Should I switch from SuperTech?

[MisterBrian]

Hello, everyone. I'm a new user.

I have a '96 Subaru, 130k miles. I'm not fully happy with my current oil. I've been running SuperTech conventional 10W30 in the summer, 5W30 in the winter, with two oil changes a year (which works out to every 4000 miles.) The filter is a Purolator. It consumes about half a quart of oil during that 4k mi.

With the 10W30, my oil pressure is about 14psi per 1000rpm, which is fine. However, upon a cold start, the gauge shoots up to 80psi at idle (the oil pump's cutoff), and I have a bit of valvetrain noise if it's cold. 2500 rpm isn't below 80psi until about halfway through my commute, a.k.a. about five minutes.

I'd like an oil more appropriate to short trips in chilly Buffalo. Maybe a synthetic 0W30? If I do switch to synthetic, what's the chance I can do one oil change per year, and what's a good synthetic for year-round use?

I do like my current $6.50 oil changes, but I'm willing to spend $25 if I get better lubrication.

 

[Bob Miller]

Which oil filter are you using? Could be the bypass is set too high. I've seen this condition cured before with a less restrictive, lower bypass oil filter.

Just a thought.

 

[Bill in Utah]

When its cold are you running 5w-30?

Have you tried another oil like Havoline or Pennzoil and see how it goes?

Also I agree with the filter.. Try another.

But, Do only one thing at a time so you can signal out whats causing the noise.

If it was me, I'd try another filter first. Then another oil. But make sure your using 5w-30 more than anything if it's cold outside. 10w-30 is doing you no good if it's cold.

Take care, Bill

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

I run Mobil 1 10W-30 year round in our 96 Subaru Legacy AWD wagon at 7000 mile intervals...seems to work very well.

In Buffalo during the winter I'd run a dino 5W-30 like Havoline, or Motorcraft, or a synthetic blend like Mobil 7500 or Valvoline Maxlife.


Or maybe a 0W-30 full synthetic like M1 or GC?

 

[Gary Allan]

With your short commute ..you can use a 5w-20 without the least bit of hesitation. With a 5 mile commute ..your oil won't reach (probably) 100F. In the depth of a Buffalo winter ...it may not even reach much above freezing ..and it will probably (the 5w-30) ..be a high 40 weight even if you doubled your commute.

Naturally, a synthetic will flow better in this situation ..but you will still never see its spec'd viscosity under your driving conditions.

 

[JHZR2]

I get similar, but not as severe results using GC in my 98 pickup. The oil is the factor in my case, butI doubt so in yours... 80 psi is extremely high.

Check your filter!

JMH

 

[thunderchild]

I just switched my oil to Supertech 10w-30 synthetic. I stopped using Mobil1 due to pricing. It works great in my truck. 2003 Dodge Durango 4.7 liter. I use the Amsoil SDF filters. No complaints so far.

 

[thunderchild]

Oh, I forgot to tell you, I use the 5 quart jugs. My truck takes 6 quarts so I just use 1 quart of the Mobil1 T&S I have lying aroung loose. 2 more and it will be gone though. I am stocking up on the Supertech.

 

[MisterBrian]

Thank you for your thoughts and ideas. Actually, this 80psi business is normal. My gauge is a cheap Sunpro model, so it may be more like 71psi, which is when the bypass is supposed to open.
What I'm concerned about is that when the oil is thick and cold, I get >40psi per krpm. As the oil warms up, it gradually approaches 14psi/krpm. 14 is great. That places redline very near 80psi, and it gives me just over 10 psi per 100 HP per 1000 RPM.

Gary, I would run 5W20 without hesitation, but for that the engine does also see trips longer than my commute, and a fair number of highway trips.
I heard a rumor that the Subaru 2.2L has an oil/water intercooler. I haven't seen it, either physically or in a diagram. What I do know is that the oil starts flowing very nicely and I feel comfortable with 5000rpm within a minute of the coolant reaching its normal temperature.

Looks like the viscosity of SuperTech 10W30 is 10.5cSt at 100oC. Seeking to keep the same hot viscosity while minimizing viscosity at -10oC, I'm going to go with a 0W30 (leaning toward M1 over the thicker GC), plus some random "premium" filter. I'll leave that brew in for a year. Does that sound good?

 

[Killer-B]

I think I might invest in a new oil gauge also.

 

[pitzel]

Would a trip across the border to pick up some cheap full synth Esso XD-3 Extra 0W-30 be out of the question?

 

[MisterBrian]

The gauge is cheap and inaccurate, but precise. I feel it'll do the job of telling me how one oil does versus another, and it functions as a primitive oil temp. gauge.

I'm unopposed to taking 15 minutes to get to Canada. What makes Esso's fully synthetic better than Mobil's?

 

[pitzel]

quote:

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Originally posted by MisterBrian:

I'm unopposed to taking 15 minutes to get to Canada. What makes Esso's fully synthetic better than Mobil's?

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1. Costs less.
2. "Thick" 0W-30 instead of "thin" 0W-30 at operating temperature.
3. A HDEO additive package.

 

[AndyH]

quote:

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Originally posted by MisterBrian:
I heard a rumor that the Subaru 2.2L has an oil/water intercooler. I haven't seen it, either physically or in a diagram.

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Not sure about the 2.2L engine, but the 2.5L engine in my STi has a coolant-to-oil heat exchanger device beneath the oil filter.