Ok folks...everyone convinced me in an earlier thread to not run M1MXT 10w40 in this vehicle. I will use that in my wifes Malibu that calls for 5w30 and is out of warranty. My question is this....My 14 Outback calls for 0w20 and changes at 7500 miles. I was at Walmart today and they had M1 and QSUD in that grade at great prices. Is there any 0w20 that should not be trusted at that interval or will they all handle it? QSUD was on sale but i wasn't sure if it would go the distance. My other option is to run 5w20 conventional and drain it at 5000miles. Any thoughts?
0w20 advice needed for Subaru FB25
- Thread starter Doublehaul
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I'm about 2K miles into the OCI with 0W20 QSUD in my '14 Outback and I'm not having any problems. It hasn't consumed a drop. Just so you are aware, Subaru has reduced the OCI to 6K/6 Months for some of their models (maybe all, I haven't looked) for 2015. I think I'm going to go to down to 6K just to be safe.
QSUD at AAP, and you get a free filter to run on your malibu. Run the subaru filter while your under warranty. Keep receipts and a service log if your diy.
Nothing wrong with PP, PU, Synpower, edge, or M1 either. Just get what's available local and the best price. Any of these oils will get you to 250k+.
Nothing wrong with PP, PU, Synpower, edge, or M1 either. Just get what's available local and the best price. Any of these oils will get you to 250k+.
the fb25 "requires" 0w20 at a min of 7500mile/7.5month intervals.
severe service is 3750mi/3.75mo.
just get some m1 0w20 afe for 25$/5qt
or the dealer should sell subaru 0w20 for around 6.50/qt
if you dont want to do it yourself the dealers usually charge about 55-60$ for an oil change.. which isnt too bad considering it takes 5.5qt
6x6.50
oil filter-7$
they arent making much labor off you.
severe service is 3750mi/3.75mo.
just get some m1 0w20 afe for 25$/5qt
or the dealer should sell subaru 0w20 for around 6.50/qt
if you dont want to do it yourself the dealers usually charge about 55-60$ for an oil change.. which isnt too bad considering it takes 5.5qt
6x6.50
oil filter-7$
they arent making much labor off you.
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gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
No one here can tell you what interval you should run, because we don't know your driving style and typica commute, nor do we have UOA data to analyze.
With that being said, 5k using synthetic seems a bit overly conservative. I plan to run 5k intervals in my FXT while using up my stash of GC 0W-30 (I could go longer, but I don't plan to send anything out for UOA - I'm turning over a new leaf, so to speak.) With my commute and driving style, I wouldn't hesitate to run OCI's of 7,500 miles using either of the two synthetics you listed.
With that being said, 5k using synthetic seems a bit overly conservative. I plan to run 5k intervals in my FXT while using up my stash of GC 0W-30 (I could go longer, but I don't plan to send anything out for UOA - I'm turning over a new leaf, so to speak.) With my commute and driving style, I wouldn't hesitate to run OCI's of 7,500 miles using either of the two synthetics you listed.
Pass ?most will,only thing that might happen is on the wear side,mm,is it possible to fail a pollution test with sn/gf-5 oil?
wemay
Site Donor 2023
You can go with whatever the OM says concerning viscosity, other specs and OCI. If it states conventional oil is an option, and that is your choice, go for it. As said by someone above my post though, you and only you know how you drive so use appropriate judgement and you will be fine.
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The wife has a '13 Legacy with the 2.5 FB engine. In its 30K mile life (5K oci) it has seen M1, PP, QSUD and now Napa Syn (Valvoline) On all but QSUD I've seen very little difference. For some reason I had some usage on QSUD (around 1 1/2 quarts), but not with the others. I don't know where the Quaker State went (no leaks), but even though I have had great luck with QS Syn in the past, this car does NOT seem to like it. Or on second thought maybe it DIDN'T like the others as it didn't eat them. Anyway, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the widely available oils.
As for filters I used Subaru black Tokyo Roki (160) filters on the first three oil changes, but have since started used Wix/Napa 57055 filters. I just cannot make myself use the blue Honeywell/Subaru filters, and I like that Wix specs the correct bypass for Subaru.
As for filters I used Subaru black Tokyo Roki (160) filters on the first three oil changes, but have since started used Wix/Napa 57055 filters. I just cannot make myself use the blue Honeywell/Subaru filters, and I like that Wix specs the correct bypass for Subaru.
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I've got the FB20 in my 2014 XV Crosstrek and are currently running Napa full synth 0w20 in it. Pretty sure all 0w20 is full synth and it's all good no matter the color of the bottle. It better be for the price of this juice nowadays.
Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the synthetic 0W-20 oils offered at Walmart, if you are staying with the 7,500 mile oci. As you can see from below, I am using the PP, and am very happy with the results I got from my recent UOA.
When I first bought my Outback, the only choices in 0W-20 at Walmart was M1AFE and PP. Now there are several choices, including RP, Valvoline SynPower, Castrol Edge, QSUD, and M1EP. This makes it much easier to make a selection.
When I first bought my Outback, the only choices in 0W-20 at Walmart was M1AFE and PP. Now there are several choices, including RP, Valvoline SynPower, Castrol Edge, QSUD, and M1EP. This makes it much easier to make a selection.
I have a 2013 Outback and have run 7,500 mile intervals w/ SynPower, M1 AFE, and PP 0w-20's without any issues. No consumption at all, which is awesome, and paired with the Tokyo Roki 160 Filter.
I would use whatever strikes your fancy. I will personally stick with PP and M1 - they gave me a better feel. The FB25 is pretty rev happy with the PP that is currently in it but that could also be because the engine is now broken in.
I would use whatever strikes your fancy. I will personally stick with PP and M1 - they gave me a better feel. The FB25 is pretty rev happy with the PP that is currently in it but that could also be because the engine is now broken in.
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Any API SN 0W-20 will handle the recommended OCI with no problems.
Use whichever is cheapest or whichever you think seems quieter and smoother in use, since they're all reasonably priced at Walmart.
If you want, you could register your car for both the Quaker State and Pennzoil engine warranty promos.
These warranties do nothing for you but will yield $20.00 MIRs on a jug each of PP and QSUD 0W-20 for a couple of cheap changes.
You could also decide which oil you like better in the engine and if neither seemed all that you could then move on to try Edge, Synpower and M1.
Use whichever is cheapest or whichever you think seems quieter and smoother in use, since they're all reasonably priced at Walmart.
If you want, you could register your car for both the Quaker State and Pennzoil engine warranty promos.
These warranties do nothing for you but will yield $20.00 MIRs on a jug each of PP and QSUD 0W-20 for a couple of cheap changes.
You could also decide which oil you like better in the engine and if neither seemed all that you could then move on to try Edge, Synpower and M1.
I drive about 35000 miles a year minim as I work in sales. The car came from the factory with the blue Honeywell filter build date of 4/14. This is my second FB25 as I previously had a 14 Forester. Neither FB25 has used any oil. Im not super concerned about the filter and the bypass pressure but on the previous FB25 I ran 5w30 conventional @ 5k intervals as I had a huge stockpile and the car never used a drop and ran great. Id like to stretch out the OCI a bit but am concerned that the random 0w20 won't handle it though I have no evidence to that. Its likely this car will be around for a good while. There are no UOAs as the car has 7k on it and has not yet had it first change.
On the previous engine the car behaved great on whatever i threw in the case BUT i ran a 5k OCI. If 5k is the recommendation for this engine from you guys I will honestly run whatever 5w20/5w30 conventional is on sale and be happy. I would however like to go the 7500 that the owners manual recommends IF reasonably possible.
I do all the work myself as in a previous life I owned a repair shop for 10 years and am a ASC cert. master mechanic. Not that that makes me an expert above anyone else here but I've seen what can go wrong and prefer to do all work myself for piece of mind. Plus its a good excuse to not sell all my tools!
On the previous engine the car behaved great on whatever i threw in the case BUT i ran a 5k OCI. If 5k is the recommendation for this engine from you guys I will honestly run whatever 5w20/5w30 conventional is on sale and be happy. I would however like to go the 7500 that the owners manual recommends IF reasonably possible.
I do all the work myself as in a previous life I owned a repair shop for 10 years and am a ASC cert. master mechanic. Not that that makes me an expert above anyone else here but I've seen what can go wrong and prefer to do all work myself for piece of mind. Plus its a good excuse to not sell all my tools!
So I've been doing a lot of searches on the site and the one thing I can see is that no one agrees on anything. I guess my best bet is to run what ever dino is on sale at 5k Oci?
You should use 0W20 during warranty. There is no conventional 0W20, there are few semi-syn and mostly full-syn. Since you drive 35k miles a year, for 5k OCI with semi-syn 0W20 you will do 7 oil change, with 7.5k OCI with full-syn 0W20 you will do 5 oil change a year at around $5-6 more per oil change than semi-syn, but with 2 less OCI you will come out even.
Either way oil and filter costs you about $150 a year, now compare that with gasoline, at 35 MPG your yearly gas consumption is 1,000 gallon at $3.5/gal is $3,500, that is about 25 times your oil and filter cost.
Either way oil and filter costs you about $150 a year, now compare that with gasoline, at 35 MPG your yearly gas consumption is 1,000 gallon at $3.5/gal is $3,500, that is about 25 times your oil and filter cost.
Originally Posted By: Doublehaul
So I've been doing a lot of searches on the site and the one thing I can see is that no one agrees on anything. I guess my best bet is to run what ever dino is on sale at 5k Oci?
Does anyone ever agree on anything for oil recommendations?
I would pick a favorite brand 0W-20 and run it to 6k miles and do a uoa and run it to 7,500 miles as long as everything looks good. As long as you didn't get an oil burner, n/a Subaru's are typically easy on oil and you should have no problem running any API SN/ILSAC GF5 0W-20. I wouldn't be too concerned about the shortened OCI to 6k for the '15' wih your high highway mileage.
Even though it's not expressly stated in the manual, I would probably try 5W-20 if I were to experiment. A 5W-20 may be more stable. You don't seem to be worried about sticking with "0W-20 synthetic" as stated in the manual, but I probably wouldn't run any "conventional" oil.
-Dennis
So I've been doing a lot of searches on the site and the one thing I can see is that no one agrees on anything. I guess my best bet is to run what ever dino is on sale at 5k Oci?
Does anyone ever agree on anything for oil recommendations?
I would pick a favorite brand 0W-20 and run it to 6k miles and do a uoa and run it to 7,500 miles as long as everything looks good. As long as you didn't get an oil burner, n/a Subaru's are typically easy on oil and you should have no problem running any API SN/ILSAC GF5 0W-20. I wouldn't be too concerned about the shortened OCI to 6k for the '15' wih your high highway mileage.
Even though it's not expressly stated in the manual, I would probably try 5W-20 if I were to experiment. A 5W-20 may be more stable. You don't seem to be worried about sticking with "0W-20 synthetic" as stated in the manual, but I probably wouldn't run any "conventional" oil.
-Dennis
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Running conventional is not an option! Read your manual! You have to run synthetic 0w20. You can pick any major brand. Buy OEM filters or Wix 57055 for the correct PSI rating.
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