Just got head gasket work done at 117k need suggestions for a good synthetic to use 98 forester 2.5 please indicate Number if its important. thanks for the suggestions in advance

Mobil 1 is excellent, and widely available. I'm running Mobil 1 10w-30 in my Outback. I may switch to 0w-40 or 5w-40 to quite the piston slap (Mobil 1 is a little thinner than other oils).

 

Did you change your crank, cam, and oil pump seals with the headgasket? If not, there is a good chance they will start leaking if you switch to synthetic. The sythetic flows through tiny gaps better, and will clean off spooge that may be plugging a worn/cracked seal.

I use Mobile 1 5w30 in the winter & 10w30 in the summer in my 2000 Forester with 101,000 miles on her. Been using synthetic since 8,000 miles or so. Some people say not to switch to synthetic on a high mileage motor. I switched a 88 4Runner to synthetic at 95,000 & put another 100,000 miles on without problems. Oh yes, my oil change intervules are 5,000 miles with a new Pure One Purolator filter.

Another vote for Mobil 1 here.

My Walmart finally has Mobil 1 5w-40!!!

 

I just grabbed six quarts. Woohoo!!

 

I won't use the xw-30 Mobil 1 products, too thin, but the 5w-40 is gooooood stuff.

How about Valvoline Durablend ? Anyone using that ?

 

~Howard

:-\

I am a Mobil 1 fan too. Have been for fifteen years.

 

I would however like to vote AGAINST Redline engine oil. I made the mistake of trying some of their 10W40 and my otherwise quiet engine developed the famous piston slap. Even Mobil 1 5W-50 cant cure it :-(

Did you change your crank, cam, and oil pump seals with the headgasket? If not, there is a good chance they will start leaking if you switch to synthetic. The sythetic flows through tiny gaps better, and will clean off spooge that may be plugging a worn/cracked seal.

 

I wonder if that's what happened to mine? I got a crank seal leak a couple months after I started using Mobil1.