2016 WRX, 6k intervals, 60k worth of intervals: M1 ESP 5w30, RT6 MV 5w30

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I haven't gotten around to posting these individually, but here are 60,000 miles worth of UOAs on my 2016 WRX. Here are some key points:
-A couple of the samples were sent to both Blackstone (BSL) and Oil Analyzers Inc (OAI) for analysis.
-Subaru OEM oil filter on each interval
-Ran the factory fill for 6k mi, then ran Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 from 6k to 42k mi. Then I ran Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5w30 from 42k to 60k mi.
-Car is bone stock engine-wise. Stock tune, factory air filter, etc.
-Commute is roughly 25 miles each day with some highway, some stop and go traffic. Generally pretty easy driving, not going into boost much.
-Roughly 20,000 mi per year on the car which is about 3 oil changes per year (OEM recommended interval is 6,000 miles)
-Road trips are taken a couple times a year in this car.
-Cold start idling in the morning is usually less than 30 seconds.
-Colorado climate, so it sees hot and cold temperatures.
-Every oil change interval (except factory fill) has at least a couple autocross events on it; usually do about 10 events per year with a co-driver.
-Air filter is changed at OEM recommended interval (30,000 mi)
-I believe the factory fill is Idemitsu 5w30, but I'm not 100% sure.
-Subaru specifies GF-5 or API SN 5w30 in the owner's manual. I wanted a more robust oil than a GF-5 oil, but I wanted to use a "5w30" API SN (although not RC) oil so I used the M1 ESP. When RT6 MV 5w30 was released, I went with that since it's cheaper. At 60k mi, I switched to Castrol 0w40 since the powertrain warranty is up. The Subaru UK owner's manual for the FA20DIT Levorg specifies 5w40 as an oil option in addition to 5w30 (I believe), so I went with it here.

Pretty happy with the car so far. There was a strange copper spike on the 42k sample. I'm not an expert at analyzing these UOAs, but I'm happy with the viscosity considering fuel dilution and potential shearing and I'm happy with the wear metals. Excited to see how the 0w40 compares. I was debating M1 0w40 vs Castrol, and I went with the Castrol with its lower calcium. However, the M1 0w40 is closer in viscosity to the 5w30s I've been running.
Code


Lab OAI BSL OAI BSL BSL OAI OAI OAI OAI BSL OAI BSL OAI

Oil Brand Idemitsu Mobil 1 Mobil 1 Mobil 1 Mobil 1 Mobil 1 Mobil 1 Mobil 1 Mobil 1 Shell Shell Shell Shell

Oil Model Factory Fill ESP Formula ESP Formula ESP Formula ESP Formula ESP Formula ESP Formula ESP Formula ESP Formula Rotella T6 Multi Vehicle Rotella T6 Multi Vehicle Rotella T6 Multi Vehicle Rotella T6 Multi Vehicle

Oil Grade 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30 5w30

Sample Date 03/05/2016 06/13/2016 06/13/2016 09/09/2016 01/29/2017 01/29/2017 04/23/2017 08/18/2017 01/26/2018 06/08/2018 06/08/2018 09/12/2018 03/09/2019

Drain Interval 5,918 6,255 6,255 5,770 6,004 6,004 6,080 5,824 6,062 6,231 6,230 5,977 6,492

Unit Mileage 5,918 12,173 12,173 17,943 23,947 23,947 30,027 35,851 41,913 48,144 48,144 54,121 60,614



Aluminum 5 6 5 5 5 3 3 3 4 5 4 4 3

Antimony 0 - 0 - - 0 0 0 0 - 1 - 0

Barium 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Boron 175 138 143 148 148 136 191 130 156 108 112 85 98

Cadmium 0 - 0 - - 0 0 0 0 - 0 - 0

Calcium 1830 1123 1159 1102 1102 1044 1306 1003 1090 1105 1192 1177 1401

Chromium 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Copper 128 66 71 19 6 5 3 1 21 7 7 2 8

Iron 36 29 29 19 17 15 17 15 26 15 15 10 16

Lead 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Lithium 0 - 0 - - 0 0 0 0 - 0 - 0

Magnesium 11 6 0 9 9 2 8 5 9 562 623 700 614

Manganese 19 4 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 0

Molybdenum 680 160 166 95 92 83 104 84 90 17 18 5 2

Nickel 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Phosphorus 672 630 653 723 723 703 824 639 702 661 700 674 717

Potassium 1 0 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 0 2 1

Silicon 263 62 60 21 21 19 24 19 20 25 26 22 18

Silver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sodium 7 4 3 4 4 2 3 1 1 6 4 6 4

Tin 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Titanium 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

Vanadium 0 - 0 - - 0 0 0 0 - 0 - 0

Zinc 766 791 791 841 841 821 974 808 880 736 782 769 855



cSt Vicosity at 100 C 7.8 10.89 11 11.14 11.03 11 10.9 11.3 11.2 11.78 12 11.38 12.3

Flahspoint in F - 410 - 440 445 - - - - 430 - 405 -

Fuel dilution (GC) 0.027 - - - - - - - 0.015 - 0.015 - 0.02

Soot 0 - 0 - - 0 0 0 0.001 - 0 - 0

Water 0 - 0 - - 0 0 0 0 - 0 - 0

Insolubles - 0.2 - 0 0.1 - - - - 0.2 - 0.1 -

TBN 3.88 2.1 2.61 3.1 1.8 2.74 2.66 1.74 1.75 2.4 3.2 4 2.27

TAN - 3.3 - 3.3 3.6 - - - - 4 - 3.7 -

Oxidation (abs/cm) 18 - 31 - - 34 30 33 33 - 20 - 16

Nitration (abs/0.1 mm) 10 - 9 - - 10 9 9 9 - 11 - 11
 
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This very good information, thanks for posting.

When I was looking for some UOAs for Rotella's multi vehicle, I came across some of your posts on nasioc and is one of the reasons I went with Rotella for my current fill.

Seems like Rotella gives very similar results as Mobil 1 ESP at a lower cost.
 
many of todays oils of similar viscosity are very similar except the prices. with big names you pay for advertising + sponsorships. i am now using super-tech synthetics that perform just as well as a lower cost without rebates.
 
Originally Posted by jbutch
This very good information, thanks for posting.

When I was looking for some UOAs for Rotella's multi vehicle, I came across some of your posts on nasioc and is one of the reasons I went with Rotella for my current fill.

Seems like Rotella gives very similar results as Mobil 1 ESP at a lower cost.

The lower cost was a big bonus over the M1 ESP. I liked the way the car ran on the RT6 5w30 and M1 ESP. Engine seemed a bit peppier on those oils vs the 0w40. Might just be placebo, but the 0w40 has a KV100 which is about 11% higher according to the datasheets. The 5w30s seemed to hold up to autocross and track time well and they also have HTHS > 3.5. TBN was usually flagged at 6k on the 5w30s though.

Originally Posted by normal_guy1
I've had that weird copper spike too, although at 27k miles. I've read that it is quite common, but nobody knows why...for what it's worth, it seems harmless.

Here's my data:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/5035185/

Your copper spiked quite a bit higher than mine. Glad to hear that it doesn't seem to be a huge concern. Your UOAs on GF-5 oil look good, any track time or extended spirited driving with some high oil temps?
 
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Originally Posted by SubieRubyRoo
Good to go! Thanks for compiling all of that.

Ditto!
cool.gif
 
Originally Posted by WRX12tt
Your copper spiked quite a bit higher than mine. Glad to hear that it doesn't seem to be a huge concern. Your UOAs on GF-5 oil look good, any track time or extended spirited driving with some high oil temps?

No track time or autoX. The only "extended spirited driving" I've done was at around 30k miles when I drove it for one hour in 3rd gear at 70-75mph (5-5.5k RPMs)
to perform an "Italian Tune-Up" because I was too cheap to do walnut blasting>. Oil temperature was in the low-220s.
crackmeup2.gif
...Probably wasn't worth it.

Regarding good looking UOAs, bluesubie mentioned once upon a time, that despite his Turbo Forester UOA results looking good, it didn't prevent his turbo from failing anyway; so there are issues that could develop and be outside the scope of what a UOA can tell you. Besides, the price of a UOA costs as much as an oil change itself so I'll probably only be doing them every other oil change now.
 
Originally Posted by normal_guy1

No track time or autoX. The only "extended spirited driving" I've done was at around 30k miles when I drove it for one hour in 3rd gear at 70-75mph (5-5.5k RPMs)
to perform an "Italian Tune-Up" because I was too cheap to do walnut blasting>. Oil temperature was in the low-220s.
crackmeup2.gif
...Probably wasn't worth it.



FWIW, driving a direct injected car very hard like that will not clean the intake valves, nor will it keep intake valves clean if you drove like that since day one on a direct injected engine. If you have deposits on your intake valves the only real way to fully clean it is walnut blasting.
 
Originally Posted by Patman
Originally Posted by normal_guy1

No track time or autoX. The only "extended spirited driving" I've done was at around 30k miles when I drove it for one hour in 3rd gear at 70-75mph (5-5.5k RPMs)
to perform an "Italian Tune-Up" because I was too cheap to do walnut blasting>. Oil temperature was in the low-220s.
crackmeup2.gif
...Probably wasn't worth it.



FWIW, driving a direct injected car very hard like that will not clean the intake valves, nor will it keep intake valves clean if you drove like that since day one on a direct injected engine. If you have deposits on your intake valves the only real way to fully clean it is walnut blasting.


It has to help a little? Just from heat and the trauma the valves are taking? lol
 
Originally Posted by Patman
Originally Posted by normal_guy1

No track time or autoX. The only "extended spirited driving" I've done was at around 30k miles when I drove it for one hour in 3rd gear at 70-75mph (5-5.5k RPMs)
to perform an "Italian Tune-Up" because I was too cheap to do walnut blasting>. Oil temperature was in the low-220s.
crackmeup2.gif
...Probably wasn't worth it.



FWIW, driving a direct injected car very hard like that will not clean the intake valves, nor will it keep intake valves clean if you drove like that since day one on a direct injected engine. If you have deposits on your intake valves the only real way to fully clean it is walnut blasting.

Originally Posted by Env1ous
Originally Posted by Patman
Originally Posted by normal_guy1

No track time or autoX. The only "extended spirited driving" I've done was at around 30k miles when I drove it for one hour in 3rd gear at 70-75mph (5-5.5k RPMs)
to perform an "Italian Tune-Up" because I was too cheap to do walnut blasting>. Oil temperature was in the low-220s.
crackmeup2.gif
...Probably wasn't worth it.



FWIW, driving a direct injected car very hard like that will not clean the intake valves, nor will it keep intake valves clean if you drove like that since day one on a direct injected engine. If you have deposits on your intake valves the only real way to fully clean it is walnut blasting.


It has to help a little? Just from heat and the trauma the valves are taking? lol

Sorta
32.gif


I recall some time ago (I believe here on bitog) someone posted a link to a guy that successfully removed a good bit of intake valve deposits by driving a Golf GTI (or R) on the track at high load for a while. He posted before and after pics as well. The results were not quite as good as walnut shell blasting, but you could definitely see an improvement. I've looked for the link again several times over the years but never found it again. Maybe I'll give it another shot.

FWIW, I do believe a lot of Subaru intake valve deposit issues are blown out of proportion a bit. While there have been some IVD buildup pics floating around the web there have actually been very little driveability issues (CEL's). Most of the Subaru issues are treated as preventative maintenance and reported power improvement verified via butt dyno's (with some actual dynos). The WRX pics I have seen are nothing like the early VW/AUDI/BMW DI days.
 
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