Mobil1 0W-40, 2005 Subaru 2.5RS, 6949 miles

[ScottyB]

nothing amazing to report here, given most non-turbo subaru UOA's. makeup oil was not insignificant at about 1.5 quarts, but that is about the normal usage for this engine for years now. oil filter used was an OEM "blue" filter. oil was run just short of a year.

this car is mostly stock engine-wise aside from an exhaust and some ECU tuning. i drive my RS fairly aggressively in a very hot southeast climate, and subject it to some mild competition in the form of a rallycross or two from time to time with the local SCCA chapters. these days i opt for the 40 weights per the severe duty schedule with the use of the car, but i've also found 40 weight oils seem to help with the mild oil comsumption that this older engine exhibits. i had a chance to snag a jug of this 0W-40 on sale, so it seemed like a fair chance to drive this oil change interval out past my usual comfort zone and see what it had to offer.

looks like it did a fine job with wear metals and a strong TBN. I have refilled with Castrol OW-30 to see if the viscosity will give me some of the same attributes but give me back a little gas mileage....the OW-40 took me down a couple MPG over extended drives.

previous oil fills from L/R: M1 HM 10W30 (HPDE weekend), PennPlat 5W30 for the rest (mixed daily driving and autocross)

 

[901Memphis]

Yeah you can probably double that run

 

[Rand]

Those EJ (turbo or NA) engines definitely work well with a 40wt oil.

 

[901Memphis]

That's probably the best uoa I have ever seen

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
That's probably the best uoa I have ever seen



Yea really, I would run 10,000 miles atleast.

 

[FutureDoc]

Why are you adding 1.5-2 quarts per 6-7K miles in an EJ PhaseII? No wonder the TBN is upthere.


The EJ will accept anything 5w30 through 10w40 and I will run 5w20 in it too. Engine is really easy on oil (not on HGs).

 

[Al]

I have an 08 EJ. with 156K miles. I have had the Head Gaskets done at125K miles. Had the TB with all the idlers, Tensioner and WP done at 110K miles. Have you had either/Both of these things done?

As mentioned the EJ is easy on oil. I mentioned in another post that I am 3K miles away from a 15K mile UOA. I will take the sample and decide if I want to go further.

 

[ScottyB]

Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Why are you adding 1.5-2 quarts per 6-7K miles in an EJ PhaseII? No wonder the TBN is upthere.


The EJ will accept anything 5w30 through 10w40 and I will run 5w20 in it too. Engine is really easy on oil (not on HGs).


why? because i have to in order to keep the oil level full. i don't know where it goes...it doesn't smoke. my PCV valve is fine. i have a small valve cover gasket leak, but its been using oil this way long before that came around. i wonder if its valve seals or perhaps something with the piston ring seal.

i'm on my 2nd headgaskets, originals started leaking externally at 88k miles. par for the course, i guess. i replaced my originals with the turbo MLS gaskets for a better seal. hopefully it'll be the last time i have to touch them.

Originally Posted By: Al
I have an 08 EJ. with 156K miles. I have had the Head Gaskets done at125K miles. Had the TB with all the idlers, Tensioner and WP done at 110K miles. Have you had either/Both of these things done?

As mentioned the EJ is easy on oil. I mentioned in another post that I am 3K miles away from a 15K mile UOA. I will take the sample and decide if I want to go further.


when my HG's went, i had the whole TB job done since i was only 12k miles away from the 100k mile service. belts, tensioner, idlers, pump. i also had the heads checked for flatness to ensure a good gasket seal.

looking forward to your sample. i'm still getting over old habits with earlier drains but realizing i can probably take these changes out to higher mileage because the engine won't mind.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: ScottyB

when my HG's went, i had the whole TB job done since i was only 12k miles away from the 100k mile service. belts, tensioner, idlers, pump. i also had the heads checked for flatness to ensure a good gasket seal.

Smart!!

 

[cronk]

Originally Posted By: ScottyB
the OW-40 took me down a couple MPG over extended drives.


Going from xw30 to 0w40 isn't going to take you down a couple mpg. Engines that I have run 5w40 or 0w40 had no measurable difference in mileage over 5w30.

If there was a mileage difference it would be more like a tenth of a mgp.

 

[ScottyB]

Originally Posted By: cronk
Originally Posted By: ScottyB
the OW-40 took me down a couple MPG over extended drives.


Going from xw30 to 0w40 isn't going to take you down a couple mpg. Engines that I have run 5w40 or 0w40 had no measurable difference in mileage over 5w30.

If there was a mileage difference it would be more like a tenth of a mgp.


good to know, i'll take your word for it. i started noticing the MPG's went down during the last 20k miles which is coincidentally when i started running 40 weights. it could be that my O2 sensor is on the way out and i falsely attributed it....causation/correlation and all that