What oil for '19 Subaru WRX?

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by TKNY
Want to do my first oil change at 1k. Wondering what you guys recommend? Nobody can make up their minds on the Subaru forums.

Castrol Edge 0W40 or M1 0W40 FS.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
All I would say that it should meet the dexos1 Gen 2 and/or SN Plus standards and be 5W30 or "heavier".
I guess I have used more M1 5W30 than anything else in my FA20DIT. M1 5W30 ESP was a big favorite on subaruforester.org for a while and I used it for a couple of changes, but now there are two versions of that and I don't know which is which.
If you go on NASIOC, you will surely get a bunch of Rotella 5W40 recommendations...

BTW, I'm assuming this is not an STI?

Unfortunately Mobil1 is going away with French and Finnish made M1 ESP 5W30. They had European style bottle and arguably was best ACEA C3 oil available.
New one does not look stout as old one at all, which seems trend when it comes to Mobil1 in the last three years.

 

[Garak]

5W-30 synthetic in the winter and a 40 weight in the summer on shorter OCI's. [/quote
If we're talking going out of spec, there are higher HTHS 30 grades that could be used all year. Unfortunately, the current Subaru WRX manual makes it fairly clear they want an SN/GF-5 5w-30, not like the Infiniti/Nissan manuals of before where they wanted a 5w-30 SM or newer, with ILSAC being optional. Of course, people are free to go out of spec, should they so choose.

 

[dlundblad]

What does the manual say?

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Recommended oil for your car is a conventional 5W-30. dexos1 or synthetic is not required. 5W-40 is not recommended by Subaru.
I would use a synthetic 5W-30 though, as these days synthetic is very cheap and you get all the extra benefits. Mobil 1 would probably be my first choice but they are all good.

Subaru specifically calls out synthetic for my FA20DIT...again, I am assuming this is not an STI and I'm not sure what Subaru says about those.

I would like to amend my recommendations and say that a dexos2 oil is also a good choice, as that standard also includes an LSPI test. Unfortunately, I don't see any of those on the WM shelves around here. Believe the minimum HTHS for those is 3.5 so they might be well suited for really hard driving.

In case you ever end up having a dealer change your oil, make sure you are all over them about what they are going to use...I suspect that a dealer put 0W20 in my car at least twice. The paperwork after the change would say 0W20 and the "service advisor" would assure me "they MUST HAVE used the right oil!" when I complained. Probably less of an issue with a WRX, though, 0W20 is recommended for the NA Foresters and I'd guess they see 100 of those for every 1 XT.

 

[bluesubie]

It depends how closely you want to follow the owner's manual.

Many WRX owners are running API SN/ACEA C3 oils which have a higher High Temp High Shear than GF5 Resource Conserving oils (Mobil 1 5W30 ESP; Motul X-clean 5W30) and are cat friendly.. That said, WRX DIT uoa's are generally showing low uoa wear on any GF5 5W30, despite that these oil usually end up as 20 grade oils after fuel contamination and/or shearing.

If you do ANY mods or see ANY track time, the above goes out the window and you should use one of the above recommended more robust oils (Castrol/Mobil 1 0W40, etc.). Or use a more robust oil if you're comfortable running something other than what the owner's manual recommends, but is what is recommended by Subaru of Japan (even though they do not provide your warranty).

I'd keep the factory fill in until 3k miles.

There are several DIT uoa's here and on nasioc if you're curious. nasioc has an ongoing DIT UOA thread.

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted by wemay
Originally Posted by skyactiv
If you use a garden variety 5W30, use Pennzoil Platinum. It is an ACEA A5/B5 oil. Very few 5W30's meet that spec and better wear control is one of it's criteria.


Edge and M1 also meet it now. It's about time.

I believe Mobil 1 5W-30 is a higher viscosity 30 wt than PP, 11 vs ~9 cST. Whether it keeps this viscosity advantage with use I don't know

. The 2.3 EB in our 2017 Explorer shears the Mobil 1 5w-30 to a ~9 cST in ~7,000 miles, I don't know how the PP would fair under the same conditions starting at the lower 9 cST already.

Whimsey

 

[john_pifer]

I own a 2016 WRX that I bought new in March 2016. On suggestion from a few members here, I decided to use Pennzoil Platinum 10W-30. The reasons are as follows:

- Fuel dilution (especially when there are lots of short trips in cold temperatures without longer trips to warm oil to full op temp) causes premature shearing and viscosity loss. The PP 10W-30 variant holds up to this dilution better than the 5W variant due to the fact that it doesn't need as much viscosity modifier, which makes the oil more unstable (more susceptible to vaporization/mass loss at higher temps)

- NOACK. At 4.7%, PP 10W-30, last time it was measured, had one of the best NOACK ratings of ANY oil on the market (I really don't know of an oil with a better rating than this - if someone else does, please chime in). NOACK is so important on a TGDI engine because of the high temps and specific outputs of these engines and the potential for intake tract deposits. A more stable oil will experience less vaporization under high temps and less intake tract deposits.

I've had 1 UOA with this oil (sample taken when I drained the first PP 10W-30 I'd used, after about 5500 miles):

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...p-10w-30-2016-wrx-5564-miles#Post4248976

It held up pretty well, as you can tell. I might get another UPA here when I do my next oil change.

I do always use a premium, Top Tier fuel, and, preferably Shell.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by john_pifer
I own a 2016 WRX that I bought new in March 2016. On suggestion from a few members here, I decided to use Pennzoil Platinum 10W-30. The reasons are as follows:

- Fuel dilution (especially when there are lots of short trips in cold temperatures without longer trips to warm oil to full op temp) causes premature shearing and viscosity loss. The PP 10W-30 variant holds up to this dilution better than the 5W variant due to the fact that it doesn't need as much viscosity modifier, which makes the oil more unstable (more susceptible to vaporization/mass loss at higher temps)

- NOACK. At 4.7%, PP 10W-30, last time it was measured, had one of the best NOACK ratings of ANY oil on the market (I really don't know of an oil with a better rating than this - if someone else does, please chime in). NOACK is so important on a TGDI engine because of the high temps and specific outputs of these engines and the potential for intake tract deposits. A more stable oil will experience less vaporization under high temps and less intake tract deposits.

I've had 1 UOA with this oil (sample taken when I drained the first PP 10W-30 I'd used, after about 5500 miles):

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...p-10w-30-2016-wrx-5564-miles#Post4248976

It held up pretty well, as you can tell. I might get another UPA here when I do my next oil change.

I do always use a premium, Top Tier fuel, and, preferably Shell.

Amsoil has its SS 10W30 at 4.1%...of course, you are paying dearly for the extra 0.6% (which might actually be nothing given measurement variation and possible formula tweaks).

 

[jbutch]

I have the same engine and I did multiple UOA with different oils (see my other posts)

Pennzoil products, for an unknown reason, show really high copper levels in the FA20DIT (again, see my other posts)

Now the last UOA was done with Quaker State Ultimate Durability dexos 1 gen 2 5w-30 and the results were great, copper levels were way down.

Cheap, great results and you will not lose your warranty.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted by Gokhan
Recommended oil for your car is a conventional 5W-30. dexos1 or synthetic is not required. 5W-40 is not recommended by Subaru.
I would use a synthetic 5W-30 though, as these days synthetic is very cheap and you get all the extra benefits. Mobil 1 would probably be my first choice but they are all good.

Subaru specifically calls out synthetic for my FA20DIT...again, I am assuming this is not an STI and I'm not sure what Subaru says about those.

It says Subaru 5W-30 oil or 5W-30 SN/GF-5 if Subaru 5W-30 not available (doesn't mention synthetic). However, Subaru oil is synthetic. So, any SN PLUS synthetic 5W-30 should be good. It also says 5W-40 should only be used for topping oil if 5W-30 isn't available.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted by jbutch
I have the same engine and I did multiple UOA with different oils (see my other posts)

Pennzoil products, for an unknown reason, show really high copper levels in the FA20DIT (again, see my other posts)

Now the last UOA was done with Quaker State Ultimate Durability dexos 1 gen 2 5w-30 and the results were great, copper levels were way down.

Cheap, great results and you will not lose your warranty.




Was that copper earlier in the samples and then dropped off? That could just be from an oil cooler. I'm never concerned about copper in newer vehicles as much because it's soft, could be in assembly lubricants and levels tend to drop off quickly.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by jbutch
Pennzoil products, for an unknown reason, show really high copper levels in the FA20DIT (again, see my other posts)

Now the last UOA was done with Quaker State Ultimate Durability dexos 1 gen 2 5w-30 and the results were great, copper levels were way down.

Cheap, great results and you will not lose your warranty.

Is there really any difference between Pennzoil and Quaker State? Perhaps you saw the break-in metals?

 

[jbutch]

Originally Posted by jayg
Originally Posted by jbutch
I have the same engine and I did multiple UOA with different oils (see my other posts)

Pennzoil products, for an unknown reason, show really high copper levels in the FA20DIT (again, see my other posts)

Now the last UOA was done with Quaker State Ultimate Durability dexos 1 gen 2 5w-30 and the results were great, copper levels were way down.

Cheap, great results and you will not lose your warranty.




Was that copper earlier in the samples and then dropped off? That could just be from an oil cooler. I'm never concerned about copper in newer vehicles as much because it's soft, could be in assembly lubricants and levels tend to drop off quickly.



It's a possibility that its a reaction with pennzoil and the oil cooler, but I do not like seing copper this high.

It dropped as soon as I switched oil brand...

 

[jbutch]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by jbutch
Pennzoil products, for an unknown reason, show really high copper levels in the FA20DIT (again, see my other posts)

Now the last UOA was done with Quaker State Ultimate Durability dexos 1 gen 2 5w-30 and the results were great, copper levels were way down.

Cheap, great results and you will not lose your warranty.

Is there really any difference between Pennzoil and Quaker State? Perhaps you saw the break-in metals?


At 60 000 km I doubt it was break in metals...

Formulation is different for sure between QS and Pennzoil.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by jbutch
Originally Posted by jayg
Originally Posted by jbutch
I have the same engine and I did multiple UOA with different oils (see my other posts)
Pennzoil products, for an unknown reason, show really high copper levels in the FA20DIT (again, see my other posts)
Now the last UOA was done with Quaker State Ultimate Durability dexos 1 gen 2 5w-30 and the results were great, copper levels were way down.
Cheap, great results and you will not lose your warranty.

Was that copper earlier in the samples and then dropped off? That could just be from an oil cooler. I'm never concerned about copper in newer vehicles as much because it's soft, could be in assembly lubricants and levels tend to drop off quickly.

It's a possibility that its a reaction with pennzoil and the oil cooler, but I do not like seing copper this high.
It dropped as soon as I switched oil brand...

I am going to take a close look at my FXT tonight, but I really don't think it has an oil cooler!
Maybe Subaru added it for '15 or the previous owner installed it?
From the diagram, it looks like it should be right under the "cup" that the oil filter sits in...

 

[jbutch]

There is an oil cooler on all 2014+ FXT, you screw the oil filter on top of it

 

[john_pifer]

PPPP/PUPPP & QSUD base oils aren't going to be different enough to cause that much Cu to show up.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by jbutch
At 60 000 km I doubt it was break in metals...

Formulation is different for sure between QS and Pennzoil.

I know they aren't identical but they are both Shell. They may even have the identical base oil with a slightly different additive pack.

If you want something different, try an oil from a different company, such as Mobil 1.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted by Gokhan
Recommended oil for your car is a conventional 5W-30. dexos1 or synthetic is not required. 5W-40 is not recommended by Subaru.
I would use a synthetic 5W-30 though, as these days synthetic is very cheap and you get all the extra benefits. Mobil 1 would probably be my first choice but they are all good.

Subaru specifically calls out synthetic for my FA20DIT...again, I am assuming this is not an STI and I'm not sure what Subaru says about those.

It says Subaru 5W-30 oil or 5W-30 SN/GF-5 if Subaru 5W-30 not available (doesn't mention synthetic). However, Subaru oil is synthetic. So, any SN PLUS synthetic 5W-30 should be good. It also says 5W-40 should only be used for topping oil if 5W-30 isn't available.

My manual says that 5W30 synthetic is required for optimum performance and protection, but conventional can be used if synthetic is not available (like maybe in Antarctica?).
Then there is the weird thing about topping off with 5W30 or 5W40 conventional if necessary but changing it out with synthetic.

I guess they couldn't deny a warranty claim for using conventional oil with that language (not that they could really tell unless they had video of the oil change), but they make it pretty clear they want you to use synthetic. How many places in the world is synthetic oil not available these days??