I also have been wondering about what oil to use after John F's comments in the thread relating to Stef's disaster.

That thread was obviously very much geared towards track day usage, but it seemed to me that there could be some relevance to road use, particularly if you tend to drive a little exuberantly! Not really knowing anything techie about oils at all, would a 5W/50 or 10W/50 be more appropriate for UK use than the 5W/40 that my dealer put in at the first service?

Pete

 

Hi All

After finding out my new my00 isn't scheduled to get its first oil change 'til 12'000km (!), I've decided on a change at 6k.

Booked with dealers yesterday and enquired what oils they had; Mobil 1 0W/40 or Castrol RS 10W/60. I asked for the Castrol (following on from John F's info previously) - the mechanic was OK with this but asked whether I wanted something so thick during the winter......

He explained that the first "W" rating was it's cold performance, and the second it's hot...and who am I to argue! Damn, knew I should of read those other oil threads - but didn't know search was gonna' get junked, did I!

So, my question - is the 10W OK for winter, or should I be using the *damned* 0W Mobil 1 over winter?

My car has the PPP, is used very gently during warm-up period (not that this will help if the oil is *too* thick!?).....and then caned the hell out of on B roads and autobahns. About 700 miles a week.

Any advice appreciated!

Richard

 

Richard

In your handbook, there is a graph which shows recommended grades for different temperatures.

Being as you live in Switzerland, 0w may well be better for your car, through the winter. I would take the dealers advise.

 

Thanks Pete

I've also identified a source of Mobil 1 5W/50 (thanks Mike!) which gives me a bit more comfort. I'll confirm this meets Subaru's recommendations tonight.

My main concern comes from the recent "Stef's failed engine" thread, where John was expounding the virtues of 10W/60 Castrol - while I haven't taken the car on track yet, my 20 minute B road blast each morning on empty roads involves a fair amount of *stress* for the car.

Cheers
Richard

 

This is a massively complex area and your own circumstances (including your climatic considerations) are hugely relevant.

From what you have described, I would go for the 5W/50.

This will give you better lubrication at start up <I>which is where most engine wear occurs.</I>

Also, you have hydraulic tappets, which need oil immediately to function correctly, you will need to warm your car up carefully before nailing it though.

It is not as Simple as just putting the highest temp protection oil in your car.
John was expounding the virtues of Castrol RS but under very particular and different circumstances for the one you are in.

Mike.

 

I don't know if it proves anything about oil quality, but my dealer offeres 1000 000km (yes, one million km!) engine warranty if I agree to do the regular maintenance and use Mobil 1 0W-40 "or better quality Mobil oil" on MY 2000 Impreza RX. Of course, I signed up ( I still remember the "piston slap" problem that developed right after the 100 000km warranty on my previous MY'97 GL).

 

Richard

always to your assistance

See ya soon

Mike

 

This is a link to the Mobil 1 product data sheets.

 

The original Mobil 1 was a 5/50 and was therefore the perfect grading for performance cars. I contacted Mobil`s tech. dept. and was told the 5/50 was still available in Europe, although I have never seen it since in the U.K.?
Did you know that there is a viable alternative 5/50 available in the U.K.? i.e. Valvoline Synpower. Top quality stuff and much cheaper than MOBIL. I`ve been using this for some time now, no probs.
Try Burton Performance on

 

Reading all this worries me. My swiss Scooby dealer said to me that Subaru ordered them to put 10w30 in the turbo engines. Did he fool me, will I get any problems with this oil and should I get it changed for something else? I don't drive my car really hard and never goes to track days. Another thing I noticed is that the second time I went to this dealer, he filled the oil right to the top and not midway between min and max like he should. I have allready done about 1000 km since the oil change, is it to late to avoid oil contamination of the solenoide ?

Laurent

 

OK so where can you actually get decent oil, Halfords is no good, the local motor factors sell the stuff you cook chips in.
Anywhere near me for Silkolene Pro S or such like, SE Coast. Or mail order??

 

Davvers, my local Halfords stocks a good range of oils, including Mobil 1 Motorsport 15W-50. Tons of it. It's not cheap - about £32 for 4 litres as I recall - but right now they're offering £10 off if you spend £50 or more (on oils, filters, and other stuff etc) so I bought a load, putting it through in separate transactions to save the max.

(Speaking of good savings, our local Sainsburys - Peterborough - is still giving 10p off per litre of gas if you spend £40 or more in store. The offer has been extended. And they stock SUL.)

Back on topic. I've read all the recent posts about oil and what I have learned is that 'a little knowledge is dangerous thing' as they say. And since my car spends most of it's time on short trips to work, interspersed with frisky backroads blasting and the odd track day, I think I need to switch to a different oil several times a day. Perhaps a little impractical. So...

...it's Mobil-1 15W-50 Motorsport, but always take it real easy for the first few miles. Note: oil temp takes MILES longer to get up to working temp than water coolant. Then change oil to fresh for every track day.

On the other hand, the Missus has just got a new 206 GTI (what a great little car!) which, at this time of year hardly ever gets properly warm. I think I'll put some Mobil-1 0W-30 Motorsport in that.

Hoppy

PS Calling John F, should you change the oil before a track day, or after? Please don't say both!

 

Both!!!

No seriously, what you are aiming to do is prevent running the engine once the oil has started to degrade the protection it gives.

If i were running a car that had the dealer installed mobil1 i would replace this before the track day with a better grade of oil, as this stuff burns very quickly, it will start to degrade during the track day. I would also replace the oil after the day too keeping to the better grade oil. That should then be OK for your remaining road running plus another track day, as long as your engine is healthy and isnt running rich to the point of fuel contaminating the oil. Of course you still need to replace the oil at the recomended intervals should you not do regular track days.

As my track car is only used lightly on road, generally only used to get too/from the track then i simply put new oil in after every event.

I am probably being a little paranoid, as the oil i use is top quality and could stand much more running than one event, but i see it as cheep insurance, to replace my engine if it failed would run to thousands, £40 for oil is a better option i think. As an aside, our rally engine builder advises us to replace the oil after 2 rallies, these are typically of 50-60 miles on stage and 80-100 road miles. The rally car is never on boost on the road as the average speed is set in the regs very low, so is much lighter loaded than your typical impreza road car on the road sections. Also the rally car has very acurate control over the oil and water temps, and the engine is stripped/rebuilt every year, so the wear is small compared to your road engines.

I tried to buy some Castrol RS this weekend and could only find the Formula RS (why do these companies try to confuse/con the consumer with similar named products?) which has a crap spec, i was told castrol RS has been withdrawn by the sales guy, i'll find out for myself i think.

So its looking like Motul for me from now on.

 

Anyone tried Millers Oils?

They claim to have a long standing competition pedigree and now have a full range of Fully Synthetic oils of different viscosoties for road use


Lee

 

yep, i had millers in my engine when my turbo failed. I forget to replace it with something i trust before my last track day, oops. I had used it just to check i hadnt buggered my engine at the nurburgring.

i am not saying its crap, but thats what happened when i used it. First ever turbo bearing failure i have ever had.

 

Pehaps I'll just stick with Millers Octane Booster then.

Lee

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by johnfelstead:
<B>I tried to buy some Castrol RS this weekend and could only find the Formula RS (why do these companies try to confuse/con the consumer with similar named products?) which has a crap spec, i was told castrol RS has been withdrawn by the sales guy, i'll find out for myself i think.

So its looking like Motul for me from now on.

[/quote]

oops, too quick with the button, see below for proper reply...


[This message has been edited by richm (edited 10 December 2000).]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by johnfelstead:
<B>I tried to buy some Castrol RS this weekend and could only find the Formula RS (why do these companies try to confuse/con the consumer with similar named products?) which has a crap spec, i was told castrol RS has been withdrawn by the sales guy, i'll find out for myself i think.

So its looking like Motul for me from now on.

[/quote]

John, if it's RS10w60 you're after, it isn't being discontinued, the runny stuff is being produced alongside as a direct competitor to Mobil1 0w40. Some outlets (Halfords probably one of them) are choosing only to keep the runny gear and may be implying that it is a replacement. If you want to know more ring Simon Lester, Woodford Garage 01803 863958, he maintains very close contact with Castrol.

Cheers

Rich

 

thanks rich, it was halfords, i never trust the sales guys anywhere, they talk poo 90% of the time.

 

Hi Dowser

In my MY98 is Castrol Magnatec 5w/40 for winter. Not bad if you don`t want race.

Erik

 

Thanks for all the replies. Checking the manual, either 10W or 5W is OK. Less than -5 degrees C and it should be the 5W. Forgot to bring the manual into work, so nothing exact - sorry.

They also make mention of a 0W (/30?) for extreme cold - but state there should be *no* sustained high speed driving.

I'm going for the Mobil 1 5W/50! Am amazed that the dealers here in CH use a 0W oil given what the my00 manual states!

I was even offered Castrol Duratec 0W/40 - was told I wouldn't need to change it for 25'000km's or 12 months

Richard

 

John Felstead,

There seem to be a very large number of threads recently about the type of oil which should be used in the Impreza engine. I've done quite a bit of research into synthetic oils on the internet in the last few months and picked your brain a few times as well.

It seems a waste if all this reseach isn't shared with others so I'm thinking of writing a simple guide to assist people in understanding what oil specifications actualy mean in the real world.

As you have a wealth of experience in these matters any input from yourself would be extremley beneficial. If I were to write a draft version this week and e-mail it to you would you check to make sure I've got my facts right and add any other points you wish to make.

If anyone else can help with this or provide some links to sites with oil related info then I would be grateful.

Andrew

 

I can't offer any real help, but I'd certainly like a read. Thanks, I shall look forward to it.

Hoppy

 

Excellent idea Andrew

Perhaps your guide could also be used in the forthcoming Scoobynet CD?

Rich

 

I'm still pretty confused, so I think your suggestion is a brilliant one.

Look forward to it very much

 

John when you find some RS let me know - I've been trying for ages for the Caterham, got that Mobil 1 motorsport in it at present, which is better than 0/40 Comma that Caterham put in it I suppose

 

sounds good andrew, be happy to take a look.

 

Found some Castrol Rs for those that are interested :

 

Millers did some independent dynamometer testing, the results are at link below.