Factory Fill UOA 1,400 miles 2011 Subaru Forester

[garthg]

-- oops, sorry I posted this to the wrong forum list, this is where it should be --

This is the UOA for the first oil change on this car. The engine is Subaru's new fully redesigned 2.5 L engine (FB25) with a timing chain.

Oil: Factory fill over about 2 weeks in late spring (yes, I did the break in driving quickly), no top up oil (oil level didn't drop at all during break in). I don't know what viscosity the factory fill is, but the engine is specified for Synthetic 0w20
Oil Filter: Factory filter, with magnet on filter
Air Filter: Factory filter
Vehicle: 2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X Touring Package, 1,400 miles (2,300 km) on car and oil -- first oil change

The driving was "break in" style, revs kept under 4,000 rpm, frequent varying of revs, no hard acceleration, mix of city and highway driving.

Analysis was done by Toromont Caterpillar ($CDN 20 including tax and shipping).

Iron 20
Chrome 0
Moly 974
Aluminum 5
Copper 83
Lead 0
Tin 1
Titanium 0
Nickel 0
Silver 0
Silicon 229
Sodium 9
Potassium 5
Zinc 918
Magnesium 13
Phosphorus 939
Barium 4

Soot UFM # 0
Sulfur UFM # 22
Oxidation UFM # 18
Nitrates UFM # 9

Viscosity cSt at 100C 7.15
TBN 5.0
TAN 1.10

Antifreeze negligible
Fuel Dilution negligible
Water negligible

The comment from Toromont was "Wear levels are consistent with normal break-in wear"

The break-in recommendation in the Canadian owner's manual indicates a break-in period of 1,600 km. The first oil change (Canadian Schedule) is supposed to be at 8,000 km. In the US, the first oil change is specified at 5,000 km (3,000 miles). I usually like to change my oil fairly soon after break-in. Unlike my 2010 Honda Fit, where Honda specifically recommends NOT changing the oil until the first (Maintenance Minder) indicated interval, there is no information from Subaru as to whether the factory fill is "special" or not. Based on this UOA, I would suggest that the factory fill is high quality (e.g., look at the Moly, Viscosity, Zinc, and TBN numbers) and I likely could have safely kept it in for several thousand more km.

I'm now running Pennzoil Platinum 0w20 and a factory (Toyko Roki) filter, and will likely do a UOA on my next oil change.


Comments?

 

[tinmanSC]

Wow! This certainly is a special oil. Look at all that moly, and a Viscosity of 7.15? That's an extremely thin 20 grade. One assumes there is a reason why they ask you to keep it in. I'd keep it.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Love the moly. Wonder if 100% of that is from the oil or from other sources like engine assembly lube/paste. Either way, looks like a nice package. I'm really liking all of the OEM 0W-20 oils.

 

[gathermewool]

In the US, non-turbo Foresters should have their first oil change at 3750 mile, then subsequently at 7500 mile intervals. With all of that additive, Subaru's 0W-20 looks really nice!

 

[garthg]

Hi. I had the same thought that maybe the high moly is from the engine assembly rather than the factory fill itself
- Garth

 

[garthg]

Originally Posted By: tinmanSC
Wow! This certainly is a special oil. Look at all that moly, and a Viscosity of 7.15? That's an extremely thin 20 grade. One assumes there is a reason why they ask you to keep it in. I'd keep it.


To clarify, it's not that there was a specific recommendation to keep it in but rather all the (Canadian) service schedule indicated was first (and all subsequent) oil changes are at 8,000 km. In comparison, for my 2010 Honda FIT, Honda specifically recommends NOT to change the oil prematurely.

 

[Thermo1223]

Should have just left it in for the whole time, by that UOA you had nothing to fear.

 

[bluesubie]

Nice! I've been wanting to see a uoa on some new 0W-20. I'll have to look for some moly numbers on other Subaru factory fill uoa's. I know it's always high, due to assembly lube and perhaps the pistons, but don't recall if it was this high. There was a voa on Honda/Idemitsu 0W-20 and the moly was high.

The different intervals between the U.S. and Canada are odd. I'm surprised that your first change isn't at 3k miles. It's also odd that SoA says that FB engine with a timing chain is tough on oil (which I know timing chains are), but the turbo's first OCI isn't until 7,500 miles.

edit: This STI 2k uoa on factory fill shows moly at 876.

-Dennis

 

[webfors]

Love that moly! Looks like a break in oil to me... I wouldn't expect the Subaru branded 0w20 to have moly like that, but we'll know soon enough as the UOAs start to roll in.

Nice car! I love my 08' Forester. It's a workhorse and a blast to drive. I'm not sure if I could get myself to pour a thin 20 weight in a Subaru boxer though...

 

[cchase]

I strongly suspect the moly is not a characteristic of the oil, but instead is from assembling the engine.

 

[Eddie]

Where ever the moly came from, Subaru obviously wanted it in. I suspect it was in the oil along with the Zink & Phos

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Where ever the moly came from, Subaru obviously wanted it in. I suspect it was in the oil along with the Zink & Phos


Agreed. Nice looking oil... but that's a thin 20 weight, not that there's anything wrong with ultra low viscosity oils