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Comments
The M3 drinks 10w40 Mobil1. BMW-branded special formula. They've also got 10w30 and 0w40 on hand at my dealer... (think the new M3 uses the 0w40, not positive though.)
-Colin
Good question. I was refering to 5 vs. 10 with regular dino, however.
I too have found that 10W30 Mobil1 makes for quieter cold starts.
Ken
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I run 5w30 mobil 1 with subie filters. I am also thinking about changing to 10w30 next oil change.
Mike k
-mike
not a rare issue, I'm afraid.
-Colin
Monica - Sometimes I think the more I take care and worry about my cars, the more things go wrong. Case in point - I am being very careful with the tires on the OB (rotations, pressure, etc) and I now have my third leak in 2 years. I don't think I have had 3 leaks in 20+ years of driving. I'm still young, really.
Greg
She's running beautifully, no other symptoms.
-juice
Greg
Does it only happen when it's cold? I bet the extreme cold has made certain metals contract more than usual, too.
I don't think it's fair to make a blanket statement about Subaru like that, they've taken care of many people here.
-juice
You might want to check the accessory belts to rule out an easy one. You can get to them easily by removing just a few screws. Below is a link to doing an underdrive pulley mod, but you'll see photos on the accessory belts if you scroll down a bit:
http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=163
I had a squeeking belt in my Forester when cold and it turned out that the bolt holding the alternator had snapped. The alternator/PS pump belt was getting loose and caused the noise.
Ken
-Dennis
-juice
Luk
So it comes down to determining when the most wear damage occurs. If it is during the first say 15 seconds (which is what I was always told), then the thinner oil gets there faster and is better. If it is during the first 5 minutes, then the thicker oil may prevent damage until expansion closes the tolerances.
Does that sum it up?
Steve
the most wear, unquestionably, is the first few seconds an engine is running before oil pressure is established.
-Colin
Steve
BTW, since I have Colin here also, I just wanted to point out that the Phase II engine doesn't use solid lifters. I pointed out something Colin wrote a while back on another Crew topic that explains the Phase II engine very well.
Ken
Greg
Good question. Perhaps the difference has to do with flowability vs. viscosity.
From the website:
http://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/tenmythsaboutsyntheticlub- rication.htm
Myth #2: Synthetics are too thin to stay in the engine.
Untrue. In order for a lubricant to be classified in any SAE grade (10W-30, 10W-40, etc) it has to meet certain guidelines with regard to viscosity ("thickness").
For example, it makes no difference whether it is 10W-40 petroleum or 10W-40 synthetic, at -25 degrees centigrade (-13F) and 100 degrees centigrade (212 degrees F) that oil has to maintain a standardized viscosity or it can't be rated a 10W-40.
But the look at the flow data here (don't know what units they represent, however):
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/oil-overview.html
The synthetics always have higher pour values than regular.
Can anyone else shed light on this question?
Ken
But it's true... actually regardless of age, no EJ series single-overhead cam has ever had lifters. They all use a roller-tipped rocker arm that rides directly on the cam on one side, and acts directly on the valve retainer on the other side. There is one rocker arm per intake valve and one per pair of exhaust valves. (this rocker is larger, of course, and has a Y shape.)
Perfect shot of it right here from Cobb Tuning.
http://www.cobbtuning.com/images/sohc-engine03.jpg
(complying with Edmunds' policy I'm not embedding that image, and the source page is here.)
-Colin
Dino oil molecules are random length chains, the chains break more easily because they're simply whatever came out of the ground and survived all the processing. Synthetic oil molecules are specifically engineered as to length and size (long and uniform) and designed specifically to resist fragmenting with use. As a result, start up wear before oil pressure is established is reduced because these long chains tend to "lay" across small bearing surfaces rather than flow down to the oil pan overnight.
So, I feel you're better protected on cold startups with synthetics. This is also why the famous Consumer's Union test of oils in a taxicab fleet showed no wear difference. They intentionally ignored the huge wear advantage of synthetics on cold startups like 99% of the public would experience. (The taxicabs were never allowed to cool down during the test - running 24/7).
Also, with all the discussion about cold temps and starting, people keep quoting "wind chill temps". Be advised that wind chill does not act on a car sitting overnight like it does on a warm blooded human for which the wind chill index was created. If it's 15 degrees F outside all night long, your car's engine will be the same temp whether it was parked in a 100mph wind or in a flat calm.
IdahoDoug
If it was from the general parts industry, it would be a salvaged transmission that was rebuilt by someone's Uncle Bob. If you can look at your reciept and find a Subaru part number by the unit then you're OK. I cannot imagine the dealer would get a tranny from a source other than Subaru for warranty work - I doubt Subaru would even reimburse the dealer this way.
IdahoDoug
IdahoDoug -- Wind chill on a car! That's kind of funny. But then again, we're always anthropromorphosizing our vehicles, aren't we?
Ken
My 03 X's seals were replaced and window was re-aligned after I noticed a window noise problem; I would describle the noise as a hissing. Anyway, that problem was solved.
It's been several months since the fix and it seems odd, but there are times when the wind noise seems excessive compared to other vehicles I've owned. The hissing is gone, but the noise is more a muted blustering.
It's not overbearing in my opinion, but it is noticeable and most likely normal for this model.
Greg
Thanks so much for this information. The receipt did have a Subaru Parts no. Your explanation makes a lot of sense and is along the lines of what I was hoping to hear from SOA. I feel lots better now.
Ken
Thanks
Just for grins, check the orientation of your cross bars. In the past, some dealers had installed them facing the wrong way -- the wider, rounded edge should face forward (imagine the cross section of a teardrop with the big end forward).
Ken
I used the terms 'solid lifters' and 'hydraulic lifters' to describe a fixed valve lash system (solid) as opposed to engines (like most American classic designs) that used a variable pumped spacer that keeps lash constant during thermal expansion.
In another thread I said that older Sub designs used hydraulic lifter, 2.5ej phase II uses solids. What I should have said is that the newer engines dropped the hydraulic spacers and now have fixed adjusters.
Did I get it right???
Steve
Eirik
-juice
I need to get the tie-rods for the SVX so I'm pricing around and getting shipping times.
-mike
-juice
Also, try lowering the window and then raising it again, see if you get a better seal when you do that.
Yep, the cross bars are like airplane wings, the sharp edges should face back.
-juice
-eirik
My guess is that you could safely run em up at 38-40. Just see how they are bulging. Mine are pretty flat right now. I should actually go and put some more air in them, probably do that after I get the tie rods done, I don't want to put more pressure on the tie rods than I have to.
-mike
I've not visited the thread in quite a while, but in the past you've been very helpful to me when buying a new Outback Sport and mourning my totalled Forester. The Outback is now 16 months old, has 24,000 miles and in general runs and handles great. Incidentally, I too have too much wind noise and need to get the window seals checked - although last time I was at the dealer they fobbed me off with "We test drove it and we don't hear anything," etc. But when it rains there is always moisture under that seal!
Anyway, the last 10 days the car has developed a rattle on the passenger side which sounds like a snare drum - it's pretty loud -and seems to be connected to the vent/air system, as when i shut off the vents i can't hear it. A little more worrying is that when I steer to the right it gets louder, and when I steer to the left it goes away. I suspect it's something loose in the air system but when i remembered I could ask those of you in this forum, I thought I'd take that opportunity.
Thanks very much for your thoughts.
Rachel
...are you sure the changes in sound when turning aren't just coincidental with something else?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)