[gabedude]

Have you guys read this crap? I mean this is clearly a CYA. It states that you need an oil and filter change before and after any "race style" type of driving. They clarify this in that they state it is not at only track events, but anytime you go into the upper RPMS or engine break from high RPMS. Am I the only one who said WTF???? You don't have to do that with a Vette or any other performance car. This is the first ever I have heard of this from Subaru and it worries me about the trend in the way they are handling LEV2. Too many stock 07 and 08 STIs have blown already driven under the same conditions as stock 04-06 STIs (which do not blow). I am sorry but I am an engineer. If they cannot make a performance turbo engine like everyone else in the industry and meet LEV2, then don't make them. Period.

[AP1toGDRev.G]

You always make me hate my car. LOL

[bue car]

Agreed, I change my oil every 1000 miles just cuz, but for those who dont... good luck.

A mechanic asked me if my oil was even black when i changed it...kind of scoffin at me. When I said, yes, he shut up

[Tbagger]

i change my oil after every autocross. I do once a month and only drive my car on the weekends. so I guess I drive my car at the most 12 times a month with 1 auto-x in there and then I change my oil.

[WESTI]

they probably mean if you take it up to high rpms and hold it there for a long time sorta like auto cross which some people dont consider to be a track event

[gabedude]

No. seriously, I can make a scan of the article. It is a CYA; clearly. It is targeted at all Turbo Subaru motors. It also clearly states that "Race Style" type of driving does not mean that you are at an event (it states that this can easily occur on the street). I have been getting drive magazine ever since it came out. This is a first.

I guess all those times I spent at the 1/4 track in my 02 WRX, driving for 2 hours at illegal speed on back roads in the hills here, running every gear to redline, basically I drove it like I stole it does not count? I still changed my oil at 3k every time. I even topped it out in 5th at 6.5K RPM (woudn't go any further which equates to about 168 mph) No problems in 40k miles until I totalled it.

I tune these cars for fun. I can tell you without a doubt that the 2.0L older motors and the 04-06 STI are stronger than the 07+ turbo motors. Period.

[gabedude]

Originally Posted by bue car

Agreed, I change my oil every 1000 miles just cuz, but for those who dont... good luck.

A mechanic asked me if my oil was even black when i changed it...kind of scoffin at me. When I said, yes, he shut up

Thats the thing, it should not get black. My wife drives the living **** out of her 06 STI. We change the oil after 3k. That is it. It burns maybe 1/4 quart and by the time the change comes, the oil has turned a light brown, not black like the newer turbo motors do. These motors are failing because they are developing hairline cracks in the pistons due to the stock mapping. These cracks allow exhaust gas to enter the engine. What happens is that the oil gets contaminated and your bearings wear prematurely. This is why they say the fix is to change the oil. If you do, yes it will last to 60K stock, but not much past that I would bet.

[neverendingmods]

I agree with the article(I have it too) and I have somewhat followed those guidelines with every performance car or bike I've owned. Not everytime I redline motor do I change oil, but hard driving is different than commuting to/from work in no to little boost and Rpm's. Did you also make note of where it says to " let car idle for 30 seconds before shutting off motor for cool down of turbo"? People have said from day 1 the WRX came oversees in 01(as 02 model) that because they are coolant and oil fed turbos, cool down is not needed. Common sense must prevail in these circumstances. If you just boosted 19psi, why would you immediately shut off car knowing your turbo is glowing like a tomato? That initself will coke the oil and diminish the oil life.

[VSGTS14]

mine is really black after 3k

[gabedude]

The chief problem lies in meeting LEV2. Do some searches. In 2007, they worsened the C/L delay. In 2008 as a bandaid, they installed a higher flowing FP, decreased the rev limit and installed a more efficient turbo. Still, it is not cutting it. Granted the smaller turbo motors have less stock failures, but they are occurring. Make no mistake, this is because Subaru cannot map the USDM ECU correctly to meet LEV2. What turbo cars are left with out direct injection that put out STI like HP? The EVO, that is it. Even American turbo motors are using direct injection. Subaru needs to implement this to keep combustion temps down. I doubt they can come out with an 09 sTI with teh same problems. They will have to invest in direct injection.

[gabedude]

Originally Posted by neverendingmods

I agree with the article(I have it too) and I have somewhat followed those guidelines with every performance car or bike I've owned. Not everytime I redline motor do I change oil, but hard driving is different than commuting to/from work in no to little boost and Rpm's. Did you also make note of where it says to " let car idle for 30 seconds before shutting off motor for cool down of turbo"? People have said from day 1 the WRX came oversees in 01(as 02 model) that because they are coolant and oil fed turbos, cool down is not needed. Common sense must prevail in these circumstances. If you just boosted 19psi, why would you immediately shut off car knowing your turbo is glowing like a tomato? That initself will coke the oil and diminish the oil life.

Yes and I have TT's on all my turbo cars. I have had more turbo and performance cars before. This trend is about LEV2. Period.

BTW, my wife does not use her TT on her 06 STI. It does not have these problems.

[subi4justin]

mine is pretty dark as well, but i still change it at 3k

[gabedude]

Originally Posted by VSGTS14

mine is really black after 3k

That is normal, especially after you get into higher mileage. The thing is that the 07+ turbo motors are eating oil. The 06 and under are not. This only happens after breakin. During breakin, the car will not eat any oil. After you start to get on it, it gets worse and worse. I don't want to sound like I am beating a dead horse here, but I am just sick and tired of all the people who just say "Just follow their instructions" or "get a good protune so you can bypass LEV2".

Look, I love Subarus. I am just pissed at their engineers who are designing the fuel system and Engine management for the USDM cars which are subject to LEV2. The EU and JSpec cars do not have these issues and a re mapped just like a regular WRX as JSpec and EU STI's have always been mapped. I mean the EU 07 STI O/L C/L delay is 0'd (where we have 750 MS of lag time before ti zeros triggering the switch to open loop). This means that once the Open loop fuel table calls for enrichment (under boost), the motor gets richer fuel. Not this "lets run at stocih way into peak VE, then throw a rich ass fuel mixture at the cylinders to cool them off". This is just a hack to get aroudn LEV2 at the expense of the longevity of our cars. I would rather have to deal with the problems of upgrading the fuel system with direct injection that to deal with blown motors.

[gabedude]

Originally Posted by subi4justin

mine is pretty dark as well, but i still change it at 3k

The 07+ gets dark at 1K. That is the problem. Plus, they eat oil pretty bad.

[chaos311clarity]

meh, im not changing... im not having any problems so they can suck my dick.