Oil recommendation for 2014 2.5l Suburu Forester

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Hi everyone,
Live down under and we will be traveling through the heart of Australia for Christmas.
It will be around 45 to 48 degrees Celcius I suspect and currently I am running a Helix (Penzoil) 5w30.
I am worried that the hot temperatures might degrade the performance of the oil and was going to change to a 5w40 Helix Ultra.
Is this 5w40 too heavy for the FB25 engine (non turbo).
Thanks in advance

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That is crazy hot! Engine internal operating temperatures will not vary much even at those temps. I'd stick with the 5w30. Try not to overload your cooling system with heavy engine loads.
 
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How hot is it inside your engine ? About 100*c +/- ... and that 5w30 works fine.

What does your owners manual recommend ? My 2011 Subaru recommends 5w30, but lists a thicker oil for HOT temperatures.

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The dealerships recommended 0w20, but imo that is just too thin for Aus.

The engine temps today at 33 degrees Celsius was 103 degrees but that was in stop start traffic.
 
One often overlooked fact is that a 20 grade oil at 90*c is roughly the same viscosity as a 30 grade oil at 100*c, which is roughly the same viscosity as a 40 grade oil at 110*c. Expected oil temperatures are the primary factor in oil viscosity recommendations.
 
I decided to run the Shell Helix Ultra 5w/40 just over the hottest part of Summer here. The heat, bushfires and towing a light trailer all contribute to and increased load on the engine.
Thanks everyone for your replies
 
Hi everyone,
Just an update. I went with the 5w/40 Helix Ultra for the trip through the middle of Australia.
Currently outside is only 42 degrees Celsius, was expected to reach 45 degrees.
The engine temp has sat on 103 degrees which is to be expected and I think a bit better than what it could be.
There is so much carnage on the roads, hundreds (stopped counting at 200 kangaroos) at daybreak , a couple of beautiful wedge tailed eagles, goannas and even a minivan on the side of the road with a kangaroo through the windscreen.
There are a lot of bushfires in Aus at the moment but none encountered as yet.

Really happy with the Forester, the eyesight and adaptive cruise is helpful as is the good perifial vision around the vehicle.

Thanks everyone for your Suggestions.

P.S. I always run a White K&N filter also, far better than a lot of other non genuine offerings here in Aus.
Regards Tony
 
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Hey Mate,

Glad to hear it all went well for you. That Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 is a great oil, good choice. I have a few mates with Subaru boxer engines and they mostly run 40 grade oils to help control consumption.

I had to change some holiday plans recently because of bush fires. We could really do with some rain.
 
Yeah, sure can.
I think Warick is nearly out of water. I hope you can find a way to avoid the fires and still have your holiday.
 
The temperature in parts of Australia are melting the roads, the ambient temps are 121 degrees Fahrenheit.

The engine temp rose to 227 degrees farenheit yesterday, I hope the oil handled that temperature, any ideas when the oil starts to break down and not lubricate properly?
 
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Originally Posted by tomartomau
The temperature in parts of Australia are melting the roads, the ambient temps are 121 degrees Fahrenheit.

The engine temp rose to 227 degrees farenheit yesterday, I hope the oil handled that temperature, any ideas when the oil starts to break down and not lubricate properly?

Above 250F is time to worry.
 
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