Why not? I don't see anything wrong with it.
Blue Smoke 2004 WRX
- Thread starter scoobdude
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If the car has been beat on, the dealer is probably going to find out if the computer stores rpm history, etc and then well, you're on your own to get it fixed irregardless if the engine was actually defective or not. I've yet to see a WRX that wasn't driven hard.
As long as it hasn't been overreved, they can't deny a claim just because an engine has been run hard or frequently run near redline can they? After all, it was Subaru who decided how much the engine can take, and put the redline where it is.quote:
Originally posted by 99:
If the car has been beat on, the dealer is probably going to find out if the computer stores rpm history, etc and then well, you're on your own to get it fixed irregardless if the engine was actually defective or not. I've yet to see a WRX that wasn't driven hard.Not that that's a bad thing at all.....
ok guys,
its usualy close to 100 here so 20-50 is what i have chosen to run. plus thicker oil drains slower so it stays on the cylinder walls longer and in the bearing and journals longer between start ups (also leaving a thicker film behind). in addition to that i have a turbo wich glows several times a day due to hard running of the car. this turbo adds even more heat and thins the oil further. this means i will have some what better protection as the temps rise ( both ambient and underhood). thanks for your input though
in regards to go to the dealership, the car has been modified and i have chosen not to have them touch my car except in cases of a/c, body, interior and anything else i have not touched. I believe in the pay to play and don't feel like paying an overly priced amount to have them tear something down to tell me its gonna cost my other arm and leg to rebuild. I have already had to go though this with my transmission. Thanks for the input on that subject though.
turbo smoking is not something that is seen often. however the 04s seem to have this problem more often than previous years. I think its cause its a mitsubishi turbo (subaru joke). I already have another turbo ready to go on, so i am not worried about it. i left the motor stock for 20K miles before i modded it to let the bearings, rings, and everything else show their flaws before i went to far. but again, i believe in you have to pay to play.
In regards to Subaru dening my warranty, they do not support their product liek they should (even without modifications). I have chosen a differnt path to maintain my cars except as noted above as those are irrelevent to any part of the car i will/have touched. ie. i will not ask them to replace my struts as i have swapped my springs...they are still factory (STi) springs, but i know the harder springs will/can destroy my struts. This is just the way i feel however and should not be considered a fact.
I have done a UOA and even asked the same specific question. my UOA actually came out quite nice (with the 10-40) so if it was a bad ring, (valve seal is questionable due to motor design), or anything else besides the turbo there would more than likely be higher number of metal particles. plus anything else would make the smoke more consistant
the smoking occured usually at idle but only once per start up (meaning once i start the car it will only smoke once the whole time the car is running, but does not smoke on start up). just a couple big puffs then gone. it also seemed to have started right after (and i mean same day) as i changed to that oil (10-40). the smoking after 5-15 seconds would be completely gone and seemed irrelevant to temperature, recent driving style, idle time or anything else. also did show up on start up
in regards to time of ownsership: i bought it with 12 miles and currently has over 40K miles.
one more interesting note is since i upgraded the ecu to a cobb stage 2 it seems to have help cut down on the smoke. I believe this may have been caused by higher pressures in the turbo housing causing the seals to stay closed and/or the higher velocity evacuating the leaked oil faster.
so the questions still remains:
Is 20-50 a band aid
. we may never know, but it does seem to work...for me.
If there is anything you guys find in any of my statement that does not make sense please feel free to discuss as i am here to learn just as mush as you guys.
thanks
Joe
[ May 11, 2005, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: scoobdude ]
its usualy close to 100 here so 20-50 is what i have chosen to run. plus thicker oil drains slower so it stays on the cylinder walls longer and in the bearing and journals longer between start ups (also leaving a thicker film behind). in addition to that i have a turbo wich glows several times a day due to hard running of the car. this turbo adds even more heat and thins the oil further. this means i will have some what better protection as the temps rise ( both ambient and underhood). thanks for your input though
in regards to go to the dealership, the car has been modified and i have chosen not to have them touch my car except in cases of a/c, body, interior and anything else i have not touched. I believe in the pay to play and don't feel like paying an overly priced amount to have them tear something down to tell me its gonna cost my other arm and leg to rebuild. I have already had to go though this with my transmission. Thanks for the input on that subject though.
turbo smoking is not something that is seen often. however the 04s seem to have this problem more often than previous years. I think its cause its a mitsubishi turbo (subaru joke). I already have another turbo ready to go on, so i am not worried about it. i left the motor stock for 20K miles before i modded it to let the bearings, rings, and everything else show their flaws before i went to far. but again, i believe in you have to pay to play.
In regards to Subaru dening my warranty, they do not support their product liek they should (even without modifications). I have chosen a differnt path to maintain my cars except as noted above as those are irrelevent to any part of the car i will/have touched. ie. i will not ask them to replace my struts as i have swapped my springs...they are still factory (STi) springs, but i know the harder springs will/can destroy my struts. This is just the way i feel however and should not be considered a fact.
I have done a UOA and even asked the same specific question. my UOA actually came out quite nice (with the 10-40) so if it was a bad ring, (valve seal is questionable due to motor design), or anything else besides the turbo there would more than likely be higher number of metal particles. plus anything else would make the smoke more consistant
the smoking occured usually at idle but only once per start up (meaning once i start the car it will only smoke once the whole time the car is running, but does not smoke on start up). just a couple big puffs then gone. it also seemed to have started right after (and i mean same day) as i changed to that oil (10-40). the smoking after 5-15 seconds would be completely gone and seemed irrelevant to temperature, recent driving style, idle time or anything else. also did show up on start up
in regards to time of ownsership: i bought it with 12 miles and currently has over 40K miles.
one more interesting note is since i upgraded the ecu to a cobb stage 2 it seems to have help cut down on the smoke. I believe this may have been caused by higher pressures in the turbo housing causing the seals to stay closed and/or the higher velocity evacuating the leaked oil faster.
so the questions still remains:
Is 20-50 a band aid
If there is anything you guys find in any of my statement that does not make sense please feel free to discuss as i am here to learn just as mush as you guys.
thanks
Joe
[ May 11, 2005, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: scoobdude ]
I don't see anything wrong with the 20W-50. With a more powerful engine and warmer temps, I prefer to use a higher weight for protection.
I have read on another forum that turbocharged boxer engines are a little quirky in that they can blow blue smoke occasionally at startup. I wouldn't worry unless this happened all the time and/or under aggressive throttle.
I have read on another forum that turbocharged boxer engines are a little quirky in that they can blow blue smoke occasionally at startup. I wouldn't worry unless this happened all the time and/or under aggressive throttle.
I know the OP said Amsoil, but it's my understanding that the reason for a 20W-50 at higher ambient temps is because the oil will thin out with the corresponding higher oil temps and may be beyond a reasonable absolute viscosity limit. However - shouldn't a synthetic oil by definition have a shallower viscosity drop past "normal" operating temps?
I would have thought the STi would have an water-cooled oil cooler.
It does.
the wrx also does. however its not very big.
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