New Subaru: change oil @ 1000 or leave it alone?

[Audi Junkie]

Originally Posted By: 02zx9r
i personally would change at 1000 miles or sooner


Why? TBN? Wear? Elves? Might as well be Elves if it's a non-scientific "feel good" basis.

 

[DmanWho]

One reason to change it out, is to get rid of all that new car crud (debris), and give the oil a fighting chance to do its job.

I believe in a proper break-in, just not a "scuff-in."

 

[gogozy]

does Subaru ask owner to leave the factory fill for a specific period like Honda does? if not.. i would probably like to change it before 2000. i felt EJ253 is just a little hard on the oil.

 

[genynnc]

I highly doubt any engine has an 'assembly lube' from the factory these days. If it does have 'assembly lube' it is standard fill from the manufactures oil supplier that gave them the best deal on the recomended oil weight for the car.
I'm sure these Subs have roller cams as well.
I would be completely fine cranking a small block chevy for the first time with a roller cam using nothing but 10w-30 as an assembly lube. Actually, I don't even lube the cylinders...after honing I wash the bores with hot soap and water, blow out, and then wipe down with a AFT and wipe excess ATF off with a special towel so it will prevent rust before starting. (the Atf prevents the rust, not the towel... the towel doesn't leave lint- that's why it's special)
So, nothing to back up my claim. I did change the oil at 2,000 on my 03 Dodge Ram Hemi AGAINST the service managers request... he said leave it in there 5,000. I was like dude, you are crazy.

So motto is- do what you want and don't worry about leaving it in there because of 'assembly lube from factory'.

 

[Bill in Utah]

I changed my factory fill @ 1,200 miles.

I did a UOA on it, a 5k run of conventional and 4.4k of syn.

Here is UOAs showing all 3 that I have done on my Subaru. The conventional oil had the best UOA even though the miles on the engine were less (breaking in) and the OCI was longer.

The last one had a quite a few super short trips and the syn was run too long. (I did check the air filter and while it was dirty, it only had 1 year and 12k miles on it. (factory filter))

I'd change the factory fill out around 1.5 to 2k.

On mine, if I keep the car... Once I'm done to the PP in the stash, I'll go to Halvoline DS, chevron or Pennzoil conventional every 4 months. (about 3-4k).

Take care, bill

 

[Norm Olt]

I remember my new Subaru... 1992 SVX. Last new car we bought.

Talked into the refundable $1,100, 100% Extended Warranty (7 yrs./100,00 miles) which was refunded, the Lifetime Oil & Filter Change (for $29.95) and got about 35 free 3K oil changes. They used synthetic oil at the Acura dealership (which was on our side of the river) operated by the same owner who extended the courtesy. They must have considered it almost an exotic car, like their NSX, I guess. Almost put 8 quarts in it by mistake, once.

Used same-brand synthetic and dyno 50-50% "blend" for 5 years, then went to 10W-30 dino when Chevron Supreme was $0.49 after rebate. $5 for oil & filter.

No mechanical engine repairs, unless you consider a blown crank pully an "engine repair": nothing ever lubrication-related. Replaced leaking valve cover gaskets. Seals, a few O-rings.

I now use $0.99 synthetic (PP or Syntec) for 6K and it never seems as "golden" as the dino did. Good thing I have those cases of Havoline, Chevron Supreme, 76 Super dino on my shelf.

Any quality 5-10-15W - 20-30-40 SM/GF-4 oil and filter change will keep your Subaru in great shape. Every time you change your oil you get to look at the bottom of your car and some of what is going on inside your engine: change your tranny fluid and filter early, while you are at it.

Enjoy!

 

[Audi Junkie]

Originally Posted By: DmanWho
One reason to change it out, is to get rid of all that new car crud (debris), and give the oil a fighting chance to do its job.


That's the filter's job. Opened oem filters show nothing unusual anyway.

 

[XCELERATIONRULES]

I changed out my oil filter at 500 miles.
My first oil change at 1500 miles had small metal particles in the oil that got through the filter.
It won't hurt anything changing out the oil a few miles early the first few oci's.
IMHO.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

My 2008 Hyundai Accent got new Clean5000 at 1000 miles with the factory filter left in place. At 2500 miles, I replaced the factory filter (which when cut open had no particles or filings of any kind inside) with a Mobil1 filter, and changed the oil to Mobil1 EP. I intend to run this oil to 10K for an OCI of 7500 miles. I'll run either a factory filter or a WIX and use some of my PP stash for 7500 miles. I'm going longer drains utilizing synthetic, and fact is, if it's cold out, and I don't feel like changing it, I have no real trouble running these synthetics to 10K. I'll buy the filters at the proper intervals to cover the warranty paperwork requirements and happily call it a day.

There's simply no need to OCI these oils and filters at three or even 5K anymore, at least in newer low-performance econoboxes and family cars. Heck, the only oil I've used this OCI is the oil I wipe off the stick when I check it at fill-up time.

 

[thunderchild]

I have a 2009 Outback Limited 2.5i 4EAT. It is almost 4 months now and I have 10,6*** miles on it. I changed my factory fill out at 300 miles. I put in PP 5w-40 European and have never looked back. I always take out the factory fill between 300 and 500 miles. Then put in the good stuff (synthetic). My truck, I did the same thing. At 140,000+ miles she still runs like a top. I got the Subie due to gas prices and I drive 30,000+ miles a year.

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Originally Posted By: 02zx9r
i personally would change at 1000 miles or sooner


Why? TBN? Wear? Elves? Might as well be Elves if it's a non-scientific "feel good" basis.


just the way I have always done it, i am a fan of early changes. Is it a waste

who really knows. The debate will rage on forever........

 

[webfors]

Changed my 08 Forester's original fill at 2500kms (give or take a couple hundred kms) with QS dino 5w30, left the original filter on. Changed that fill out 3500kms later (6kms on odo), with new filter and new QS 5w30 dino oil. Left that oil in for 4000kms (10000kms on odo), did another run of QS dino 5w30 with new filter for 4000kms, at which time (14000kms on odo) I switched to PP 5w30 with new subie filter. Left that oil in for 2000kms, and boy was it stinky, dirty and ugly when it came out, and it ate almost half a quart in that short run of PP. Second run of PP 5w30 is in there now, which I plan on leaving for 6000kms, and continue a 6000km oci regiment (as per dealer) on PP until stash runs out (sometime in 2011). The second fill of PP hasn't burned a drop of oil in 3000kms, and the dip stick oil is clean as a whistle. I tend to think the first run of PP cleaned the snot out of that new engine

and the second is working exactly as I had hoped. The oil consumption on the first run worried me, but I would expect that to happen if it was doing it's "magic 3x cleaning" thing. Just speculation of course, but it's the only answer I can come up with unless someone has a better one

So I don't think a UOA on a first run of PP is a good indicator of the oil's performance, from my personal experience. Of course I have no science other then my 5 senses to back that up. But seriously, you should of seen that oil when it came out.

I will be sending the current PP fill in for analysis when it's due. Looking forward to seeing the results. I'll definitely be posting them.

 

[Steve S]

Bill was the syn oil run through the winter?

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: DmanWho
..............Wasn't there a problem recently, with the cure being an oil change to all of the brand new vehicles that were still on the lot?


Yes, there was a problem, and the cure was a new engine.

 

[adibigs]

dump it and the change the filter.

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: DmanWho
..............Wasn't there a problem recently, with the cure being an oil change to all of the brand new vehicles that were still on the lot?


Yes, there was a problem, and the cure was a new engine.


What exactly was the problem? Is this a real issue? You have me concerned

Do you have a link which goes into this in more detail? Or is this a joke?

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
Bill was the syn oil run through the winter?


Yes. From Sept till March/April.

Bill

 

[buster]

Doug Hillary, who has more experience than most of us on the board, has said it's important to keep the factory oil in fwiw.