The new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek calls for 0w-16.

[Revving2Redline]

How many miles do you have on it? Oil usage?. Our '17 used no oil with the 0w20 but its was vary clanky when hot. Like "I wouldn't buy that car, the engine is shot" clanky. Our new 2023 was dead quiet then it started knocking after about 3000 miles in service. It uses about a quart over the 6k mi. OCI. I don't know what's up with these boxer engines, the last well running one was the great 2.2 in a 1996 Impreza wagon.
I wouldn't go near a 16. I top off with 10W30 and the engine is much quieter with a bit of that in there.
But the 2.0 FB don't like 5W30 - they wont run well. Sluggish.
Genuine Subaru 0W20 made by Idemitsu in Indiana is a good oil. It runs clean, the engine makes good power on it and is very responsive. Better than any other major brand - save maybe the old M1 EP 0w20. The new formula is no longer a majority group IV - a true synthetic.

Stay the course.

...if he wants to stay the course and use a true synthetic in 0w20 then he should use something like Redline,Amsoil SS or High-performance Lubricant? Maybe a thick twenty or thin thirty like M1 0w30?

 

[CKN]

View attachment 163439

It's no secret that in the 70's and 80's cars were pretty much junk. As I mentioned before (many times) when I had my Silverado (5.3) I towed a 5,000 pound travel all over the Rocky Mountains with a motor running 0W/20. It didn't blow up. The OP's requirement should be less for the Subaru living in Florida..... When are we going to get over this "thin thing" on this forum?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

...if he wants to stay the course and use a true synthetic in 0w20 then he should use something like Redline,Amsoil SS or High-performance Lubricant? Maybe a thick twenty or thin thirty like M1 0w30?

M1 0w30 AFE is just 0.25 cSt "thinner" (KV100) than M1 5W30.

I should have dumped the FF on MY wife's new '23 Crosstrek and installed 10W20 HPL !

It would have been interesting to see if they would have prevented the knocking from appearing.
It is load dependent, as load is removed it appears - like in a rod knock.

- Ken

 

[ARCOgraphite]

It's no secret that in the 70's and 80's cars were pretty much junk. As I mentioned before (many times) when I had my Silverado (5.3) I towed a 5,000 pound travel all over the Rocky Mountains with a motor running 0W/20. It didn't blow up. The OP's requirement should be less for the Subaru living in Florida..... When are we going to get over this "thin thing" on this forum?

Ahh, the big sample of one and all is right with the world. But, I would be a "happy camper" if that was my experience.

 

[ZeeOSix]

To think otherwise shows litttle knowledge of bearing lubrication.
The "Bearing Characteristic Number ) is defined as: viscosity x rpm/load.
There is a "critical point" in a given application whereas if the number becomes lower the bearing will become unstable and fail.
Notice that increasing viscosidy increases the "bearing characteristic number" that's Mechanical Engineering 101 folks.

Yes, it's been mentioned 100s of times in these type of discussions that more HTHS viscosiy leads to more film thickness (MOFT), which gives more parts separation and less wear. Oil film thickness between moving parts is the main factor to prevent surfaces from rubbing and wearing.

The AF/AW tribofilm layer on parts (the add pack "film strength") is the only thing that helps prevent wear when the film thickness (MOFT) goes to near zero and into the mixed lubrication regime, or becomes zero and goes into the full boundry lubrication regime. Film thickness due to viscosity has been, and always will be the main wear mitigator. The physics of Tribology will never change that fact.

Also, it's been discussed many times that engines specified to use 0W-8 and 0W-16 have incorporated, (if engineered correctly) with engine design features (ie, wider journal bearings, materials and coatings that wear slower, etc) to compensate a viscosity below xW-20. If an engine was "back speced" to an 8 or 16 without any design changes, I'd be leery of running it.

 

[TiGeo]

 

[BornSlippy]

***LIPS ON MIC***

"M1 0W-40"

 

[SavetheRimBrake]

Ahh, the big sample of one and all is right with the world. But, I would be a "happy camper" if that was my experience.

Does that sample of one include all of the people who dealer maintain their car trucks and get the same 0w-20? That’s what a lot of new cars and trucks call for, and that’s what most dealerships will likely have (and likely lower quality than what a DIYer would buy)

 

[Nicasio]

I’ve had a 2015 Crosstrek for about 8 years and have always used 0w-20, but always contemplating going with 5w-30. Now Subaru recommends 0w-16 for 2024.

I’m in South Florida full time. Would you use their recommendation of 0w-16 or stick with 0w-20?

Sure, engineers know best and all that…

Thanks.

I just put 0w30 @ 30k mi. in our ‘22 Crosstrek. It’s been running great!

 

[Nicasio]

Obligatory Mobil 1 0w40 comment.

M1 0w40 seems to be the favorite for so many different cars

 

[Nesterenko]

Does that sample of one include all of the people who dealer maintain their car trucks and get the same 0w-20? That’s what a lot of new cars and trucks call for, and that’s what most dealerships will likely have (and likely lower quality than what a DIYer would buy)

Yeah the dealerships I suspect are obliged in general to use the corporate CAFE oil except I would guess on hi perf or sport models. I'm pretty sure if they had their druthers though they would opt for 30 or 40 grades. I know I would. They aren't catering to more discerning people such as us folks here.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Dealerships will usually use the viscosity shown on the oil fill cap. I have heard of some dealers using xW-20 in cars that call for xW-30, because these days seems the dealers think everything takes xW-20, lol.

 

[Nesterenko]

Dealerships will usually use the viscosity shown on the oil fill cap. I have heard of some dealers using xW-20 in cars that call for xW-30, because these days seems the dealers think everything takes xW-20, lol.

Yes I agree, but tell that to @Cleanneon98.

 

[SavetheRimBrake]

Yeah the dealerships I suspect are obliged in general to use the corporate CAFE oil except I would guess on hi perf or sport models. I'm pretty sure if they had their druthers though they would opt for 30 or 40 grades. I know I would. They aren't catering to more discerning people such as us folks here.

Discerning is not the word that came to mind but ok

 

[bluesubie]

Dealerships will usually use the viscosity shown on the oil fill cap. I have heard of some dealers using xW-20 in cars that call for xW-30, because these days seems the dealers think everything takes xW-20, lol.

This was happening a lot when the n/a Forester went to a 20 grade but the turbo version continued to spec 5W-30. Usually the dealers said that's just what's on the invoice but said they "really did use 5W-30". Many owners had the dealer change the oil again.

 

[Nesterenko]

Discerning is not the word that came to mind but ok

Taken into context. Engine oil choice only. Don't go any further, it's not called for

 

[Redhawk454]

I need BITOG roo experts on this one

I have a new 2024 blue geyser colored crosstrek that is supposed to be delivered 2nd week of December.

I test drove a black one. I looked at the owners manual and saw its go to oil is 0w-16 with an optional conventional ow-20. I didnt know there weas such a thing as conventional 0w-20. Anyway the service manager said they run ow-20 full synthetic on their crosstreks.

anyway

I've read on here that roo's need thinner oil at start up because of the timing chains. I hate thin oil but I dont want to have warranty related issues. I'd like to run 0w-30 or 5w-30 on this engine. Is it okay? did the tolerances and clearances change at all?

It's cold right now in the Colorado Rockies and will only get colder.

 

[MalibuRam65]

I’ve had a 2015 Crosstrek for about 8 years and have always used 0w-20, but always contemplating going with 5w-30. Now Subaru recommends 0w-16 for 2024.

I’m in South Florida full time. Would you use their recommendation of 0w-16 or stick with 0w-20?

Sure, engineers know best and all that…

Thanks.

If it Requires a 0w-16 you might have to change it to a Thick 0w20 to help in the Florida heat

 

[Titan]

If you only do short trips, 0w-16 will be perfectly fine. If you do long trips and run the car hard, how about a 10w-20? This will have no Viscosity Index Improvers, be a bit thicker than most 20 weights, and not as thick as a 30 weight, so any tiny loss of MPG will be just that: tiny...unmeasurable in the noise of all the other variables. The increased thickness of a 10w-20 will provide a bit more MOFT. Or, you could jump right to Mobil 1 0w40. Your engine won't explode.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

I’ve had a 2015 Crosstrek for about 8 years and have always used 0w-20, but always contemplating going with 5w-30. Now Subaru recommends 0w-16 for 2024.

I’m in South Florida full time. Would you use their recommendation of 0w-16 or stick with 0w-20?

Sure, engineers know best and all that…

Thanks.

Subaru jumped aboard the Toyota viscosity train.
0w20 is fine. Real world situations no mpg gain will be noticeable enough to use 0w16.