2009 Subaru Forester 2.5 SOHC 5W-30 Motor Oil

yass00

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May 14, 2009
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Location
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G'day folks,

RE: 2009 (Australian) Subaru Forester 2.5 SOHC 5W-30 motor oil..

In my owners maintenance manual it specifies engine oil to be used is 5W-30 however it does not specify whether Fully Synthetic or Semi Synthetic should be used?

Cheers,


Ross
 
Gidday Ross

First, a warm :welcome: to the ORS forum, mate.

As to the oil, we use 5W-40 Shell fully synthetic in both our 2009 SH (MY10, 2.5L N/A) and 2006 (MY06, 2.5L N/A).

I don't think that 5W-30 is recommended for the sort of temperatures we get here in Oz. Well, not quite true - it is recommended as long as you change your oil to 5W-40, 10W-40 or 20W-50 when the ambient temperature goes over 40°C, or if you are towing a trailer, or driving to Bourke, or ... I can cope with the fuel economy being a tad less, as long as my engines don't fry ... :iconwink: :cool: :lol:

I think that the stuff at pages 11-20, 11-21 in the SH OM is somewhat more carefully stated in my SG OM about setting the heat range for using 5W-30 as being limited to no more than 40°C.
 
G'day yass00 & :welcome: to ORS.

I use & have been using Magnatec 10/30 or 10/40 (depending on the season) in my Forry (MY05XT) since the day I got it.
Just my 2cents worth.

I know you have a newer model, but I hope this helps.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
G'dya guys,

So really it is all about start up range lubrication? However all the other viscosities range have a maximum start up of 40C so that is a technical contradiction from Subaru?

Subaru Oil Specs.jpg Subaru Oil Specs (1).jpg

Few days ago I purchased from Supers#@it Auto 3 x 5L Nulon 5W-30 Semi Synthetic for $29 each on special based on the range in the owners manual though it does not specify either semi or fully synthetic so I went for a mineral mixture semi synthetic only because I had to choose and for no other reason.. I could have phoned Subaru Service Department although I do prefer open discussion and general consensus..

I do not tow loads or trailers other than A boot full and two young children over the long weekends and Christmas holidays..

Service records are up to date from factory log book but I have been doing oil changes and oil filter since warranty ran out every 5,000km - 7,000km (depending what part of the weekend I have off if any and when) as I can not justify $400 - $600 for manufactures service..

forester has 65,000km on clock or there about..

Log book service manual states spark plugs to be changed at 100,000km though I will be changing them next service regardless and looking at the service scheduled to see what else needs attention..

Cheers,


Ross
 
Gidday Ross

Two points at which oil viscosity is of extreme importance are at startup (all internal bearing/rubbing surfaces have to have oil flow as quickly as possible) and during high ambient temperature operation (oil has to be viscous enough to hang onto those surfaces strongly enough at high temperatures, so that surfaces don't run "dry", or partially "dry").

On another note, your Subie is only partly run in at 65,000 kms .... :iconwink:.
Roo1 ('93 Impreza) didn't start to get predictable fuel economy until it had done around 75,000 kms and beyond.

SWMBO's SH has only done about 79,000, and mine (Roo2) has nearly 110,000 on the clock. Practically brand new :biggrin:!

Servicing your car regularly will prolong its economic life. However, IMO if you are servicing the car within the time limits, running up to the normal service mileage of 12,500 kms should be fine.

Ditto with your spark plugs. Change them at the recommended mileage - they will be fine until then. Replace them with the OEM recommended NGK plugs. NGK are just brilliant, IMHO. Have used them for about 40 years.

Roo2 is now about 18 months out from its last service (about 9,000 kms). The fully synthetic oil in it is only slightly discoloured from new. This is quite unlike mineral oil, which discolours pretty quickly. Discolouration indicates carbon and other dilutants and pollutants in the oil. These will reduce the lubrication efficiency of the oil.

SWMBO's SH oil is much more discoloured after a lesser distance, even though the time since her car's last service is about half that of mine. I suspect that the oil put into hers was not fully synthetic. May even have been straight mineral oil - I do not trust what was put on the service invoice. Brighton Holden also charged me nearly double what Ross charged me for top shelf Shell fully synthetic!
 
Hey mate. I use penrite 10-40 and it works really well for me and doesn't at all lessen my fuel.economy. my engine used to use a bit of oil (only 100ml) between services with 10-30 but now it doesn't. I drive a general 4 out back with 175 on the clock
 
Gidday Ross

Just looked up the specs for what Ross (our mechanic of some 15+ years) put in Roo2.

It's Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40. Specs here:

https://www.shell.com.au/products-s...rs/find-right-car-oils/helix-ultra/ultra.html

Roo2 has used no oil in around 9,000 kms and 19 months. Zip. Nada. Not a drop. Right on the FULL mark on the dipstick when parked overnight slightly nose down in our driveway. That's exactly where it was the morning after the service.
Oil is still pretty clean, but starting to brown off. It's well overdue time wise for its next service ... .
No sludge nor any sign of emulsification.

As I mentioned before, the oil in SWMBO's SH is darker than this, and its got less kms on it and about half the time.

The Shell Helix Ultra was worth the $60/4L I paid Ross for it. Probably cheaper to buy it elsewhere, I don't know; nor do I care. "Muzzle not the kine that tread the grain" as the Biblical saying goes - and that from a devout Atheist! In order for him to stay in business, he has to make a profit. Since his rates are reasonable for every bit of work he has ever done for us, I'm not about to quibble about a few bob here or there for the oil he uses!

He also said to me before putting it in that it was overkill for these engines (and therefore $15-25 more than the "normal" semi-synthetic or mineral oil). In a $170 service, I want the best oil I can get, so it cost me $197 instead. What's $25 every service compared to the cost of an engine rebuild, or buying another car? Nothing, in the scheme of things, IMNSHO.

Other stuff about Shell oils here:

https://www.shell.com.au/products-s...ubricants-tpkg/right-oil.html#textwithimage_5

I also note that Shell recommends another oil for my SG 2006 N/A, but Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 for SWMBO's SH N/A. Both have the same engine - EJ-253 ... :iconwink:.
 
yass00 said:
Log book service manual states spark plugs to be changed at 100,000km though I will be changing them next service regardless and looking at the service scheduled to see what else needs attention..
Click to expand...
That's strange.
What engine do you have, N/A or Turbo ?

My service manual (MY05XT) states that the spark plugs should be changed every 25K/12mths for N/A's or 100K/48mth's for turbo's.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
mr turbo said:
My service manual (MY05XT) states that the spark plugs should be changed every 25K/12mths for N/A's or 100K/48mth's for turbo's.
Click to expand...

Thats strange too lol. I would have thought a turbo needs the plugs changed more often than a NA. Maybe the turbo comes with platinum plugs. Maybe Yass00 has them too...

I couldnt find platinum plugs for my NA EJ20J so I used Iridium plugs instead
 
Generally the more kms your engine has on it the thicker oil you want to use. At 65,000 the thickness your manual states should be fine. I always use Penrite 5W-40 Full Synthetic which is the thinnest I'd ever go on my subi engines IMO, I love this oil seems to work very well.

Usually full synthetic will be best, it costs more for a reason.
 
Gidday Mr T

mr turbo said:
That's strange.
What engine do you have, N/A or Turbo ?

My service manual (MY05XT) states that the spark plugs should be changed every 25K/12mths for N/A's or 100K/48mth's for turbo's.

Regards
Mr Turbo
Click to expand...

It appears that this changed with the MY06 - 2006 onwards. Roo2's OM/Service Manual states replace every 112,500 kms. Plug type is NGK PFR5B-11 for the 2.5L N/A engines, and NGK ILFR6B for 2.0L N/A and 2.5L Turbo engines.

Only the 2006 onwards Impreza is listed as replacement every 25,000 kms (??).

I will check the OM etc in SWMBO's SH when she gets home.
 
Just checked the MY10 2009 SH 2.5L N/A OM/Service Manual.

Replace plugs at 112,500 kms; NGK PFR5B-11

(2.0L petrol = NGK SILFR6A11; 2.5L Turbo = NGK SILFR6A).
 
I just double checked my service manual (for my MY05XT Forry) & yes the 2.5lt DOHC turbo is 4yrs/100K for the spark plugs. With NGK ILFR6B one's to be used.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Forester running N/A 2.5 SOHC..

Correction: Spark plugs to be replaced at 112,500 with NGK PFR5B -11 and not at 100,000 as previously posted..

Cheers,


Ross
 
Last edited:
^ Eh I do mine every 100,000km with Iridium plugs.. I like to do the leads at the same time.
I am using 10W-40 Fully Synthetic and my fully rebuilt 2.5 SOHC N/A has 13,000km on it.
 
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