??What oil should I use?? - ClubWRX Forum - Subaru Impreza WRX and STi Community and Forums

**Donkey** · 01-13-2010, 07:07 AM

This seems to be a common question frequently asked here on the forums. Obviously when in doubt the first thing to check is your owner' manual or factory repair manual. As you will see it gives you a range of choices:

So what do those numbers mean? The type of oil most automobiles use is called a multi viscosity oil. Hence the two numbers on the label. The first number designates the viscosity of the oil cold and the second the viscosity of the oil at normal operating temperatures. Motor oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia As you can see from the factory manual page above,5w30 basically works for most of use due to climate temps. Obviously some might run a different oil in the winter and summer seasons depending on where you live or by preferred choice.

But what should I use? Conventional or Synthetic? Or synthetic blend?The choice is up to you. There are some very good conventional motor oils on the market. As far as synthetic blends,it's kind of a scam. Either use conventional "dino" oil or your average Group III synthetic (it's basiclly a " synthetic blend anyways

) I prefer synthetic due to longer oil change intervals,higher temp threshold (less chance of coking) and less sludge build up. Coking is a byproduct of oil when it breaks down. It is the solid like sludge that can block passage ways and drains.

"If the inside of the bearing housing resembles the bottom of a frying pan and is coated with black crusty deposits, oil coking was the cause of failure. The bearings are oil cooled, and during normal operation temperatures don't get hot enough to cause oil coking. But when the engine is shut off, temperatures can rise to 600 to 700 degrees F. inside the housing as the turbo undergoes a period of heat soak. The oil oxidizes and forms coke deposits in the housing that then act like an abrasive to wear the bearings. Using a high temperature "turbo" oil or synthetic oil, installing an auxiliary oil cooler, and changing the oil every 3,000 miles can avoid oil breakdown and coking problems. In water-cooled turbos, coking is less of a problem provided the oil is changed regularly and you use a quality motor oil. So if you find an accumulation of black crud inside the housing, better check the coolant hoses for a kink or restriction."

Turbocharger Diagnosis & Repair

As far as synthetics,not all are the same. There are generally three types found. Group IIIs,Group IVs and Group Vs.

Group III = Hydrocracked/hydroisomerized (mineral based "semi-sythetic")
Mobil-1
Shell Rotella T synthetic
Castrol oil Syntec
Quaker state synthetic
Amsoil XL7500

Group IV = Polyalphaolefin (POA)
Amsoil Synthetic
Royal Purple
Motul 6100
Lubro/Liqui Moly
Eneos Nippon
European Castrol oil Syntec
Greddy

Group V = Ester based
Motul 300V
Motul 8100
Redline

Group IV and V are the "true synthetics". Above I just showed some examples to give you an idea. Hopefully this clears up some confusion and also make sure to use a quality filter when ever possible!

One of the best sites for oil and filter information!!
Welcome

Good quick reads with lots of info
Motor Oil Viscosity Grades Explained in Layman's Terms
Car Bibles : The Engine Oil Bible

wrxtreme06 · 01-13-2010, 07:41 AM

we can haz sticky?

**EJ257** · 01-13-2010, 07:52 AM

So I just passed the 60K mark - what oil do you recommend I use? Dino? Synthetic? What brands are good?

Sorry, couldn't resist ...

**Donkey** · 01-13-2010, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EJ257

So I just passed the 60K mark - what oil do you recommend I use? Dino? Synthetic? What brands are good?

Sorry, couldn't resist ...

I like Crisco or Extra Virgin olive..........

brfatal · 01-13-2010, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donkey

I like Crisco or Extra Virgin olive..........

He can go 7,500 miles between each change with extra virgin coconut oil.

benson156 · 01-13-2010, 12:11 PM

I use Royal Purple 5W-30 and have had no problems, they say that you can go longer without having to change your oil but I still go at the usual 3,000 that I always have.

**mycologist** · 01-13-2010, 12:20 PM

Stick it please.

Thanks Ron.

**04.SPT.WRX** · 01-13-2010, 12:33 PM

Highly stickworthy and possibly mandatory reading before joining.

This link is an eyeful - maybe add it? www.bescaredracing.com - /sti/oil/filters/ Someone went to a lot of trouble dissecting oil filters.

WRXwagonMAFIA · 01-13-2010, 01:37 PM

valvoline synthetic. comes with a 300,000 mile engine guarantee as well as long as your mods are professionally installed.

i only know this becuiase i am a valvoline employee. five years now

any way, independent lab testing proves that our oil has 8X wear pretection than Mobil 1 and im sorry royal purple, but your oil is in the same class as our conventional oil. no not semi synthetic, conventional!!

granted thats still 3X better wear protection than mobil 1.

valvoline was the first company to produce a oil for use in a motor. the first locomotives were lubricated with valvoline base stock

all in all yes i do work for valvoline, but i have done my research, and so have they. they were the first in the buisness and are still at the top of the market.

so when it comes to the question," what oil do i use?" just ask jay lenno

i guarantee he will tell you his garage filled with supercars contains not a drop of oil other than VALVOLINE

does that help?

**mycologist** · 01-13-2010, 01:52 PM

< recently switched to Valvoline Synth from M1.

**Donkey** · 01-13-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04.SPT.WRX

Highly stickworthy and possibly mandatory reading before joining.

This link is an eyeful - maybe add it? www.bescaredracing.com - /sti/oil/filters/ Someone went to a lot of trouble dissecting oil filters.

There are these as well:

Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources
Armand's Subaru Impreza Oil Filter Comparison
LesabreT.com's Oil filter write up..
Oil filter comparison, 4 top brand oil filters cut up and compared. - NASIOC

Flow and filtering ability are key with choosing a filter but most often overlooked is the proper bypass valve psi.

WRXwagonMAFIA · 01-13-2010, 02:20 PM

you wont be dissapointed, your motor runs cooler, oils stays cleaner, and i personally grad 1-3 miles per gallon

**04.SPT.WRX** · 01-13-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donkey

There are these as well:

Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources
Armand's Subaru Impreza Oil Filter Comparison
LesabreT.com's Oil filter write up..
Oil filter comparison, 4 top brand oil filters cut up and compared. - NASIOC

Flow and filtering ability are key with choosing a filter but most often overlooked is the proper bypass valve psi.

Add 'em all. Great easy to read stick worthy thread.

**Donkey** · 01-13-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WRXwagonMAFIA

valvoline synthetic. comes with a 300,000 mile engine guarantee as well as long as your mods are professionally installed. i only know this becuiase i am a valvoline employee. five years now

any way, independent lab testing proves that our oil has 8X wear pretection than Mobil 1 and im sorry royal purple, but your oil is in the same class as our conventional oil. no not semi synthetic, conventional!!

granted thats still 3X better wear protection than mobil 1.

valvoline was the first company to produce a oil for use in a motor. the first locomotives were lubricated with valvoline base stock

all in all yes i do work for valvoline, but i have done my research, and so have they. they were the first in the buisness and are still at the top of the market.

so when it comes to the question," what oil do i use?" just ask jay lenno

i guarantee he will tell you his garage filled with supercars contains not a drop of oil other than VALVOLINE

does that help?

Valvoline is a great company and makes a great oil but your opinion of course is going to be biased

. Any links to data? I mean Amsoil employee/dealers are going to make their product seem like its the cats meow too

. AMSOIL - Comparative Motor Oil Testing
I personally go by UOA's on my personal vehicle to help me choose an oil and let me know if its doing its job.

Blackstone Labs
Oil Analyzers, Inc. - Oil Analysis, Oil Testing Services

WRXwagonMAFIA · 01-13-2010, 02:39 PM

i have been sending my samples to oil analyzers, inc. as well for about 60k now.

i am not sure the name of the lab that did the testing between valvoline, mobil 1, penzoil, royal purple, castrol, mystery oil, and a few others, but i will get with my market manager sometime this week to see if he still has the spreadsheet of the analysis and all the data availiable to him, if not at least the labs name whom conducted the reasearch. i do know it was conducted over a 2 year period and was funded by the socioty of automotive engineers, so in tern it was an extensive test with in depth results.

i will do my best to hunt down the information and come up with something to post

01-13-2010, 07:07 AM	#1
Donkey Reincarnated Stalin of WRX tuning Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Da boonies Posts: 3,199	??What oil should I use?? This seems to be a common question frequently asked here on the forums. Obviously when in doubt the first thing to check is your owner' manual or factory repair manual. As you will see it gives you a range of choices: So what do those numbers mean? The type of oil most automobiles use is called a multi viscosity oil. Hence the two numbers on the label. The first number designates the viscosity of the oil cold and the second the viscosity of the oil at normal operating temperatures. Motor oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia As you can see from the factory manual page above,5w30 basically works for most of use due to climate temps. Obviously some might run a different oil in the winter and summer seasons depending on where you live or by preferred choice. But what should I use? Conventional or Synthetic? Or synthetic blend?The choice is up to you. There are some very good conventional motor oils on the market. As far as synthetic blends,it's kind of a scam. Either use conventional "dino" oil or your average Group III synthetic (it's basiclly a " synthetic blend anyways) I prefer synthetic due to longer oil change intervals,higher temp threshold (less chance of coking) and less sludge build up. Coking is a byproduct of oil when it breaks down. It is the solid like sludge that can block passage ways and drains. "If the inside of the bearing housing resembles the bottom of a frying pan and is coated with black crusty deposits, oil coking was the cause of failure. The bearings are oil cooled, and during normal operation temperatures don't get hot enough to cause oil coking. But when the engine is shut off, temperatures can rise to 600 to 700 degrees F. inside the housing as the turbo undergoes a period of heat soak. The oil oxidizes and forms coke deposits in the housing that then act like an abrasive to wear the bearings. Using a high temperature "turbo" oil or synthetic oil, installing an auxiliary oil cooler, and changing the oil every 3,000 miles can avoid oil breakdown and coking problems. In water-cooled turbos, coking is less of a problem provided the oil is changed regularly and you use a quality motor oil. So if you find an accumulation of black crud inside the housing, better check the coolant hoses for a kink or restriction." Turbocharger Diagnosis & Repair As far as synthetics,not all are the same. There are generally three types found. Group IIIs,Group IVs and Group Vs. Group III = Hydrocracked/hydroisomerized (mineral based "semi-sythetic") Mobil-1 Shell Rotella T synthetic Castrol oil Syntec Quaker state synthetic Amsoil XL7500 Group IV = Polyalphaolefin (POA) Amsoil Synthetic Royal Purple Motul 6100 Lubro/Liqui Moly Eneos Nippon European Castrol oil Syntec Greddy Group V = Ester based Motul 300V Motul 8100 Redline Group IV and V are the "true synthetics". Above I just showed some examples to give you an idea. Hopefully this clears up some confusion and also make sure to use a quality filter when ever possible! One of the best sites for oil and filter information!! Welcome Good quick reads with lots of info Motor Oil Viscosity Grades Explained in Layman's Terms Car Bibles : The Engine Oil Bible __________________ My Mods My Pics Last edited by Donkey; 01-13-2010 at 07:46 AM.

01-13-2010, 07:41 AM	#2
wrxtreme06 Sammich Makin Pwincess #1 Join Date: May 2007 Location: orlando, fl Posts: 7,990	we can haz sticky? __________________ your friendly, neighborhood subaru girl 06 wrx impreza: cobb stage II! myspace; facebook hawk-eye alliance #1111 // wingl3ss @ll!ance #17

01-13-2010, 07:52 AM	#3
EJ257 N00b Moderator mit das motion lotion Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 8,433	So I just passed the 60K mark - what oil do you recommend I use? Dino? Synthetic? What brands are good? Sorry, couldn't resist ... __________________ 2005 WRX STi (Mods \| Dyno \| Airboy) "Never trust anything that bleeds for a week and lives ..." UNYSOC CNYSubarus

01-13-2010, 12:11 PM	#6
benson156 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cedar City, Utah Posts: 256	I use Royal Purple 5W-30 and have had no problems, they say that you can go longer without having to change your oil but I still go at the usual 3,000 that I always have. __________________ Hawk-eye Alliance #156

01-13-2010, 12:20 PM	#7
mycologist The Mushroom Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Late Devonian Posts: 6,452	Stick it please. Thanks Ron. __________________ "From a little spark may burst a mighty flame." - Dante "The stitch is lost unless the thread is knotted." - Italian proverb

01-13-2010, 12:33 PM	#8
04.SPT.WRX Counterculture Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 25,820	Highly stickworthy and possibly mandatory reading before joining. This link is an eyeful - maybe add it? www.bescaredracing.com - /sti/oil/filters/ Someone went to a lot of trouble dissecting oil filters. __________________ Moderator for: Aftermarket Vendor & Installer Review / Detailing Forum Exterior & Appearance / Mid-Atlantic States / New Member Hangout / Tri-State ScoobyDMC #003 Blobeye Syndicate # 10 2004 WRX Sedan PSM 5MT Tactrix Stage 2 - Dynapack 246 awdhp, 268 awdtq. Mods Pics Last edited by 04.SPT.WRX; 01-13-2010 at 12:36 PM.

01-13-2010, 01:37 PM	#9
WRXwagonMAFIA Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: pittsburgh Posts: 116	valvoline synthetic. comes with a 300,000 mile engine guarantee as well as long as your mods are professionally installed. i only know this becuiase i am a valvoline employee. five years now any way, independent lab testing proves that our oil has 8X wear pretection than Mobil 1 and im sorry royal purple, but your oil is in the same class as our conventional oil. no not semi synthetic, conventional!! granted thats still 3X better wear protection than mobil 1. valvoline was the first company to produce a oil for use in a motor. the first locomotives were lubricated with valvoline base stock all in all yes i do work for valvoline, but i have done my research, and so have they. they were the first in the buisness and are still at the top of the market. so when it comes to the question," what oil do i use?" just ask jay lenno i guarantee he will tell you his garage filled with supercars contains not a drop of oil other than VALVOLINE does that help? __________________ 04' WRB wagon stage 2 wagon Mafia #1 Where my wagons at?

01-13-2010, 01:52 PM	#10
mycologist The Mushroom Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Late Devonian Posts: 6,452	< recently switched to Valvoline Synth from M1. __________________ "From a little spark may burst a mighty flame." - Dante "The stitch is lost unless the thread is knotted." - Italian proverb

01-13-2010, 02:20 PM	#12
WRXwagonMAFIA Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: pittsburgh Posts: 116	you wont be dissapointed, your motor runs cooler, oils stays cleaner, and i personally grad 1-3 miles per gallon __________________ 04' WRB wagon stage 2 wagon Mafia #1 Where my wagons at?

01-13-2010, 02:39 PM	#15
WRXwagonMAFIA Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: pittsburgh Posts: 116	i have been sending my samples to oil analyzers, inc. as well for about 60k now. i am not sure the name of the lab that did the testing between valvoline, mobil 1, penzoil, royal purple, castrol, mystery oil, and a few others, but i will get with my market manager sometime this week to see if he still has the spreadsheet of the analysis and all the data availiable to him, if not at least the labs name whom conducted the reasearch. i do know it was conducted over a 2 year period and was funded by the socioty of automotive engineers, so in tern it was an extensive test with in depth results. i will do my best to hunt down the information and come up with something to post __________________ 04' WRB wagon stage 2 wagon Mafia #1 Where my wagons at?

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