The Good Oil.......

[zarnah]

Whats a good viscosity and brand of oil to use in a EJ20T? going to change my oil on my new(secondhand) engine tommorow and want to put the very best I can afford in it, was thinking along the lines of PENZOIL PLATINUM 10W40 ($90 for 4L!!) Also any good additives that wouldnt go a miss while im at it? Engine is 1992RS engine, confirmed 118kms, running TDO5 etc

[BC5RA]

Do you still have the original RS heads attached?

[zarnah]

yeap runs mint as is nice quiet engine...

[BC5RA]

For a GEN1 RS engine still using RS heads,

Overtime i've seen with many Gen 1 Legacy's; that Castrol Magnatec works well with this model of EJ20.

I use Motul Turbolight 4100 10w 40 if you can afford that, give it a try but by all means ask around.

Change it pre 5000kms and if the lifters are noisy then run Proma MBL8 with every oil change.

Don't chop and change oil brands stick with one.

[zarnah]

ok cool anyone know what the deal with MOBIL1 is? (just for interests sake) lot of people have told me its a really good full synthetic and its what I should be using but then i've been told by a few subaru enthusiasts not to take the stuff within a 10 kilometre radius of a subaru......

[Munkvy]

I use Elf Competition SM 10w40 in both my GTB and my BC5 RS and am quite happy with it. No tappet noises from either of them (factory heads).

I used Elf initially because a friend at Subaru checked what STi recommend in Japan - Elf Competition.

I have also since found that a number of people in the production racing series in NZ swear by it - and thats about the best place I can think of to test out the factory engine as they are very restricted on what parts they can change on the engine. As with rallying you can change alot of the engine internals even in Group N.

EDIT - heres a previous thread on oil for comparison:

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php?topic=628.0

[Guest DMSREX]

 zarnah said:

ok cool anyone know what the deal with MOBIL1 is? (just for interests sake) lot of people have told me its a really good full synthetic and its what I should be using but then i've been told by a few subaru enthusiasts not to take the stuff within a 10 kilometre radius of a subaru......

If you're talking EJ20 Full Synth Mobil 1 is not the go EJ20's prefer Semi Synth oils. I use Mobil Synth S Semi Synth 10-40 its cheaper than Mobil 1 too. This oil was the recommended oil to use in these engines (well it and ELF SM 10-40) by a well known builder in OZ.

[REDREX]

I use valvaline durablend 5w-30 in my wrx, runs waaaaaaaay better that the castrol i used to use.

[Guest]

TOTAL fully synthetic 5w 40 , magic stuff !!

[Swindog]

Good ol GTX 15-40 !

mUST SAY i need to change it though. Full forged not good on full mineral oil.

[MINTGTB]

 Munkvy said:

I use Elf Competition SM 10w40 in both my GTB and my BC5 RS and am quite happy with it. No tappet noises from either of them (factory heads).

I used Elf initially because a friend at Subaru checked what STi recommend in Japan - Elf Competition.

I have also since found that a number of people in the production racing series in NZ swear by it - and thats about the best place I can think of to test out the factory engine as they are very restricted on what parts they can change on the engine. As with rallying you can change alot of the engine internals even in Group N.

EDIT - heres a previous thread on oil for comparison:

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php?topic=628.0

i have been using this oil for a year now.. have found it being da best thus far ;D

[driftrex]

i have used mobil super synth 10w40 for the first 3 services i did on my wrx, i found it to be really good, never had to topup while using it, i have since changed to caltex havoline 10w40 but only cause my work is supplied with caltex oils, still a good oil have had no issues with it and my engine has had 60,000kms of abuse since importing.

[Guest]

Been told to use 10w 30 in my 96 sti. What good 10w 30 oils are out there? Im using the penzoil semi synthetic but my heads are getting a bit noisey. I change the oil every 5000ks (if not before) and have been using some moreys too. Found that stuff pretty good.

[Swindog]

Castrol Edge 5-30 is the one possum bourne told me to use.

Funnily enough i emailed Wiseco and asked what the best oil to use with their forged pistons in a EJ20 was and they couldnt tell me.

Certainly i think a fully synthetic is the way to go. Depending on your application of course. Magnatec for day to day and cold starts etc but def a Formula R derivitive for track day or highly modded motors like the 5-30 Edge.

[Guest]

Thanks for that. Cant seem to get hold of a 10W 30 MAGNATEC anywhere, just the 15w 40 i think.

[Swindog]

I do recommend the Castrol GTX 15-40 as well. Full mineral oil. Cheaper and been tested and proven in turbo cars since before my old man was racing. Has never let me down. And always combine with a factory oil filter. None of this FRAM stuff.

Wiki it. Makes for interesting reading.

[THUNDA]

Shell 5w30, The jazz they use on ferraris (apparently) cost $70 for 4L so it better be good shit haha

[Ngarutoa_NZ]

sweet, waiting on mate with awesome Elf hookups to supply all my fluids for my service

[Guest]

 MOTNZ said:

Thanks for that. Cant seem to get hold of a 10W 30 MAGNATEC anywhere, just the 15w 40 i think.

Yeah for some bizarre reason its only sold in 60 and 205l drums. A few dealerships carry the stuff, you could ask around if they'd sell you a 5l pack?

[Guest keltik]

I used Elf in my Honda a few years back and it was definately good stuff. I had a contact at extreme parts distributors too so got it cheap.

Since then have been using Castrol Edge 5w30 and will probably try something new on this oil change.

I heard over on the USMB the old school guys found penzzoil to have a high sugar content which left a goldy varnish on the inside of their motors. Dont know if this is true or not but a couple of the fellahs had rebuild pics of the same motor after 20,000miles on pennzoil and 20,000miles on castrol.