GR86 Which oil for fast driving (no track car)?

j0nas

j0nas

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Hi all. I'm a new GR86 owner and am considering doing an "early" oil change when I'm somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 miles.

My car is used as a daily commuter and I don't plan on ever driving it on a track. However, as I live in Germany, there is no speed limit on highways and I'll be driving it at higher speeds on a regular basis (usually around 110 to 120 mph on unrestricted roads). I really want to maintain the car well so that I have the chance to keep it as a long-time weekend car when I buy a new one in a few years. So I'm wondering what oil to use and whether to change it more often than suggested.

The German manual suggests changing the oil once a year (or every 9,000 miles, which I won't reach). Regarding the oil choice, it seems to suggest 5W-30 "if the vehicle is operated at high speeds". The wording is an accurate translation of the passage below. Anyway, the discussion on the internet about the GR86's oiling issues and the shorter service intervals in other countries (US) made me somewhat unsure.

Am I doing everything right by using 5W-30 oil and changing it once a year?

Thanks for your help!

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If it is your daily even in winter, stick with 0W-20, unless you are happy to change the oil twice a year (with tyres maybe) then go for 5w-30 or other for warmer months?
 
5W-30 for me all the time, since the front drain at 1000 miles. I have no doubts that 0W-20 is used to hit emission and fuel economy targets instead of optimium for performance reasons.

The STI side suggest using 5W-40 for performance driving too
 
The statement in the manual is too vague in my opinion, I don't know what constitutes high vehicle speeds and extreme loads. As long as you maintain a good oil level and change the oil at a regular frequency I wouldn't have any concerns on using either viscosity listed.
 
Thanks all. So there's probably no conclusive answer.

Cold starts are not really a problem for me. The climate here is pretty moderate and I park my car in an underground garage where temperatures rarely drop below +10C (when it's -5C outside on a cold winter night).

Just if anyone cares, I found the Subaru BRZ manuals for the US, Canada and Australia online and they all recommend 0W-20 without any caveats.
 
A bit like tyre pressures being extremely high for the weight of the car. The same is said for the oil. 5w30 is a lot better in that regard. All done for economy and emissions.

Anyone who tracks their cars knows to go up a weight on oil on the hot side. That goes back decades.
 
Here's what I did. Maybe this helps someone who finds this thread in a similar situation.

I went to my Toyota dealership and requested an oil change at ca. 1.500 miles. The guy there (who clearly was a competent mechanic, not a sales person) told me that's totally unnecessary but they would do it anyway if I wanted. He also told me they would use 0W20 oil as a standard but agreed to use 5W30 when I mentioned the section in the manual and pointed out that normal German highway speeds may be "high speeds" or "extreme load conditions" in the mind of a Japanese car engineer.

I've done quite some research on this and haven't found convincing arguments for 0W20. Most people seem to either argue for 5W30 or say it doesn't matter.

Finally, I checked whether the 5W30 takes longer to reach its normal operating temperature, which it interestingly doesn't. It takes almost exactly the same time to warm up as the factory oil.
 
0W20 Millers Oils good. Their website recommends it for GR86 normal use and for extreme use . Part No 8430-5L
 
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2500 miles done now. One 0W/20 oil change at 1200miles. But I am now thinking 5W/30.
 
Noel McC said:
Gone 5W-30 Motul 8100 Eco-lite . It meets Toyota/Subaru SP & GF-6A spec(s) 👍
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decent oil, great option between protecting the engine and fuel economy as is it on the thinner side of a 30 weight oil. I had this in my car and it is fine for daily/casual spirited drives, it held viscosity ok. However, it is still thin for hard driving/extended high temps.
 
unrealpatrik said:
decent oil, great option between protecting the engine and fuel economy as is it on the thinner side of a 30 weight oil. I had this in my car and it is fine for daily/casual spirited drives, it held viscosity ok. However, it is still thin for hard driving/extended high temps.
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maybe similar as Ravenol DXG 5w30 as its quite on the thin side aswell.
 
Michael Knight said:
maybe similar as Ravenol DXG 5w30 as its quite on the thin side aswell.
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yeah, the Ravenol DXG is very similar, I was actually picking between this and the Motul Eco-Lite 5W-30.

All API SP (RC) and ILSAC GF-6A 5W-30 oils will be very very close to each other as these are fuel economy focused oils and there is not much room to stay in the 5W-30 spec.

Generally speaking, if you want more high stress/temp protection and stay within 5W-30, then I would look for ACEA C3 oils. C3 has higher HTHS viscosity and low SAPS content, which is what we need for our EU spec cars with the GPF.
 
unrealpatrik said:
decent oil, great option between protecting the engine and fuel economy as is it on the thinner side of a 30 weight oil. I had this in my car and it is fine for daily/casual spirited drives, it held viscosity ok. However, it is still thin for hard driving/extended high temps.
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@unrealpatrik Thanks, yes agree. Motul 5W-30 better than 0W-20 and good for street use and even spirted use.
 
Our GR86 is booked in for the 1st year service next month, slightly early as it has hit the 10k miles but also since we'll be in Europe in Sept and shall be doing prolonged fast driving, if I have my way that is 😁. I asked for the 5W-30 oil option when booking and was told, no problem. Time will tell.
 
911sse said:
Our GR86 is booked in for the 1st year service next month, slightly early as it has hit the 10k miles but also since we'll be in Europe in Sept and shall be doing prolonged fast driving, if I have my way that is 😁. I asked for the 5W-30 oil option when booking and was told, no problem. Time will tell.
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@911sse Yep the smart money is on 5W-30 and especially so during summers.
 
911sse said:
Yeah, that does not happen very often in Scotland though 😁
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Yep, as long as no summer ice though 😂. I have been trying to motorbike up there this year but it’s been a washout so far 🤷‍♂️🙇‍♂️🤦‍♂️
 
Went for a drive today and had to cool down the engine when I noticed the engine oil temp went up to 112 degrees. I am using miller's 0w-20 by the way. Definetly need an oil cooler for next summer
 
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