New Oil!

 Hello sports fans! It's been a long time since I posted anything, and I think it's appropriate that I take the opportunity to give you an update.

 February 2026

Oil. Oil! It's the lifeblood of the engine, and consequently, it's a very important part of maintenance. I've had an obsession with oil changes since my first car; consequently, I double up on my oil changes so that I effectively change my oil twice as much as the maintenance manual requires.

 I'm gonna link a previous article where I discussed my oil choices, but essentially what I did was use the OEM oil manufacturer's oil and would buy it and have it installed at my local Subaru dealership, as well as my independent mechanics.

 A little word of encouragement and appreciation to my local mechanics, Elgin Auto Sales and Service in Cambridge, Ontario. I've been going there for at least 15 years now, and they were referred to me by a friend, and I have had a wonderful relationship. Can't speak enough about their loyalty to their customers and also their integrity and mechanical skills.

 But this is, well, a post about oil. Exciting, isn’t it?

 One of the things that occurs with any technology is that it improves. I'm a former aircraft mechanic, and consequently, standards are really important to me. The assumption, and I know what you're going to say next, is that the newer standard should be a better product or process. In this case, the oil standard that I am currently using has been superseded. Here is a great article outlining some of the information that is involved in oil standards and why they change.

Essentially, I've been using an older standard oil (IFG 5), and I wish to upgrade to the most current standard. I would like to stay with my current vendor, but sadly, this oil is not currently available in Canada (Idemitsu part no. 30015132953). A vendor by the name of Liquid Moly does create such an oil (Liqui Moly Special Tech AA Motor Oil 0W20 Full Synthetic) that complies with the highest standard currently available.

Another important aspect is viscosity. The reason that the engine oils are designed this way to the specification of 0-16 W is in part related to the auto Start-Stop feature, which is supposed to save gasoline and increase your fuel economy. I'm not a big fan of this system. There are a couple of reasons I don't like it; the main one is the wear and tear it puts on the engine, as well as on the starter and battery. I also don't like the fact that when it engages in certain situations, it causes a lag between when the engine starts and when you can accelerate, and there will be times that you gotta get going! This system could potentially prevent that from happening and be dangerous as far as I'm concerned.

I figured that I would stay with the lower band of viscosity but increase the higher range, particularly for this summertime. I can report that I currently have very little, if any, oil consumption, though with a flat boxer-style engine, you do tend to get a higher consumption rate, and please, please check your oil every time you stop the gas, especially if your Subie is a little bit older. A great indication of engine health is how clean the oil is between engine oil changes. My oil goes off colour, but does not have much in the way of suspended material. It's also a great idea to make sure your crankcase ventilation system is working well, as a holistic approach to the oil system, as well as the crankcase breathing system, is important.

 So the Red Mist is going in for an oil change next week, and I'll collect my new oil and OEM filter and take it into my guys in Cambridge and get the Red Mist ready for another 5000 kilometres.

 Just for reference, this winter was a tough one as far as weather and driving were concerned. But the red mist has performed flawlessly, and I'm so happy I bought her. No complaints other than the fact that I really did pick the wrong tire combination for the wintertime, and I think I'm gonna remedy that next season. She hasn't let me down at all. She continues to drive and ride beautifully, and she's got enough power and pep for what I need. Every day of my commute is a pleasure. It's nice to be able to spend approximately 90 minutes a day enjoying your driving, and the Red Mist is a big part of that.

 So, campers! Feel free to leave a comment or join my Facebook group. It is specifically for Imprezas, and not WRXs or STIs.

Remember to keep the rubber on the right side of your vehicle. Drive safely and practice the Subaru Salute.