I think what helped as much is the valvoline oil. Valvoline really agrees with my motor. Not sure why I have trouble with some of the other blends, but it's really quiet with the ashland add-pack.
Valvoline VR1 non synthetic. It is one of the ZDDP oils. Reasonably priced and the Z seems to like it.
I switched to Kendall GT-1 20w-50 high performance and I highly suggest it. You can get 12 quarts shipped to your door from Amazon at a good price.
[Valvoline SynPower](http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/synpower/full-synthetic-motor-oil/5) is what I have run since I purchased my 2012 Subaru Legacy.
I use to use Castrol Syntec 5W40 (what the tig came with) and all I could get here. Last spring I opened my own shop and can get Kendall 5W40 Euro and started using that as it is 502 approved. I found it made the engine run smoother and quieter. My customers have noted the same.
Anyway, when I had my Passat 1.8T and sludge issues were the big fad, my oil of choice was Valvoline Synpower 5w40. It met 502 and was not a synthetic blend but rather a real synthetic.
If you want it quiet and smooth, run 10w-40. If you want best mpg or live in the cold 1/2 the year, run 5w-30. 10w-30 is a-ite in many cases. It'll burn less than 5w-30....generally.
I use valvoline because it's common and it does the job. My auto mechanics instructor also recommended it because he said most of the engines he'd taken apart that had run valvoline looked pretty crud free.
Strictly anecdotal, but at 56,000 I switched from the usual suspect Castrol to Valvoline Synpower. Engine starts more smoothly and observed mileage on highway has gone from approx 30 to approx 34 mpg.
I use 20/50 Valvoline year round....
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