Which oil next? Experiment on 2018 Outback

[Glenda W.]

Have you checked the PCV valve? Also I'm curious what oil temps you commonly see? I do find with ours it doesn't take much increase over the 1600-2000 cruising rpms to get the oil in the low 220's F
With the dealership 0W20 mystery oil I did see lots of varnish under the fill cap with 6k mile OCI's for the first 8 changes, then I switched to mostly PP Euro 0/5W30 which hasn't removed the varnish that I can see, but is probably better oil I am assuming. I put in 5l and usually seem to drain about 4.4l in a 6-7k mile OCI.
It does get driven fairly hard by my wife, and with the cruise on, it sees a bit of 3k rpm engine braking. I guess in the mountains you could see 4k rpm engine braking for miles at a time if you use the cruise control?
I can't say I've noticed more or less consumption in the 60k miles I've been changing it, but I haven't been recording or measuring carefully.

PCV always changed on time. Summer oil temps over 230.

 

[tired]

good point to notice, Valvoline is fully rated SP,GF6,and dexos gen 3,,find it hard to believe it caused any problems as previously stated in other posts, and many other brands are same rated oils, Rember to use proper oci and you should have no issues with any oil providing its has correct license's and approvals and using correct viscosity's, Mobil 1 is not the only oil on the market that is good.

I think the very thread that you're replying to here is evidence that this isn't always the case. Glenda detailed the car's history in the OP here.

Here is someone running only AMSOIL and HPL and still developed an oil burner.

I'm personally trying to figure out the right answer myself. And I used to believe the same: change your oil every 5k/6 months with an oil meeting the spec in your manual, and you'll be fine. I'm learning here, that's not the case.

 

[ltslimjim]

It will be interesting to see if the consumption remains stable or even improved further on the ESP.

Oil isn’t just oil. Depends on the demands of engine and conditions seen!

Much like there are minimum acceptable levels, maximum allowed standards etc for a specific API test requirement; we only know a passing grade based on approvals. What is not clear is how well an oil does comparatively when stressed based on the approval. Even in specific testing there can be vastly different results, but both get a passing grade. You won’t know if “passing” is “good enough” until it’s stressed past its limits. Design flaws of an engine coupled with severe service conditions are a recipe for finding out how quickly those limits can be reached.

 

[notharry]

M1 EP HM

On our Pacifica, I switch to that in 0w20 from PP 0w20 and saw a significant decrease in oil consumption. It used to use 1qt/4000-5000, after the switch it used 1/2qt over a 10000 interval. The level on the stick didn't even concern me. I wouldn't have believed it from an internet story.

Thread '1st Run of M1 EP HM 0w20 - '17 Pacifica'

Apr 22, 2024

2017 Pacifica
3.6L Pentastar
~104,000 miles currently

Brief history: I have used PP0w20 at OLM intervals (approx 10k) since we got it at around 40/45k. Past life was a rental iirc. Over the last several oil changes, It would use 1qt/5000 miles

Don't remember exactly why I made the change. I think I was kicking around switching from PP 0w20 to HPL 0w20 or 5w20 to see if it would clean up the oil consumption (a stretch I know, but why not experiment when it won't hurt anything). I know I went with 0w20 over 5w20 to not make too many changes at once. So it was just an oil type change, not a...

• racer12306
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Passenger Car Motor Oil (PCMO) - Gasoline Vehicles

• 

Yes Similar results.

 

[Gillsy]

Please!

You haven’t said one word about Das Wunder Oil, also known as Mobil 1 FS 0w-40 possibly contributing to the piston ring deposits!

As expected, anything M-1 on BITOG is worshipped, more especially nowadays with anything labeled with “ESP.”

Until it isn’t! You know, kinda like the Fram Ultra or the Fram Endurance…..!? Suddenly she’s kicked to the curb and there’s a new girlfriend in the picture. Premium Guard!

The reality is your words “not conclusive” and “not prevented, either” demonstrate you have no idea when those piston deposits began.

You say: “…but it wasn’t prevented either.”

Exactly my point. With 58% of the 60k miles run on M-1 FS 0w-40, that M-1 oil did little if nothing to prevent the formation of deposits!

“…..So, the oil is at minimum partially to blame. Preventing deposits? It wasn’t good at in this context, for this vehicle.”

Your words bolded above. And those words apply to your unspoken
M-1 FS 0w-40.

Otherwise, you want several knowledgeable people on BITOG to believe that Valvoline 5w-30 EP, an API SP rated and D1/G3 extended protection full synthetic oil, used five (5) times with 5k mile OCIs, caused the initial formation and accumulation of deposits on the pistons which, in turn, caused that sudden increase in oil consumption?

And God forbid, life was perfect with the M-1 until the Valvoline EP came along, right?

Absent pictures of the pistons and piston rings new, as well as after 35k miles on the M-1, and after 25k miles on the Valvoline EP, your comments are nothing but conjecture and speculation.

And an obvious dislike for Valvoline EP.

seems fitting

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Step 1. Order HPL PCMO 5w30.
Step 2. Receive HPL.
Step 3. Place HPL on garage shelf.
Step 4. Use HPL shelf stock oil for extended OCIs.
Step 5. Enjoy the additional time not spent under the car doing unnecessary oil changes!


Of your two oils, I say ESP as well.

 

[Sienna dude]

Mobil 1 truck and suv 5w30 please

 

[Glenda W.]

A quick update on my second oci of ESP 0W-30 in my Outback. My oil consumption is improving beyond R&P. Down to 1/2 quart per 5k miles. Original consumption was 3 quarts per 5k miles. R&P got me to 3/4 quarts per 5k. Not sure if further cleaning is happening or if ESP is just more shear stable and has a lower Noack from superior base oils. In another 20k miles I’ll know for sure.

I’m now running ESP 0w-30 in 7 vehicles I either own or maintain, the longest being over 30k miles in my daughter’s 2016 Acura RDX with the infamous 3.5 V6. VCM is NOT disabled. Pic below at 130k miles with no varnish.

 

[tired]

A quick update on my second oci of ESP 0W-30 in my Outback. My oil consumption is improving beyond R&P. Down to 1/2 quart per 5k miles. Original consumption was 3 quarts per 5k miles. R&P got me to 3/4 quarts per 5k. Not sure if further cleaning is happening or if ESP is just more shear stable and has a lower Noack from superior base oils. In another 20k miles I’ll know for sure.

I’m now running ESP 0w-30 in 7 vehicles I either own or maintain, the longest being over 30k miles in my daughter’s 2016 Acura RDX with the infamous 3.5 V6. VCM is NOT disabled. Pic below at 130k miles with no varnish.

View attachment 286820

That is a clean engine. Do you happen to remember what it looked like before M1 ESP? That's incredible.

Thanks as always for the continued updates!

 

[Glenda W.]

That is a clean engine. Do you happen to remember what it looked like before M1 ESP? That's incredible.

Thanks as always for the continued updates!

Honesty it wasn’t bad but had a yellow tint.

 

[tired]

Honesty it wasn’t bad but had a yellow tint.

So evidence then that M1 ESP is cleaning varnish. Interesting!

 

[Glenda W.]

So evidence then that M1 ESP is cleaning varnish. Interesting!

The varnished Forester pics will be posted by year end with clean up results. That thing gets two 5k oil changes per year and is all short tripped. A little spoiler is regular QS synthetic was not up to the task and caused the deposits.

 

[dkryan]

The varnished Forester pics will be posted by year end with clean up results. That thing gets two 5k oil changes per year and is all short tripped. A little spoiler is regular QS synthetic was not up to the task and caused the deposits.

……caused the deposits or caused the varnish?

 

[Glenda W.]

……caused the deposits or caused the varnish?

Both. Varnish is a type of deposit.

 

[cammyfive79]

Both. Varnish is a type of deposit.

Love seeing these results! VRP for the heavy lifting/ring deposits and then ESP for a little extra cleaning (not rings) and superior base oils to keep it all nice and clean seems to be a great non-boutique combination! Of course, I HAVE to use HPL SuperCar Full SAPS in my lowly TSX that MAY get up to 80mph on a flat interstate so that I can be true to my bumper sticker that says "Full SAPS/PAO or bust". / sarcasm