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  #1  
Old 09-28-2011, 05:39 PM
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icingdeath88 icingdeath88 is offline
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What oil/filter do you use and WHY?

I just barely switched over to the Shell Rotella T6 5w40 because I noticed it was recommended/used many times by the STi/WRX guys over at Nasioc. Not sure whether that's a good reason or not, but I figured it was worth a shot. I guess we'll see when it comes time to change it.

I have been using the Wix Porsche 944-sized filter (wix p/n 51287) , because it's the bigger size, wix seems like they make decent (maybe not the best ever) filters, and amazon.com has them (2-day shipping with amazon prime ), and I bought a bunch in bulk. I might try a different one next time around though, but definitely keeping it the bigger size.
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Old 09-30-2011, 06:18 AM
dcarrb dcarrb is offline
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Re: What oil/filter do you use and WHY?

Oil: Havoline 10W 40

Why: It's all I've used for for over 35 years and I've found no reason to change. (I think it's what Dad used.)

Filter: Wix or Fram OEM equivalent

dcb
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Old 09-30-2011, 10:45 AM
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Re: What oil/filter do you use and WHY?

Oil: Mobil 1 5W30 High Mileage

Why: High mileage oils help keep gaskets and seals pliable to prevent leaks, which is common in Subarus. High mileage oils also tend to have higher base numbers than their non-HM counterparts so they can go longer between oil changes. Finally, high mileage oils tend to be slightly thicker than their non-HM counterparts and have better overall performance under high temperature and high shear conditions. This is also common in Subarus and especially at high RPMs. M1 was the highest rated of all the high mileage oils. Given the oversized oil filter listed below, I can justify the higher price of a synthetic since I will extend my oil change interval. I chose 5W30 because we never get above 40C here but we do get down to -30C. Although 40C is pushing the limits of 30W oil, high mileage 30W oils tend to perform almost like 35W or 40W at high temperatures. I like 5W oil at low temperatures due to the tight bearing passages on this engine. It will never get too thick to be pushed through those bearings.

Oil Filter: Bosch 72158 Premium Oil Filter

Why: It is an oversized filter which is a rebadged Purolator PureOne filter. The oversized filter helps keep oil flowing for better lubrication and lower oil temperatures. The oversized filter also enables extended oil change intervals. Purolator PureOne filters are very high efficiency filters and take out a high percentage of particles down to sizes that are below our bearing passages. At the same time, they don't introduce an excessively high restriction to oil flow. And since the filter is oversized anyways, a slight increase in flow restriction will be more than compensated for.

Air Filter: AC Delco A975C Air Filter

Why: It rated at a very high filtration efficiency without an excessive restriction to air flow. Also, its air flow restriction rises more slowly than most air filters as it becomes impregnated with dirt and dust particles over time. Many high flow filters start out as high flow but quickly become more restrictive than this filter as they get filled up with dirt and dust.
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1996 Polo Green Subaru SVX LSi, 168,XXX miles, Redline D4 ATF, Redline 75W90 gear oil, K&N HP-4001 Oil Filter, Mobil 1 5W50 FS (3qt) and 5W30 High Mileage (4qt) Oil Blend, Motul RBF600 Brake Fluid, AC Delco A975C Air Filter, NGK BKR6EIX-11 plugs, Centric Rotors, Power Stop Evolution Carbon Fiber Ceramic Brake Pads
2005 Gray Acura RL, 165,XXX miles, Redline D4 ATF with Lubegard Platinum Protectant, Mobil 1 5W20 High Mileage Extended Performance Oil
2009 Red Toyota Venza, 123,XXX, Mobil 1 5W30 High Mileage Oil
1992 Red Ferrari 348 ts, 82,XXX, Redline everything
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Old 09-30-2011, 11:23 AM
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Re: What oil/filter do you use and WHY?

Quote:
Originally Posted by icingdeath88 View Post
I just barely switched over to the Shell Rotella T6 5w40 because I noticed it was recommended/used many times by the STi/WRX guys over at Nasioc.
Do you know their reasoning? Is it to avoid viscosity breakdown due to shearing? If so, there are other options with high HTHS values. The thing that worries me about Rotella 5W40 along with most other diesel oils is that they don't contain any Molybdenum. Moly can be bad for some diesel engines. Chevron indicates that this is because Moly is a lubricant booster and OTR diesel engines with roller cam followers require a certain amount of traction for proper operation. Cummins has issued a Technical Bulletin warning against the use of moly. They apparently have documented premature cam damage in engines using an older moly additive (MDS).

But for gasoline engines, Molybdenum Disulfide is very beneficial and many racing oils (Redline) are loaded with the stuff. This is from bobistheoilguy.com:

"Molybdenum Disulfide (Moly) has been used for decades in lubricating pastes and greases because it is slippery and forms a protective coating on metal parts. Moly exists as microscopic hexagonal crystal platelets Several molecules make up one of these platelets. A single molecule of Moly contains two sulfur atoms and one molybdenum atom. Moly platelets are attracted to metal surfaces. This attraction and the force of moving engine parts rubbing across one another provide the necessary thermochemical reaction necessary for Moly to form an overlapping protective coating like armor on all of your engine parts. This protective armor coating has a number of properties that are very beneficial for your engine.

The Moly platelets that make up the protective layers on your engine surfaces slide across one another very easily. Instead of metal rubbing against metal, you have Moly platelets moving across one another protecting and lubricating the metal engine parts.

This coating effectively fills in the microscopic pores that cover the surface of all engine parts, making them smoother. This feature is important in providing an effective seal on the combustion chamber. By filling in the craters and pores Moly improves this seal allowing for more efficient combustion and engine performance.

This overlapping coating of Moly also gives protection against loading (perpendicular) forces. These forces occur on the bearings, and lifters. The high pressures that occur between these moving parts tend to squeeze normal lubricants out."

The plating action of Moly reduces friction which reduces heat. This helps keep rings free from carbon buildup, prevents blow-by, decreases emission, and extends oil life.

If it weren't for the impact of moly, I would go with Redline 5W40 oil for the same reason as these guys are going with Rotella. It doesn't break down at high temperature, high shear conditions. Redline has even more base material for even longer life than Rotella. It is like Rotella on steroids. BUT, it is also intended for diesel engines and is the ONLY Redline oil with zero moly. Now, one can buy moly oil additives. Adding this to Rotella or other diesel oils may work just fine. But that is an added expense and you never know if the oil chemistry is balanced.
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1996 Polo Green Subaru SVX LSi, 168,XXX miles, Redline D4 ATF, Redline 75W90 gear oil, K&N HP-4001 Oil Filter, Mobil 1 5W50 FS (3qt) and 5W30 High Mileage (4qt) Oil Blend, Motul RBF600 Brake Fluid, AC Delco A975C Air Filter, NGK BKR6EIX-11 plugs, Centric Rotors, Power Stop Evolution Carbon Fiber Ceramic Brake Pads
2005 Gray Acura RL, 165,XXX miles, Redline D4 ATF with Lubegard Platinum Protectant, Mobil 1 5W20 High Mileage Extended Performance Oil
2009 Red Toyota Venza, 123,XXX, Mobil 1 5W30 High Mileage Oil
1992 Red Ferrari 348 ts, 82,XXX, Redline everything
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  #5  
Old 10-05-2011, 01:03 PM
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Re: What oil/filter do you use and WHY?

I need to clarify some confusion on my part. Rotella T6 actually DOES have Molybdenum in it! But that is a recent development. There was a reformulation when they classified it as a CJ-4 oil. While it is still considered a diesel oil, the Mo containing molecule is different from MoS2 and is supposedly safe for diesel engines.

So that Rotella 5W40 oil would seem to be a good candidate for a gas engine that has shearing concerns. HOWEVER, I am actually concerned that it is overkill and maybe too thick for the SVX engine. It is actually thicker than your average 10W40 dino oil.

What might be a better option, for those not looking for the seal conditioners of a high mileage oil, is the Mobil 1 0W40. It is closer to a 10W30 than a 10W40 at operating temperatures. It has an excellent HTHS viscosity so it shouldn't shear even in an STi engine. It also has great low temperature viscosity for those of us in cold climates. And its high temperature viscosity is low enough for those in southern climates. If I lived in a desert AND I beat the snot out of the car, I might lean toward the Rotella T6. One other thing to note is that the Mobil 1 0W40 has a very high TBN value which means it should be great for extended oil change intervals. The Rotella is high too but not quite as high and VOAs (virgin oil analysis) on both oils have shown that the Rotella sometimes comes up lighter while the M1 tends to be higher than the number in the datasheet. It appears as though Shell is optimistic while Mobil is conservative.

I went back and looked into this more due to a conversation with John. I liked what I saw from the M1 0W40 so much I am actually considering using it. If the UOA (used oil analysis) on the M1 5W30 high mileage oil shows insufficient TBN after 6000 miles or too much TAN (acid), I may give the 0W40 a shot. I still want some extra seal conditioners to hold off leaks on our notoriously leaky Subaru engines so I will either blend the M1 0W40 with the M1 5W30 HM or I will add Lubegard Bio/Tech Engine Protectant to the M1 0W40 oil. The Lubegard product adds some seal conditioners and a special polar ester molecule that creates an additional protective coating on engine parts.

Note to John:

That Lubegard product might be a good idea for you. The added ester film on the metal surface will help avoid damage when you start the car after it has sat for a long time. The M1 5W30 ESP oil seems to have nearly perfect HTHS values and you should not need to go to 10W30 in the summer. I'm not sure why the HTHS is so high for a 5W30 but, at high temperatures, it acts almost like a 10W30. The only caveat with this oil is the low TBN values people are reporting through VOAs. This can't be used for extended oil change intervals but I doubt the mileage you rack up between oil changes is even 3000 miles so that is probably not a factor for you.
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Tony

1996 Polo Green Subaru SVX LSi, 168,XXX miles, Redline D4 ATF, Redline 75W90 gear oil, K&N HP-4001 Oil Filter, Mobil 1 5W50 FS (3qt) and 5W30 High Mileage (4qt) Oil Blend, Motul RBF600 Brake Fluid, AC Delco A975C Air Filter, NGK BKR6EIX-11 plugs, Centric Rotors, Power Stop Evolution Carbon Fiber Ceramic Brake Pads
2005 Gray Acura RL, 165,XXX miles, Redline D4 ATF with Lubegard Platinum Protectant, Mobil 1 5W20 High Mileage Extended Performance Oil
2009 Red Toyota Venza, 123,XXX, Mobil 1 5W30 High Mileage Oil
1992 Red Ferrari 348 ts, 82,XXX, Redline everything
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  #6  
Old 10-05-2011, 03:52 PM
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svxcess svxcess is offline
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Re: What oil/filter do you use and WHY?

Tony,

After our extended conversation this afternoon, I am convinced this is the way to go in my particular situation.

Next oil change is from Mobil1 10W-40 TO Mobil1 0W-40 oil and the LubeGard Engine Oil Protectant. Extra protection for a car that could sit for months between start-ups.

Less than 1300 miles last year...

Link to Lubegard HERE


Thanks again
.
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Last edited by svxcess; 11-10-2011 at 10:58 PM.
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