The 2004 Subaru Forester has a 2.5 L 4Cylinder engine that needS5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil. The capacity for the vehicle iS4.2 quarts with a filter. For 5W-30 the 5 is for the thickness or the viscosity of the oil at startup, w is a winteR-Classification and 30 is the thickness or the viscosity at operating speeds. Oil is used to keep the engine clean and engine parts lubricated because when they rub together they need help with friction. Oil does not last forever though so it needs to be changed after a while. For the Forester, it should be changed every 30,000 Miles and the filter should be changed at the same time. Doing a change is pretty quick, it only takes about 5 to 15 minutes.
John A.
January 2, 2020
Both versions of the 2.5L box-4 engine (non-turboed and turboed) offered in the 2004 Subaru Forester, need 4.2 quarts of oil. Either engine uses the same viscosity of synthetic oil, and Subaru recommends different viscosities based on driving and weather: 5W30 is preferred 10W30 or 10W40 for above -4 F 30 weight, 40 weight, 10W50, 20W40, or 20W50 for above 95 F and/or heavy usage (towing). NOTE: Check with your local dealership for precisely what you should use based on locale.
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