M1 SS 5W-30 '02 Subaru Forester

[UberWRX]

Hi, everyone. I'd love to get some feedback on my wife's car.

Thanks!

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Oil Brand/Weight: Mobil1 SS 5W-30
Type Equipment : 2002 Subaru Forester
Oil Filter: Purolator PureOne
Total Miles : 24,677
Miles on oil : 3515
Interval: Just shy of 4 months
Make-up oil added: 0 qts
Lab: Blackstone Labs
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Aluminum 4
Chromium 2
Iron 11
Copper 9
Lead 2
Tin 3
Moly 27
Nickel 0
Manganese 0
Silver 0
Titanium 0
Potassium 0
Boron 75
Silicon 10
Sodium 6
Calcium 2508
Magnesium 461
Phosphorus 887
Zinc 978
Barium 0
................................
Sus viscosity @ 210F 58.1
Flashpoint in F 375
Fuel % Antifreeze 0.0
Water % 0.0
Insolubles 0.5
.............................
Comments:
Universal averages show typical wear metals for an oil from this type of engine after a routine oil run. Your oil was in use 3515 miles, just short of an average oil use run for this type of engine, and we found all wear at around average levels except for copper and tin, which comes from bronze parts. These metals aren't high enough to show an immediate problem, but you will want to monitor them. The oil use interval was okay. Use it again in the next sample for another look at copper and tin.

 

[buster]

I'd say this is an OK report. Not much to really say. Any TBN #?

 

[Patman]

Lead is good but iron is a bit disappointing. I'm used to seeing Subaru reports on here with almost no wear metals at all over a 3-5k interval.

 

[UberWRX]

quote:

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Originally posted by buster:
I'd say this is an OK report. Not much to really say. Any TBN #?

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Sorry, no TBN #.

In defense of this report, I'll provide a little more info as to how this car is normally driven.

To work--round trip--is about 10 miles with occasional stop-and-go for light traffic, and sometimes getting caught at the light. There are many short trips (>2 miles) just about everyday. If we're lucky, we'll take a longer trip with decent highway mileage about once or twice every two weeks or so.

It's also worth pointing out that as of this change, I've decided to switch to synthetic oil. Prior to that, we just had the car serviced at the local dealership where they use dino Valvoline.

So, I'm hoping some of the wear #'s are due to clean-up; realizing that the car's normal duty is pretty rough.

Off-topic: Sometime soon, I'll be posting the results of running Red Line 5W-40 in my '02 Subaru WRX.

 

[Al]

Well it would be nice to see a TBN. I'm sure the M1 10W-30 would do better. Moly is awful low-makes me wonder if it isn't being used up.

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by Al:
Well it would be nice to see a TBN. I'm sure the M1 10W-30 would do better. Moly is awful low-makes me wonder if it isn't being used up.

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Dumb question...

Used up? Where could the moly go? Is it possible it's just adhering to assorted surfaces leaving less in the oil?

 

[friendly_jacek]

Uber,
I don't know about moly, but recently I tested oil in 00 Sub Legacy with the same engine. My Fe and Cu were almost identical at 3000 m in mostly short trip city driving. I used 5W40 Rotella synth though. Not perfect but OK for this hard service IMHO. Some people with better numbers may do mostly highway driving.

 

[UberWRX]

friendly,

Yeah, there's little doubt that the short trips really take their toll on oil.

Per Blackstone Labs' recommendation, I plan to take the next oil change to the same mileage/time interval and perform another UOA; this time with TBN #. Like I mentioned before, I'm hoping some of the numbers were due to clean up.

Since you have the same engine in your '00 Legacy, I was just curious what octane you're using. The reason I ask is because I've noticed some definite pinging in my wife's Forester. Mostly, we've been using BP's 87 and 89 octanes, but I'm thinking we may have to upgrade to 93. Also, BP is just about the only major brand we have around here; the other is Speedway: s-k-i-p!

I've read on some Subaru forums where other Forester owners have experienced engine ping, too. Engine resets don't seem to clear the problem, and the dealerships don't appear to be much help either.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Uber,
Regular 87 octane. No definitive pinging in mine. Even with heavy load (towing). Acctually, it is my wife's car, too.

 

[G-MAN]

Something is wrong here. Are you sure this was ALL SuperSyn? Lots of magnesium, very little boron, and very little moly. I'd say you put one or two quarts of TriSyn in with some SuperSyn when you changed the oil.

 

[Bror Jace]

jsharp, yes, that's called uptake ... or (part of) the additive package is getting "used up."

UberDude, I wouldn't read too much into this report. Some cleaning may be going on ... and the additive package really got a work out with that moly being only 27.

Next one should be more significant. Don't wait too long before the next change. I assume you're sticking to the same interval?

--- Bror Jace

 

[UberWRX]

Bror: Yes, I'll be sticking to the same interval: ~3500 miles/4 months.

G-Man II: I wondered the same thing, too, but all SuperSyn was used; no, Tri-Syn.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by UberWRX:
G-Man II: I wondered the same thing, too, but all SuperSyn was used; no, Tri-Syn. [/B]

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Something was up at the bottling facility, then. To my knowledge, the SS formula has never had any magnesium in it. I think some TriSyn must have gotten bottled as SuperSyn.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by G-Man II:

quote:

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Originally posted by UberWRX:
G-Man II: I wondered the same thing, too, but all SuperSyn was used; no, Tri-Syn.

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Something was up at the bottling facility, then. To my knowledge, the SS formula has never had any magnesium in it. I think some TriSyn must have gotten bottled as SuperSyn. [/B]

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You are somewhat correct, SuperSyn has a tiny bit of magnesium. 3MP's got two virgin samples of it on his page now, one was at 18ppm, the other at 25ppm. Strangely enough, his magnesium levels are higher in the used samples, it's at 49ppm as of the last sample. Interestingly, you can see how SS has been tweaked, it's got more calcium now and almost double the boron! I wonder if they are reading this site? (although if they were they'd probably have added more moly too, and made a few other tweaks)

 

[buster]

quote:

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I wonder if they are reading this site?

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I sent them the link to 3MP's study. I know, I'm nuts but I thought is was funny.

Hey, they have been tweaking with the formula lately.

Your average person know very, very little about oil and with this site, educating many people, companies won't be able to get over on the customers anymore with vague generalizations about how superior there oil is...example, Amsoil and Mobil 1. Both claim in some form there superiority. The more informed we are, thanks to Bob, the more likely they will have to stay up to par.

[ July 13, 2003, 03:09 PM: Message edited by: buster ]