2022+ Subaru WRX FA24F Oil Strategy

[Roberts9156]

How’s this for an oil strategy for a 2022+ Subaru WRX FA24F? (Daily driver, all climates, OCI <5000 miles. Not interested in boutique oils):

Under Warranty - Pennzoil Ultra Platinum (PUP) 0w-20
After Warranty - Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30
At High Mileage for a few changes - Valvoline Restore and Protect 0W-20

(Did I get my BITOG wings?)

 

[grabgears6]

How’s this for an oil strategy for a 2022+ Subaru WRX FA24F? (Daily driver, all climates, OCI <5000 miles. Not interested in boutique oils):

Under Warranty - Pennzoil Ultra Platinum (PUP) 0w-20
After Warranty - Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30
At High Mileage for a few changes - Valvoline Restore and Protect 0W-20

(Did I get my BITOG wings?)

IMHO cut your OCI`s to 3k-3500. Use OEM Roki filters. Subaru/Idemitsu oil is ok to use during warranty, but if you wanted to upgrade based on daily driving or summer heat, and since you mentioned the above oils, take a look at MOTUL. Talk to the guys at SubiMods, they also have complete oil service kits. < is what I have in my 24 WRX and under warranty. Keep reciepts. FWIW Just my 2 cents.

 

[DCDG]

You can run any OW-20 on a daily driven 5,000 mile oci. I would go for sales buy in bulk even Kirkland's Signature Full Synthetic or Super Tech will get you there. Will and testament on Kirkland my wife's new Rogue was in for a severe engine recall and after Nissan's report and ECU reprogram we got a clean bill of health she doesn't need a replacement engine.

 

[GW.]

Personally I’d run ESP 0W-30 starting now.

 

[grabgears6]

S

Thread '2025 WRX help me choose an oil and weight'

Nov 20, 2025

Good day all.... I have not been on here in sometime and I am in need of some help on choosing an oil/weight for a new 2025 WRX I added to my fleet. I have never really balked much at going up a weight in viscosity in any of my cars until now and not sure why my hesitation. This is my first Turbo car and a first in the direct injected stuff also. I see this motor tends to fuel dilute pretty good and 0w/20 doesn't make me feel to warm and fuzzy. Then there is the warranty aspect and it seems Subaru dealers are ever more strict on these guidelines. So do I stay a 20 weight? or go to a 5w/30...

• Swifty
• Replies: 111
• Forum: Passenger Car Motor Oil (PCMO) - Gasoline Vehicles

 

[randomhero439]

If I was in your shoes, I would just stick with a favorite top shelf 0w-20 API/ILSAC oil and an OEM filter. Change at 5K or once a year.

Also always use Top Tier fuel, and prioritize name-brand fuels like Shell, BP, Mobil, Chevron, and Marathon which have bespoke fuel additives.

 

[Bishoptf]

I have a 2016 wrx and from day one have been using any 5w-30 euro oil and the tokyo roki filters at 5k oci and uoa on almost every change and at 85K and things have been good. I assume the new spec is 0w-20 for the newer engine, but I can say from experience that fuel dilution is common and that 20w resource conserving oil will shear down pretty quickly. What I found was the euro oil was pretty decent and still had life at 5k even with the fuel dilution issues. I think Castrol makes a euro 20w oil and that is probably what I would run while under warranty and would probably bump that up to 5w-30 euro after the warranty ends, just my .02.

 

[VolkswagenFox21]

If you want to run 0w-20 under warranty I would suggest looking at Castrol Edge Euro 0w-20 M. You get the benefit of various euro certs while also being an actual API SQ and GF-7A oil. Total has a similar oil with some long, weird name that I can't remember. Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w-20 is the one people like on this forum, but it's not API/Ilsac if you care about that sort of thing.

After warranty ESP 0w-30 seems like a good choice, though you don't need to restrict yourself to just that. Castrol 0w30, 0w40 and Mobil 1 0w40 are also all very good.

Personally, I'd just use Mobil 1 0w40 right from the start paired with a Tokyo Roki oil filter.

 

[Titan]

Personally I’d run ESP 0W-30 starting now.

2024 Forester here, ESP 0w30 doesn't burn off like the Subaru 0w20, Mobil 1 0w20, or Pennzoil 0w20 that I tried. Sticking with Mobil 1 ESP Ow30 mainly for that reason, plus I all the info I can gather leads me to conclude that ESP 0w30 is a superior lubricant package.

 

[bluesubie]

(Did I get my BITOG wings?)

Unfortunately not. If you read the forum rules, you can only earn your BITOG wings if you run a thicker oil than recommended while you’re still under warranty.

 

[Rand]

I own one of these and I'd use a 5w30 or 0w30 if not a euro spec oil 5w30/0w30

5000 max oci. expect 5+% fuel dilution in winter if you short trip and live in an actual winter location

0w20's fall out of grade within 3000-4000 miles.. due to fuel dilution.

most of these replies are obviously people who don't know your car or engine.. take advice with care.

here is a link to oil analysis I posted.
first one was Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30
second was Mobil 1 ESP 0w30

note different seasons, oils, and other variables between the 2.

Thread 'Mobil 1 ESP 0w30 3955miles; 2024 Subaru Outback xt FA24F'

Dec 15, 2025

Oil was in use 4 months AUG-DEC 3955 miles.
Sees 1 mile(each way) commute with some longer drives.. about 1000 miles a month.
Directly before this sample was 120mile trip. Changed it still hot.

Still New to oil analyzers as you can see by the odd formatting due to user error.
Had to edit the oil info as it had the old oil (Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30) still listed.

I did not do analysis for my spring/summer interval which is the gap in mileage.
I may do next spring as I'd like a direct comparison winter interval for ESP vs Last year's winter interval Mobil 1 Extended...

• Rand
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Used Oil Analysis - Gasoline

• 

 

[Rand]

Here is the master used oil analysis thread on subaruoutback.org
https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/used-oil-analysis-uoa-reports-for-gen-6-ob.528047/

 

[Roberts9156]

Thank you everyone for the advice. I’m convinced I should go higher than 20 to protect against fuel dilution. For 5W-30 considerations, does anyone believe Liqui Moly’s statements that at 0C in startup that it will take 2.8s for 0W and 8s for 5W to reach all parts of the engine? Just wondering about offsets in wear due to cold startups.

https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/pr...ECy5LgITVoIevFUwGxUhoBUYL2UzDL-feM4nTipb2uDWp

 

[Rand]

Thank you everyone for the advice. I’m convinced I should go higher than 20 to protect against fuel dilution. For 5W-30 considerations, does anyone believe Liqui Moly’s statements that at 0C in startup that it will take 2.8s for 0W and 8s for 5W to reach all parts of the engine? Just wondering about offsets in wear due to cold startups.

https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/pr...ECy5LgITVoIevFUwGxUhoBUYL2UzDL-feM4nTipb2uDWp

I think that is a poor source of information.
maybe at -30C but not 0C

I dont see how their numbers could possibly be right for 32F

a 0w30 euro such as Mobil 1 Extended Performance with greater than 3.5 HT/HS would be significantly different from a 0w20

and some 5w30 oils might be thinner than 0w30 oils at 32f its not that cold a temperature.

Liqui moly is ok to good oil and king of marketing.

That is clearly an article by someone from marketing IMO. Oversimplified and incorrect.

 

[kschachn]

I think that is a poor source of information.
maybe at -30C but not 0C

I dont see how their numbers could possibly be right for 32F

a 0w30 euro such as Mobil 1 Extended Performance with greater than 3.5 HT/HS would be significantly different from a 0w20

and some 5w30 oils might be thinner than 0w30 oils at 32f its not that cold a temperature.

Liqui moly is ok to good oil and king of marketing.

That is clearly an article by someone from marketing IMO. Oversimplified and incorrect.

The great misunderstanding of what a winter rating means, does not mean, and when.

And how oil pumps work.

 

[Roberts9156]

Not that anyone should care… but so far I’ve decided to stick with my strategy, other than will do 5W-30 (instead of 0W-20) Valvoline Restore and Protect in the distant future (if still the best piston cleaning oil).

While I’m pretty convinced Mobil 1 ESP 0w-30 is one of the best non-boutique oils, I’m hesitant to risk warranty. Pennzoil Ultra Platinum still seems like a very good oil being GTL based, shear stable, officially API SP/SQ certified, and nicely at the higher end of a 20 weight oil (8.8 cst). Plan to keep OCI to about 4K miles.

It feels like a wild card may be if the damage in the Middle East refineries leads to negative formulation changes (along with oil technology continuing to evolve).

 

[facility1]

just run Pennzoil ultra platinum 0w-20 in winter if it gets real cold out or 5w-30 in warmer temps,the Mobil 1 ESP in a euro oil for euro specs why be a crowd follower just because someone else says so ??,. there is no advantage over Pennzoil Ultra Platinum. there are many other choices over Mobil ESP

 

[Japanese]

Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w-20 is the one people like on this forum, but it's not API/ILSAC if you care about that sort of thing.

What is this about?
That oil covers both API and ILSAC, plus Dexos1 Gen3 as well.
Not sure if it's still the favorite on here.

 

[VolkswagenFox21]

What is this about?
That oil covers both API and ILSAC, plus Dexos1 Gen3 as well.
Not sure if it's still the favorite on here.

Oops. I meant ESP X2. Don't know why I wrote EP.

 

[Japanese]

Oops. I meant ESP X2. Don't know why I wrote EP.

However, Mobil 1 ESP x2 0W-20 is Dexos D rated.