How often to change the oil in my WRX

[Orangepeel]

Didn’t you say that you set a 6mo/7500 mile reminder? Whose tuner do you have and what tune?

I reset it when I changed the oil but didn't realize the actual time frame. Drunkman 93 octane tune

 

[HemiBenny]

I simply don't like wasting money needlessly. I stopped doing 3k oil changes 20+ years ago so I've saved a considerable amount of money (a few thousand easily) and also haven't had a single engine issue. So tell me again what 3k oil changes would have done for me. Absolutely nothing but lighten my wallet. I don't have a problem with money because I don't waste it on things like 3k oil changes. I'm 54, retired, and have zero debt.

Also, if I was doing 3k oil changes on both of my cars right now I'd be doing a total of 10 oil changes a year. Not very convenient considering I have to drive to my father's house to do oil changes these days (I live in a condo) With my longer ocis I'm only doing 3 oil changes per year now (1 on the Corvette and 2 on the Honda)

I’m not saying to do a 3k OCI. I’m an advocate for doing up to XXXX miles / 6months, whichever comes first. If you drive enough to put 7k on in 6 months, you’re probably driving enough to get the oil up to temperature and burning off a lot of contaminates. Therefore you would change it every 7k/6months, whichever comes first. That’s still only twice a year per car, not 5-10 times.
It all boils down to the conditions in which the oil and engine are subjected to IMO. Short trips, turbocharged engines, driven hard, GDI,…very hard on oil. If the OP only gets to 3k in 6 months, yet he drives it hard, it sounds like very hard, short trips. Changing the oil every 6 months isn’t going to break the bank and he only has to do it twice a year.

 

[Mainia]

6 month intervals is a sound choice, go with Pennzoil ultra platinum or Mobil 1

So mileage has been discounted? My buddy would have 27,000 miles in that time frame.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

So mileage has been discounted? My buddy would have 27,000 miles in that time frame.

that’s good for your buddy

 

[bluesubie]

The FA engine isn’t as fragile as the EJ was. Even after blowing a turbo on my tuned Forester (it was stock when it blew due to oil screen clogging), I stuck with Euro oils at 5k mile intervals. It did burn oil so replenishing it probably helped.

You’re running two grades above the recommendation and even thicker than the JDM WRX recommends. I would have no problems running an oil to 5k mile intervals even at longer than the six months recommendation, presuming the warranty doesn’t matter since you’re tuned. I would run a C3 oil over a A3 though. If you stick with Amsoil 5W-40 go with the AFL. I would use a lower SAPS oil in a DIT regardless of the brand.

If you get a UOA, I would recommend Oil Analyzer’s Inc or any lab that tests fuel by Gas Chromatography. The fuel dilution reading would be beneficial on a tuned WRX.

 

[john_pifer]

The FA engine isn’t as fragile as the EJ was. Even after blowing a turbo on my tuned Forester (it was stock when it blew due to oil screen clogging), I stuck with Euro oils at 5k mile intervals. It did burn oil so replenishing it probably helped.

You’re running two grades above the recommendation and even thicker than the JDM WRX recommends. I would have no problems running an oil to 5k mile intervals even at longer than the six months recommendation, presuming the warranty doesn’t matter since you’re tuned. I would run a C3 oil over a A3 though. If you stick with Amsoil 5W-40 go with the AFL. I would use a lower SAPS oil in a DIT regardless of the brand.

If you get a UOA, I would recommend Oil Analyzer’s Inc or any lab that tests fuel by Gas Chromatography. The fuel dilution reading would be beneficial on a tuned WRX.

This.

If I still had one (I had a 2016), I'd be running M1 ESP 5W-30 or 0W-30. Especially now, since the 0W-30 is now stocked at Walmart for $27-29.

Low-SAPS oil and frequent OCIs should help to keep the intake valves clean.

I ran Pennzoil Platinum 10W-30 at no more than 6K OCIs when I had mine, but it wasn't tuned.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Mobil 1/Castrol Edge/Pennzoil Platinum/Quaker State Ultimate Protection from Walmart and be done with it.