2024 BRZ tS ... Valvoline Restore and Protect?

[bmblbrz]

I bought a lightly used 2024 BRZ tS last month with 6500 miles on it. According to the CarFax, the car also got its first oil change at 6500 miles when it was traded in to the dealer, which is later than preferred for a boxer unless the owner did one himself and didn't note it down. Dealer's inspection checklist said everything looked good aside from the engine oil being dirty. I've been planning on doing my first oil change in 3000 miles since ownership at 9500-10000 miles, and I'm at 7500 now. With the boxer being a boxer, I burned through a half quart of oil already which made me top-off with a half quart of Mobil 1 ESP X2 0w-20 and also kicked off a giant obsession with what oil I put in it. Standing in the oil aisle for 20 mins at Walmart trying to decide between Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, Mobil 1 ESP X2, and Valvoline Restore and Protect made me ponder a question for you guys. When my oil change comes up, with the previous owner seemingly being a little bit careless with the oil, should I fill it up with a jug of Valvoline Restore and Protect to clear out anything that the previous owner may have left, or am I more concerned about it than I need to be? Additionally, would Restore and Protect even be the best option in this case, or should I just stick with the Mobil 1 ESP or some other oil?

I appreciate any help, thank you so much!

 

[fozzdesy2001]

5000 mile oil changes with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum or Mobil 1 ESP will keep your Subaru happy. Use 5W-30 if you want to be different. I still can't believe 0W-20 is recommended.

 

[GI_GRIFF]

I bought a lightly used 2024 BRZ tS last month with 6500 miles on it. According to the CarFax, the car also got its first oil change at 6500 miles when it was traded in to the dealer, which is later than preferred for a boxer unless the owner did one himself and didn't note it down. Dealer's inspection checklist said everything looked good aside from the engine oil being dirty. I've been planning on doing my first oil change in 3000 miles since ownership at 9500-10000 miles, and I'm at 7500 now. With the boxer being a boxer, I burned through a half quart of oil already which made me top-off with a half quart of Mobil 1 ESP X2 0w-20 and also kicked off a giant obsession with what oil I put in it. Standing in the oil aisle for 20 mins at Walmart trying to decide between Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, Mobil 1 ESP X2, and Valvoline Restore and Protect made me ponder a question for you guys. When my oil change comes up, with the previous owner seemingly being a little bit careless with the oil, should I fill it up with a jug of Valvoline Restore and Protect to clear out anything that the previous owner may have left, or am I more concerned about it than I need to be? Additionally, would Restore and Protect even be the best option in this case, or should I just stick with the Mobil 1 ESP or some other oil?

I appreciate any help, thank you so much!

I guess I will bite, if all you want is an opinion. You have chosen three really good engine oils here each unique in their own way. I would choose one and stick with it. Whichever one you choose, do 4–5-thousand-mile or 6-month oil change intervals, whichever comes first. All three would probably not allow sludge and deposit build up if you keep your oil and filter changed often. Personally, I would run the Valvoline Restore and Protect first, the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum second and then the Mobil 1 ESP. They are all great off the Walmart shelf choices, and all have great anti-wear packages. I think the Valvoline Valvoline Restore and Protect would keep your engine the cleanest, Pennzoil has the Pure Plus base stock and Mobil 1 ESP would probably be the lowest cost with the most PAO and Ester, I think. All three have good reputations. There are some superior other choices out there, but of these three, my first choice would be the Valvoline Restore and Protect.

 

[bmblbrz]

5000 mile oil changes with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum or Mobil 1 ESP will keep your Subaru happy. Use 5W-30 if you want to be different. I still can't believe 0W-20 is recommended.

Do you think 5w-30 is the way to go even in the current 5-15°F winter weather we're currently having in Ohio?

 

[Nessism1]

I'd run your favorite 30 weight. Valvoline Restore and Protect unnecessary at low milage, too early for stuck rings

 

[GI_GRIFF]

Valvoline Restore and Protect unnecessary at low milage, too early for stuck rings

I am not particularly in love with Valvoline Restore and Protect, but you don't have to wait for "stuck rings" or a dirty engine to use it. It would be a good preventive as long as you don't plan extended OCI's. The cleaning is just a side effect of using it. It has a great anti-wear package and Valvoline themselves say it is their top-premium gasoline engine oil. As you mentioned, he would be better off using a 0 or 5W-30 though. If he intends to go with extended drains, Valvoline is not the right choice. The other thing I guess is cost, the Mobil 1 ESP would be a lower price at Walmart, the price of the Valvoline Restore and Protect is always up there in this part of the country.

 

[edyvw]

Do you think 5w-30 is the way to go even in the current 5-15°F winter weather we're currently having in Ohio?

Mobil 1 ESP 0W30.

 

[Japanese]

Additionally, would Valvoline Restore and Protect even be the best option in this case, or should I just stick with the Mobil 1 ESP or some other oil?

Another vote for Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30.

 

[altaylar]

BRZ don't usually burn that much oil with that low milage. I would change the oil with Valvoline Restore and Protect or Mobil 1 ESP 0w30 or 5w30already

edit: How did I forget Pennzoil Ultra Platinum? that would be my go to oil for my Gr86 if I wasnot tracking it

 

[papang]

I use 5w30 in all my Subaru's that call for 0w20, zero issues and non burn any oil!

 

[TomYoung]

I would change the oil now. I would use Pennzoil Ultra Platinum or the Mobil product you mentioned, then resume a frequent OCI of 5k miles. No issue going up a grade. Who knows what oil the dealer used.

 

[rstsco]

I'd run your favorite 30 weight. Valvoline Restore and Protect unnecessary at low milage, too early for stuck rings

Valvoline Restore and Protect isn't just a wait-until-you-need-it oil. Although well-known for its cleaning properties, it also prevents carbon deposits from building up in the first place.

Had I not drank the High Performance Lubricants Kool-Aid, and now have several cases, this would be my oil of choice for my J35Y8 engine because of this engine's propensity for carbon deposits.

 

[TacoFergie]

Mobil 1 ESP 0w30 or Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30. I have used Mobil 0w30 ESP in my Subaru Ascent FA24DIT and it did great, ended up at essentially a 20wt due to fuel dilution that the FA series engines are known for. I'm at 75k-ish miles and plan on using 5w30 Valvoline Restore and Protect for my next oil change, currently using 0w20 Valvoline Restore and Protect. Does it need it? I don't know? But there's literally no negative to this oil since I already do short OCI's because of fuel dilution.

 

[altaylar]

Mobil 1 ESP 0w30 or Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30. I have used Mobil 0w30 ESP in my Subaru Ascent FA24DIT and it did great, ended up at essentially a 20wt due to fuel dilution that the FA series engines are known for. I'm at 75k-ish miles and plan on using 5w30 Valvoline Restore and Protect for my next oil change, currently using 0w20 Valvoline Restore and Protect. Does it need it? I don't know? But there's literally no negative to this oil since I already do short OCI's because of fuel dilution.

timing chain caused shear seems to be huge in FA24. A weekend of track driving (high temp + high rpm) can drop the oil a grade

edit: actually, i am not sure if you would call 250f high temp. I mean, it is significantly higher than operating temp, but not relative to what most engines see on track. BMWs or Corvette often see 300f.

 

[TacoFergie]

timing chain caused shear seems to be huge in FA24. A weekend of track driving (high temp + high rpm) can drop the oil a grade

edit: actually, i am not sure if you would call 250f high temp. I mean, it is significantly higher than operating temp, but not relative to what most engines see on track. BMWs or Corvette often see 300f.

I've heard the FA24's are really hard on oil on track days. I've even seen some use Xw40 for track days. Haven't followed the WRX's too much to see what they use for oil on track days though.

However, my Ascent (and many other FA24DIT turbo vehicles) drops a grade in just 4k-5k miles from fuel dilution. It's not uncommon to see 5% fuel dilution in the turbo engines. Personally, I've never seen over 230-235F oil temp on the center display even in 95F+ temps going up mountain roads at 75mph. Once the road levels off and it quickly drops to 205-210F. Normally it sits around 205F, in the winter it struggles to even get to 180F indicated.

 

[altaylar]

I've heard the FA24's are really hard on oil on track days. I've even seen some use Xw40 for track days. Haven't followed the WRX's too much to see what they use for oil on track days though.

However, my Ascent (and many other FA24DIT turbo vehicles) drops a grade in just 4k-5k miles from fuel dilution. It's not uncommon to see 5% fuel dilution in the turbo engines. Personally, I've never seen over 230-235F oil temp on the center display even in 95F+ temps going up mountain roads at 75mph. Once the road levels off and it quickly drops to 205-210F. Normally it sits around 205F, in the winter it struggles to even get to 180F indicated.

those temperatures are well aligned with BRZ/Gr86, and yes, we usually use 40 grade on track, or 30 if one installed an oil cooler

fuel dilution does not seem to be a major concern for FA24 though, I don't recall anyone having a considerable figure there. but an important caveat is Gr86 forums usually use Blackstone, who are notorious for unreliable fuel dilution figures as far as I understand. So I might be wrong here.

 

[TacoFergie]

those temperatures are well aligned with BRZ/Gr86, and yes, we usually use 40 grade on track, or 30 if one installed an oil cooler

fuel dilution does not seem to be a major concern for FA24 though, I don't recall anyone having a considerable figure there. but an important caveat is Gr86 forums usually use Blackstone, who are notorious for unreliable fuel dilution figures as far as I understand. So I might be wrong here.

Yeah, many Subaru owners use Blackstone. I did in the beginning and wondered why my 20 grade was shearing down to a mid to low 16 grade and 30 grade was shearing down to mid 20 grade range in 4k-5k miles. Blackstone showed TR to 1% fuel dilution. Some here suggested OAI which OAI showed well over 5% fuel dilution, up to 8% (though not calibrated over 5%) according to a customer service rep that responded to my email from OAI. Made total sense why that drop in viscosity was so severe. Now I just do oil changes every 3-4k and have stopped used oil analysis. I figure there's tons of FA24DIT owners that go 6k+ intervals with worse oil and worse driving habits so theoretically their fuel dilution would be much higher, yet we haven't seen FA24DIT failures under regular use that I'm aware of.

 

[altaylar]

Yeah, many Subaru owners use Blackstone. I did in the beginning and wondered why my 20 grade was shearing down to a mid to low 16 grade and 30 grade was shearing down to mid 20 grade range in 4k-5k miles. Blackstone showed TR to 1% fuel dilution. Some here suggested OAI which OAI showed well over 5% fuel dilution, up to 8% (though not calibrated over 5%) according to a customer service rep that responded to my email from OAI. Made total sense why that drop in viscosity was so severe. Now I just do oil changes every 3-4k and have stopped used oil analysis. I figure there's tons of FA24DIT owners that go 6k+ intervals with worse oil and worse driving habits so theoretically their fuel dilution would be much higher, yet we haven't seen FA24DIT failures under regular use that I'm aware of.

I haven`t really heard any failure with that engine either. Non turbo version in BRZ did have some high profile failure early in its life, but seems like those were rather isolated incidents.

I don`t remember if it was this forum or another, but an owner was committed to use 0w20 even on track for warranty purposes. Haven`t even heard that engine going bad.


In your case, I think what you are doing makes perfect sense. It will leak some gas into the oil, and shortening the OCI (and moving up to 30 grade to provide some buffer) is probably the best solution there is. I would consider 40 grade if I was to track a WRX. Again, so that oil does not thin out too much as it heats up

 

[melk]

ESP 0w30 if Valvoline Restore and Protect didn’t exist, but it does, so Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30

 

[bmblbrz]

BRZ don't usually burn that much oil with that low milage. I would change the oil with Valvoline Restore and Protect or Mobil 1 ESP 0w30 or 5w30already

edit: How did I forget Pennzoil Ultra Platinum? that would be my go to oil for my Gr86 if I wasnot tracking it

Thank you, I'm going to get an oil change tomorrow. I've seen some reports of BRZ burning oil until around the 15k mile mark, but yeah with how the previous owner handled the car and burning through a half qt I think I should be proactive with my ownership, even if it's only been 1000 miles since the previous change.

My dilemma now is that everyone here is highly recommending 0w30/5w30 but I'm really concerned about voiding warranty by not going with 0w20. I'm getting it changed at a Subaru dealership and they said they wouldn't even put non-0w20 in it and another Subaru dealership said that if a problem arose from something linked to the oil then it the issue would very likely not be covered by warranty due to running non-0w20. I'm going to throw Valvoline Restore and Protect in it and I really want to go to 5w30 but I don't want to risk warranty, especially with it being on a Subaru dealership maintenance log.

Do you guys think that the benefit of 0w30/5w30 is substantial enough to risk the warranty on a boxer?