[Subw00er]

I was thinking about doing the oil & filter at 1000 miles and going to Mobil 1 Synthetic. Any problems with this on the STIs? I know there are varying opinions (especially on Synthetic use before 3K miles), but just wanted to see if there were specific issues people have had with going Synthetic so early on previous year cars. Also, I plan to change the oil ever 3K miles.

[Dante]

Diff car, but the S2000 crowd commonly switches over at 10k. I'm not an oil expert, but I've always heard that a motor breaks in best with dino oil and it can take well over 1,000 miles to finish break in. I'll do a change at 1,000, but then use dino til 10,000 before switching to Mobil1.

Obviously some cars are coming with synthetic from the factory now as well, so I'm not sure if the 10k rule is a wives tale or just good sense from yesteryear.

Edit: I'll actual do my oil changes at 1,000, 4,000, 7,000, and then switch to Mobil1 at 10,000.

[RallySportDirect]

You typically want to do 2-3 oil changes before you go to a full synthetic.

[CFar]

They hit the nail on the head.

Unless youre racing or genuinely run your car hard, switching to synthetic may be a bit overkill. Piece of mind true, but a quality dino oil will offer just as much protection for the 3500 mile change interval that the synthetic oil will so long as youre mostly on the road and not the track.

[Subw00er]

Ok thanks.

[twigg107]

Its all a myth.... synthetic oil isnt going to hurt if you put it in at 1k miles. Heck look at all the cars that come factory with synthetic now.

Acura RDX
Aston Martin
All Bentley Vehicles
All Cadillac Vehicles
Chevrolet Corvette C6 and Z06
Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS
Chrysler 300C SRT-8
Cobalt SS S/C Coupe
Dodge Caliber SRT-4, Charger SRT-8, and Magnum SRT-8
Jeep Cherokee SRT-8
Mercedes-Benz AMG Vehicles
Mercedes SLR
Mitsubishi Evolution
Pontiac Solstice GXP
All Porsche Vehicles
Saturn Ion Red Line and Saturn Sky Red Line
Viper SRT-10

[JWA]

^^ One point not to miss with most of those vehicles is that the factory runs the engine through a thorough break-in process, usually with a special break-in oil, before they leave the factory. So it isn't exactly apples to apples.

[RallySportDirect]

Originally Posted by twigg107

Its all a myth.... synthetic oil isnt going to hurt if you put it in at 1k miles. Heck look at all the cars that come factory with synthetic now.

Acura RDX
Aston Martin
All Bentley Vehicles
All Cadillac Vehicles
Chevrolet Corvette C6 and Z06
Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS
Chrysler 300C SRT-8
Cobalt SS S/C Coupe
Dodge Caliber SRT-4, Charger SRT-8, and Magnum SRT-8
Jeep Cherokee SRT-8
Mercedes-Benz AMG Vehicles
Mercedes SLR
Mitsubishi Evolution
Pontiac Solstice GXP
All Porsche Vehicles
Saturn Ion Red Line and Saturn Sky Red Line
Viper SRT-10

Did you know what Porsche motors also come broken in from the factory? They run them for 14min at WOT on a engine dyno in germany, even before they go into the car.

Just because one company does something, it does not automatically cross over to other manufactures.

Do at least 2 standard changes before you go synthetic.

[GilMikalian]

Originally Posted by RallySportDirect

Just because one company does something, it does not automatically cross over to other manufactures.

Do at least 2 standard changes before you go synthetic.

Exactly what a Subaru tech of 25 years told me. He was even more conservative. He said no point to synthetic if you change regularly but if you insist on synthetic, don't make the switch until 20k miles.

[twigg107]

Originally Posted by RallySportDirect

Did you know what Porsche motors also come broken in from the factory? They run them for 14min at WOT on a engine dyno in germany, even before they go into the car.

Just because one company does something, it does not automatically cross over to other manufactures.

Do at least 2 standard changes before you go synthetic.

so maybe 3-4 manufactures on that list does a motor break in.... whats the differents between doing a 14min WOT compaired to 1000 miles? The 1k mile motor is a hell of alot more broken in then throwing it on a engine dyno for 14mins.

[Subw00er]

I sense a flame war about to hit.

I think we all have varying opinions here and I think the reality is that no one can really say what is right for some one else's car. Different driving habits, environmental factors (heat, cold, dust) etc., all are really big factors.
For example, I belong to a driving event club where we take our cars on nearby racetracks (REAL racetracks with turns, not drag strips! Oh dear, did I just say that?!). The events are normally two days and I can tell you that if I change the oil before I go, when I come back its black and well worn. Would it still protect my car for normal driving? Probably, but I'm not leaving that crap in my engine. I change the oil after each event and I've never had any problems - I dont burn oil like some other Vettes do, the engine runs strong, etc - not one single engine issue after three years of DE's. This is on a '04 Z06 btw, which comes from the factory with Mobil 1 Synthetic.

Personally I look at it like this. I dont mind paying a little more for synthetic to know that if I do abuse the car a little bit, at least its protected. I think some engines will actually burn/leak/whatever if synthetic goes in too early, so I guess that is what I was really asking when I started the thread - do Subarus do this?!

Based on what I've heard and my past success with Mobil 1, I think I'll just run OEM oil for 1-2K miles and then switch to synthetic. For what its worth, my dealer said I could go to synthetic at any time. Anyway, if its good enough for my Z06, its good enough for the STI!

[twigg107]

didnt mean to flame.... sorry.

[bwana]

stupid question noob alert!--

what are the recommended dino oils? what's a dino oil? obviously not prehistoric oil from the carcasses of dinosaurs.

[twigg107]

Originally Posted by bwana

stupid question noob alert!--

what are the recommended dino oils? what's a dino oil? obviously not prehistoric oil from the carcasses of dinosaurs.

Synthetic Oil Explained - Aircooled.Net Tech Article

[SNGPerformance]

I change with dino a 1000miles, 2500 Miles, 5000 miles, 7500 miles, and switch to synthetic at 10000 miles. I then change with synthetic every 5000 miles. I would also change after track events (real tracks, with turns), but still stay on the 5000 mile schedule. Example: Oil change 10000 miles..... Track Day at 12000 miles..... Oil change 15000 miles

Some call me crazy, so take what you will from my ideas.