Opinions on Subaru fb engines and oil weight?

[crainholio]

The 2011 Forester at my last job seemed to leak more than it burned, leaky valve covers and/or cam plates. Paid to have them fixed once at ~120K miles, stopped the leak until ~160K miles, still used approximately 1/2 quart every 1500 miles while the leaks were stopped. I'd say it was a junky engine, but the vehicle was still running without issue (other than the driver adding oil) at 210K miles when I changed jobs.

 

[Voleak]

I am stoked on how smooth my Crosstrek runs on Kendall GT-1 Max 5W30. For example, if I am accelerating hard, peddle to the metal up a hill, all I hear is the whining of the CVT, where as before I would hear clattering in the engine. Not even the Castrol Edge 5W30 I used just prior to the Kendall could smooth out the engine so nicely. And at $14.95 for 5 qts. it seems to good to be true, so will have to wait and see what a UOA reports after 7K miles. Fingers crossed that Kendall is taking as good of care of the engine as it sounds so far.

 

[T-Stick]

I have successfully run 0w-20/5w-20 Castrol Magnatec and EP and 0w-20 Mobil 1 EP. 5w-30 Havoline and Castrol Magnatec. All of these were smooth and used virtually no oil. Might try the Kendall next based on the example above.

 

[IMPALA08]

My last oil change. I used half 0w 20 and 5w 30 Valvoline synpower. I sent it to blacksone. Subaru manual it says 3750 or 4 months whichever comes first. I did 2800 miles in 4 months. Great report Blackstone says leave it in till 5k and check again. The milage was lots of short trips over the winter. Oil in now is RP 0w20, after that I have a stash of Mobil 1 0w20.

 

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted by IMPALA08
My last oil change. I used half 0w 20 and 5w 30 Valvoline synpower. I sent it to blacksone. Subaru manual it says 3750 or 4 months whichever comes first. I did 2800 miles in 4 months. Great report Blackstone says leave it in till 5k and check again. The milage was lots of short trips over the winter. Oil in now is RP 0w20, after that I have a stash of Mobil 1 0w20.

FB oil burning issues aside, and despite short trips falling under the severe service oci, I don't believe that I have ever seen a uoa on n/a Subaru that shows that a car needed to follow the severe service internal whether it was 3k miles or 3,750 miles.

 

[IMPALA08]

Bluesubi, I have to agree with you. Ever post I've seen for Subaru and uao show great reports. I may leave this in for 7000 miles no matter how long it takes.

 

[sw99]

We are at 38K on the 18' OB and zero consumption so far.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by sw99
We are at 38K on the 18' OB and zero consumption so far.

Are you keeping your oil and viscosity a secret?
What's under your hood sir?