Factory Fill Subaru 2.5l H4 1200 miles

[Bill in Utah]

Here is Blackstone UOA on my factory fill oil out of 2007 Subaru Outback 2.5l H4 NA.



Oil recommended is 5w-30 API SM oil. I used Pennzoil 5w-30 and Supertech filter to replace the factory fill.

Plan is to run to 4000 miles, then another 4k mile run of Pennzoil to 8k.

Then I'll go with Pennzoil Plat 5w-30 for 7.5k /6 month OCis. All with Supertech filters. I have a 36 quart stash of 99 cent PP so I'll use that in here.

My next planned UOA will be at 8k after Pennzoil conventional. Then around 15-20k with PP.

I posted the photos of the Factory filter over on the oil filter forum if your interested.

Take care, bill

 

[TeeDub]

Bill,

I tested the factory fill in my '06 Outback after about 4000 miles and it the pattern looked very similar, abeit with proportionally higher wear metal concentrations. I suspect the bulk of the moly is moly-sulfide assembly lube and the Si is gasket leaching - as I recall I had about 160 ppm of Si in my sample. The sample in my engine did shear down to a 20wt after 4000 miles, but no big surprise there.

Based on the UOA's I've seen this engine wears very well. I think the 7.5K with the PP will turn out to be conservative for you. I"m running the API/SL rated, Amsoil 10w-30, four stroke marine oil ("WCT") in mine just to see how it does. I'll probably do a UOA after 10k-12k miles, but I don't expect to see anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Patman]

More proof that the factory fill really isn't loaded up with tons of wear metals. It might look high compared to the UOAs we see on here, but in terms of "dangerous levels" it's nowhere near that. In other words, unless we saw 100ppm of iron, lead, etc, it's not like this oil had enough wear metals in it to cause any damage.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you really don't need to change out the factory fill before the 5k mark.

 

[Titan]

I agree with Patman. I used to always change the factory fill early. Since watching so many UOA's come through, I think it was probably unnecessary to do so.

 

[unDummy]

I'll stick with an initial quick changeout.
Not every engine from every manufacturer is perfect.

This motor seems well put together and the UOA proved it. But, how many engines aren't?

Looks good. Your maintenance plan should give you an engine that will lasts forever.

 

[Rico567]

I've read a certain amount of discussion on changing out the factory fill, but have yet to read a specific reason, or even an anecdote of a specific case (which wouldn't be definitive anyway) where there had been some consequence of not changing out the factory fill early.

The UOA given in the OP tends to show that it's perfectly fine to leave the factory fill in. Before someone says it, I'm not trying to deny anyone their constitutional right to do unneeded OCs, I'm just interested in information. Contrary stats, anyone?

 

[Titan]

I DO get more sparkly material in early oil changes. So, I don't think it's a bad thing to change early. However, I've noticed that engines are cleaner and cleaner over the years. I think the early changeouts are less useful than they were at one time.

Just changed the oil on my Legacy at 24,000 miles....really hard to see ANY sparkle after 7000 miles. That's much different than cars I had 10 years ago. I've always been a sparkle-watcher, well, since the 1960's anyway. One of the big differences is that I now have to wear glasses when I change oil! B~)