Best High-Mileage 0W-20 for Oil Consumption? (updated at post 64)

[The Critic]

Neighbor's Subaru FB25 takes 0W-20 and is an oil burner. We are open to trying different brands of high-mileage synthetic 0W-20.

Has anyone found a particular brand to be less susceptible to oil consumption?

 

[MParr]

The VW 508.00/509.00 is supposedly geared toward less consumption.

 

[rob1715]

I've had good success with Penn Plat 5w20 and 5w30 not burning. Ultra plat might be a good option as well. The NOACK on the PP is pretty good, so I can only presume the 0w20 would be good.

 

[tig1]

Most likely the nature of the engine. My Fords never use oil with 20wt oil.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

It probably depends more on the engine than on the oil.

You'll probably have better luck with a HM 0w20

 

[wwillson]

Maybe try HPL's HD 5w-20, I have experience with it in my Durango. Consumption with any other oil was about 1qt/10,000 miles. With HPL HD 5w-20 consumption is zero.

I don't know the difference in Noack volatility between the 0w-20 and 5w-20, but maybe Dave @High Performance Lubricants can chime in.

 

[wpod]

5W-30 high mileage oil.

 

[nobb]

I don't think I've ever run into a high mileage oil that's ever made a noticeable difference. I have a Ford 3.0 Vulcan which consumes ~1L every 5000 km and have tried different oils such as 5W30/0W20/5W20 Pennzoil Platinum, and now switched to 0W20 Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage. No difference.

 

[nitehawk]

Why not try a 0 or 5W30 ? It's not going to hurt anything.

 

[The Critic]

Maybe try HPL's HD 5w-20, I have experience with it in my Durango. Consumption with any other oil was about 1qt/10,000 miles. With HPL HD 5w-20 consumption is zero.

I don't know the difference in Noack volatility between the 0w-20 and 5w-20, but maybe Dave @High Performance Lubricants can chime in.

Not a bad idea, but the owner feels more comfortable with a major-brand.

5W-30 high mileage oil.

Why not try a 0 or 5W30 ? It's not going to hurt anything.

Owner only wants to use the OEM specified viscosity.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I wonder if a 5W20 would burn less vs a 0W20?

 

[Ignatius]

Not a bad idea, but the owner feels more comfortable with a major-brand.

Owner only wants to use the OEM specified viscosity.

I just traded in a 2018 Outback that had the FB25B engine and began having an oil consumption issue after 60,000 miles (it was at 113,606 at the time of the trade). I tried all sorts of different 0w20 oils as well as 5w20 and 5w30, nothing made much difference and I just accepted that this was the way it was going to be. 5000 miles is what I had to reduce my OCI to.

Castrol HM 0w20 is what I would recommend using.

 

[kschachn]

If one is completely invested in sticking with a 0W-20 then it’s hard to make a better argument than trying a VW 508 00 oil as has as already been suggested. But you’re going to pay for it.

 

[wpod]

Not a bad idea, but the owner feels more comfortable with a major-brand.




Owner only wants to use the OEM specified viscosity.

Explain that the W-30 would be the better choice to reduce the oil consumption.

 

[Imp4]

Unfortunately there's just not any good comparative data out there on this.
You'll hear many chime in with personal anecdotes and/or preferences but nothing you can actually rely on.

I believe this is because the characteristics and input factors that result in oil consumption are highly impacted by the particular engine itself. Therefore oil 'A' or oil 'B' may perform very differently from a consumption perspective in different engines.

Good luck!!!

 

[bbhero]

In my lady's 98 Camry Motorcraft 5w30 burned the least... 1/2 a qt in 3,200 miles.

Federated Auto full synthetic 5w30 was 1 qt and 1/3 in 3,000 miles.

Warren Oil synthetic blend was 1 qt and 3/4 in 3,200 miles.

Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic was 1 qt and 1/3 in 3,400 miles.

Different oils can have different results in the same motor.

This is a situation where someone with the same exact motor who has tried a good number of different oils would be the person or people that have a good idea what could work in this particular motor.

 

[The Critic]

Castrol HM 0w20 is what I would recommend using.

Is there a particular reason for this recommendation?

 

[The Critic]

Ordered him a 5-qt jug of Valvoline High Mileage Full Synthetic w/Maxlife technology. Reasons:

1) Major brand
2) Dexos 1 Gen 2 licensed, so seal compatibility should not be an issue and volatility must be below 13%.
3) On rollback to $21.57

 

[Slick3914]

What year is the Subaru?

 

[Silver]

I've found that M1 HM 0W20 is the thickest of the 20W's (even thicker than 5W20's) at op temp according to specs. Oddly, it's also one of the thinnest at cold temp. I've got nothing to say beyond listing this interesting data I saw.