New Subaru: Is synthetic overkill?

[aircooled]

Hi Folks,

Just picked up a 2008 Subaru Legacy with the Naturally aspirated 2.5i boxer 4 cylinder with 9200 miles.

It will be the daily driver with many short trips and not many miles put on it over it's life. (just sold 95 Camry V6 with 145k, all synthetic, perfect engine the rest falling apart)

I am almost thinking that I may use dino oil and change at 3-4k intervals for some reason. Not sure why! I always use syhth. and I'm wondering why Dino with this car.

Do the boxer engines use more oil than others? Will synthetic be overkill for this engine?
Car is located in the Northeast so not crazy temps.

Thanks.

John

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: aircooled
Hi Folks,

Just picked up a 2008 Subaru Legacy with the Naturally aspirated 2.5i boxer 4 cylinder with 9200 miles.

It will be the daily driver with many short trips and not many miles put on it over it's life. (just sold 95 Camry V6 with 145k, all synthetic, perfect engine the rest falling apart)

I am almost thinking that I may use dino oil and change at 3-4k intervals for some reason. Not sure why! I always use syhth. and I'm wondering why Dino with this car.

Do the boxer engines use more oil than others? Will synthetic be overkill for this engine?
Car is located in the Northeast so not crazy temps.

Thanks.

John


John,

I have a 07 Outback with the same engine. The Subaru motors are tough and will do fine with any rated oil. No need for syn IMO unless you can get a deal.

Here is my 2nd UOA with 50/50 city/hwy use. (really about 85% city and one LONG trip)

Subaru UOA 5k OCI with Halvoline Ds 5w-30

You can see with even a young engine, the UOA is excellent.

Our Subaru just got back from a major accident with a semi and even though the repairs did not take the car back to 100% (mostly paint issues) I still plan to keep the car for a long time (300k miles).

I'd recommend if you trips are all short, your 3-4k plan or 6 months is perfect. I like getting out the by products and water of the oil that short trips make.

I have made 200k with many motors using yesterdays oils and todays conventional oils are excellent. Better than yesterdays syn oil IMO.

Take care and enjoy the Subaru.

Bill

 

[buster]

Bill is right.

 

[Titan]

Bill and Buster are both right. That makes me right, too! I'm on my 3rd and 4th Subarus right now. Take decent care of the oil and the engine will last until you are sick and tired of the vehicle. Don't need synthetic, although I use Pennzoil Platinum because I get such darn good deals on it....

 

[aircooled]

Thanks guys,

Just picked up regular Penzoil 5w-30 and a Bosch oil filter. Will do a change this weekend.

What is the "Banjo bolt screen" issue I read about? Is it on this model??

John

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: aircooled
Thanks guys,

Just picked up regular Penzoil 5w-30 and a Bosch oil filter. Will do a change this weekend.

What is the "Banjo bolt screen" issue I read about? Is it on this model??

John


Nope, Turbo models only.

Bill

 

[dhise]

Non-turbo Subaru motors tend to last a long time as long as you keep whatever oil in there and don't let it overheat. When you get it up to 130-150k keep a heads-up for head gasket failure. That's the only downside to the 2.5... Too bad they don't use the bullet-proof 2.2 anymore!

-Doug

I do use synthetic in my 93 loyale however...

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: dhise
Non-turbo Subaru motors tend to last a long time as long as you keep whatever oil in there and don't let it overheat. When you get it up to 130-150k keep a heads-up for head gasket failure. That's the only downside to the 2.5... Too bad they don't use the bullet-proof 2.2 anymore!

-Doug

I do use synthetic in my 93 loyale however...


The new SOHC 2.5l motors don't have the head gasket problems. It was the 2.5l DOHC that was out in late 90s early 2000s did have some problems with the gaskets.

ANY motor you should not over heat. I had a Iron block with Iron head V6 that needed Head gaskets @ 61k and again @ 108k.

And it had NEVER been overheated.

Bill

 

[Towel_Rail]

Piston slap might still happen, but I think they've pretty much worked out the major bugs in the newest 2.5's. It'll be interesting to see if they can make the same 300,000+ mileages as the 2.2's...

- Scott

P.S. I'm using GC in my EJ22 Outback, even though I don't "need" to.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
..........The new SOHC 2.5l motors don't have the head gasket problems. ...........


And yet Subaru still insists on the mandatory use of Coolant Conditioner (the equivalent of "stop leak" ) in the coolant.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
..........The new SOHC 2.5l motors don't have the head gasket problems. ...........


And yet Subaru still insists on the mandatory use of Coolant Conditioner (the equivalent of "stop leak" ) in the coolant.


I think thats a CYA move to make sure the motors effected are covered and any *possible* problems that *may* show up are covered.

GM and Ford both put in coolant tabs in their factory motors. (still did not fix my headgasket problems in my ford...)

Take care, bill