I've got a '98 Outback Legacy with 170,000 miles on it. Being a 98 it
suffers from a loud piston slap for the first 10 minutes of running
until it reaches normal operating temperature. This noise can be very
annoying - it gets many stares especially in busy parking lots. Would
running 15W50 help this at all or would it just cause other problems
for the engine? Until this point I've been running Valvoline Max Life
5w30 since I got the car (at 159,000). Any help would be appreciated
- thanks.

<greendoom@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1186276810.402340.21770@r34g2000hsd.googlegro ups.com...
> I've got a '98 Outback Legacy with 170,000 miles on it. Being a 98 it
> suffers from a loud piston slap for the first 10 minutes of running
> until it reaches normal operating temperature. This noise can be very
> annoying - it gets many stares especially in busy parking lots. Would
> running 15W50 help this at all or would it just cause other problems
> for the engine? Until this point I've been running Valvoline Max Life
> 5w30 since I got the car (at 159,000). Any help would be appreciated
> - thanks.
>

try an Xw-40 first

<greendoom@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1186276810.402340.21770@r34g2000hsd.googlegro ups.com...

> I've got a '98 Outback Legacy with 170,000 miles on it. Being a 98 it
> suffers from a loud piston slap for the first 10 minutes of running
> until it reaches normal operating temperature. This noise can be very
> annoying - it gets many stares especially in busy parking lots. Would
> running 15W50 help this at all or would it just cause other problems
> for the engine? Until this point I've been running Valvoline Max Life
> 5w30 since I got the car (at 159,000). Any help would be appreciated
> - thanks.

The only 15w-50 oils that I know of are Mobil1 and Chevron synthetics,
and these can trigger leaks if gaskets are weak, so watch out. You
may want to try dino X-40, or even 20-50 instead, and if you don't live
in Minnesota, or some cold mountainous location.

I've had good results quieting piston slap with single weight oils straight
40, 50, Valvoline but these were used in V-6 GM engines in hot Southwest
locations (example: summertime Phoenix). I think Japanese engines may not
like stuff that extreme but you may try a straight 30 dino (in above
freezing
ambient temps). The thicker oils don't drain off of cylinder walls, rings,
as
fast thus help quiet piston slap at start-up.

5w-30 is very thin stuff for an engine with 170k miles.

M.J.

On Aug 5, 5:11 am, "M.J." <M...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> <greend...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1186276810.402340.21770@r34g2000hsd.googlegro ups.com...
>
> > I've got a '98 Outback Legacy with 170,000 miles on it. Being a 98 it
> > suffers from a loud piston slap for the first 10 minutes of running
> > until it reaches normal operating temperature. This noise can be very
> > annoying - it gets many stares especially in busy parking lots. Would
> > running 15W50 help this at all or would it just cause other problems
> > for the engine? Until this point I've been running Valvoline Max Life
> > 5w30 since I got the car (at 159,000). Any help would be appreciated
> > - thanks.
>
> The only 15w-50 oils that I know of are Mobil1 and Chevron synthetics,
> and these can trigger leaks if gaskets are weak, so watch out. You
> may want to try dino X-40, or even 20-50 instead, and if you don't live
> in Minnesota, or some cold mountainous location.
>
> I've had good results quieting piston slap with single weight oils straight
> 40, 50, Valvoline but these were used in V-6 GM engines in hot Southwest
> locations (example: summertime Phoenix). I think Japanese engines may not
> like stuff that extreme but you may try a straight 30 dino (in above
> freezing
> ambient temps). The thicker oils don't drain off of cylinder walls, rings,
> as
> fast thus help quiet piston slap at start-up.
>
> 5w-30 is very thin stuff for an engine with 170k miles.
>
> M.J.

Would 10w30 provide any noticable improvement, or would I need to go
for something more drastic?

<greendoom@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1186353132.218548.168020@l70g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
> On Aug 5, 5:11 am, "M.J." <M...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> <greend...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:1186276810.402340.21770@r34g2000hsd.googlegro ups.com...
>>
>> > I've got a '98 Outback Legacy with 170,000 miles on it. Being a 98 it
>> > suffers from a loud piston slap for the first 10 minutes of running
>> > until it reaches normal operating temperature. This noise can be very
>> > annoying - it gets many stares especially in busy parking lots. Would
>> > running 15W50 help this at all or would it just cause other problems
>> > for the engine? Until this point I've been running Valvoline Max Life
>> > 5w30 since I got the car (at 159,000). Any help would be appreciated
>> > - thanks.
>>
>> The only 15w-50 oils that I know of are Mobil1 and Chevron synthetics,
>> and these can trigger leaks if gaskets are weak, so watch out. You
>> may want to try dino X-40, or even 20-50 instead, and if you don't live
>> in Minnesota, or some cold mountainous location.
>>
>> I've had good results quieting piston slap with single weight oils
>> straight
>> 40, 50, Valvoline but these were used in V-6 GM engines in hot Southwest
>> locations (example: summertime Phoenix). I think Japanese engines may
>> not
>> like stuff that extreme but you may try a straight 30 dino (in above
>> freezing
>> ambient temps). The thicker oils don't drain off of cylinder walls,
>> rings,
>> as
>> fast thus help quiet piston slap at start-up.
>>
>> 5w-30 is very thin stuff for an engine with 170k miles.
>>
>> M.J.
>
> Would 10w30 provide any noticable improvement, or would I need to go
> for something more drastic?

Try Chevron Delo 15w-40 diesel type universal oil, available
at Walmart and many other places. It is very refined, excellent
quality oil, almost as pure as synthetic and provides mild cleansing
action. Good, safe and inexpensive stuff for an older engine like
yours.

http://www.chevron.com/products/prod...prodspecs.shtm

M.J.

"M.J." <M.J.@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:UTsti.31406$2v1.6570@newssvr14.news.prodigy.n et...
>
> <greendoom@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1186353132.218548.168020@l70g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>> On Aug 5, 5:11 am, "M.J." <M...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> <greend...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>>
>>> news:1186276810.402340.21770@r34g2000hsd.googlegro ups.com...
>>>
>>> > I've got a '98 Outback Legacy with 170,000 miles on it. Being a 98 it
>>> > suffers from a loud piston slap for the first 10 minutes of running
>>> > until it reaches normal operating temperature. This noise can be very
>>> > annoying - it gets many stares especially in busy parking lots. Would
>>> > running 15W50 help this at all or would it just cause other problems
>>> > for the engine? Until this point I've been running Valvoline Max Life
>>> > 5w30 since I got the car (at 159,000). Any help would be appreciated
>>> > - thanks.
>>>
>>> The only 15w-50 oils that I know of are Mobil1 and Chevron synthetics,
>>> and these can trigger leaks if gaskets are weak, so watch out. You
>>> may want to try dino X-40, or even 20-50 instead, and if you don't live
>>> in Minnesota, or some cold mountainous location.
>>>
>>> I've had good results quieting piston slap with single weight oils
>>> straight
>>> 40, 50, Valvoline but these were used in V-6 GM engines in hot Southwest
>>> locations (example: summertime Phoenix). I think Japanese engines may
>>> not
>>> like stuff that extreme but you may try a straight 30 dino (in above
>>> freezing
>>> ambient temps). The thicker oils don't drain off of cylinder walls,
>>> rings,
>>> as
>>> fast thus help quiet piston slap at start-up.
>>>
>>> 5w-30 is very thin stuff for an engine with 170k miles.
>>>
>>> M.J.
>>
>> Would 10w30 provide any noticable improvement, or would I need to go
>> for something more drastic?
>
> Try Chevron Delo 15w-40 diesel type universal oil, available
> at Walmart and many other places. It is very refined, excellent
> quality oil, almost as pure as synthetic and provides mild cleansing
> action. Good, safe and inexpensive stuff for an older engine like
> yours.
>
> http://www.chevron.com/products/prod...prodspecs.shtm
>

http://www.chevrondelo.com/en/produc...il/default.asp

Here is some more info on Chevron Delo 400.

M.J.

On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 23:29:50 GMT, "M.J." <M.J.@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>"M.J." <M.J.@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:UTsti.31406$2v1.6570@newssvr14.news.prodigy. net...
>>
>> <greendoom@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1186353132.218548.168020@l70g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>>> Would 10w30 provide any noticable improvement, or would I need to go
>>> for something more drastic?
>>
>> Try Chevron Delo 15w-40 diesel type universal oil, available
>> at Walmart and many other places. It is very refined, excellent
>> quality oil, almost as pure as synthetic and provides mild cleansing
>> action. Good, safe and inexpensive stuff for an older engine like
>> yours.
>>
>> http://www.chevron.com/products/prod...prodspecs.shtm
>>
>
>http://www.chevrondelo.com/en/produc...il/default.asp
>
>Here is some more info on Chevron Delo 400.

AgreedL 15w-40 (I use either Mobil or Castrol) is a nice oil for
heavy duty engines, and it's what I use in my 98 Audi A4Q 2.8liter
5sp, now at 110k miles. The 99 Subaru Legacy OBW still eats 5w-30,
which seems ok for it.

greendoom@gmail.com wrote:

>
> Would 10w30 provide any noticable improvement, or would I need to go
> for something more drastic?
>

what about Shell Rotlla 5W-40?

As far back as I can remember, my Subaru manuals have stated
specifically, do not use 5W30 oil for sustained high speed driving and then
only when suitable low temperature conditions are present. Unless Subaru
has since changed the recommendation for '98 or newer engines, would this
not be at least a tiny concern to anybody?

My '89 GL Turbo used to have plenty of noise until it warmed up
sufficiently. I ended up having best results with is Amsoil 10W30. However
I also came up with a creative variety of oil solutions just for the
entertainment of it all, which also worked quite well to quiet the noise and
cut oil consumption. The quietest mix only had two real quarts of cheap
10W40 in it with the rest comprising generous amounts of Marvel Mystery oil,
motor honey, and various other additives to bring it up to the full mark,
and yup, they were all in there at the same time. Was fun to experiment
with the ratios, and then feel and hear the results. The death of the motor
wasn't related to oil, so no worries there. The motor died because it blew
the turbo coolant inlet line and dumped the contents of the radiator while I
was away from the car knocking on somebody's door to go to work, munched the
head gasket(s) and warped the head(s), all before I got back in and realised
something wasn't right. Was an interesting sort of catastrophic failure to
come back to the car and find; and I can laugh about it, now. The coolant
evacuated the system so quickly the temperature gauge never even rose past
75% of the way up before it stopped measuring altogether. Ended up with a
cracked radiator before the ordeal ended.

Anyway, my Subaru manuals lists several straight motor oil weights you
can use, and mentions multi-weights up to 50, but since my manual is not
specifically for your motor, I would recommend looking in your own for the
details you're seeking. Also, I've been told by mechanics that, if I want a
10W40, don't. Instead go with 10W30 or 15W40, as either of those contain
far less friction modifiers. From my understanding up to 25% of 10W40 oil
is used in just getting the viscosity to stay where it belongs. But I'm
hardly an expert, so always do your own research the best you can. (-;

~Brian

"Bob Noble" <bnoble@sonic.net> wrote in message
news:46b68e0a$0$27253$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net...
> Doesn't anyone know about STP anymore?
>
> <greendoom@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1186276810.402340.21770@r34g2000hsd.googlegro ups.com...
>> I've got a '98 Outback Legacy with 170,000 miles on it. Being a 98 it
>> suffers from a loud piston slap for the first 10 minutes of running
>> until it reaches normal operating temperature. This noise can be very
>> annoying - it gets many stares especially in busy parking lots. Would
>> running 15W50 help this at all or would it just cause other problems
>> for the engine? Until this point I've been running Valvoline Max Life
>> 5w30 since I got the car (at 159,000). Any help would be appreciated
>> - thanks.
>>
>

"strchild" <strchild@hotmail.com> writes:

> As far back as I can remember, my Subaru manuals have stated
> specifically, do not use 5W30 oil for sustained high speed driving and then
> only when suitable low temperature conditions are present. Unless Subaru
> has since changed the recommendation for '98 or newer engines, would this
> not be at least a tiny concern to anybody?

My 01 outback manual is open in front of me. They show an api service
label for SJ/SH service with teh words "energy conserving ii", and SAE
5W-30 as the general recommendation.

For "severe driving conditions" in high temp and desert areas, or for
heavy duty applications such as towing, they recommend SJ or SH
classification with SAE 30 SAE 40 10W-50 20W-40, or 20W-50.

--
Todd H.
2001 Legacy Outback Wagon, 2.5L H-4
Chicago, Illinois USA