pmr@drufl.UUCP (Rastocny) (02/10/84)
I just purchased a Subaru turbo 4x4 and as a closing comment, the salesperson said that I should change the oil about every 2,000 (yipes!) miles. In reading the owner's manual, it says in bold that engine oil of turbos should be changed every 3 months or 3,750 miles, half the non-turbo interval. I have three questions: 1. Is it true that the oil should be changed at 2K mile intervals? 2. What oil should I use? I live in the mountains and drive long distances at highway speeds and at 30mph on 12 miles of bumpy dirt roads. Temperatures vary from about 0 degrees F. at night to about 60 degrees F. during the day. 3. Is there anything I can do/install to prevent the oil from breaking down under the higher engine temperatures? (If you recommend something like an oil cooler, please include brand names and a specific place where I can buy one.) I'd also be interrested in some reference material on turbos. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance, Phil Rastocny ..!drufl!pmr
grw@inmet.UUCP (02/15/84)
#R:drufl:-83100:inmet:2700050:000:1329 inmet!grw Feb 14 10:56:00 1984 I owned a 1980 Subary 1600cc for two years and found that changing the oil every 2500 miles was essential. Of course I could not afford a second and third Subaru (one on which the oil was changed every 10,000 miles and one on which the oil was changed every 7,500 miles as a control) but my experience with other cars has taught me what oil that's ready to be changed looks like and after 2,500 miles (of mostly highway driving) that Subaru's oil had had it. I always used high quality oil (Penzoil or Quaker State 10W-40 in the winter, Valvoline 20W-50 in the summer) and I always changed the filter when I changed the oil. After 50,000 miles I sold the car. I never had any engine trouble of any kind, I never burned a drop of oil (and beleive me I checked). I might add that on two occasions I had to let the change go for 4,000 (and in one case almost 5,000 miles) and in both cases engine noise (valves/lifters) and gas consumption rose appreciably. That 5,000 mile oil ran out of the crank- case like water; it had given up! Look, if the non-turbo 1600 engine ran hot enough to destroy oil in, let's say 2,500 miles, your turbo has got to do the same thing. In the long run changing oil every 2,500 miles is very inexpensive compared to the cost and agravation of even a single major engine problem. Why fight it?