 miles. To me its pretty silly to 'save' £20 on oil when your spending £1200 in petrol over the life of that oil, especially when theres a good chance the oil is better for your engine, but horses for courses as they say.
06 February 2008, 01:53 AM
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I've just purchased some Motul 300V Chrono 10W-40 Racing lubricant from Mr Oilman, I'm hoping that will be ok for MY07 STi.........??
Cheers
G
Cheers
G
