Oil Change
 

So it's that time for me to change my oil since i reached the 3k mile mark on my frs. I was going through the techincal forums on the site and was reading that people used different kinds of products from Penzoil 0W-20 to 5w-30 and 10w-30. My question is what kind of oil did you guys use to improve the gas mileage and the life of the engine and does changing oil filters did you put in replacing the old filter? and does the weather also take in affect with what kind of oil we put in the car?

Why are you changing oil so soon? Scion suggests every 7,500 miles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/yo...anted=all&_r=0

i know they suggested to change oil every 7.5k but its been about a year since i had that car and i haven't changed the oil on it since I bought it. Unless it doesn't matter since Scion did suggest that?

Wow, you drove only 3000 mi in a year? In that case I prob would do a change just for the time, I actually did my first change after first 1000mi and then following the suggested intervals.
I use the speced 0w-20 in full synthetic, usually Mobil 1. My last change I used Eneos.
Weather in respect to temperature can affect oil choice, generally cold temps thinner oil.

Yep. haha considering i always leave and go out to to sea since I am in the Navy, I tend to drive a lot less.
Was there a difference when you changed the oil to Eneos from Mobil 1?

Any well-known name brand premium full synthetic will work great, there's no miracle oil that will work far better than another, or magically unlock 10 more hp. Most popular brands are Mobil 1, Amsoil, Motul, Penzoil, Castrol, Redline, and others, etc. They all have good full synthetic lines designed for high temps and high performance. Just frequently check oil level, and change it when its time. With every single one you'll find someone who blames the oil for some catastrophic failure... Amsoil does these special tests that make their own oils look like the hands down winner in every category, but honestly, its up to you to decide which marketing tactics work on you the best.

If you're really curious, you can send oil samples to http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ and get an actual analysis done of YOUR oil. It can help guide you to a different oil, or help identify more ideal change intervals.

As for oil weights, if you drive in normal temps (0°F to 100°F in normal driving) and even spirited driving occasionally, the standard 0w-20 will work great. It helps fuel efficiency a bit and makes cold starts easy. If you are frequently stuck in heavy traffic, or see a lot of HOT HOT days, 5w30 is a common grade that nearly everyone makes, and it can help hold proper oil pressure/viscosity at high rpm and high heat. So if you track a lot, 5w30 might be the way to go. 10w-30 just has slightly less cold flow capability than 5w30, but can sometimes be a little more consistent across a temp range (nothing you'd ever notice). Just make sure it's a FULL synthetic and you'll be fine.

I use SAE Mobil1 0-20. My average is 29.7. and I use the part 130 filter from subaru