2012 Forester oil consumption

tempo

tempo

Forum Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2012
Messages
116
Location
Colorado
Hi!
17,000 miles
1875 ago i changed oil
today i checked it and it was a bit below minimum
A add 1qt , now its bit below max line
That happen second time already...
Is this something with engine , or its because 0W20 to thin?
0W20 when i pour it in to the engine looks like water...
 
Too thin, they only use it to give the maximum fuel economy not maximum protection. Perhaps go up a grade and see what happens. Unless you live above the snow line, 0W20 just seems too thin for a motor design that has not really changed in 2 decades!
 
Gidday Tempo

More to the point, 17,000 miles and nearly 3 years is a bit long between oil changes, mate. Like, FAR too long ... :(.

Also agree with Pigs. For our SH (and SG) with the EJ-253 engine, 0W-20 is only recommended for the 2.0L engine, and only if temperatures are below -30°C or -20°F. For the EJ-253 5W-30 or 5W-40 is recommended.

I use Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 fully synthetic in both ours. For both our cars, oil is changed at 12,500 Kilometre intervals, or 18 months, whichever comes last. My SG 2.5L N/A has used no oil in over 9,000 kms and about 18 months.

Your model has the FB engine, so it could be different, but I wouldn't think it would be that much different. 0W-20 is very thin oil ...
 
tempo said:
1875 ago i changed oil
Click to expand...

I use Castrol Magnatec 10W-40 a part synthetic engine oil since I got the '04. I live in a relatively hot climate but I think you should try the 5W20 series as a minimum.

Similarly if you are using a quart every month I was use 10W40 and see how it goes. My '04 does not use any oil @ 140K kms!
 
Ratbag said:
Gidday Tempo.. More to the point, 17,000 miles and nearly 3 years is a bit long between oil changes, mate.
Click to expand...

Er Ratty, his car is a 2012 model and it's 2013 now!

His 'Flux Relay Capacitor' could be over 3 years old but the car definitely isn't.

:iconwink::poke::lol:
 
^ A rather good point, Pigs ... :iconwink: :biggrin: :o :redface:

I was just going off what he said, without thinking a lot ...

Yesterday was pretty stressful, one way and another ...

Even so, 17,000 miles between oil changes :shrug:?

It will be the hot end of the usage that's using the oil, in any event. Maybe he should think about using a 0W-30 fully synthetic if it's really cold where he lives (Colorado has some rather cold bits ... ), or a 5W-40 fully synthetic if it's not (Colorado has some fairly hot parts as well ... ).

After noting how slowly the fully synthetic oil in Roo2 has degraded, I am a convert. The fact that the oil costs about 30% more is not really an issue for me. As I do fairly low mileage, I really don't want to be changing the oil every 6 months and 3,000 kms ... So the initial cost is made up for by not having to have an extra 2 oil changes in between :).
 
tempo said:
1875 ago i changed oil
Click to expand...

I think he means 1875mi ago he changed the oil.

its because 0W20 to thin?
0W20 when i pour it in to the engine looks like water...
Click to expand...

Yeah 0W20 is way too thin! Colorado can get cold but not that cold, but it also gets very hot. 0W20 is more if you live in Canada or Northern Europe. It wont protect the engine properly where you live :(

I'd be using 5W30 as a minimum or 5W40 would be better :iconwink:
 
Thanks for response
To clarify :
1) 17,000 I mentioned as overall mileage nothing to do with oil changes to emphasize that car is still brand new (1.5 year)
2) I changed oil after 600 miles (after break in period) and after I changing oil every 3000 miles (recommended period is 7,500 miles)
3) I am using 0W20 as per Subaru recommendations
4) I am living now in North Cali not Colorado anymore


So I will try next time full synthetic but what oil is thicker ?
5W20
0W30
5W30
Which one should I try ?

thanks
 
The first number is how thick the oil is when cold. The second number is when hot. The higher the number, the thicker the oil. A 0W oil is only for very cold temps. In Oz, a minimum of 5W30 (or 5W40) oil is needed for modern engines, 10W40 9or 10W50) for less modern engines. As the engine wears, a slightly thicker oil can be used (eg 20W50 up to 30W70 for very old worn engines).

Not sure what North California is like (is that "NoCal"? lol). I would suggest 5W30 full synthetic would be a safe oil for you to use :iconwink:
 
Agreed, but if it shows any sign of oil usage at 5W30 then 10W30/40 should be used. Anything above that and I would contact SOA and get a case manger to see what can be done under warranty.
 
I have always used either 10/30 or 10/40 in my Forry, depending on the season :)
I did try 5/30 once though, but ended going back to what I stated above.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Gidday Tempo (& NL)

NachaLuva said:
The first number is how thick the oil is when cold. The second number is when hot. The higher the number, the thicker the oil. A 0W oil is only for very cold temps. In Oz, a minimum of 5W30 (or 5W40) oil is needed for modern engines, 10W40 9or 10W50) for less modern engines. As the engine wears, a slightly thicker oil can be used (eg 20W50 up to 30W70 for very old worn engines).

Not sure what North California is like (is that "NoCal"? lol). I would suggest 5W30 full synthetic would be a safe oil for you to use :iconwink:
Click to expand...

This is as I understand it as well. If your car has the 2.5L N/A engine in it, I would definitely be running 5W-30 or 5W-40, fully synthetic.
0W-20 is far too light an oil, IMHO.
Check with your local Subaru dealer.
Check what it says in your Owner's Manual.

Since Northern California is about the same latitude as Melbourne and southern Victoria, it's hardly the Arctic Circle ... . While it can get flaming cold there, you have to head up into the Sierra Nevadas to find snow, most of the time ... :).

Your car should not be using any oil at this sort of mileage!

My old '93 Impreza's last long trip was from Melbourne to Brisbane and back. overall distance covered was about 4,500 kms. Day time temperatures varied from (mostly) above 40°C to about 18°C. It used no oil and no water for the whole trip. It was nearly 18 years old, with 234,000 kms on the clock.
 
US Manual :
0W20 full synthetic oil should to be used
5W30 conventional may be used if 0W20 not available , but should to be switched to 0W20 during next oil change
-----------------------------------
Russian Manual (same exact FB25 engine) and same for Europe region
5W30 full synthetic should to be used
5W30 conventional may be used if 0W20 not available , but should to be switched to 5W30 during next oil change
------------------------------------
So i think its games and not real engine requirement
-----------------------
after researching i found out that 0W20 oil is the problem (in most cases)
and not only in Subarus (Toyota Camry as well) and more:
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro...sees-oil-vanish-from-some-test-cars/index.htm
 
Gidday Tempo

Any multi-grade oil will have a viscosity that matches current operating temperature of the engine, more or less. If you have (say) 5W-40 in the engine, but the engine isn't running as warm as usual, the oil viscosity will only increase to (say) 30, not the full 40. That's why they are called "multi-grade oils" ...

So 0W-20 oil will be great at engine start, regardless of ambient temperature. It gets the oil flowing through the incredibly fine tolerance oilways and galleries of any modern engine very quickly. This is important for reducing wear at starting, when the engine is very cold (compared with normal operating temperature ... ).

Unfortunately, 0W-20 is really only going to adequately lubricate the engine up to around 80°F ambient temperature. After that, its viscosity cannot increase further (as will that of a 5W-30 or 5W-40 oil). This leads to blow by of oil past the rings, valve guides etc, as well as potentially excessive engine wear. Your engine will also use plenty of oil ...

You will save a minute amount of money on fuel, while wrecking the very expensive engine!

I would replace the oil immediately with a high quality fully synthetic oil such as Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 (or equivalent 5W-30 or 5W-40), and see how that goes.
 
tempo said:
US Manual :
0W20 full synthetic oil should to be used
5W30 conventional may be used if 0W20 not available , but should to be switched to 0W20 during next oil change
Click to expand...

There's no way someone in Texas should be using the same oil as in a northern state, so I'd think of this as a guide only. But perhaps a cold starting viscosity of 0W should be used, ie, 0W30 or 0W40, to ensure maximum protection at startup.

Remember, as much engine wear occurs in the 1st 2minutes as in the next 200kms

after researching i found out that 0W20 oil is the problem (in most cases)
and not only in Subarus (Toyota Camry as well) and more:
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro...sees-oil-vanish-from-some-test-cars/index.htm
Click to expand...

Our latest car drinking oil is our $105,000 2012 Porsche Panamera, which is consuming a quart of 0W-40 motor oil about every 2,000 miles. With a 10,000 mile oil change interval, that's five quarts of synthetic oil (at about $8 per) in between oil changes ..... When we talked to Porsche about this, they said this usage was within spec.
Click to expand...

This writer bought the Consumer Reports 2008 Volkswagen Eos test car and kept it for five years. The whole time, it used a quart of equally expensive 0W-20 motor oil every 1,200 miles .... I was told that the VW spec for this engine was, exactly a quart every 1,200 miles.
Click to expand...

Even Japanese cars known for their reliability have lately been burning oil. When I took our 2012 Subaru Impreza to Boston for a weekend, it dropped down a quart on my way back, prompting a late-night search for more 0W-20 weight oil.
Click to expand...

From this article, it seems regular oil consumption may be normal for the new range of engines.

There is no harm in using a 0W30 or 0W40, but a 5W30 may not give adequate startup protection. Until more is known, I'd play it safe & use a 0W30 full synthetic. A thicker oil can be used at anytime, even added to the lighter oil
 
^ Gidday NL

What's very interesting is that on the next page of the 2012 Owner's Manual (Yes, I have downloaded it, and all the other OMs from 2000 to 2102 ... ), it recommends using 5W-30 fully synthetic oil for the turbo engine!

Now then, the N/A engine is not different from the turbo engine as far as the oil ways and bearing clearances are concerned ... Certainly there are no differences at start up, as the turbo donk only becomes different after running for a very short time.

I also note that the 2012 OM also mentions that 5W-40 mineral oil can be used if the recommended oil is not available. But should be changed to the recommended oil at the next oil change.

All of this tells me that one can happily use 5W-30 fully synthetic in the FB N/A 2.5L engine, and it is what I would recommend for winter use in places that are (far) colder than California generally is. Perhaps a 0W-30 in winter if you live somewhere really, really cold! It also suggests to me that 5W-40 fully synthetic is probably a good choice for summer running, or even all year round in the warmer parts of the USA.

It appears that about the only oils one should avoid with this car are the mineral oils ... or really heavy oils such as 10W-40 or 20W-50.
 
Gidday Pigs

Also interesting is that the OMs for our SH & SG both recommend 0W-20 for the 2.5L N/A EJ-253 engines!!

5W-30 and 5W-40 are listed as approved for both N/A engines.

As with Tempo's 2012, the turbo oil recommended is one grade up!

I note that all three OMs state that one should use a more viscous grade if operating in hot conditions (for Oz, read "luke warm" :rotfl:).

NO WAY would I even contemplate using an oil as light as 0W-20 in any car in this country! Never. Not ever!

The OMs go on to state that one should consider using 10W-40 or 20W-50 in extreme conditions ... This makes a mockery of the 0W-20 "recommended" grade of oil, IMNSHO.
 
Except oil consumption , why 0w20 is not "good" choice , if manufacturer recommend it...
 
Gidday Tempo

For "ordinary" temperatures between -30 to +100 degrees F, 0W-20 is thin enough for the lower temperature (so is 5W-40!), but it is far too thin for over about 75-80 deg. F, IMO.

Until we got the SG and SH Foresters, I have never used an oil thinner than 10W-40 here in Australia.

For ambient temperatures of well over 100F that we routinely get here in summer, a 5W-30 or preferably a 5W-40 oil is far preferable to the "recommended" 0W-20.

As you wrote, the Russian and EU markets specify 5W-30 for your car!
 
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