legacyak Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I have a 2000 Legacy Outback with 136,00 miles on it. Manual transmission, 2.5 L. What would anybody recommend for oil in the winter time. I have been using 10W-30 pure synthetic oil for a while now. Would you suggest dropping down to 5W30 synthetic for the winter or is 10W30 still ok? I live in Indiana so probably temps for the winter will be mainly between 10 and 30. Also, what is better using synthetic oil or nonsynthetic high mileage oil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmm001 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 High mileage oil is a marketing gimmick; I'd stick with 10W-30. I live in central PA and use 15W-40 all year with no problems. Brian M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 If you're using a true synthetic oil (i.e. with group IV and/or V basestocks) you should have no issues with 10W30 as synthetics have superior cold flow properties to dino anyway. Last year I ran 20W50 synthetic for the whole year, cranked a little slower on really cold mornings but still started fine. Synthetic oil is superior to 'high mileage' oil. High mileage oils typically just have a different additive package or more of particular additive(s) to help with things like seal shrinkage/swell. If you want to bump it up another notch, run a good synthetic heavy duty diesel oil as these have even more/beefier antiwear additives. (If you're worried about factory warranties this might not be the route for you if the oil doesn't carry API-S* certification as it might have more than the 900ppm or whatever the phosphorous limit is now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Just make sure you keep running synthetic. Once you run synthetic your engine basically becomes addicted to the thinner, smoother oil. Switching to conventional and back to synthetic again will make all your seals in the engine leak. 10w30 synth should be fine for a winter down there. I've ran 15w-40 fleet oil at -50F up here in alaska before. Car wasnt happy, but its still alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manarius Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I run 20-50w all year as well. Keeps the leaks down but hurts the gas mileage a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 check out your owners manual. it'll show the ranges of oil to be used for your temperatures. stick with your 10w30 regular synth. that mileage on your block is nothing and "high mileage" stuff is highly unnecessary. +1 for marketing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Ahhh a good oil question. This could get ugly. In general the owner's manual should be followed. 10w-30 is generally a longer lasting oil than 5w-30, though most any newer oil is really good. With that said; I prefer a 5w-40 summer and 0w-30 winter. I'm a bit OCD and I like to know that my oil is flowing as quickly as possible, yet is still thick enough to prevent excessive oil consumption in the outback. I'm using a thick 0w-30 in the outback to keep the consumption down, and a thinner 0w-30 in the Jeep for my short trips to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I've had no issues running Mobil1 10w30 year round, with temps down to minus 30. Never cranked hard, and the oil pressure always came up fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Dont forget the winter flasher fluid..... nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanski06 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 after reading these kinds of posts....i get so confused as what to F'n use... I normally use 10w-30 and i get the cheapest kind....however last time i changed my oil, wal-mart had a special on the 5w-30 vavoline...so i went to 5w-30 haha infact i gotta do another oil change very soon...miles is at 206,003 and i always change it at 3,000 mile intervals so im overdue..... am i crazy for thinking this way? I'd really like to know what kind of oil would be best for me...... I drive 25 miles to school and 25 back from school everyday (mostly highway) and then at night i delivery chinese food haha....so im always turning the car on and off and constantly stopping at stop signs and stop lights....what do u suggest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jib Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 after reading these kinds of posts....i get so confused as what to F'n use... Keep doing what you are doing. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Seanski the only real thing I see that could be a problem there is if you make a lot of short trips (where the engine oil doesn't have a chance to get up to say 180 deg. F) as then the fuel and water condensation in the oil doesn't really have a chance to get out of the oil. But you say you drive 25 miles each way to school every day and that should be sufficient to get the oil up to temp; it takes me about 20 miles in cool weather to get oil to 180 deg. F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanski06 Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 Seanski the only real thing I see that could be a problem there is if you make a lot of short trips (where the engine oil doesn't have a chance to get up to say 180 deg. F) as then the fuel and water condensation in the oil doesn't really have a chance to get out of the oil. But you say you drive 25 miles each way to school every day and that should be sufficient to get the oil up to temp; it takes me about 20 miles in cool weather to get oil to 180 deg. F. if 180 is halfway on the temp gauge....yeah it was kinda tough to get it up that high today while making my deliveries...eventually it got towards the half-way mark but it definately took a while compared to all the warm weather we've been having Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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