Best Filter and Oil?
 

My SVX has 175,000 just replaced sensors, head gasket recently. I live in high altitude in Denver Colorado so its startin to get cold too. Looking for the best oil and filter for our SVX. Also what type of oil should i use here. I am not really that car savvy.. (I will be by the time i am done with the SVX lol) Feedback is much appreciated.
Thanks
Dave

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

There is a ton of information on this in multiple threads. You really need to use the search function. But I will go ahead and repeat what I have said in the past.

I like that we can buy oversized filters. There are tight passages in the bearings and anything to help oil flow and pressure is a good thing. Also, it enables you to comfortably go longer between oil changes. The best one out there is the Bosch Premium which is a rebadged Purolator Plus. It is a very high efficiency filter and will keep your engine free of even the smallest particles.

On oil, if you use an oversized filter you can go with a synthetic oil and make it cost effective by extending the oil change interval. With the mileage you have, I would suggest a high mileage oil. There are two synthetic oils which offer high mileage products and they are Mobil 1 and Valvoline. The Mobil 1 has been rated higher. There are opinions out there that M1 is bad for Subaru engines but I don't think that is true for two reasons. First, years ago M1 was thinner than most oils. It has changed and is now thicker. As such, it stnds up to high RPMs and high heat better than M1 of many years ago. Second, High Mileage M1 is even thicker than standard M1. That is true to the point where you, in CO, can probaby run 5W30 year round.

And don't forget the air filter. For filtration, AC Delco has tested out as the best. That air filter plus the Bosch Premium oil filter should keep your engine nice and clean.

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

A lot of us are more comfortable with more than one opinion Tony... so we can compare ideas and make a determination on our best course of action. I for am one of those people and that applies to every endeavor in my life.

I have used some of your suggestions and information for major decisions for my personal maintenance and repair decisions so don't take this personally! :D

Keith:cool:

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

It's my belief that folks spend way too much time worrying about this. Unless you're racing or otherwise subjecting the vehicle to extreme abuse, simply follow the manufacturer's recommendations and get on down the road. You'll get as many testimonials as there are brands on the shelf.

dcb

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

nice to see another svxer in denver. i run the purolator oil filters and use the castrol full synthetic. the purolator filter because you can buy a rebadged one for a couple bucks and the castrol because the svx seems to like it. when using mobil 1 i was having a small amount of oil smoke at start up which i don't get with the castrol. feel free to pm me if you have any issues or need help. i'm a mechanic during the day and have a 3 car oversized garage to play in when i come home.

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

I totally agree. In today's world you could probably buy a new Subaru and drive it 200,000 miles with no oil changes, and the origional engine without even changing the oil... With an occasional filter replacement to keep the oil in good condition.

Keith:cool:

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

/

Some of the exotic car collectors in my area are quite particular on how they handle oil changes. Most of the ones I have talked to do the following, a little strange, but they believe in it and said their club never had engine failures.

Start off with a new oil filter and an engine filled with fresh synthetic oil

After 4,000 miles, they just change the filter and REPLACE the missing quart.

After another 4,000 miles, the filter and ALL of the oil was changed and they start all over again.

They swear by this method of getting the best protection at the cheapest price. The oil gets a fresh shot of additives halfway through and they spend the extra bucks on the best oil filters out there; some using even dual-filter setups (which replaces even more oil by this method.)

.

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

I remember Dad relating something akin to this many, many years ago, saying that a mechanic friend in a fleet maintenance shop insisted all they did was replace filters and top-off the crankcase.

Don't think I'd go that far.

Hard to see how opting for a larger filter could be a bad thing, unless oil flow and/or pressure are adversely affected. As to oil brands and types, all of these "condition-specific" products on the shelf have way more to do with marketing than science. Floor polish or dessert topping? Often it's just a matter of packaging and spin.

dcb

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

I don't think there are any miracle cures out there but there are too many cases where they seem to have a positive impact for it to be totally smoke and mirrors. High Mileage oils have clearly shown to slow leaks and other effects seen in higher mileage engines. And if you see the oil analysis, you can clearly see there is a difference between, say, M1 and M1 high mileage. The high mileage oil is thicker, has higher TBN and higher HTHS numbers.

If you read enough forums you will find claims that every oil out there has "destroyed" someone's engine. Someone mentioned Castrol. I have read a lot of bad claims about Castrol, for example. I find the claims dubious at best but it is possible that each engine and/or application prefers certain oil characteristics. High revving engines want thicker oils with higher HTHS. Engines with tight passages want thinner oils. Older, worn engines want thicker oils. People going a long time between oil changes need a high TBN. Engines that are sensitive to leaching metals out of bearing want oils with acid neutralizing additives. These things really do matter but knowing what your engine needs and finding the "perfect" oil is quite difficult.

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

I use Amsoil synthetic filter and oil and change it twice a year, which would be a total of 5-10k miles

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

Was your dad living in Texas then? I was, and I knew a fellow that had a fleet of vehicles for his business and at some time the plug in the pan wasn't properly installed... The oil leaked out and it cost him an engine. He said he had the plugs in all the pans welded in place and started changing only filters. This had been going on for several years and had no adverse effects from his system... and that was "many years ago" when oil was just oil!

I did a lot of that "just a filter thing" with a 1990 Subaru legacy wagon that I bought new and got 300,000 miles on, but I didn't do it all the time.

Keith:cool:

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

Not Texas; Georgia.

Maybe the whole thing is some Big Oil conspiracy theory that makes the rounds. Ask enough people and I'm sure we'd eventually find someone who swears they rang-up half a million miles miles on a still-running '73 Pinto in which the oil had never been changed.

dcb

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

one of the retired mechanics from my work (he's 85) is always saying "the best kind of oil is plenty of it". i only use high quality oil in my cars but i think he is right. as long as you keep it full your probably all right.

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

This would be pretty spectacular: Rather than a "What do you use?" thread, a "I use this and here's why" thread. What influence does it have on anyone's decision on what's right or best if the use of my car in seasons and severity is unclear, and if it's not states as to whether my shopping may have been done on features, historical success, pretty words and colors on the packaging, or if it's just what my buddy Dan said it's what I'd like best?

A thought. ;)

Re: Best Filter and Oil?
 

That is a good idea, and I might just go ahead and start one.