Pennzoil Synthetic 0W20, 4,015 miles, 2021 Subaru Forester Limited 2.5L (FB25 DOHC DI)

[Bellavita]

Hello BITOG Community,
Attached is my used oil analysis.

The Blackstone Universal Averages are for 6,100 miles.
Oil Service time - 6 months
Time of Year - March through August
Driving Conditions - 90% highway, mostly 20 minute trips
Oil Filter - Fram Tough Guard

As always I most appreciate all your good comments and insights.

 

[fantastic]

Things are settling in on your subaru limited. Si has some time yet to come down. Good report! Are you going to use the Fram TG again?

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

I don’t like the fuel dilution and decreased viscosity here. Doesn’t look like it’s causing too much wear yet but I’d be going to a 30 weight if I were you.

 

[Bellavita]

Things are settling in on your subaru limited. Si has some time yet to come down. Good report! Are you going to use the Fram TG again?

Thank you Fantastic. Yes, a new Fram TG7317 went on with the oil change.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Report looks fine, there’s plenty of fuel though. Personally I’d either shorten OCIs to keep viscosity >7, or go to a 30 grade oil. This will ensure a long happy life for your new-ish Boxer!

 

[JavierH19]

Metals look ok. Walmart sells M1 afe 0w-30 for $27 which is no problem for Wisconsin winters. It would be a 0w-20 after dilution.

 

[Bellavita]

Report looks fine, there’s plenty of fuel though. Personally I’d either shorten OCIs to keep viscosity >7, or go to a 30 grade oil. This will ensure a long happy life for your new-ish Boxer!

Thank you for the feedback! You and another member recommended going to a 30W. The car is spec'd for 0W-20. Is 0W-30 the recommendation? I'll also take a brand recommendation if you have one.

 

[Bellavita]

Metals look ok. Walmart sells M1 afe 0w-30 for $27 which is no problem for Wisconsin winters. It would be a 0w-20 after dilution.

Thank you for your insight JavierH19!

 

[fantastic]

Thank you for the feedback! You and another member recommended going to a 30W. The car is spec'd for 0W-20. Is 0W-30 the recommendation? I'll also take a brand recommendation if you have one.

If it's under warranty stick to an oil that has the Subaru Specification.

 

[Bellavita]

If it's under warranty stick to an oil that has the Subaru Specification.

Prudent advice Fantastic. In March 2024 the 3 year warranty is up. I'll try the 0w-30 then. Thank you.

 

[JRHAWK9]

Keep in mind Blackstone under reports fuel dilution, so chances are you have much more fuel dilution than what they are stating, especially with viscosity being lower.

FYI, I switched my '21 Crosstrek FB25 to HPL 5w30 at around 12,000 miles.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Looks fine. Viscosity is what matters regardless of the amount of fuel.

 

[Artem]

Metals look ok. Walmart sells M1 afe 0w-30 for $27 which is no problem for Wisconsin winters. It would be a 0w-20 after dilution.

M1 AFE will be down to a 20 spec all by itself from just normal use, before fuel dilution even sets in. what a terrible oil. I stopped looking at it almost 10 years ago after seeing it out of spec in my analysis.

If it's under warranty stick to an oil that has the Subaru Specification.

Why do seasoned “Bob’s” still spew this sissy garbage? Absolutely nothing bad is going to happen if the OP runs a 5w30 in there.

The manufacturers engine warranty covers factory defects and couldn’t care less about the oil type or spec.

If the engine is defective, no oil will save it.

If the engine has a poor design, no oil will save it.

Running a better oil, right off the bat, which the engine is fresh and new WILL however, help extend the life of it, vs waiting YEARS and thousands of miles of “potentially extra wear” before FINALLY doing something to address the problem after a magical “warranty period” expires.

 

[fantastic]

M1 AFE will be down to a 20 spec all by itself from just normal use, before fuel dilution even sets in. what a terrible oil. I stopped looking at it almost 10 years ago after seeing it out of spec in my analysis.

Why do seasoned “Bob’s” still spew this sissy garbage? Absolutely nothing bad is going to happen if the OP runs a 5w30 in there.

The manufacturers engine warranty covers factory defects and couldn’t care less about the oil type or spec.

If the engine is defective, no oil will save it.

If the engine has a poor design, no oil will save it.

Running a better oil, right off the bat, which the engine is fresh and new WILL however, help extend the life of it, vs waiting YEARS and thousands of miles of “potentially extra wear” before FINALLY doing something to address the problem after a magical “warranty period” expires.

Sissy Garbage?

Where did I state something bad was going to happen if they ran 5w-30? Nowhere! I said stick to Subaru's SPECIFICATION while under warranty!

Quite frankly the information you spew could very well get someone not covered in an engine failure while under warranty. My advice is Smart.. Period!

I'm quite surprised that a seasoned bob can't discern the difference between me recommending a specification & not a grade of oil!

I'll repeat it again... Stick to the Subaru Oil Specification While Under Warranty.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Sissy Garbage?

Where did I state something bad was going to happen if they ran 5w-30? Nowhere! I said stick to Subaru's SPECIFICATION while under warranty!

Quite frankly the information you spew could very well get someone not covered in an engine failure while under warranty. My advice is Smart.. Period!

I'm quite surprised that a seasoned bob can't discern the difference between me recommending a specification & not a grade of oil!

I'll repeat it again... Stick to the Subaru Oil Specification While Under Warranty.

With fuel dilution, the oil will be a 20 grade in short order most likely. Considering that the oil listed in the manual is a recommendation and not a requirement, as long as the OP is following change intervals there is almost certainly zero risk here.

His only other option is to shorten OCIs, and if I were to hazard a guess it would drop to 3k. That’s cost-ineffective and wasteful when a 30 grade will get him at least 30% more mileage with it.

OP, 0w30 is fine, but unless you’ll have winter starts at -35*F, a 5w30 will be just fine. Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1 EP, Valvoline Advanced, they’re all good and will serve you well.

 

[fantastic]

With fuel dilution, the oil will be a 20 grade in short order most likely. Considering that the oil listed in the manual is a recommendation and not a requirement, as long as the OP is following change intervals there is almost certainly zero risk here.

His only other option is to shorten OCIs, and if I were to hazard a guess it would drop to 3k. That’s cost-ineffective and wasteful when a 30 grade will get him at least 30% more mileage with it.

OP, 0w30 is fine, but unless you’ll have winter starts at -35*F, a 5w30 will be just fine. Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1 EP, Valvoline Advanced, they’re all good and will serve you well.

By that definition a person could run marine 2 stroke oil in their cars... As long as they were changing on time right? They couldn't deny your engine warranty claim b/c it's merely a recommendation? And how is it that oil is a recommendation but the change intervals are not?

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

By that definition a person could run marine 2 stroke oil in their cars... As long as they were changing on time right? And how is it that oil is a recommendation but the change intervals are not?

Now you’re being silly. He obviously needs to follow the certification requirement for minimum oil standards.

Subaru is one of the best known manufacturers for showing a thin grade in the chart for CAFE credits, but then having an asterisk down below that says something to the effect of: “in hotter temperatures or continued high speed driving, a heavier grade oil may be required to maintain engine protection.” Cue: BRZ engine failures on 0w20…

 

[fantastic]

Now you’re being silly. He obviously needs to follow the certification requirement for minimum oil standards.

Subaru is one of the best known manufacturers for showing a thin grade in the chart for CAFE credits, but then having an asterisk down below that says something to the effect of: “in hotter temperatures or continued high speed driving, a heavier grade oil may be required to maintain engine protection.” Cue: BRZ engine failures on 0w20…

I'm Just stating what could happen in the real world if someone didn't think that anything in their manual was needed. "I'll just grab this marine oil jug. I live by the ocean so it should help with salts in the air. My manual was a mere recommendation".

But you're stating my point to certain extent. There are "Certification Requirements for minimum oil Standards". So we went from no big deal to using the word "Requirements". You see how this has developed? Is this warranty requirements across all oem's or just with Subaru?

Does Subaru have an OEM Specification in the manual or do they not do their own oil spec for 2021 Forester Limited's? Based on your all's premise this whole "Recommendation" sounds silly if there's no meaning behind it BUT if that's what it says in your manual then that's what you should follow. That's my point. FOLLOW THE MANUAL

Again.... I've not changed anything. Follow Subaru's Specification if they have one while under warranty. Look inside the auto manual to find what is recommended or required & use it.

I'm not saying to do something outside of what the manual says. Which is great advice while warranty.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Allowing a known problem to persist (fuel dilution) in case an indeterminate, unlikely problem arises that would be negatively affected by the mitigation (warranty denial due to use of 0w30) seems pretty illogical to me, personally.

 

[buster]

Prior gen Mobil 1 would drop out of grade pretty quickly. There could be a reason why though. If they use a low viscosity base oil, and thickened it with a small amount of a "weak" polymer (OCP?), then that's not necessarily a bad thing. This could be what Mobil does, which is why you see it drop out of grade. The Hansen solubility parameter of an oil will be very good as a result especially if they are using AN's, which for prior SN version of Mobil 1 it was suggested they use 10% AN.

The lower the viscosity of the base, the higher the Hansen solubility parameter.

If you use a low-viscosity base, which had to be thickened with a weak polymer, you won't have to add as much of it.

The stronger the polymer, the more it needs to be added.

OCP polymers are unstable, but work strong at low doses to "thicken" from what I read.

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