2002 Subaru WRX, 93k mi, 5,450 mi. OCI, Shell RT6

[oaklandish_wrx]

Very happy top see how much the Subie likes the Rotella T6 - lost ZERO oil.

First UOA since I bought her late last year and feeling better about power mods now that wear metals seem to be OK. Going for 7k mi OCI next. it's great to be able to only change oil/filter 2x per year! This was with a PureOne PL 14460 filter, BTW.

Code:


OIL RT6 5w40

MILES IN USE 5,450

MILES 93k

SAMPLE TAKEN 7/14/12



ALUMINUM 2

CHROMIUM 1

IRON 6

COPPER 4

LEAD 1

TIN 0

MOLYBDENUM 55

NICKEL 5

MANGANESE 0

SILVER 0

TITANIUM 0

POTASSIUM 1

BORON 37

SILICON 11

SODIUM 6

CALCIUM 880

MAGNESIUM 953

PHOSPHORUS 912

ZINC 1122

BARIUM 0

INSOLUBLES TR

WATER 0

FLASHPOINT ºF 400

FUEL%
A-freeze% 0

WATER% 0

Insoluables% 0



SUS VIS 210ºF 68.9

cSt @ 212ºF 12.67

TBN 4.6

 

[oggb]

Report looks good.

Maybe it's just me but the magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus numbers look low. This is more of a question that I hope someone else will chime in on, but nothing to really be concerned with.

 

[oaklandish_wrx]

Yeah, I could see that. Blackstone did not note anything about it, but the "unit averages" they gave for these elements were in line with my results save for calcium. Perhaps due to T6's primary use in diesel trucks?

Gotta love the solid viscosity and TBN value after ~5500 miles in a turbo car. Oh, and it's cheap for a synth!

 

[beast3300]

I love me some Rotella!!! Great UOA!

 

[SilverGGA]

Any top off oil needed? How long was the oil in service? Thanks!

 

[oaklandish_wrx]

thanks, GGA (see you on i-club/NABISCO)

None needed, but I did put in about 8 oz when an oil check seemed low, but ground was not level in retrospect; subsequent checks read a bit full. Those 5450 miles took me about 7 months (down about 6 weeks with tranny "fun"). Oil looked clear and golden up until about 4000 mi into the OCI, so I changed it at 5450. Gonna go for 7,000 next time on same lube/filter types.

Any thoughts from the crowd on high-ish nickel reading? One web result said the oil pickup tube (a known failure point on the EJ engines, I understand) may cause it.

 

[chubbs1]

You can definitely go 7k. That engine is barely wearing at all. Excellent!

 

[oaklandish_wrx]

You all are gonna make me cry (with joy).

 

[jigen]

Great UOA.

 

[bluesubie]

IMO, the 2.0's are not as prone to the oil pick-up tube issues as the 2.5's. I would just see how it looks at the next uoa. As far as the universal averages go, that is the averages for all WRX 2.0 uoa's in their database regardless of the oil used. The additives that JRed mentioned do seem a little low. Check this VOA for comparison. What company did the uoa?

Thanks for posting! 7-7.5k miles should be no problem, IMO.

-Dennis

 

[oaklandish_wrx]

Originally Posted By: bluesubie
What company did the uoa?


thanks, Dennis. Blackstone did it. Any thoughts on why the Ca, Mg and P were low?

They also failed to notice that it's a different car - hard for a car to LOSE 30K miles in a year LOL.

 

[spiderbypass]

API CJ rated diesel oils have less calcium and magnesium than gasoline oils due to 1 % sulphate ash limitations. For example, Mobil 1 0w40 has at least 3000 ppm of Calcium and their Sulphate ash content is 1.3 compared to 1% on Mobil1 TDT and Mobil 1 Delvac 5w40 esp. Ironically Diesel engine oils are not as rbust as gasoline counterparts due to lower sulphur content in diesel fuel 15ppm maximum where gasoline has about 500 ppm. API CI plus rated diesel oils like Amsoil ACD HDD and AME have sulphate adh at 1.4 percent and are probably better for gasoline engines, although your WRX wear metals look pretty good.

 

[dnewton3]

Great report. The wear is low, the vis fine, and the TBN plenty of life left. What's not to like?
I agree; I'd run the next UOA at 7.5k miles; probably will be fine. And I think 10k miles is doable.


I presume this was a fact-finding OCI and not your overall plan. You're paying for a premium lube and data analysis; need to extend the OCIs to get your ROI.

 

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted By: oaklandish_wrx
Originally Posted By: bluesubie
What company did the uoa?


thanks, Dennis. Blackstone did it. Any thoughts on why the Ca, Mg and P were low?

They also failed to notice that it's a different car - hard for a car to LOSE 30K miles in a year LOL.


I would email Blackstone and ask.

-Dennis

 

[oaklandish_wrx]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Great report. The wear is low, the vis fine, and the TBN plenty of life left. What's not to like?
I agree; I'd run the next UOA at 7.5k miles; probably will be fine. And I think 10k miles is doable.


I presume this was a fact-finding OCI and not your overall plan. You're paying for a premium lube and data analysis; need to extend the OCIs to get your ROI.


Thanks for additional confirmation.

Yes, since this was my first UOA on this car, since buying it in 2011, it was two-fold: check engine health and along with the next UOA after 6-7000 mi., verify that long OCI's are possible. then checking UOA every 3rd OCI (~18 mos.) after the next one later this year.

 

[SilverGGA]

7k miles seem definitely doable with your uoa. But watch the time interval as Subaru states 7.5 months or 7500 miles for normal service. I wouldn't suggest changing longer than 7.5 months (and definitely not more than 12 months) if it takes you this long to accumulate 7k miles.

Check the oil level every fill up and make sure you have a good tune as you get power mods. The 91 octane gas we have is not ideal for our cars. And bad tunes and low oil have killed many more wrx engines than not using the 'right' oil.

I have a stock engine and I could hear detonation before getting a tune. I am now at 91k miles and just had my timing belt done and plan to own it forever! (Talking about timing belt, yours should be due now as well if it's not done already.)

You have Mobil 1 Delvac in your trans so you know what you are doing. Have fun with the car!

I might try the t6 as well since I have not been able to find an oil that doesn't need top off for 5k miles/7 months and the t6 seems to give good results regarding wrx oil burn off...

 

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted By: SilverGGA


I might try the t6 as well since I have not been able to find an oil that doesn't need top off for 5k miles/7 months and the t6 seems to give good results regarding wrx oil burn off...

Same here. I burned through a quart of M1 0W-40 on a 1,200 mile trip in the spring. Have you had less consumption with the M1 HM? Or maybe I'll try M1 10W-30 HM next.

-Dennis

 

[rationull]

That looks really nice. Makes me sad that Subaru saw fit basically to disallow 5w-40 in their owners' manual oil specs for the 2011s.

 

[SilverGGA]

Hi Dennis,

I don't see less consumption with M1 HM 10w-40 in my car. It always starts using oil from around the 4 month mark, no matter what oil I used (M1 EP 10w40, M1 5w40, Redline 10w40, PU 5w40, or M1 HM 10w40...)

Top off has usually been around 1/2 quart at the 4-month mark. It will be low again before I change the oil.

My commute also changed from accumulating 5k miles in 5 months, to only 3500 miles in 7 months. Under both conditions, it wouldn't use a drop until the 4 month mark.

It probably has to do with the oil's oxidation over time.

I have been reluctant to try the T6 because it is primarily a diesel oil (yes, I know I am splitting hairs here, but which BITOGer isn't). I just might give it a try next change, or just add a little bit of oil when it's low.


Originally Posted By: bluesubie

Same here. I burned through a quart of M1 0W-40 on a 1,200 mile trip in the spring. Have you had less consumption with the M1 HM? Or maybe I'll try M1 10W-30 HM next.
-Dennis

 

[oaklandish_wrx]

Originally Posted By: SilverGGA
7k miles seem definitely doable with your uoa. But watch the time interval as Subaru states 7.5 months or 7500 miles for normal service. I wouldn't suggest changing longer than 7.5 months (and definitely not more than 12 months) if it takes you this long to accumulate 7k miles.

Check the oil level every fill up and make sure you have a good tune as you get power mods. The 91 octane gas we have is not ideal for our cars. And bad tunes and low oil have killed many more wrx engines than not using the 'right' oil.

I have a stock engine and I could hear detonation before getting a tune. I am now at 91k miles and just had my timing belt done and plan to own it forever! (Talking about timing belt, yours should be due now as well if it's not done already.)

You have Mobil 1 Delvac in your trans so you know what you are doing. Have fun with the car!

I might try the t6 as well since I have not been able to find an oil that doesn't need top off for 5k miles/7 months and the t6 seems to give good results regarding wrx oil burn off...


Thanks, for the positivity.

Yeah, I am pretty much on target for 1K miles a month religiously, so will be right in line for the 7500 miles in 7 1/2 months (prolly do 7K as that will be just at 100K miles); although I assume that the time limitation is purely for warranty purposes, so I'm in no danger there on an '02!!

Belt was done with idlers and water pump (bad) + 'stat by selling dealer/lot late last year. I did the radiator (end tank) and hoses a month after that :grrr: with conditioner.

Delvac (thanks blusesubie!) just went in, so still getting acquainted with it, but better than the stuff the tranny shop put in :grrr:

Won’t do much power mods to it, planning catless UP this fall, IC hoses, simple stuff and OTS AP tune or protune locally if feeling flush. Still a daily driver.

Seriously, try the RT6.