Hi--
I just purchased a 2000 Subaru Legacy GT with 50,000 miles on it to replace my first 2000 Subaru Legacy GT that developed a burnt valve around 218,000 miles. I used Valvoline MaxLife 10w30 or w40 in my old car as it used about a quart of oil in 1000 miles.
Since the "new" car is low mileage but is 16 years old, I'm torn about which oil I should use. I don't know what kind of oil has been in the car up until this point, but do know the majority of its oil changes were at the dealer.
Subaru Recommendations:
"API classification SJ or SH with the words “ENERGY CONSERVING II” (if you cannot obtain the oil with SJ or SH grade, you may use SG grade oil.) or the new API certification mark (Starburst mark) displayed on the container." The manual also states 5w-30 is preferred up to 40*c. 10w-30 and 10w-40 is also listed for higher temperatures.
Typical Driving Contitions:
I drive mostly in the mountains of Virginia and the interstates of North Carolina, and tend to drive my car pretty hard. I either drive 15 minutes at a time when running errands or an hour+ on windy mountain roads and highways. I change my oil every 5000 miles or so, and would like to extend that if possible.
My Research Up To This Point:
I know I would probably be fine with a decent synthetic blend, but would prefer to overdo it, especially since several of the oils I'm thinking of aren't that much more expensive than what I'm used to. I found a rather thorough post on the NASOIC Forum about various types of oils, and have narrowed it down to three:
I like the fact that the Mobile 1 AFE may not be as thick and may therefore increase fuel economy, but has a lower HT/HS rating. The Shell RT6 has a very high sheer stability. I'm only considering the third option because it seems to be so highly recommended by so many people. I've also considered AMSOIL and Royal Purple, but I'm not sure they're worth the extra money for my purposes.
Do I need to be concerned about using a w40 oil in the winter? Would any of these have significant advantages over the others?
Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated!
I just purchased a 2000 Subaru Legacy GT with 50,000 miles on it to replace my first 2000 Subaru Legacy GT that developed a burnt valve around 218,000 miles. I used Valvoline MaxLife 10w30 or w40 in my old car as it used about a quart of oil in 1000 miles.
Since the "new" car is low mileage but is 16 years old, I'm torn about which oil I should use. I don't know what kind of oil has been in the car up until this point, but do know the majority of its oil changes were at the dealer.
Subaru Recommendations:
"API classification SJ or SH with the words “ENERGY CONSERVING II” (if you cannot obtain the oil with SJ or SH grade, you may use SG grade oil.) or the new API certification mark (Starburst mark) displayed on the container." The manual also states 5w-30 is preferred up to 40*c. 10w-30 and 10w-40 is also listed for higher temperatures.
Typical Driving Contitions:
I drive mostly in the mountains of Virginia and the interstates of North Carolina, and tend to drive my car pretty hard. I either drive 15 minutes at a time when running errands or an hour+ on windy mountain roads and highways. I change my oil every 5000 miles or so, and would like to extend that if possible.
My Research Up To This Point:
I know I would probably be fine with a decent synthetic blend, but would prefer to overdo it, especially since several of the oils I'm thinking of aren't that much more expensive than what I'm used to. I found a rather thorough post on the NASOIC Forum about various types of oils, and have narrowed it down to three:
- Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30, HT/HS of 3.0, ACEA A5/B5
- Shell Rotella T6 5w40, HT/HS of 3.8 (estimated), ACEA E9
- Mobil 1 0w40, HT/HS of 3.8, ACEA A3/B4
I like the fact that the Mobile 1 AFE may not be as thick and may therefore increase fuel economy, but has a lower HT/HS rating. The Shell RT6 has a very high sheer stability. I'm only considering the third option because it seems to be so highly recommended by so many people. I've also considered AMSOIL and Royal Purple, but I'm not sure they're worth the extra money for my purposes.
Do I need to be concerned about using a w40 oil in the winter? Would any of these have significant advantages over the others?
Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated!
