Howdy folks,
I've been reading BITOG for quite a while now. I drive a 2007 Outback XT turbo, I believe the last year with the 7500 mile OCI and a variety of viscosities listed as acceptable. I'm not sure if it was 2008, but I know Subaru went to a 3750 mile OCI and specified 5W30 oil. At some point after that, they specified synthetic 5W-30 oil. I am aware of the turbo life span concerns and know about the turbo banjo bolt oil screen. Mine is at about 70,000 miles and was run on mostly dino 5W30 ffor the first 55(ish)K miles, but always had oil changes at the appropriate times. I'm well aware that 5W40 synthetics are the preferred oil in these, outside of warranty concerns. I also recognize that changing even full synthetic out every 3750 miles is cheap compared to the price of the turbo and most of he time my driving only results in fewer than 2 oil changes per year. I haven't done it yet, but I'm probably going to remove the turbo side banjo bolt screen. Full flow of any oil is better than not enough due to clogging…
All that said, I have a bunch of questions. It seems to me like the order of some of these changes is questionable... The 3750 mile OCI was presumably to make sure that dino 5W30 wasn't breaking down too much before it was changed. It seems like specifying synthetic was also addressing that same issue, perhaps even in 3750 miles dino 5W30 was breaking down too much? Going to a 5W40 HDEO or a euro spec 0W30 or 0W40 seems like it should address any kind of shearing Issue, so what about the 3750 mile OCI? Oils I've purchased for this car, based mostly on BITOG, are PU 5W-30, Mobil 1 0W40 and Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck (all with rebates or crazy sale prices). I also have a few jugs of PP 5W30, but those wouldn't be my preference for this car (it does have the Honda turbo rating though). Any thoughts or words of wisdom? I'm not sure I'm up for doing a bunch of UOAs, and it seems to me like those are really only valid if you're sticking to one or two oils.
Thanks, Doug
P.S. I decided to post this here rather than on one of the Subaru boards, most of the oil discussions other places seem to get pretty nutty…
I've been reading BITOG for quite a while now. I drive a 2007 Outback XT turbo, I believe the last year with the 7500 mile OCI and a variety of viscosities listed as acceptable. I'm not sure if it was 2008, but I know Subaru went to a 3750 mile OCI and specified 5W30 oil. At some point after that, they specified synthetic 5W-30 oil. I am aware of the turbo life span concerns and know about the turbo banjo bolt oil screen. Mine is at about 70,000 miles and was run on mostly dino 5W30 ffor the first 55(ish)K miles, but always had oil changes at the appropriate times. I'm well aware that 5W40 synthetics are the preferred oil in these, outside of warranty concerns. I also recognize that changing even full synthetic out every 3750 miles is cheap compared to the price of the turbo and most of he time my driving only results in fewer than 2 oil changes per year. I haven't done it yet, but I'm probably going to remove the turbo side banjo bolt screen. Full flow of any oil is better than not enough due to clogging…
All that said, I have a bunch of questions. It seems to me like the order of some of these changes is questionable... The 3750 mile OCI was presumably to make sure that dino 5W30 wasn't breaking down too much before it was changed. It seems like specifying synthetic was also addressing that same issue, perhaps even in 3750 miles dino 5W30 was breaking down too much? Going to a 5W40 HDEO or a euro spec 0W30 or 0W40 seems like it should address any kind of shearing Issue, so what about the 3750 mile OCI? Oils I've purchased for this car, based mostly on BITOG, are PU 5W-30, Mobil 1 0W40 and Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck (all with rebates or crazy sale prices). I also have a few jugs of PP 5W30, but those wouldn't be my preference for this car (it does have the Honda turbo rating though). Any thoughts or words of wisdom? I'm not sure I'm up for doing a bunch of UOAs, and it seems to me like those are really only valid if you're sticking to one or two oils.
Thanks, Doug
P.S. I decided to post this here rather than on one of the Subaru boards, most of the oil discussions other places seem to get pretty nutty…