2011 Outback Impreza Sport minor Leakage/using Full Synthetic

[Deehorg]

So hello guys! I'm new here, new Subuaru owner and I bought a car I love. An Outback Impreza Sport. I actually sell Mazda and I own a 2011 Outback Impreza sport and I had it serviced at my dealership for an oil change/ tire rotation today. Told the service guys 5w30 is recommended. Now 2 months prior the same service guy mentioned that I have some minor oil seepage. He said it's not an issue now but later on it could become an issue of it drops on to the manifolds or something and thus becomes a fire hazard. He also stated going full synthetic isn't a good idea because it's so much thinner and thus would exacerbate the seepage. So I bring it in to my shop and they put in 0w20 Castrol GTX synthetic....I'm concerned the leakage will in fact worsen just like he mentioned...I want to bring it up there and be like what are you guys smoking but I work there. What are your thoughts on 0w20 full synthetic and this seepage issue?? Thanks in Advance guys!!!

[Fairtax4me]

What is the recommended oil viscosity for your engine? This is usually in the owners manual, and is sometimes on the oil fill cap.

 

Some engines are designed to run 0w-20 weight oil and if that's the case you'll likely have nothing to worry about. If the engine is supposed to have 5w-30, then the 0-20 will be too thin at operating temperature and can cause major damage due to low oil pressure.

 

Full Synthetic oil does run much easier through small leaks, but how badly depends on what The cause of the leak is. Subarus in general have "seepage" problems, and you'll have that no matter what oil you use. Using full synthetic vs conventional oil will not generally turn a seepage into a full blown leak.

[DaveT]

What fairtax wrote. I use the lube weight called for in the manual, Amsoil synthetic.

[Deehorg]

Honestly thanks guys. I went up and asked the service manager because I'm like. Ok I called Subaru and talked to my used car manager and he's like if it doesn't need synthetic which is doesn't it calls for 5w30 then that's what it should be. So when I went up he said pull it in. The. When I did he said the mechanic out then5w30 in. I'm like cmon' this is why I stopped using Munroe because their mechanics would check off regular oil on the sticker so a) I don't know wtf they out in since they don't know and what if the next guy continues that oil and u don't realize it and also ur paying for better oil. I was just amazed thinking wow my service manager said two

Months ago himself not to use synthetic because of this...now they have on the sheet synthetic?!?! I just hope their not being weird and trying to cover up what th mechanic "thought" my car took.... I agree thinner obv isn't good for any car that is known to seapage. Let alone when I told u 5w30... Even my cap says it. My paperwork straight says synthetic Castrol gtx synthetic.... Frustrating but I hope they put in what Subaru says to and not what they think...I work here it would be awkward to be like ok u guys suck and my engines is spoob because u guys are burnt toast lol.

[Fairtax4me]

Get it changed somewhere else, or buy the stuff and change it yourself so you know what's actually in there. Hard to trust a service dept that's just going to blow smoke when you ask them a direct question, even worse when you work with them.

[Deehorg]

Tell me about it. That's why I started getting oil changes done by my trusty local

Mechanic because I'd bring him the oil and he would charge me $20 to do it. Munroe couldn't check the right box on the sticker and I was paying for MaxLife semisynthetic oil.