Thoughts on oil (and filter) for Subaru Turbos?

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Recommend you stick with full synthetic oils to protect the turbo. A robust 5W-40 will perform well for you in the Arizona heat and keep the engine cooler than 20W-50.
 
Considering you are getting these at cheap prices, if the 20-50 is also a Valvoline product-I'd mix equal parts of 10-40 & 20-50. IF they are not the same manufacturer, I'd stick with the 10-40
 
Not sure how cheap the 20w50 might go, it is Castrol GTX High Mileage...

Originally Posted By: steve20
Considering you are getting these at cheap prices, if the 20-50 is also a Valvoline product-I'd mix equal parts of 10-40 & 20-50. IF they are not the same manufacturer, I'd stick with the 10-40
 
I wouldn't use a 20w50 even in AZ heat unless I was racing. A synthetic 5w40 or 10w40 should be enough. Rotella T6 5w40, Brad Penn 10w40, Mobil 1 15w50 would be my recommendations for extreme heat. Of course Amsoil and Redline products would work too, I just find them to be overkill, especially on a car that requires more frequent oil changes.
 
Well I decided not to use the MaxLife after all. I did get a 6 pack of the larger black Subaru oil filters. I was planning on HDEO 15w40 with 3750 or fewer mile OCI, but I (apparently) just scored 6 jugs of SN Dino 10w40 for $3 per jug. Any reason not to run it with that sort of OCI? It really seems to me that unless the car is run hard and/or with extended OCIs that dumping synthetic oil at that mileage is kind of a waste of moolah and resources...

Thanks again, Doug
 
The Peak 10w40 lists as SM, but I think you would be fine. I'm really trying to not buy any as I'm good and set for the time being, but it is a heck of a deal.
 
I hear that
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I already had 5 jugs (5qt) of Motorcraft 15w40 that I got for $10 each (that could still be returned), none of either can go in the Prius...

Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
The Peak 10w40 lists as SM, but I think you would be fine. I'm really trying to not buy any as I'm good and set for the time being, but it is a heck of a deal.
 
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First off, sorry about not replying to your question from a while ago! Just never saw it.

larger, black Subaru filers...hmmm, do they say tokyo roki on them? If so, you made a great choice there! Also, where did you find them?

I did some work on an '08 Legacy GT (very similar engine to yours) a while back, and the pl 14460...wouldn't fit. Just couldn't clear the exhaust, so scratch that.

I think the 10w-40 dino *should* be alright for 3750 miles. As long as you don't keep it at 85+ mph for any lengthy period of time, or tow a boat with it (do they have lakes in Arizona? just kidding).
 
Well the filters I got are indeed Tokyo Roki #15208AA160. I got a 6 pack on eBay for just over $7 each, seems that they have gotten a bit more expensive now.

I did get 6 jugs of the Peak 10w40 at $3 a pop, 5/6 are SN. As I mentioned, I also have 5 jugs of Motorcraft HDEO 15w40 that I got for $10 each. Outside of that stuff that was purchased specifically for the Subie turbo, I have a variety of 5w30 oils that work in my wife's Prius (G-Oil, QSUD, NextGen MaxLife, PU). In fact, considering that I only do a few oil changes a year, I think the stash is starting to get out of hand.

I understand the premise of running only syn oil in the turbo, a few bucks extra per oil change is way cheaper than a new turbo and possibly the entire shortblock. That said, dumping anything other than FAR or REALLY cheap synthetic at 3-4K OCIs seems like a waste. I don't "track" or thrash the car and I doubt it will even see 3750 miles this year, but this is Phoenix. Does a typical 5w30 synthetic protect a turbo better than a 10w40 dino or a 15w40 HDEO at these short OCIs? Should I just run the QSUD and PU 5w30 in the Subie? Is something like T6 that much better under this scenario? I don't like the fact that it is rarely on sale and comes in those dumb gallon jugs...

Anyway, I guess I still haven't come to any solid decision other than on the filters, so any thoughts are still appreciated. Now I see the O'Reilly "Lots of Loot" thing could potentially get me a quart of PYB 10w40 for a buck a day, which would be probably better than that Peak if a bit more moolah...

Doug
 
The short OCI for turbo's is a cya by SoA. They don't know what oil your going to run, so to keep it simple they shorten the interval. As long as your sticking to 3750, the peak would be fine. I'd be tempted to alternate the HDEO with the peak, summer to winter. Although you don't rack enough miles it sounds like from you post.

I've been dumping syn PP, PU and now castrol every 4k. Yeah it is a price to pay, but I'm also modified. Right now I have access to a lift so it is easy for me. search a bit on turbo subaru engines and HTHS. That will give you somethings to think about.

Now it's time to gut that first cat and get an opensource tune...
 
Still obsessing over this as I creep ever closer to my first oil change since getting the car in Jan. i think it is running its first synthetic oil right now, unless the factory fill was synthetic. I don't think I will run the Peak after all, not sure what I'll do with it...

I have a couple changes worth of PU 5w30 that I will probably use, based on info here it seems to be up to the task. Would QSUD 5w30 be okay? It doesn't seem to be as stout as PU, but I have a couple FAR jugs of it. Would it be silly to run O'Reilly 5w30 syn in it? I can get that for well under a buck a quart with my stash of LOL coupons.
 
So I have the following oils stashed, specifically for this car: MC 15w40 (conv), MSHM 10w40 (blend), VNG 10w40 (conv, Ashland is paying me to use it), PU 5w30 w/ PYB 10w40 to top off. I also have QSUD 5w30, less sure about this one. It is getting hot here in Phoenix, which would you use?

I gotta say, the more I research the less sure I am of my previous conclusions. I get the whole "oil is cheap, turbos are not so run 5w40/GC/BC/PU and change every 3750" argument. OTOH, I don't like waste so dumping "fancy" oil when it wasn't used up (and using up good filters faster) kinda rubs me the wrong way. It also seems that many Subie turbos have gone over 100K miles on the original turbo with just conventional 5w30. My car is just over 60K and I am pretty certain the dealer fill 5w30 synthetic in it now is the only syn it was ever had.

I was pretty locked into changing at no more than 3750 and running basic HDEO, but my resolve is softening and I am currently thinking I might donate the 10w40 to my church's car care ministry (it is all super cheap O'Reilly LOL purchased) and return the MC 15w40 to Walmart and just get a couple jugs of of M1 0w40 and keeping my eyes open for good rebates on that or 5w40. Realistically I won't change my oil more than twice a year, so $10 or so delta per change doesn't matter much at all.

Thoughts?

Thanks again, Doug
 
I found a distributor in your state. It is autohaus az. They supply Indemitsu oil the company that supplys the Subaru 2011-13 0-20 synthetic. Me I would not fool with after market filters and use a oem filter. Too the oil they use from Indemitsu is also Honda, Mazda etc supplier. Just want to give you a heads up.
 
Originally Posted By: dvancleve
... just get a couple jugs of of M1 0w40 and keeping my eyes open for good rebates on that or 5w40. Realistically I won't change my oil more than twice a year, so $10 or so delta per change doesn't matter much at all.

Thoughts?


Bingo! M1 0w40 5 qt. jug for $22.47 at most Wal-Marts in the US is a sweet deal. I bought many quarts of German Castrol in Feb. when AAP had Castrol Syntec and Edge for BOGO ( virtually same price per quart after tax here in WI as W-M's current M1 prices).

Stay synthetic with 4-5k OCIs and you'll keep your mind at ease.
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Enjoy your Suby!
 
So it occurred to me that I still have enough O'Reilly LOLs to get 5 quarts of the M1 for less than the WM price. My local store has Mobil 1 0w40 and Castrol Edge 5w40 for the same price. Which would you choose? I will most likely return 5 jugs of MC 15w40 to WM and get a couple jugs of the M1 0w40 instead. Doug

Edit: does the Edge 5w40 really have a HTHS of only 2.9, or did I somehow look up the wrong thing? Looking at the 2 pds' the M1 looks a lot better to me...
 
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Go with synthetic and go to 5k miles.

Did that for a long time with no issues. A conventional 10w40 is going to shear down quicker than any synthetic will in the heat.

I good 5w30 synthetic will stay there and very rarely shear unless kept in past it's due date.
 
If I had a turbo I be sewating oil choice - I cant keep a hard driven non--blown engine running healthy for more than 2 years
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The safe way to go is anything but any ILSAC energy conserving spec
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Instead. A good euro spec oil with long approval list, yes, a "real" synthetic with HTHS> 3.5 should do. 5w40 or 10w40 synthetic ACEA A3/B4.
Shell's PU 5w40 would do the job handsomely (formerly Helix Ultra).

NO Phoney group III USA ILSAC mineral oil falsely labeled "fully synthetic" should be allow anywhere near the filler neck.

BTW Castrol Chart has many errors on it; last time there it listed the HTHS of the 0w30 incorrectly - bunched in with the US ILSAC oils HTHS.


Also I wouldnt do 15w40 mineral HDEO - thats a big HP loss with unnecessary and excessive windage for that motor.
 
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So I concluded that M1 0w40 is a great choice if nothing is on sale, hard to beat the current WM price. I got 5 qts pretty cheap during O'Reilly's LOL. I also concluded that PU 5w30 is up to the task, have a couple OCs-worth. What about PP 5w30 and QSUD 5w30? Both have Honda HT-06 approval. My next oil change will take me into the cooler weather, I am planning on ~3750 mi OCIs and I don't thrash on the car...

Thanks again, Doug
 
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On my Acura RDX with a 2.3L Turbo, I have used M1 5w30 & PP 5W30 as both these oils are HTO-06 approved & the max OCI I have achieved based on MM is approx 6k km, minimum I have seen is 4.5k km.
I have also used GC 0W30 for the last 2 OCI & have changed oil as per MM, no change in mpg or engine response. Overall with GC engine sounded a lot quieter & smoother at start up, idling & high revs followed by PP and lastly with M1.

Oil filter I have been using is Fram Ultra but with such short OCI I will be switching to Purolator classic or Bosch as these are cheaper & available at Canadian wal-marts now.

I am back to PP as it is starting to get a little cold here.
 
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