Have just read the latest issue of the australian magazine Motor.

Quote "Subaru's WRX STi was slow at PCOTY. Subaru claimed it had 20w50 oil instead of the correct 5w30. The thicker goo slowed the turbos response and boost, claimed subaru. Motor re-flogged it, and it returned very impressive times: 0-100 kmh in 5.53 seconds (0.47 sec better)and 0-400m in 13.79 seconds at 161kmh (0.29 secs and 6kmh improved)"
Firstly how do these times compare to JDM cars and UK spec? And secondly is the oil Subaru uses too thin? It would seem that Subaru are at odds with what a large number of owners believe/practice in regards to type of oil used. Also do car suppliers advise different oils in different climates ie. Japan v Britain v Australia.

Call me cynical but I guess if Subaru supplied the car to the magazine to test, how come it had the wrong oil in ;) ??. Unless the magazine changed the oil, but surely they could have checked the handbook ??? No excuse for running the wrong oil these days, its critical.

So what is the best oil for the STI then.

Stick to Mobile 1 - Dont think you can go wrong with that stuff. I have used it in every car I've had.

Mak.
http://216.40.241.68/otn/funny/peace.gif

The Reliant Robin loved it... used loads!!!!

http://216.40.241.68/otn/funny/peace.gif

dont think id run my scoob on 5w30 again :eek: and if it slowed the car down by 1/10th of a sec its better than the excessive wear it will be getting with running an oil that most people think is too thin for a turbo'd engine anyway :eek: (BTW it sounded orrible when i had it in my car, the Mobil1 Motorsport 15w50 is much more re-assuring :D)

Tony:D

How about that castrol gtx magnatec is it worth using?

Tony, let me get this straight:
we trust the scooby engineers to design the car of our dreams, but we don't trust them to spec the oil to use in it? Don't you think they'd know better?

I wouldn't use magnatec - it's not a synthetic. Well, not really. Lovely at cold starts, gunks up the filter when hot.

Bruce,
acutually errrrm nope!
if you read the handbook correctly you will find that 5w30 isnt suited to our enviroment, a thicker oil is, and most people who run subarus usually use a thicker oil anyway (10w60 or 15w50) you have to have 5w30 in to appreciate that the engine doesnt sound good with it, very tappy, now with 15w50 in ;) sounds how its suppose to :D

Tony:D

What oil do Prodrive use in the World Rally Cars?

Oh - what was that - yes, Tom, no, the other Tom at the back of the class....

What is it?

Yes that's right MOTUL.

MOTUL as used by nearly all serious car tuners I know - I personally use 15/50W 300V Competition - it is fantastic


Trout :D
Chairman MOTUL Oil User Group

The API lubrication effectivness rating of Mobil Motorsport actually exceedes the rating on Motul 300V comp...........

So what does that mean ? .....search me !

I read on the motul website bb that they don't submit (pay) for API testing of their 300v (motorsport) oils anymore, hence the old rating?

Interesting this. My STi got its 1K service on Monday just gone by. The Scooby dealer (whom I trust) used a 10/40 semi synthetic.

So where does that leave us then re the best oil debate?

WB

Semi Synthetic is good for the first few thousand miles then revert to a fully synthetic oil (and find a nice garage that will let you use a different type) and not the 5w30 they put in :eek:
Read the owners manual, it says about the temps that 5w30 should be used in, i think the uk doesnt quite get to these.....
There are a few options available to you, use what Subaru want you to use, find another 5 rated oil like 5w40 Mobil1 (which is approved by Subaru UK even though its rarer than a Type UK 22B ;)) or use some of the above, ie 15w50 Mobil1 Motorsport, Motul etc.

Tony:D

Andy.F,

and what do I know - interesting comment - at a basic level - it maintains oil pressure better on track than Mobil 1 - it does not fill my catch tank up with vapour - car runs very well with it even after a damned good thrashing.

I think I will stick with Motul - in fact I have too - I have about 40l in the garage!

Trout :D

I believe the STI VII is more suited too 5W-30 after having experienced the change at 12500km's too Mobil 1 5W-40 . Turbo spool-up is faster , I even got a .05 increse in boost spike with no tappet noise and smooooth running . Suppose older gen cars need thicker oil while newer ones are built for thinner oil .
Don't think it needs debating , just try it and post your results .

Ray

Ray,
(hopefully ill get this the right way round lol!)
But for warmer climates a thicker oil is better, for colder then a thinner oil is better.
Thicker oils are better at dissapating heat than thinner oils so thats one of the reasons most people dont like the 5w30 (noisy tappets etc) and why we go for thicker oils.
5w40 isnt a bad oil but its like rocking horse s*** over here but it is an approved subaru oil (mobil1 5w40 that is) but Mobil say that if your car is out of warranty the Motorsport is a better oil to put in....

Tony:D

I need to put in a bulk purchase order with Demon Tweaks for Motul

We all know it makes sense

Just read my last service - and my Subaru main dealer uses GTX Magnatec !

so is the oil choice down to the local dealers ? surely Subaru would stipulate what oil to use ? (or is it just the same vescosity - so they are covered !??)

Steve

Thanks Tony , get your point . Steve over here my dealer races in rallies , hence his optimism for good oil . I believe the dealers make the choice of oils , remember the customer pays for good oil and the dealer needs to keep the price sensitive ones happy too . I think it unfortunate you where not given a choice to specify a better oil . It only adds to your ownership of their product . Here in South Africa I again believe that fully synthetic oil is specified by the importer .

Ray

Thought they used Mobil... who knows

Magnetec - this is awful stuff that loses its properties pretty quick - I had it put in on the 1000 mile service (by a tuning company), my local garage said I'd better change in pretty quick - 2000 miles and it was sludge......

Well, recomended here is 5w-30, but the dealers stock Elf 10w-50 (which as thick as I'd go, esp. in the B4), and also the Motul 15-50 (with an interesting small print caveat that it can worsen fuel economy).

I run Havoline 5w-40 normally, which luckily is available everywhere here. For mid-summer (very hot + humid) I have run Elf 5w-55 which is absolutely fabulous stuff. When I changed it at 3000km (my std interval) after 2 trackdays, and a gymkhana (all run in 35degree heat over a period of 10 days, and yes I checked the oil after each event) it was still a good colour and smelled fresh (most oils I have used start to look and smell dodgy at this stage), although it was obviously doing its job as there were some very small particles after I did my usual high tech test (dripped some on clean, white tissues ;) ). The mechanics at my dealer thought the stuff could have run quite a deal longer, but I was there already and frankly very surprised at the good condition of the oil, so out it went and in went my usual brew.

The Havoline 5w-40 I run is about 27 quid a 4 litre can, the Elf 5w-55 is 53 stg :eek:, as is the Elf 10w-50 from the dealers!! The scary stuff is the Motul at 62-ish!!!

Just my experiences...so all IMHO etc., etc. If the bank balance was healthier I'd use the Elf all the time.

we have alwaysd use magnatec and never had any probs with it. regarding the colour of oil after 3000k i would like to see the oil a black colour. this would indicate to me that the oil is doing it's job of cleaning all the sh!te out of my engine if it still looked a sort of goldon colour i would get worried as theres 3000k of sh!te in my engine somewhere.