What kind of engine oil do you use?

[Gman]

I've got a 1999 subaru legacy with about 175k miles on it that is long overdue for an oil change and I'm wondering what people are using for engine oil these days. Is it worth getting something designed for high mileage cars or should I just get whatever the cheap shit is at Pep Boys? I'm in NY so not crazy high temps by any means but it is almost summer here so the weight is important.

[guroo270]

tech talk? Someone there might know. In all honesty, though, I have no clue. I've always been biased to Mobil 1 products, but that's based on absolutely something.

[MakersTeleMark]

Rotella, I can't afford AMSOIL.

[Crampedon]

If I can't get Mobile 1 then I catch Blurred when he cleans the fryer and use that.
It's fine except for the seagulls following my truck.

[jgb@etree]

Whatever you do, don't switch to a synthetic oil now if you've been running dino oil for the past 175k. The synthetic oils usually have a detergent that breaks up buildups what may be preventing leaks. On top of that, the synthetic molecules are smaller so they slip thru cracks (read: leak) much more easily.

If I were you, I'd either go with something cheap or maybe give the high mileage stuff a shot

[PNWbrit]

Full synthetic.... and vegan.

Do it for the dinosaurs!

[GBB]

'96 saab 900 with 205,000. I've been running Rotella t-synth 5w-40 for the past 100k. Couldn't be happier.

[GeezerSteve]

Whatever 5W-20 or 5W-30 Costco sells and Wix filters

[sidewall]

I'd stick some Castrol GTX in there.

[XXX-er]

I used to run synthetic castrol at about 10$ a liter in the TDi which is a MUST but in the new super low tech Ranger whatever the Ford dealer puts in .

[El Chupacabra]

13 year old car with 175K miles -- use whatever conventional (i.e. not synthetic) oil you find is on sale, at whatever weight Subaru specifies for that car. It'll probably be 10W-30 or 5W-30.

At that age & mileage, I would be very surprised if that car didn't burn and/or leak oil, so check the dipstick regularly and top it off as needed.

[OldLarry]

Oil? Your supposed to put GAS in your car you Jong!

[Chainsaw_Willie]

Whatever 5W-20 or 5W-30 Costco sells and Wix filters

This. It's an old Subaru, not rocket science.

[uglymoney]

I use Mobil 1 0w30 year round in both our 4runner and Outback with 170 and 150k. The runner goes 7500 using less than half a quart and the Outback goes through a few quarts in 7500. Use whatever oil u want but imo stick to 5w30 or 0w30 for mileage/cold weather starting/start up wear.

[jfost]

look at your oil and see if it needs changing - when mine gets black and sludgy looking - I change it, if it's not - I leave it. I figure that messing with this car = can of worms at this point! My oil smells like exhaust too from the leaky HG, but it has held for the last 20,000mi with only a minor leak. Maybe 1/2Q every oil change (7-10K)

5w30 for me - dino juice only, no synthetic for detergent reasons mentioned above.

(1994 Legacy Alpine 2.2 with 181,000mi)

[k2skier112]

Whatever 5W-20 or 5W-30 Costco sells and Wix filters

Chevron Supreme is what Costco's out West have, it's got my Subaru up to 165,000 using NAPA gold filters. Plus it's on coupon for $9 off per case right now.

As others have said do not switch to synthetic with a hi-mileage engine.

[iceman]

I used to run synthetic castrol at about 10$ a liter in the TDi which is a MUST but in the new super low tech Ranger whatever the Ford dealer puts in .

Wait, what?

The dealer?

[GeezerSteve]

Chevron Supreme is what Costco's out West have, it's got my Subaru up to 165,000 using NAPA gold filters.

Napa filters are Wix.

[bushman]

Mobil 1 or AMSOIL.

[cptpowder]

Subaru outback legacy with 230k running castrol gtx non synthetic. 10-30w

[uglymoney]

look at your oil and see if it needs changing - when mine gets black and sludgy looking - I change it, if it's not - I leave it. I figure that messing with this car = can of worms at this point! My oil smells like exhaust too from the leaky HG, but it has held for the last 20,000mi with only a minor leak. Maybe 1/2Q every oil change (7-10K)

5w30 for me - dino juice only, no synthetic for detergent reasons mentioned above.

(1994 Legacy Alpine 2.2 with 181,000mi)

Sort of but looking at your oil is not a good indicator of its condition unless it is obviously sludgy. Oil can look terribly black and still be okay and functional. I recently sent a sample to Blackstone Labs to test for oil/exhaust in my Outbacks oil. Looked terrible but sample came back clean.

I run synthetic but imo it is a choice I'm making as much on emotion as actual technical advantage.

[warthog]

Rotella t 15W-40 in my 32 year old Jeep.

Might be a bit heavy for year round use up there. Summer use would be fine though. Key is to change oil and filter and run it for 500 miles. Then change filter and you are good for 3-5k, whatever you are comfortable with.

This oil is used in diesels, so it picks up all the turds that float in normal oil. Jeep guys are seeing a major improvement when pulling pistons and comparing them before and after.

Seeing as I am on the original AMC engine, I figure I have over 300,000 miles. That would only be 10,000 miles a year though. I might be way over that. The odometer reads 2200. It flipped about 6 months ago. Using the Rotella made sense. If I put synthetic in, I would probably leak half of it out overnight.

[XXX-er]

Wait, what?

The dealer?

Its still on warranty I don't do much drivin cuz its a small town so every 6 months I get them to change it cuz its a small town, the pres is 90+, been the pres since 1935 and he still comes to work ... every day

[G]

Whatever name brand stuff is on sale. I recommend avoiding the cheap stuff, but you don't need anything fancy, either.

Synthetic is awesome, but what JGB mentioned above is an important consideration. I'd try some anyway, just add a quart or two and see what happens.

I think the most important thing isn't the oil you use, but how regularly you change it.

[XXX-er]

well with the TDi the service intervals were 16000kms which is I think 10,000miles and you MUST run a certain spec of oil it was 505 on the ALH TDi but being a diesel the oil was black & looked like shit just as soon as you started the engine

if you want to geek out on oil changes there is a claim in this thread that most of the wear occurs shortly after an oil change and its better to go the full recommended service interval

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=351213