[blakespot]

I am at 615 miles or so on this new '02 Impreza RS 2.5 (not WRX). Going to get oil changed tonight. What should I get? I am going to go synthetic, but not until a few thousand miles.

Should I go 10W-30? It's pretty hot here now in DC, and I estimate next change in September (only really drive on weekends). Or is variable oil bad?

What brand? Thanks.


(respond ASAP!)



bp

 

[10th Warrior]

i use 10W30 (mobil 1). it works fine. but you might consider holding off on an oil change until closer to 1000 miles, since you want to keep the break-in oil in there until the engine is fully broken in. 600 mi is a little premature.

 

[Lo0mis]

You shouldn't go to synthetic until at least 1-2K miles. Well, at least that's what everyone says. And yeah, go with 10W-30. As for brands, I'd probably go with Mobil or Castrol.

 

[COwannago]

Sounds like your car doesn't need an oil change yet, but if you want to, do as these guys suggest and you can't go wrong.

Nick C.

 

[RS25.com]

Don't change your oil yet!!! The engine requires a certain number of miles to break in properly. Check the manual - it's either 1,000 miles or 3,000 miles. If you change the oil now, your engine will NOT break in properly and you'll have problems.

After the recommended break-in period has expired, then use Mobil-1 10w/30 and you'll be fine.

 

[TMRRALLY]

Yep, do what these guys are telling you!!!

 

[blakespot]

Don't change your oil yet!!! The engine requires a certain number of miles to break in properly. Check the manual - it's either 1,000 miles or 3,000 miles. If you change the oil now, your engine will NOT break in properly and you'll have problems.

After the recommended break-in period has expired, then use Mobil-1 10w/30 and you'll be fine.

How could changing the oil now (unless I went to synthetic) cause breaking problems?


blakespot

 

[Icon25rs]

I use castrol myself and I haven't had a problem. I have been thinking about going sythetic next time which is real soon but I haven't decided yet. I only have 700 more miles to go until 6000 total miles.

 

[COwannago]

I've talked to one guy who owned a WRX who changed his oil sooner than the 1,000 mile mark and every 1,000 after that and his car broke in nicely. Somehow he gets over 30 mpg, but I wouldn't suggest doing that. Do what the manufacture recommends and if it breaks, then you have no one to blame but them.

Nick C.

 

[RS25.com]

How could changing the oil now (unless I went to synthetic) cause breaking problems?

blakespot

When the engine is first built, the pieces are all trying to wear themselves down to fit together in a natural kind of way. Of course, oil prevents wear. Well, if you don't let the parts wear a little bit, you get pieces of metal that were designed to wear down that don't. So then what you have is an engine that is not supposed to be revved over 4,000 RPM for another 1,000 (or 3,000) miles. Isn't that obvious? If it's not broken in, you're asking for trouble.

And just because one person has not had problems yet, doesn't mean he won't. I would STRONGLY recommend you follow the manufacturers recommendations. Unless you think that every single car manufacturer out there is wrong, they don't test any cars, and have no clue what they are talking about. Sorry to be harsh, but man, they've been building cars for nearly 100 years now, maybe more, and you can't tell me that the manufacturers haven't figured out what a proper break-in does.

If it wasn't needed, they most likely would not make you do it. But they put stickers and warnings all over new cars.

And of course, if you have enough money that a $20,000+ car having problems is not a big deal, then ignore me. I personally could not afford to damage something that expensive.

 

[EchoWrx]

These guys know what they are talking about!!!

Or read this thread:
http://www.rs25.com/Forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=44373&highlight=oil#post44373

:drool:

 

[10th Warrior]

in addition to what James already stated, often manufacturors use a special oil designed to help break in the engine at first. sometimes this is done before the engine is placed in the car, but other times this is what you are driving around with at first. this oil doesn't last very long (plus it gets all the metal shards in it that James was talking about) so it needs to be replaced sooner than regular oil, but that doesn't mean too soon, which would prevent it from doing its job. remember, subaru doesn't want your engine to blow up until after your warentty expires, so they are giving you good advice.

FWIW, i started using synthetic after 1k miles and have had no problems (~28k of hard driving)

 

[RS25.com]

often manufacturors use a special oil designed to help break in the engine at first. sometimes this is done before the engine is placed in the car, but other times this is what you are driving around with at first. this oil doesn't last very long (plus it gets all the metal shards in it that James was talking about) so it needs to be replaced sooner than regular oil, but that doesn't mean too soon, which would prevent it from doing its job.

I specifically contacted Subaru about this and they do NOT use this type of oil in their cars. So it is not a limited-usage oil - it's normal dinosaur stuff. The break in period still stands though.

 

[COwannago]

Sorry to be harsh, but man, they've been building cars for nearly 100 years now, maybe more, and you can't tell me that the manufacturers haven't figured out what a proper break-in does

Right you are James, but manufacturers have come a long way in those 100 years so break-in isn't what it used to be. I was speaking with some cat who knew stuff and he was saying that machines are so precise nowadays that there are hardly if any shavings in the oil during the break-in period, and the only reason why there is still the shavings issue is cause of like a grandfather rule of thumb or something.

Nick C.

 

[DragonRM]

whatever you do... don't use Quaker State... they are the crap devil hehe... Valvoline ain't bad... Mobil... Castrol... quite a few decent ones out there... just be careful

 

[Icon25rs]

Be careful huh...well how can you tell which ones suck and which don't? I had a buddy tell me to stay away from I think it was Penzoil cause it has metal shards in it. Don't know if it does but I ain't gonna try.