Rob: sorry, no experience with the seats. RS owners swap them, but I've never seen a Legacy with aftermarket seats.
You may want to check the level of the tranny oil. The other thing it could be is the grease in the shift lever ball joint, but that requires taking the center console apart.
Daniel -- Yeah, just when I was getting used to the leather interior, sunroof and quiet ride... I was missing being able to shift manually, however.
Kate -- One other point to add to juice's comments is that I believe Sylvania has a "Xtra Bright" bulb that they also sell at Pep Boys for only a slight premium over standard halogens. Those might provide some extra performance for a low price.
The shifter on my 98 forester does the same thing but also in lower gears at higher revs. Maybe ill take the shifter apart this weekend and see whats up - thanks for the directions.
If you can wait and want to spend a lot of time vulturing, you might try to acquire a set of WRX seats from someone that upgrades to racing buckets. It will happen, guaranteed.
Thought #2
Mechanical competence turning 4 bolts to install seats with the proper Subaru rails is not a question. The question is whether the seat can be ordered with brackets/rails that are 100% compatible with Subaru and if not, then you better be pretty crafty at small metal fabrication to make your own brackets.
I have not seen too many complimentary words said about the fitment of some aftermarket seat rails (Corbeau, Sparco, OMP). I haven't seen any comments about Recaro though.
Just got back from Subaru of Santa Cruz. My Forester had 1st gear/shaft along with the gear hub replaced under warranty. I haven't had a chance to test 1st gear, but I left extremely confident everything was taken care of properly.
I spoke to the Service Manager there, John Dicochea and he explained that in some of the 98s, the gear hub had a little too much play on the shaft causing it to knock the transmission out of gear. There is a new assembly available that has a tighter fit.
He also went above and beyond the call of duty and installed new seals on the inner axle joints to prevent the axle grease from leaking out. He noticed that there was early signs of leakage so he did the installation while my Forester was there.
For anyone in the Bay Area -- Santa Cruz Subaru is really worth the trip over the "hill".
It felt great to get back into my vehicle. While I was sad to leave the plush OB Ltd. Sedan behind, it was nice to be able to shift through my own gears (which felt crisp thanks to the new tranny gear oil) and hear the growl of my DOHC engine. Also, it was great to have the reassuring solid feel of my brakes -- I nearly went out the front windshield at the first stop sign!
Many thanks to Patti who helped get the ball rolling on this repair. Everyone at SOA along the way was super -- customer support, the tech managers, the service people. It's been a long time since I've felt like people actually cared about customer satisfaction. I honestly felt good about having about a Subaru today. Too bad they couldn't clone more of these folks and sprinkle them all over the US!
is apparently swamped.. and is having difficulty getting parts from Subaru to ship to all of us! I talked to somebody there yesterday AM & he thinks she's getting our e-mails, but can't act on them due to parts shortage (?)
I'm going to re-try next week - I'm getting close on a oil change & need a filter!
As I remember last year I could search through an entire discussion group for an item. I just looked for something and had to do it in groups of twenty. I also remember that I could download the entire discussion so that I could move it over to WORD and search it there.
Does this feature still exist? Is there a way to get at the entire discussion at one time?
Thanks for the instructions on removing the trim. I am not sure why I need these. Maybe someone else asked for them? I have stopped working on my cars about 15 years ago. I just like driving them.
I've been driving my '97 OB since Nov '96, it has 45,000mi. on it and I am wondering if it's time for new plugs and ign. wires. Should I really wait until 60,000mi? I haven't done anything but change the oil, coolant and air filter on this car for over 4 years... it's getting boring! Any thoughts?
I'd bet a dollar you'll notice an improvement in idle quality, performance and fuel economy if you replace the wires & plugs now... although all three may be small. ;-)
I've been running 80/100s in both my '88 Subaru and '00 Trooper for about a year w/o any ill effects. (originals are 45/65) On the subie they help imensely, the trooper just has bad reflector and lens design. Also 100w fogs running on both as well, no melting, burning or ill effects on those either.
Your OB has the 2.5L DOHC engine which I've heard is difficult to change the spark plugs on. Unless you're mechanically inclined, you may want to have a dealer do that for you.
I guess I'd need to see what it looks like under the hood of your OB to give step-by-step but here goes:
The DOHC setup is a bit trickier than SOHC, but it's not that bad. Both of them should simply require removing the air intake-- should be a flexible elbow after the torque chamber (big black box)-- loose that and remove everything upstream of it. Then on the driver's side of the engine bay, remove the washer fluid bottle and battery if necessary. Now you should have unfettered access to the valve covers and thus plugs & wires. To eliminate the possibility of getting plug wires crossed, you might unplug only one at a time and replace it.
I'd use the stock wires and stock heat range plugs of your choosing. I like NGK copper, but have had great results with Bosch platinum as well (and they're cheap for platinums).
And since I have the chance, I'll again espouse my belief in replacing plugs every 15,000-25,000 miles for maximum performance and economy regardless of their type or brand. ;-)
Okay, all you DIY types... which way does the new crush washer install after an oil drain? I think its flat side towards the plug, but would someone verify that for me? Thanks in advance...
I put the crush washer on in no particular way, and have never had a leak.
John, I don't think there is a Haynes Forester manual yet. The Haynes Legacy manual will cover the powertrain accurately since they're identical, and suspension will be pretty close but obviously not the same.
hutch7: get a new air filter while you're at it. You're taking it apart so you may as well save yourself time. I'd do the fuel filter and PCV valve too. All are fairly easy.
The crush washer gets flat as a pancake after the first use, so I'd guess it won't matter much either way!
Definitely do the PCV valve. It is easy cheap and will make a difference. Your engine breathes through PCV. Don't let it choke!!! I am curious if it is really mandatory to change the coolant? I have 90 Accord and probably only changed it 2-3 times. It has 160+ miles. However due to a bad thermostat the radiator went a couple of years ago! Any reasons why to change coolant as frequently as manual says?
I have had a brand new container of prestone coolant for a while. Does that stuff go bad? Thanks
Thanks for all the tips on my "tune-up". The plugs were no prob once I removed the air intake tube on the pax side and the w/w resevoir on the drivers side, I also removed the battery. I put in Bosch Platinum +4 plugs @5.99ea. Kind of pricey but what the heck. Replaced the air filter, but could not find new ign. wires, not even at the dealer. Parts guy said he only had a set for late '97 not early '97....what's the deal with that??? I did the fuel filter a few months ago. Where's the PCV valve hiding?
I heard my dealer tell another customer to remove the Bosch 4 plugs and put in normal plugs. Apparently there have been some problems with those plugs. I think the Subaru 2.2L engine doesn't do too well with them. I am not sure if the same is for the 2.5L. In any case, if it is running fine than you are ok. The PCV should be visible on top. It should connect to the valve cover. If you look in the manual that came with the car, it should list it! Mine does! Good luck!
I'm looking pretty seriously at a '96 Impreza Brighton (1800cc/5speed) with about 60k miles. I've owned mostly Hondas before, so I have a few questions:
1. Does this engine use a timing chain or a belt? If it's a belt, what's the recommended service interval for replacing it, and about how much does it cost to do so? (This was always a major concern with Hondas!)
2. Has anyone ever seen an aftermarket cruise control retrofit kit for this particular setup? I know earlier Impreza LS/LX models came with cruise and the 1800cc engine, so it seems like the parts ought to be available, but SoA says they don't sell a kit to retrofit it to this particular car. If there is a kit, is it something that a typical owner could install with the usual hand tools?
3. Is the 1800 engine as sturdy and reliable as the 2200? I know it won't be as powerful, but that's not as much of an issue.
4. Are there any problems associated with the manual transmission/AWD combo that I should know about?
Thanks in advance!
Stephen (who lives in sunny central Georgia a hundred miles from the nearest Subaru dealer)
Uh oh, now I feel bad. I should have (and usually do) mention that I don't buy into the +4 snakeoil and think that they are more harm than good. I use the plain jane Bosch Platinum with a single electrode.
Unless you think you can get your money back Hutch, obviously I'd say just watch your car and see how they do. I wouldn't buy them myself.
I have a 01 OB ltd. It has a whole 2K miles. As I approach the 3K, I am wondering what brand of oil people use. I used Castrol with my Honda and it always seemed to work well. Is it worth getting the Castrol Syntec? I never used 5-30. I always did 10-30. However this is a new car and maybe 5-30 is fine. Any thoughts?
They don't work on the direct fire Isuzu engines either. Someone in the Isuzu forum installed them, and wound up having to go to the dealer cause it setoff the CE light.
I'll pass along how the +4 plugs do in my OB...I'll be doing some highway driving this weekend...They come with a three yr warranty, I would assume Bosch would cover them if I have trouble...anyway now that I'm experienced in changing them out it wouldn't be so bad. I bought the regular platinums for my truck!
Stephen: Welcome to the Crew. I've been here a year. You won't feel like a stranger for very long in this group! I had a '78 GL coupe with similar 1800cc engine - installed an aftermarket generic cruise control that worked fine. HAd kill switches on both the brake & clutch pedals.
Anibalb: IMHO, you can't go wrong with Castrol. I use 5W30 in the Sube, 10W40 in the warm-weather rigs (69 PowerWagon & motorhome), and that's in Eastern Washington, where we definitely have both winter & summer weather! Never had an oil-related failure with it or QS, and I can't say that about Pennzoil!
Wheels: wimped out, but got a great price on 4 American Racing wheels... 15 inchers, but that's okay... had too much left on the tires. These wheels WILL look GREAT!
Looking under Maintenance and Repair-Synthetic Oil, I was surprised to see that Castrol is not a favored product, apparently due to being dino based. Also synthetic blends are panned because they often have 10% or less synthetic. One is much better off with one qt of full synthetic added to three quarts of dino, both for oil performance and cost. Others like all full synthetic like Mobile One or Valvoline, etc.
I am an IT guy at an oil company, which means I have exposure to some that know their stuff (engineers for sure, marketers to a slightly lesser extent) and have a fair idea about it myself... but one thing I do know for sure is that Castrol Syntec is a FULL synthetic base stock. (Go to www.castrolusa.com if you disbelieve.)
I switched from Castrol GTX 10w30 to Syntec 10w30 at 24,000 miles after installing cams. There was evidence of oil breakdown (commonly called sludge) in just that many miles, even though I changed it every 4,000-6,000 miles (and of course a new filter). I do ask my engine to deliver high RPM power more often than the average Subaru owner-- although maybe I'm only average for a Impreza 2.5RS owner -- but I don't idle long periods of time and I don't see extreme temperatures.
I always have used synthetics in racing 2 stroke engines, and in my streetbikes as well. It wasn't until this teardown when I had the heads off that I decided my Subaru could benefit from it too. And no, I have no real desire or expectation for hundreds of thousands of miles out of this engine. Unless I sell it and move on to something else (unlikely) it won't see 100k miles before it's replaced by a higher performing, even more modified EJ25.
Yes, I've seen the Castrol bashing in the maintenance forum as well. I use Syntec Blend in the winter because it has a lower pour temp than GTX. Even if Syntec is made from petroleum base stocks, is there any data showing that it is an inferior product? Here's one of those "I know a guy" stories... My dad has always used GTX 10W30 in his pick-up in S.C. He currently has about 160,000 miles on it and occasionally tows cattle. Maybe 3 or 4 times a year he tows 1 or 2 to sell or buy usually a few hundred miles away. He's never had an engine problem. Colin, I don't think Castrol's web site gets very specific on their base stocks. Dennis
It seems that you really prefer Synthetic. And you seem to be happy with Castrol! However you mentioned that you changed the oil every 4-6,000 miles. I have always changed it every 3,000 miles. I have Accord with 160K and engine runs smooth like anything. The only problem is the third gear synchro is starting to go. Not sure if it is worth fixing or just driving it as is. In any case I don't drive it anymore since I got Subie. It is just emergency car if wife needs subie. Most if not all my driving is easy driving on car. So am not sure there is need to do synthetic. Plus I heard you are not supposed to mix the two kinds. Once you go synthetic you can't go back to normal. Is that the case? I suppose the best Sythentic for Subie would be the 5-50. Considering it calls for 5-30. Let me know. Thanks.
Full synthetics decrease friction to such a great degree that metal-to-metal wear is drastically reduced versus a mineral oil. They are of benefit to all engines in that respect. I am not a high-miler, thus the reason I only recently started using synthetic in my car.
The reason that you shouldn't use synthetics after a large number of miles of mineral oil is that the wear will allow the smoother synthetic to seep into areas the mineral oil wouldn't. Or it will seep worse.
I would not use 5w50 in a Subaru. 50 weight is way too viscous, and even if you were doing something that necessitated it like long idling in extreme heat, or endurance racing in high heat, I would try a 20w50 if anything. In most circumstances though I wouldn't go higher than a 40 weight-- install an oil temp gauge if you're really curious.
As far as your Honda goes, you can shift without a synchro by matching RPMs-- the concern is the brass gear fragments inside the tranny case damaging more important components. Gearboxes are not something for average hobbyist to work on, so you might want to source a complete gearbox from a salvage yard and compare that to the repair estimate from your favorite shop.
I probably will just stick to the regular oil and change it every 3K as I used to. I think you can't go wrong with that. However I thought that the weight would be the same for both oils. Yet you telling me to use a 20-50 synthetic when Sub calls for 5-30 of the mineral. I can't imagine using 20-50 mineral oil. So I guess the weight does not correspond in the two kinds of oil.
The third gear only scrapes when shifting at above 3800 rpm and not always. The car is so reliable that I hate to get rid of it. I was even thinking of shipping it to Europe and leaving it there for when I go visit my folks. It costs a fortune to get a rental there.
I appreciate the oil tips. I wouldn't dare working on a tranny. I can't even change my timming belts.
I don't think my message is coming across at all! I didn't tell you to use a 20w50.
You said I suppose the best Sythentic for Subie would be the 5-50. Considering it calls for 5-30.
To which I replied I would not use 5w50 in a Subaru. 50 weight is way too viscous, and even if you were doing something that necessitated it like long idling in extreme heat, or endurance racing in high heat, I would try a 20w50 if anything. In most circumstances though I wouldn't go higher than a 40 weight-- install an oil temp gauge if you're really curious.
The numbers are the weight of the oil. Simply put this is its viscosity, or resistance to flow. A light (thin) oil flows easier. They don't appreciably weigh more on a scale, their mass is about the same. A 5 weight oil might pour like water at room temp, and a 50 weight might pour like honey.
Anyway since you are obviously not racing or idling for long periods of time whatever is recommended in the manual is probably smart. My '99 Impreza RS recommends 10w30 above 30 degrees Fahrenheit and 5w30 below that, but does list a wide array of other oils that *might* be suitable if the vehicle is in harsher conditions (hotter or colder).
It has beem demontrated that synthetic oil for a given viscosity will flow much better at lower temps. than dino of the same viscosity, this is of importance to me given our average winter temperature in Ottawa is around minus 30 degrees centigrade in winter.in winter my 93 Accord will be 100psi cold on dino on start up on5W30 while it will be 75psi cold on5W30 synthetic this means that oil is getting everywhere much faster on synthetic than it is on dino both oils settle in at the same pressure hot. As well i have seen a demonstration of two identical brand new vehicles one on dino and one on synthetic they were both left overnight at 40 below both valve covers were removed and the cars were started the car on synthetic had oil flowing at the camshaft long before the car on dino did I always run my cars on synthetic and change it at the regular intervals I have run most of my cars well over 100,000 miles and I have never had an engine failure and none of them was burning oil at this milage either I know at least one of my cars which was bought from me by my then mechanic with 160,000 miles went on to over 300,000 miles before being wrecked in an accident and the engine still had never been opened up for me the extra cost of synthetic is cheap insurance. Cheers Pat.
Incidently based on 4 oil changes a year the difference in cost is around $50 I don;t think this is an unreasonable cost for a much superior product. Cheers Pat.
I am not worried about the cost. And Colin, I did know weight is not same as weight in scale. I definitely don't know as much as you guys do on this topic. Now I have a new question. Which brands are dino and which are synthetic. Pat you are right about it only being 4 oil changes a year or so. I am just afraid to start using synthetic and then when I am sick fo doing oil changes and go to dealer that by putting mineral oil after synthetic will ruin stuff. I am not sure the oils are interchangeable. Furthermore, by using Synthetic is my Subie going to be more prone to oil leaks (like oil pan gasket etc.)? To change the oil pan gasket on 90 Accord is a nightmare! I have 1K to go on Subie before my 1st oil change. I used to drive a lot more than I do now. My commute is 5 mins to work. And if I go work in San Fran I will take Bart. Darn! I only was able to afford such a nice car when I really don't need one. I love driving it though!
I would wait for around 10,000 miles before changing to synthetic your motor will break in better on dino Synthetic is so good that it will not allow the various moving parts to bed in properly with each other, and you can mix dino and synthetic this is how blended oils are made, incidently your cars worst enemy is going to be the short trips you make it never gets to the proper operating temperature and short trips is a bad way to break in a new engine it sets the scene for early engine problems you should take it on the weekends for round trips of over 100 miles until you have around 5,000 miles in order to give it a chance to break in properly, Colin and Juice would;nt you agree? Cheers Pat.
Castrol's web page colin posted above has a lot of info and more answers to your questions. And as Pat mentioned, they're interchangeable. They day I picked up my OBS, I made a 600 + mi. trip to SC. Took longer than usual because I varied my speed, etc. Dennis
There is mineral, dino and synthetic. What the hec is Dino? Man I am behind on this. As for the breaking in of engine. A week after I got theSubie, I drove to Tahoe. And yes I went over 4K rpm. I did not use the cruise control. But the only way to maintain speed on the way there sometimes pushed rpm's above 4K. However That put about 600 miles right away. On weekends I put on longer trips. My car does heat up to normal by the time I get to work. Because it never gets that cold. Also I use highway for about 3 minutes! In and out on next exit. Weird how they say not to ruv up new engine on Subies. Yet if you build an Ultralight plane and put in a Subaru engine, guess how you break it in? You give it all its got. That is why I am not too concerned about going above 4K rpm. I don't gun it every time. And rarely goes to 4K rpm. But on the way to Tahoe it did. And it did great. Loved the drive, but hated the traffic. In Lake tahoe for every car I saw, there were 3 Subies! Popular up there in the Sierra! Thanks for continued tips. Well appreciated!
Dinosaur (fossil), a.k.a. Conventional, a.k.a. Mineral (think I'm correct). Isn't it a strange coincidence we posted at the same time that we took 600 mile trips? Dennis
Comments
You may want to check the level of the tranny oil. The other thing it could be is the grease in the shift lever ball joint, but that requires taking the center console apart.
These photos will help out a lot:
http://thejuiceman.homepage.com/juice2/page18.html
-juice
Kate -- One other point to add to juice's comments is that I believe Sylvania has a "Xtra Bright" bulb that they also sell at Pep Boys for only a slight premium over standard halogens. Those might provide some extra performance for a low price.
Ken
Jason
Here's the Subaru instructions for removing the shifter trim. Pop up the end closest to the hand brake first the pull back at the top.
http://www.bitman.com/soobdash/
bit
If you can wait and want to spend a lot of time vulturing, you might try to acquire a set of WRX seats from someone that upgrades to racing buckets. It will happen, guaranteed.
Thought #2
Mechanical competence turning 4 bolts to install seats with the proper Subaru rails is not a question. The question is whether the seat can be ordered with brackets/rails that are 100% compatible with Subaru and if not, then you better be pretty crafty at small metal fabrication to make your own brackets.
I have not seen too many complimentary words said about the fitment of some aftermarket seat rails (Corbeau, Sparco, OMP). I haven't seen any comments about Recaro though.
-Colin
I spoke to the Service Manager there, John Dicochea and he explained that in some of the 98s, the gear hub had a little too much play on the shaft causing it to knock the transmission out of gear. There is a new assembly available that has a tighter fit.
He also went above and beyond the call of duty and installed new seals on the inner axle joints to prevent the axle grease from leaking out. He noticed that there was early signs of leakage so he did the installation while my Forester was there.
For anyone in the Bay Area -- Santa Cruz Subaru is really worth the trip over the "hill".
It felt great to get back into my vehicle. While I was sad to leave the plush OB Ltd. Sedan behind, it was nice to be able to shift through my own gears (which felt crisp thanks to the new tranny gear oil) and hear the growl of my DOHC engine. Also, it was great to have the reassuring solid feel of my brakes -- I nearly went out the front windshield at the first stop sign!
Many thanks to Patti who helped get the ball rolling on this repair. Everyone at SOA along the way was super -- customer support, the tech managers, the service people. It's been a long time since I've felt like people actually cared about customer satisfaction. I honestly felt good about having about a Subaru today. Too bad they couldn't clone more of these folks and sprinkle them all over the US!
Ken
I'm going to re-try next week - I'm getting close on a oil change & need a filter!
Cheers!
Paul
Does this feature still exist? Is there a way to get at the entire discussion at one time?
Thanks,
Dave: no luck there. The search function is gone. At least they don't have to keep splitting the topics over and over.
-juice
Jason
Daniel
bit
until 60,000mi? I haven't done anything but change the oil, coolant and air filter on this car for over 4 years... it's getting boring! Any thoughts?
-Colin
-mike
THX
Your OB has the 2.5L DOHC engine which I've heard is difficult to change the spark plugs on. Unless you're mechanically inclined, you may want to have a dealer do that for you.
Ken
I guess I'd need to see what it looks like under the hood of your OB to give step-by-step but here goes:
The DOHC setup is a bit trickier than SOHC, but it's not that bad. Both of them should simply require removing the air intake-- should be a flexible elbow after the torque chamber (big black box)-- loose that and remove everything upstream of it. Then on the driver's side of the engine bay, remove the washer fluid bottle and battery if necessary. Now you should have unfettered access to the valve covers and thus plugs & wires. To eliminate the possibility of getting plug wires crossed, you might unplug only one at a time and replace it.
I'd use the stock wires and stock heat range plugs of your choosing. I like NGK copper, but have had great results with Bosch platinum as well (and they're cheap for platinums).
And since I have the chance, I'll again espouse my belief in replacing plugs every 15,000-25,000 miles for maximum performance and economy regardless of their type or brand. ;-)
-Colin
Cheers!
Paul
- John
Dennis
John, I don't think there is a Haynes Forester manual yet. The Haynes Legacy manual will cover the powertrain accurately since they're identical, and suspension will be pretty close but obviously not the same.
-Colin
The crush washer gets flat as a pancake after the first use, so I'd guess it won't matter much either way!
-juice
I have had a brand new container of prestone coolant for a while. Does that stuff go bad? Thanks
Bosch Platinum +4 plugs @5.99ea. Kind of pricey but what the heck. Replaced the air filter, but could not find new ign. wires, not even at the dealer. Parts guy said he only had a set for late '97 not early '97....what's the deal with that??? I did the fuel filter a few months ago. Where's the PCV valve hiding?
PCV valve is on top of the engine itself.
It's basically a one-way valve for excess pressure. You can actually test it. Blow into both sides, it should only blow out (of the engine).
-juice
1. Does this engine use a timing chain or a belt? If it's a belt, what's the recommended service interval for replacing it, and about how much does it cost to do so? (This was always a major concern with Hondas!)
2. Has anyone ever seen an aftermarket cruise control retrofit kit for this particular setup? I know earlier Impreza LS/LX models came with cruise and the 1800cc engine, so it seems like the parts ought to be available, but SoA says they don't sell a kit to retrofit it to this particular car. If there is a kit, is it something that a typical owner could install with the usual hand tools?
3. Is the 1800 engine as sturdy and reliable as the 2200? I know it won't be as powerful, but that's not as much of an issue.
4. Are there any problems associated with the manual transmission/AWD combo that I should know about?
Thanks in advance!
Stephen
(who lives in sunny central Georgia a hundred miles from the nearest Subaru dealer)
Unless you think you can get your money back Hutch, obviously I'd say just watch your car and see how they do. I wouldn't buy them myself.
-Colin
I have a 01 OB ltd. It has a whole 2K miles. As I approach the 3K, I am wondering what brand of oil people use. I used Castrol with my Honda and it always seemed to work well. Is it worth getting the Castrol Syntec? I never used 5-30. I always did 10-30. However this is a new car and maybe 5-30 is fine. Any thoughts?
-mike
the regular platinums for my truck!
Anibalb: IMHO, you can't go wrong with Castrol. I use 5W30 in the Sube, 10W40 in the warm-weather rigs (69 PowerWagon & motorhome), and that's in Eastern Washington, where we definitely have both winter & summer weather! Never had an oil-related failure with it or QS, and I can't say that about Pennzoil!
Wheels: wimped out, but got a great price on 4 American Racing wheels... 15 inchers, but that's okay... had too much left on the tires. These wheels WILL look GREAT!
Cheers!
Paul
I switched from Castrol GTX 10w30 to Syntec 10w30 at 24,000 miles after installing cams. There was evidence of oil breakdown (commonly called sludge) in just that many miles, even though I changed it every 4,000-6,000 miles (and of course a new filter). I do ask my engine to deliver high RPM power more often than the average Subaru owner-- although maybe I'm only average for a Impreza 2.5RS owner -- but I don't idle long periods of time and I don't see extreme temperatures.
I always have used synthetics in racing 2 stroke engines, and in my streetbikes as well. It wasn't until this teardown when I had the heads off that I decided my Subaru could benefit from it too. And no, I have no real desire or expectation for hundreds of thousands of miles out of this engine. Unless I sell it and move on to something else (unlikely) it won't see 100k miles before it's replaced by a higher performing, even more modified EJ25.
-Colin
Here's one of those "I know a guy" stories...
My dad has always used GTX 10W30 in his pick-up in S.C. He currently has about 160,000 miles on it and occasionally tows cattle. Maybe 3 or 4 times a year he tows 1 or 2 to sell or buy usually a few hundred miles away. He's never had an engine problem.
Colin, I don't think Castrol's web site gets very specific on their base stocks.
Dennis
-Colin
It seems that you really prefer Synthetic. And you seem to be happy with Castrol! However you mentioned that you changed the oil every 4-6,000 miles. I have always changed it every 3,000 miles. I have Accord with 160K and engine runs smooth like anything. The only problem is the third gear synchro is starting to go. Not sure if it is worth fixing or just driving it as is. In any case I don't drive it anymore since I got Subie. It is just emergency car if wife needs subie. Most if not all my driving is easy driving on car. So am not sure there is need to do synthetic. Plus I heard you are not supposed to mix the two kinds. Once you go synthetic you can't go back to normal. Is that the case? I suppose the best Sythentic for Subie would be the 5-50. Considering it calls for 5-30. Let me know. Thanks.
The reason that you shouldn't use synthetics after a large number of miles of mineral oil is that the wear will allow the smoother synthetic to seep into areas the mineral oil wouldn't. Or it will seep worse.
I would not use 5w50 in a Subaru. 50 weight is way too viscous, and even if you were doing something that necessitated it like long idling in extreme heat, or endurance racing in high heat, I would try a 20w50 if anything. In most circumstances though I wouldn't go higher than a 40 weight-- install an oil temp gauge if you're really curious.
As far as your Honda goes, you can shift without a synchro by matching RPMs-- the concern is the brass gear fragments inside the tranny case damaging more important components. Gearboxes are not something for average hobbyist to work on, so you might want to source a complete gearbox from a salvage yard and compare that to the repair estimate from your favorite shop.
-Colin
I probably will just stick to the regular oil and change it every 3K as I used to. I think you can't go wrong with that. However I thought that the weight would be the same for both oils. Yet you telling me to use a 20-50 synthetic when Sub calls for 5-30 of the mineral. I can't imagine using 20-50 mineral oil. So I guess the weight does not correspond in the two kinds of oil.
The third gear only scrapes when shifting at above 3800 rpm and not always. The car is so reliable that I hate to get rid of it. I was even thinking of shipping it to Europe and leaving it there for when I go visit my folks. It costs a fortune to get a rental there.
I appreciate the oil tips. I wouldn't dare working on a tranny. I can't even change my timming belts.
I didn't tell you to use a 20w50.
You said
I suppose the best Sythentic for Subie would be the 5-50. Considering it calls for 5-30.
To which I replied
I would not use 5w50 in a Subaru. 50 weight is way too viscous, and even if you were doing something that necessitated it like long idling in extreme heat, or endurance racing in high heat, I would try a 20w50 if anything. In most circumstances though I wouldn't go higher than a 40 weight-- install an oil temp gauge if you're really curious.
The numbers are the weight of the oil. Simply put this is its viscosity, or resistance to flow. A light (thin) oil flows easier. They don't appreciably weigh more on a scale, their mass is about the same. A 5 weight oil might pour like water at room temp, and a 50 weight might pour like honey.
Anyway since you are obviously not racing or idling for long periods of time whatever is recommended in the manual is probably smart. My '99 Impreza RS recommends 10w30 above 30 degrees Fahrenheit and 5w30 below that, but does list a wide array of other oils that *might* be suitable if the vehicle is in harsher conditions (hotter or colder).
Hope this makes things a little clearer,
-Colin
Cheers Pat.
Cheers Pat.
I am not worried about the cost. And Colin, I did know weight is not same as weight in scale. I definitely don't know as much as you guys do on this topic. Now I have a new question. Which brands are dino and which are synthetic. Pat you are right about it only being 4 oil changes a year or so. I am just afraid to start using synthetic and then when I am sick fo doing oil changes and go to dealer that by putting mineral oil after synthetic will ruin stuff. I am not sure the oils are interchangeable. Furthermore, by using Synthetic is my Subie going to be more prone to oil leaks (like oil pan gasket etc.)? To change the oil pan gasket on 90 Accord is a nightmare! I have 1K to go on Subie before my 1st oil change. I used to drive a lot more than I do now. My commute is 5 mins to work. And if I go work in San Fran I will take Bart. Darn! I only was able to afford such a nice car when I really don't need one. I love driving it though!
Cheers Pat.
Dennis
There is mineral, dino and synthetic. What the hec is Dino? Man I am behind on this. As for the breaking in of engine. A week after I got theSubie, I drove to Tahoe. And yes I went over 4K rpm. I did not use the cruise control. But the only way to maintain speed on the way there sometimes pushed rpm's above 4K. However That put about 600 miles right away. On weekends I put on longer trips. My car does heat up to normal by the time I get to work. Because it never gets that cold. Also I use highway for about 3 minutes! In and out on next exit. Weird how they say not to ruv up new engine on Subies. Yet if you build an Ultralight plane and put in a Subaru engine, guess how you break it in? You give it all its got. That is why I am not too concerned about going above 4K rpm. I don't gun it every time. And rarely goes to 4K rpm. But on the way to Tahoe it did. And it did great. Loved the drive, but hated the traffic. In Lake tahoe for every car I saw, there were 3 Subies! Popular up there in the Sierra! Thanks for continued tips. Well appreciated!
Isn't it a strange coincidence we posted at the same time that we took 600 mile trips?
Dennis