Oil fitting for Subaru Legacy

[JBZ]

Hey, been a long time lurker and only now it's my time to ask a question. I've tried to search but couldn't find the answer so I will just ask.

I have a new to me Subaru Legacy IV with about 125000 miles on it and I would like to change the oil since I don't know when it was last changed. The car specifies an oil that is either API SL or SJ Energy Conserving, ACEA A1, A2 or A3 or ILSAC GF-3. The grades recommended are 0W-20 or 5W-30 for cold climates and 10W-30 or 10W-40 for warm climates. It also specifies that under demanding driving conditions (track, dessert or pulling a heavy load trailer for extended periods of time) it is recommended to go for an SL or SJ oil in these grades: SAE30, SAE40, 10W-50, 20W-40 or 20W50. The service length is 10000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.

I live in a colder climate and will be driving it mostly easy, though I would be lying if I say I don't push the engine some times. I won't be pulling any heavy trailer and will mostly be doing short drives around town with the occasional longer road trip. Therefore I think 0W-20 or 5W-30 will be just fine for my use.

The car does have some issues, but none with the engine that I am aware of and I would prefer to use only synthetic high quality oil to avoid both sludge and varnish build up.

As luck would have it I got the opportunity to get some cheap Shell Helix Ultra ECT C2/C3 0W-30 oil, I have rarely seen Shell oil, but I know it is sold under the Pennzoil brand normally so I assume it is similar to the Pennzoil Ultra thats very much liked here on BITOG just in 0W-30 form?

Unfortunately I could not find at all if a C2/C3 oil would work in my car that specifies A1, A2 or A3. Would this oil be okay in my car and would it benefit my car at all? If not what oil would you guys recommend for the car?

 

[Rand]

Pretty sure that car was never spec'ed for 0w20.

 

[JBZ]

Maybe I saw wrong or there was a typo or something, but I distinctively recall the graphics showing temperatures and 4 grades, the top one being 0W-20 (for sure started with 0W) when I looked up my car. So I take it that I should avoid 0W-20? That's quite okay by me since I find I can get better prices on xW30 grades.

So would the C2/C3 SOPUS oil work fine in my car? It says it has PurePlus Technology which is the same one found on Pennzoil. I could go for another oil, but the price on this oil is really good and if it is similar to the Pennzoil Ultra I'd really like to use it in my car instead.

 

[SR5]

Give that they allow A1, A2, A3, GF-3, SL (or modern updates) in various weights, you can pretty much run anything.

That Shell Helix Ultra ECT 0W-30 in ACEA C3 is a good quality low or mid SAPS oil. Particularly suited to light duty diesel engines, but still fine for you to use in your car.

It's low SAPS and lowish TBN, so it's not a long interval oil, but 5,000 miles should be fine. It's the low SAPS version of a Euro A3 oil, so a HTHS or 3.5 or more, which makes it a thick 30 grade.

C3 is low SAPS A3 so you should be fine, and it will protect your exhaust cat great. Just not sure if I would take it the full 10,000 miles without a UOA with TBN at about half to 3/4 of the way there.