Turbo engine oil whats recommended

[Scott in Bellingham]

got a 88 Turbo ea82 wagon 4x4 , just wondering what engine oil I should use I know the oil goes through the turbo , whats a good weight and such thanks Scott

[Skip]

Scott you'll no doubt start

the great debate

 

Synth vs Dino

 

I'll just share my personal choice.

 

 

I have been running with Castrol 20w/50

for many many years in all my turbos.

 

I do use a TT on most, but have never (knock knock)

had an oil related problem.

[Turbone]

Ditto.

Same oil and grade here.

[rllywgn]

down here in the desert I use rotella 5w40.. good start up weight and sheering properties at full temp..

 

I had oil leaks before.. so i dont think synthetics are all bad on high mileage stuff.

 

plus, rotella is 15 bucks for the big jug at wal of mart.. good stuff

[Nug]

As long as it's name brand and it's changed at regular intervals, it doesn't matter.

[Turbone]

As long as it's name brand and it's changed at regular intervals, it doesn't matter.

 

Well, here we go. That should start a oil war:rolleyes:

[Nug]

I know.

 

[MilesFox]

the guy at the subaru heaven junkyard says to run stright 30 wt. h says "all the other stuff is for women who dont want to hear the lifters tick" and "gums up the motor"

 

i have always used 15w-40 because i get it from u-haul. i have used 20w-50 oil as well.

 

i have been using straight 30 to top off the babe patrol subar abd if i ever get to changing the oil i'll use straight 30 wt.

[WJM]

As long as it's name brand and it's changed at regular intervals, it doesn't matter.

 

Basically.

 

However, under 'extreme driving conditions' you cannot follow that.

 

If you read further...you will find that turbo engines even driven by Grandma, are by nature an 'extreme driving condition'

 

I use Motul 8100 Synergie 5w30 100% synthetic ester based oil in all my SUBARUs, N/A and turbo.

[Nug]

The OP didn't mention extreme driving conditions. Just tooling around with a car equipped with a turbo doesn't mean the oil is going to coke into a lump of coal. The owners manual doesn't call for synthetic.

 

If you are actually driving it agressively, then i agree.

[4x4_Welder]

On all my turbo vehicles, I've always run diesel oil, usually 15w40, but that may be a bit thick on these cars- running 15w40 on my old Hatch, since that's what I had, the oil pressure was a bit odd and it burned a lot more oil.

I do know that Castrol is designed for turbo engines, and I have always liked to run that. I usually run Castrol 10w30 in my non-turbo cars, with no problems, and a nice clean engine.

You'll probably be fine as long as you don't run q-state or Penzoil. They both leave massive amounts of waxy buildup- you can always tell when an engine ran those, they are bright orange inside.

 

[Nug]

You'll probably be fine as long as you don't run q-state or Penzoil. They both leave massive amounts of waxy buildup- you can always tell when an engine ran those, they are bright orange inside.

 

 

I totally disagree. I've been in my fair share of engines, never seen this.

 

Any motor oil on the market has to pass a set of ridiculously streesful tests. I've personally witnessed regular Pennzoil run one of these run twice as long as what's considered necessary, and it still passed.

 

I've also seen some blends of Castrol do not so well. The attitude of the people that worked where I did wasn't very favorable to Castrol. They felt that Castrol cut corners when possible.

[zstalker]

Any motor oil on the market has to pass a set of ridiculously streesful tests.

 

That is the bottom line. The fact is, only a handful of companies actually MAKE their own oil, and through very high-tech procedures. It's almost like gasoline, where a few companies make and share the same gasoline, in a few big tanks, and a lot of other companies add their own additives to sell it.

If you want some real information from actually educated people, many of whom have worked in the oil and lubrication engineering industry for their whole carreers, go visit http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ . These people are fanatical about oil...you will never find anyone who knows more about oil than people there.

Basically what it comes down to is: ALL oils are SIGNIFICANTLY better then even 10 or 15 years ago, and continue to get better every year. The amount that synthetic has gotten better is less than the amount that conventional has gotten better, and it's now closing in on the quality of synthetic...not equal, but getting closer. Any oil on the shelf, even non-name brand (since it's made by a larger company and re-packaged by no-name distributors) is going to be just fine, but some oils are better at some things than others. Newer oil is intended more for roller (lifter, or cam follower) motors than sliding tappet/cam motors, so additives must be taken into account (i.e. ZDDP or other barrier lubricants). No oils have wax in them (even Pennziol, sorry), but nearly ALL oils are made from parafinic crude, so the confusion began by uneducated people hearing the term "parafinic" and thinking "parafin." Sudge buildup and deposits are not caused by a certain kind of oil or another, they come from usage habits, engine design, and environment conditions.

period.

You want more information on oil? Go visit that website, and get over "so and so told me" or "a mechanic I know says" BS that people bring up. Without cold, hard facts, based on actual scientific data (like actual studies, or virgin and used oil chemical analysis), nobody has really any grounds to be saying "this oil is better" or "this other oil causes problems." Opinions are very strong about oils especially, and you're really never going to convert anyone, but if we're having an open, intelligent discussion, let's keep it based in fact...otherwise say something like "this oil has worked well/poorly for me"

 

~Erik~

[mikeshoup]

Opinions are very strong about oils especially, and you're really never going to convert anyone, but if we're having an open, intelligent discussion, let's keep it based in fact...otherwise say something like "this oil has worked well/poorly for me"

+1

 

I personally just use Chevron 10W-30 in all my engines. Cheap, and doesn't seem to cause any problems. And this is on numerous cars.

[Scott in Bellingham]

Wow you guys are great, my turbo car runs fine cold then when its warmed up it runs like its flooding out with black smoke out the exhast, I changed the oil with what I had walmart 10-40 and it runs much better still rich when hot, also there is oil leaking from the turbo, not sure were I check both oil lines in on the top and out on the bottom, both look fine, wondering if the seals and or bearings are going causing the rich effect and the oil leak, Im new at this turbo thing, any help is appiciated thanks Scott,

[Nug]

Yes, even wal-mart branded oil is ok. I've run it in various things. Actually, my vw diesel uses less wal-mart 15w-40 than it does Rotella T.

[psylosyfer]

On all my turbo vehicles, I've always run diesel oil, usually 15w40, but that may be a bit thick on these cars- running 15w40 on my old Hatch, since that's what I had, the oil pressure was a bit odd and it burned a lot more oil.

I do know that Castrol is designed for turbo engines, and I have always liked to run that. I usually run Castrol 10w30 in my non-turbo cars, with no problems, and a nice clean engine.

You'll probably be fine as long as you don't run q-state or Penzoil. They both leave massive amounts of waxy buildup- you can always tell when an engine ran those, they are bright orange inside.

 

I have seen a BLACK residue from pennzoil, But will not use it in any of my engines (EA82,GMC 350,Pontiac 400), Castrol GTX or Valvoline racing oil, My faves!

[keppelk]

I'm currently running Shell 15W-40 diesel oil. Came in a 10L for reasonably cheap. My girlfriend works in an oil analysis lab and frequently sees diesel oil tests come up good after recomended drain intervals. I figure if its good enough to protect a $500,000 boat or truck engine, its good enough for my old sub! Not wanting to start a war, but if you have problems with TOD or lifter tick, diesel oils detergent/additive package can help clear crap out of the oil.

 

Really though as long as you keep it fresh and clean, doesn't matter what you run (follow oil grade thing in FSM though....). Change the oil and filter regularly and your subaru will last forever

[Nug]

I ran wal-mart 15w-40 in the BABE rally subaru.