pigSTi

iTrader: (5)

Hmmm... Last oil change I got done was £55 all in. Garage literally yards away quoted £80. Neither (obviously) main dealer.

I did wonder how the other place did it so cheap - says full synth on the invoice. Wonder... Getting nervous.... Feeling an oil change coming on

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Decent oil is going to be 30 quid or so. A genuine Subaru filter [ AN ABSOLUTE MUST ] is circa £12.00 That means labour and VAT was £13.00

I think you have a right to be worried.

On a different tack; I was told by a specialist, that one customer asked for his old oil back that had just been drained out. Apparently as it had only done 3000 miles he was selling it on Ebay............. The specialist had naturally , drained it away. The guy created such a fuss, they gave him a free fresh gallon from the drum to shut him up.

Now THAT has to be a first.

David

oilman

iTrader: (9)

You must be a very busy man David, think of all those Imprezas out there running on 5w oils, plenty of future business for you We have hundreds of Impreza owners using 5w oils and have done for years and years without issue. I would suggest quality of oil would have a bigger impact over it being a 5w or not.

I am however, really quite suprised that you use a generic 15w-40 semi synthetic in "performance" turbo cars (especially modified or hard used cars) as 15w-40 semis (being a 15w-40 chances are, it is just a mineral multigrade) really do tend to be bottom of the pile and not designed for the use you and your customers are putting them through.

Each to their own I guess.

Cheers

Guy.

oilman

iTrader: (9)

You would be suprised, I known of people to drain expensive oil out of their performance or track car after little use, then use it to service the wifes run around.

Cheers

Guy.

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

If it ain't broke..............

It is very rare for an APi engine to fail. They do of course, we are human, [ so are customers ] and we have some of them making well over 450 hp up to the best at about 560 hp NEVER been a problem on my oil.

Another reason is purely for workshop economics. I have 12 guys here and they will all [ with or without my knowledge ] service their cars with my oil.

'Losing' several gallons of expensive oil is not really my thing.

Using oil to service a run around of your own, isn't quite the same as selling it on Ebay.

David

JohnD

iTrader: (5)

Probably perfect for running-in a re-built engine?

JohnD

oilman

iTrader: (9)

David,

I know API engines are great, and your work is top notch. I would never question it. However in this case, I do question your choice of oil for your customers.

As for loosing oil to your staff, that is an internal issue for you and should not influence what you are putting into your customers cars.

Out of curiosity, how many customers do you have providing their own oil or asking for a specific oil on request?

If you gave people a choice of oils for their subaru (API might already, I dont know) then economics is not really an issue as you charge the customer accordingly for the more expensive, higher quality oil.

Cheers

Guy.

oilman

iTrader: (9)

Yep, indeed it would be. But after run-in is done, it would not be my choice, that is for sure.

Cheers

Guy.

Blue by You

iTrader: (23)

Sorry to divert the topic slightly.
I've been following this (and other) threads about 'Which Oil' with interest.
I have used Mobil 1 (usually 5w40) for over 20 years in my cars, ranging from a 750hp drag car to the wife's runaround, and currently use it in my modded blob.

I do 2 oil changes a year on performance engines and I have to say I have only ever suffered one engine component failure, but that wasn't in any way attributable to oil choice (race car cam follower).

Out of interest I have just ordered 5 litres of Fuchs 10w50 from Opie so it will be an interesting comparison and to see if there are any tangible benefits.

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Very few buy their own oil and supply it, Maybe one in twenty.

I ain't gonna buy oil off you, I am quite happy with what I have been doing for many years. So apparently are my customers.

Without offending; there is so much technical crap talked about oils that is irrelevant, that once someone has settled on what they know works best. Stay with it.

I have been in motorsport one way or another for well over 40 years and the only oil that I have actively rejected was good old Duckhams 20/50 which completely wrecked my twin cam Ford engine. They offered me a sponsorship deal to use their oil. BOY did I regret that.

Castrol came on board and I never had another problem.

David

oilman

iTrader: (9)

The 10w-50 is good stuff, you will have no issues with it. However, as a driver you may not notice any difference at all.

I see your blob did not destruct itself using 5w then?

Cheers

Guy.

oilman

iTrader: (9)

David,

I am not interested in your business, so I will not be looking to try and sell you oil. However, going by your current standards this is about the only one I have suitable for you http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-988-fuch...eason-oil.aspx You may even find that too expensive.

I whole heartedly agree with you on the Duckhams 20w-50, yet so many classic car/bike owners still swear by it, even though they cannot get it. No educating some.

Cheers

Guy.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Pardon me if I chip in.

We used to stock castrol 15w-40. It was just a modified mineral oil. In fact, I do not know of any oil (barring race oil - such as Motul ) that is 15w-40 grade that is semi-synthetic. In fcat I'd go as far to say that sourcing 15w-40 oil is not that easy unless you buy that cheapo fleet/commercial vehicle stuff, and that is definetly a modified mineral oil.

Currently our two 500litre tanks are filled with 10w-40 magnatec, but in the future I can see this changing to 5w-30 magnatec as that is now the more mainstream oil. We have indivdual flavours stocked in 20/25litre drums ranging from 5w-30 semi synthetic to 0w-40 edge full synthetic, with all the inbetween grades and diesel oils to use for whatever application dicates.

We have always followed OATs sourced data when selecting the oil for each car, unless the customer specifically requests otherwise.

New Age imprezas WRXs have been filled with what OATS reccomend - that is 5w-30, be it Edge or Magnatec. We're yet to see an Impreza with an engine failure. Lucky?

scooby1929

iTrader: (1)

I am amazed that after rebuilding a customers car costing maybe thousands of pounds that you would fill it with a 15w - 40 semi synthetic costing maybe a few pounds. I would of thought that you would of used a high quality fully synthetic oil such as millers or valvoline specifically developed for turbocharged vehicles / hard use rather than something you would throw into your tractor!!
Maybe we are all wasting our money on these expensive oils??!!

fastmike

iTrader: (4)

Too true...... and about time a few woke up to that

We used Shell semi sythnetic in all our Cosworths without a problem

Blue by You

iTrader: (23)

Not at all Guy, and it's making well over 400bhp. As I say nothing else suffered either.
Will the 10w rating make the engine noisier when running cold?
Steve.

oilman

iTrader: (9)

Hi Steve

Good to know that the 5w-40 worked out well for you.

Until you've tried the oil, you can't tell if it's going to be louder, quieter or the same. If the car had some piston slap, in theory it should now be quieter as the oil will reduce that to some extent. But, the 10w-50 will flow a little slower from cold, meaning it takes a little longer to get around the engine, so that can increase the noise. That can also be counteracted by the oil being ester based, so it sticks to the engine internals. As there are a few variables, it's difficult to say what's going to happen.

Cheers

Tim

JohnD

iTrader: (5)

Good old Duckhams Q20/50 'Back in my day' ('60's) that was the fashionable choice! Popular in Minis, Anglias, Cortinas etc

JohnD

djandyg

iTrader: (2)

Dont all subaru's come filled with 5w30 from the factory though? Obviously they are then all on standard cars though. I cant help but think performance modding has something to play in the high number of bottom end failures.

Blue by You

iTrader: (23)

The hotter you burn your candle, the quicker it melts

Nathan6301

Right started to pull my engine out any tips or tricks.

MaDaSS

Fuchs (Silkolene) Pro R 15w50!
My 03 WRX loves it.

The Rig

iTrader: (13)

Touches wood (table) as he types,i have used castrol magnatec 10/40 for all my oil changes and so far,so good,gulp MY95 WRX.

As for the O/P take as many pics as you can to document it all if you are stripping it down to internals for reference purpose

good luck bud

oilman

iTrader: (9)

Yes they come with 5w-30 as standard, that's what a standard car is designed to run on and it's why I don't recommend thick oils

impreza_terzo3_no257

whats even more concerning is that amount of engine warrenties subaru go through(on new models) you would have thought they would of changed the grade of oil used from factory.

If what everyone says using a 5w can poetentially destroy the engine after X amount of miles then would it not be wise to have a oil change done on it, or would lur friends at subaru get funny about it when you take it to them for a service?

p.s been using 10w60 edge sport for 33k still going strong!

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Nothing wrong with a 5w oil in a turbocharged subaru (my garage happily uses it and what he doesnt know about these engines isnt worth knowing )
What I wouldnt personally use is a 0w (cold) oil or a 60 weight (hot), though over the years I have used 5w40 with no issues, 10w40, 15w50 and a 5w30 (that was noisy, it was changed, not my choice either, i just asked for fully synthetic and thats what the now no longer dealing subaru dealer put in), not one I would recommend for a classic

Tony

BAD BOY V

iTrader: (1)

Hi i've used 10 50 fully sync on mine and haven't had any issus and was recommended to use this grade of oil.

Nathan6301

Well engine is going to David's Saturday see exactly what the damage is

scooby..al

Good luck with it mate....going to change the oil on mine in the next few weeks and after reading about your bad news i'm not looking forward to it.

Hope it all goes well and at least its going to someone who knows there stuff and won't rip you off

Al

Nathan6301

Cheers buddy yeah just hope it is the bottomend gone and hasent damaged anything else will keep you all updated