Heya fellas, great site here with a lot of info! My 2005 STi has right at 10,500 miles on it right now and I am going to resume doing my own oil changes. I used to change my own oil in my turbocharged Civic. I used Mobil 1 5w30 in that car but never was overly impressed with the job it did and how clean it stayed even at regular 3,500 mile changes. I live in Eastern TN where we see weather in the winter with lows of anywhere from 5 to 15 degrees and highs in the summer up to 100. Every day when the car is warmed up to operating temp, I make it do what it was made to do - go fast(speed limit withstanding, I just like to get TO the speed limit fast =) -. Is there a good full synthetic that you guys would recommend me to use based on my climate and driving habits? I'm not afraid to spend a little money on a good oil, but I'd rather get it right rather than trial and error like I've done previously. Thanks in advance for your input guys!
Subaru STi recommendations
- Thread starter JPWEraser
- Start date
- Status
I'm pretty certain a lot of members here will recommend REDLINE, but I want to be the first to recommend it to you. BUSTER has great knowledge of REDLINE, so I hope he can provide some insight to you. Go to page 6 and read the forum: Redline 5w-20. There's also another forum on page 8. I've used Redline last winter, but I feel like it was a waste of my money because I didn't push my car hard enough.
JHZR2
Staff member
interesting... M1 5w-30 keeps my GF's integra squeaky clean, even with 167k miles...
Id get an oil with a higher HT/HS value, so itll hold its viscosity better under stress.
Id say to consider redline oil, as its built pretty tough. For a more local oil, look at 'german castrol', its 0w-30, and MUST say "made in germany" on the back. Usually found in autozone.
If it were mine, id likely choose Mobil 1 Truck & SUV 5w-40. Shell rotella synthetic 5w-40 is group III, and cheaper, but not necessarily the best choice as a result.
Id likely get M1 truck and SUV.
Key #1... the OIL needs to be up to temperature before driving hard. This means about 15 miles of light driving before getting on it hard.
Id also consider you use lubecontrol to offset oxidation, and keep the oil protecting better for longer, even with high heat load, etc.
JMH
Id get an oil with a higher HT/HS value, so itll hold its viscosity better under stress.
Id say to consider redline oil, as its built pretty tough. For a more local oil, look at 'german castrol', its 0w-30, and MUST say "made in germany" on the back. Usually found in autozone.
If it were mine, id likely choose Mobil 1 Truck & SUV 5w-40. Shell rotella synthetic 5w-40 is group III, and cheaper, but not necessarily the best choice as a result.
Id likely get M1 truck and SUV.
Key #1... the OIL needs to be up to temperature before driving hard. This means about 15 miles of light driving before getting on it hard.
Id also consider you use lubecontrol to offset oxidation, and keep the oil protecting better for longer, even with high heat load, etc.
JMH
Just "installed" the German Castrol ("GC") Syntec 0w-30 in my '05 STi a few weeks ago, plan on running it out to 4,000 or 5,000 miles (up until 10,000 miles I've been using conventional and semi-sythetic oil on a short 2,500 OCI). "GC" is an excellent synthetic oil which you can use year-round in your STi and will provide great protection for your engine.
Do some searches for "STi" and you'll turn up some more STi-specific oil discussions and used-oil analysis (UOA's) including some of mine.
Here's a picture of the rear of the "GC" label:
Do some searches for "STi" and you'll turn up some more STi-specific oil discussions and used-oil analysis (UOA's) including some of mine.
Here's a picture of the rear of the "GC" label:
Forgot to post a link to a recent excellent UOA of "GC" in a 2004 STi, here it is:
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002799
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002799
Awesome info guys, and thanks for the warm welcome to the board with your helpful comments. Based on most of the things I've read about GC, I will probably go that rout. Should this be readily available locally or is there a specific online source that could lend me a better price? Once again, thanks!
I'm all to familiar with proper warm up procedures - turbo Hondas HAVE to be babied unfortunately. Sometimes I could get all the way to work (20 mile drive) before I felt comfortable hitting more than 1 or 2 pounds of boost. I also have an oil temp gauge tapped from a galley plug in my STi that helps a good bit when I don't feel like paying attention. Thanks for the tips!
M1 TSUV 5W40!! 5W40 is aproved I belive for use year round in that vechile in your environment!Redline 5W40 has a good track record in that engine and is supported by UOA.
If you want a 30Wt. I would go with Redline 10W30 as my first choice, Amsoil Series 3000 HD 5W30 as my second choice and Synergen 3W30LTS as my second. Now bear in mind I only know what I have seen here on this site about your vechile. I have very little experince with Subaru's!!
If you want a 30Wt. I would go with Redline 10W30 as my first choice, Amsoil Series 3000 HD 5W30 as my second choice and Synergen 3W30LTS as my second. Now bear in mind I only know what I have seen here on this site about your vechile. I have very little experince with Subaru's!!
GC is readily available from a good number of bigger AutoZones.
It should be still on sale at $4.39 qt.
Also you can try to pricematch with $3.99 Kragen or PepBoys coupons.
Some AutoZones will do while others won't.
If you'll go that route don't forget to ask the cashier about the AutoZone rewards card.
You'll earn a free $20 AutoZone Gift Card with five purchases of $20 or more making your oil even cheaper.
Good Luck!
I have a 2004 WRX with a Cobb Stage 2 setup and I run AMSOIL S2000 0W-30 at ~10K intervals (I am at 12K on my current interval). I have had oil analysis done at each change via OAITesting.com and the results have always been "No corrective action required, oil is suitable for continued use". Keep in mind that this car is driven extremely hard over the change intervals, as I frequent SCCA events and track days at mid-ohio.
Here is a link to my last UOA.
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=002809
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=002809
I'm currently trying M1 5W-40 T&S in my saab, and it seems to like it a lot. But that's a 40 weight car with big oil cooler on it. For 30 weights, the new M1 5W-30 is now thicker and I've heard good things about Esso XD-3 0W-30.
Yes, but it's not sold in the U.S.
- Status
Similar threads
