PP 0w20 9,300 km 2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X

[garthg]

The engine is Subaru's new (for 2011) fully redesigned 2.5 L engine (FB25) with a timing chain.

Oil: Pennzoil Platinum 0w20
Oil Filter: Subaru OEM filter, with magnet on filter
Air Filter: Subaru OEM filter
Vehicle: 2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X Touring Package, 9,300 km on oil, 50,000 km on car.

The oil was in the car for a Canadian winter (Ottawa Ontario), mainly city with some mixed highway driving. However, the last 4,000 km was a recent road trip to South Carolina. About 1.5 L of makeup oil was added during the 9,300 km interval (full oil change is about 5.5 L)

Analysis was done by Toromont Caterpillar ($CDN 20 including tax and shipping). Very quick response -- I dropped off the sample at a local Cat dealer on Monday noon and received the results by email late Tuesday.


Iron 7
Chrome 0
Moly 48
Aluminum 2
Copper 3
Lead 0
Tin 0
Titanium 0
Nickel 0
Silver 0
Silicon 14
Sodium 3
Potassium 2
Zinc 714
Magnesium 11
Phosphorus 720
Barium 0

Soot UFM # 0
Sulfur UFM # 22
Oxidation UFM # 16
Nitrates UFM # 11

Viscosity cSt at 100C 8.5
TBN 7.5
TAN 1.10

Antifreeze negligible
Fuel Dilution Water negligible

The comment from Toromont was "normal levels … no excessive wear is indicated". Note that the factory specified oil change interval is 8,000 km, but I went longer since it was inconvenient to change the oil during the road trip.

Comments?

 

[Donald]

Validation that PP is excellent oil. But you did add about 20% make up oil.

Silicon is higher than I would like it to be, but wear metals are low.

 

[A_Harman]

Looks great! You could go much longer than the specified OCI with that large amount of TBN left. It's up to you to decide when to start increasing them out of respect for your warranty.

 

[Voltmaster]

You can easily push this oil more, specially if you need to add more oil as times goes on( which brings up the TBN.)

Get an Bosch Distance plus/Purolator synthetic/ MObil1 EP and double your OCI.

The oil is doing really well for a turbo car.

 

[Clevy]

Those are kms not miles. It wasn't even 6000 miles on the oil. Yes it validates pp as a good oil but its not like he really pushed the interval.
Good report though.

 

[REDDOG]

Outstanding! Look at the TBN retention! Gotta love the Platinum!

Gotta give kudos to Subaru, too, BTW!

 

[garthg]

For 2011, the "X" is a normally aspirated rather than turbo engine.

Originally Posted By: Voltmaster
You can easily push this oil more, specially if you need to add more oil as times goes on( which brings up the TBN.)

Get an Bosch Distance plus/Purolator synthetic/ MObil1 EP and double your OCI.

The oil is doing really well for a turbo car.

 

[buster]

Great results. Pennzoil makes some great oils these days. PP/PU/Rotella.....great lineup.

 

[garthg]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Those are kms not miles. It wasn't even 6000 miles on the oil. Yes it validates pp as a good oil but its not like he really pushed the interval.
Good report though.


Clevy, correct, good old Canadian kilometers rather than miles. Once my warranty is up, I will be extending the interval. The PP seems to really hold up well, not just in this car but also in my 2010 Fit where I am going much longer intervals (about 12,000 km).

 

[skyship]

Originally Posted By: garthg
For 2011, the "X" is a normally aspirated rather than turbo engine.

Originally Posted By: Voltmaster
You can easily push this oil more, specially if you need to add more oil as times goes on( which brings up the TBN.)

Get an Bosch Distance plus/Purolator synthetic/ MObil1 EP and double your OCI.

The oil is doing really well for a turbo car.


Good thing Subaru got rid of the turbo because it used to kill the oil in high temp shear terms. I would try 15K km once the warranty is over and then it might be possible to reach a more normal 20K km looking at the figures. If the Fe figure is less than double the present figure and the viscosity etc is still in limits then you will know the longer OCI is better. Not sure on the spec for the oil filter, as it might need to be a long life one for an extended OCI.
If you want to cut your oil consumption I would look at moving up to an 0/30 full synthetic and that might also help when extending the OCI, as it will give your more room if the oil shears down to a 20.

 

[ottotheclown]

You used a quart of oil in less than 6k miles. Makes the tbn not so great, as it reflects the added oil. Does PP contain Boron any more??Me I would try the Subaru oil /filter combo and see if you burn that oil.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: buster
Great results. Pennzoil makes some great oils these days. PP/PU/Rotella.....great lineup.


Except Shell makes Rotella.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: buster
Great results. Pennzoil makes some great oils these days. PP/PU/Rotella.....great lineup.


Except Shell makes Rotella.


Shell is SOPUS, like Pennzoil.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: garthg
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Those are kms not miles. It wasn't even 6000 miles on the oil. Yes it validates pp as a good oil but its not like he really pushed the interval.
Good report though.


Clevy, correct, good old Canadian kilometers rather than miles. Once my warranty is up, I will be extending the interval. The PP seems to really hold up well, not just in this car but also in my 2010 Fit where I am going much longer intervals (about 12,000 km).


You are far braver than I. Heck I'm just getting over my thicker is better thinking and I'm just getting comfortable with 5000mile/8000km oil change intervals.
My truck spends at least 6 hours a day idling so the only way I would be comfortable pushing my intervals any longer were if I was using amsoil sso or pu.
The fact that you are using pp in a turbo at that interval makes me far more comfortable with pp at my interval,since its on deck mid next month.

 

[Timothy Ferguson]

They didn't get rid of the turbo here in the USA. They still offer the xt but its still the old 2.5l engine.

 

[Rolla07]

About 1.5 L of makeup oil was added during the 9,300 km interval


Is that normal? I dont know much about that engine or anything, but to me a car with 50,000kms shouldnt be using oil, again unless there is something im not aware of..

 

[garthg]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: garthg
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Those are kms not miles. It wasn't even 6000 miles on the oil. Yes it validates pp as a good oil but its not like he really pushed the interval.
Good report though.


Clevy, correct, good old Canadian kilometers rather than miles. Once my warranty is up, I will be extending the interval. The PP seems to really hold up well, not just in this car but also in my 2010 Fit where I am going much longer intervals (about 12,000 km).


You are far braver than I. Heck I'm just getting over my thicker is better thinking and I'm just getting comfortable with 5000mile/8000km oil change intervals.
My truck spends at least 6 hours a day idling so the only way I would be comfortable pushing my intervals any longer were if I was using amsoil sso or pu.
The fact that you are using pp in a turbo at that interval makes me far more comfortable with pp at my interval,since its on deck mid next month.


My car is an X, which is normally aspirated not turbo. The XT models were the ones with the turbo

 

[garthg]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
About 1.5 L of makeup oil was added during the 9,300 km interval


Is that normal? I dont know much about that engine or anything, but to me a car with 50,000kms shouldnt be using oil, again unless there is something im not aware of..


It's about 1 liter every 6,000 km which makes the top ups very infrequent. It would be better if it didn't use any oil between changes, but that consumption rate doesn't bother me and isn't far off from other cars I have owned since new. The Canadian owner's manual indicates anything up to 1 liter every 2000 km as normal.

 

[bluesubie]

The consumption isn't too bad compared to some FB owners posting at subaruforester.org. My Si never dropped to the single digits until I switched to an Amsoil air filter. Does Subaru Canada still specify severe service OCI's for all Subaru's? I thought they did at one point.

-Dennis

 

[garthg]

Originally Posted By: bluesubie
The consumption isn't too bad compared to some FB owners posting at subaruforester.org. My Si never dropped to the single digits until I switched to an Amsoil air filter. Does Subaru Canada still specify severe service OCI's for all Subaru's? I thought they did at one point.

-Dennis


Dennis,
I think you are correct in that in the past they did spec severe intervals (I think my 2001 Outback had one).
The service intervals for my 2011 Forester engine (FB, not a turbo) are as follows: The Canadian owner's manual specifies a single OCI of 8,000 km, no mention of severe service. However, this OCI is already considerable shorter than the 12,000 km OCI in the US owners manual so I think Subaru Canada has dialled in a certain amount of traditional Canadian severe service into their recommendation. The factory shop manual specifies (US and Canada) a severe service interval of 6,000 km (severe being defined as repeated short distance driving, driving in extremely cold weather, repeated trailer towing).