How much Oil should an 02 WRX burn??

[BD]

Hey, all.

I have an 02 WRX. Not much mileage on it - only 42,000km, which I guess
is about 26,000 miles.

I am bang-on about servicing dates, and am due for a normal servicing
very soon. I decided to check the oil to see how much it burns within a
normal service cycle. At this point the level is pretty much right on
the vertical line of the L on the dipstick. A little low. I had just
driven to work, and had just shut off the motor. I didn't allow much
time for any oil to drip back down and bring the level up any.

That strikes me as troubling. Assuming the shop fills to about the
middle mark betwen L and H on the dipstick, is my car burning more than
it should??

Thanks!

BD

 

[mulder]

Hey, all.

I have an 02 WRX. Not much mileage on it - only 42,000km, which I guess
is about 26,000 miles.

I am bang-on about servicing dates, and am due for a normal servicing
very soon. I decided to check the oil to see how much it burns within a
normal service cycle. At this point the level is pretty much right on
the vertical line of the L on the dipstick. A little low. I had just
driven to work, and had just shut off the motor. I didn't allow much
time for any oil to drip back down and bring the level up any.

That strikes me as troubling. Assuming the shop fills to about the
middle mark betwen L and H on the dipstick, is my car burning more than
it should??

Thanks!

BD

First of all you didn't check the oil properly. If you check it when
the engine is warm you must wait at least a few minutes for all the
oil to return to the pan. There is a notch on the dipstick above the L
and F marks, that notch indicates the proper level when checking on a
warm engine (the oil expands when it gets hot).
For the most accurate readings you should check the oil level first
thing in the morning before the car is driven, while it is parked on a
level surface. When the proper amount of oil (4.8 quarts at an oil
change) is in the engine, the level should be on the F mark or top
hole.
While oil consumption will vary between cars and engines of the same
type, depending on manufacturing tolerances, break-in, driving habits,
trip length, oil brand/viscosity and so on, you should not see more
than 1 quart/1000 miles of oil use. Subaru considers anything up to
that amount to be within normal spec, many other manufacturers do the
same. I've seen a wide variation among WRX owners of reported oil
consumption, from none to more than normal. Mine, fortunately, does
not use any.
If your car is still under warranty (not sure about Canada, presume
that's where you are, in the US we have a 5/60 powertrain warranty),
you can have Subaru perform an oil consumption test. They will change
the oil, then have you return at regular intervals to check the level.
If it drops more than the allowable amount, they will then proceed to
make any necessary repairs.

 

[BD]

For the most accurate readings you should check the oil level first

thing in the morning before the car is driven,

Check it cold?

Huh - okay, that's fine; it's just contrary to what I'd understood to
this point.

Maybe I'll call the dealer and confirm what they say is the best way to
check.

And yes, I do have a couple of years of warranty left.

Thanks!!

 

[mulder]

Check it cold?

Huh - okay, that's fine; it's just contrary to what I'd understood to
this point.

Maybe I'll call the dealer and confirm what they say is the best way to
check.

And yes, I do have a couple of years of warranty left.

Thanks!!

Don't believe everything the dealer tells you, sometimes they have no
idea what they are talking about. Take a look in your owners manual,
it should explain how to check the oil.
I always check mine cold and it's right at the top mark.

 

[BD]

Take a look in your owners manual,

Yup, nothing like getting is straight from the horse's mouth, as it
were. Will do.

 

[Body Roll]

Don't believe everything the dealer tells you, sometimes they have no
idea what they are talking about. Take a look in your owners manual,

Geez. People, if you have a problem like that you chould consider
switching to another dealer.
I have two dealers I go to depending on what I need and I found that

1) The service managers are knowledgeable. And so are the foremans at
the service departments.
2) Sales people are fairly honest if they see that you know exactly
what you want.
3) The experience with the parts guys varies a bit but in the end they
usually know
more than me and I can order the parts I need with light to moderate
effort.

But in any even if dealers don't know what they are talking about who
does?
The guy at the quickie lube place?

Give the dealers a break. They are trying to serve you the best they
can.
They are pretty much the top of the food chain in the part of the
industry visible to the laymen.

No, I don't work in the automotive industry. But I do have appreciation
for people
who work there and have to deal with people with special needs on the
daily basis.

Sorry if I'm a bit off topic here.

 

[BD]

Sorry if I'm a bit off topic here.

I have no real problem with the Subaru dealers to this point - save for
the fact that I've been through 4 clutches so far - the first I had
changed because of cold shudder, and then there was a really odd
vibration coming from the replacement, which could be easily
demonstrated - the car was in the shop for 6 days with that one, as the
mechanic proceeded to pull apart half my car, because the noise seemed
to be coming from somewhere other than the clutch area - he didn't
think that perhaps the one thing that was changed 2 days prior could be
the cause of the noise - he ultimately did swap out the clutch, and lo
and behold, the noise went away. And with the next clutch, the throw
bearing just GAVE OUT while I was on the highway. Now I'm on number 4.
Yay me.

My faith in dealers/mechanics is a little shaky. Sometimes common sense
and logic rank a distant second to 'evidence'.

 

[Edward Hayes]

If you are going to measure your oil consumption you must. 1. Check
the level when the car is level & 2. Check the oil when the oil
tempeture is the same & 3. Use a graduated measuring cup while adding
oil in small amounts as the low to full is not linear. All this from
my experience. My vehicle at 104,000 miles uses a measured 6 oz per
5,000 mile oil change using the above method. I also use Mobil 1 5w30
oil and use my care as a daily driver. I do not drive aggressively nor
do I downshift for braking as this can increased consumption,
especially from hi rpms. The 1000 miles per quart cut-off is an old GM
rule they fabricated when they had a serious engine problems due to
piston rings being installed upside down and were looking for a way to
appease customers and keep warranty problems at bay. Something is
wrong with my Subaru engine IF I drive sensibly and consumption
exceeds one quart in 3-4,000 miles.

 

[Body Roll]

and behold, the noise went away. And with the next clutch, the throw
bearing just GAVE OUT while I was on the highway. Now I'm on number 4.
Yay me.

Maybe it's time to try something different now, like an aftermarket
clutch
Though you'd have to pay out of pocket. I wonder if those are any
better.

My faith in dealers/mechanics is a little shaky. Sometimes common sense
and logic rank a distant second to 'evidence'.

Well, maybe I was just fortunate dealer service-wise. I was never
screwed up by a dealer,
just by some independent shops (chains especially) including running
into service managers
from hell.

 

[Sheldon]

Check it cold?

Always check your oil first thing in the morning -- this way you are
measuring all the oil in engine. I will, however, often check my oil when I
go grocery shopping. The parking lot is more level than my driveway at
home, and I check it the same way pretty much every time -- when I get back
to the car after a lengthy shopping spree. Generally, the amount of oil
between the two marks is one quart, so if they put in enough oil to hit the
top mark, your oil should not drop below the lower mark within 1000 miles.
Most manufacturers use this as a basic guide, and while one car may not use
any oil at all, another may use the entire quart. If you drive like a bat
out of hell on the track you will definitely use more oil than the person
who drives to the market once a week. Also, as someone else already noted,
the type of oil and viscosity will effect how much you use.

One reason for periodically checking the oil when the car is stone cold in
the morning is to make sure you do not overfill the engine, which can cause
your car to use even more oil or damage the seals.

Remember, too, that not all fluids, or the oil on other cars, are checked
the same way. Automatic tranny fluid is generally checked when the engine
is warmed up, and when checking the oil on a car like a Porsche 911, which
has a "dry sump," you have to check the oil with the car completely warmed
up and the engine running. Furthermore, overfilling can damage some cars as
much as letting it get too low. Some dealers assume most people never check
their oil, so they put in some extra for good measure. While the premise is
a good one, it's not always the best thing for the engine.

 

[Ragnar]

Hey, all.

I have an 02 WRX. Not much mileage on it - only 42,000km, which I guess
is about 26,000 miles.

I am bang-on about servicing dates, and am due for a normal servicing
very soon. I decided to check the oil to see how much it burns within a
normal service cycle. At this point the level is pretty much right on
the vertical line of the L on the dipstick. A little low. I had just
driven to work, and had just shut off the motor. I didn't allow much
time for any oil to drip back down and bring the level up any.

That strikes me as troubling. Assuming the shop fills to about the
middle mark betwen L and H on the dipstick, is my car burning more than
it should??

Thanks!

BD

Given that you didn't bother to let the oil settle (and hence took an
inaccurate reading), what makes you think you've been burning oil?

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Coupla thoughts here, none of them original--most have been covered in
this thread or others similar (it's one of those "perpetual" topics
along with "how much air in my tires" and several others!):

First, for consistency, I'd suggest you check your oil "cold" on a level
surface as frequently mentioned in the books. Oil expands and contracts
depending on temp, so a "hot" level in most of my cars at night when I
come home results in about 1/4 qt lower reading the following morning.
Whenever making comparisons, you've gotta use similar conditions. Hot vs
hot, cold vs cold, you know what I mean. "Change only one variable at a
time" is the way they taught us in school back when we rode our
dinosaurs instead of driving...

Next, oil consumption has to be measured relative to a fixed point. That
point is wherever the oil registers right after an oil change. If the
dealer filled the sump to the full mark, and it's at the low mark in
3000 miles, you're burning a quart in 3000 miles, but if the dealer only
filled you halfway between the marks, you're at around a quart in 6000
miles. So you've gotta know where they filled it to start. Which could
be ANYWHERE! I've seen cars come out of the shop barely past the low
mark, some a quart over the full mark! (One of many reasons I do my own
oil changes!)

And lastly, there's no such thing as a "proper" amount of oil
consumption. Each engine within a family will burn a different amount
under similar conditions, and differing conditions will change
consumption within a given engine. As Ed Hayes pointed out, engine
braking can increase consumption (due to high vacuum levels), as can
high speeds, pulling big hills, hot weather, oil type and viscosity and
on and on. While I seriously doubt you'll find ANY manufacturer who will
entertain an "excessive" consumption claim until you're going thru a
quart/1000 miles (regardless of how that figure was first arrived at),
I've seen some German books claim 1 qt/500 mi is normal, and have seen
some Japanese engines that burned mere ounces in 6000 miles. For myself,
a "healthy" engine usually uses 1 qt/2-3k miles with MY driving style
and conditions. YMMV of course!

While I DON'T agree with everything this gentleman has to say, there's
some interesting reading here: http://www.boss302.com/oil.htm You can
draw your own conclusions!

Rick

 

[KLS]

Don't believe everything the dealer tells you, sometimes they have no
idea what they are talking about. Take a look in your owners manual,
it should explain how to check the oil.
I always check mine cold and it's right at the top mark.

My manual for my Audi says to check the oil while the engine is warm;
need to check the manual for the OBW, curious if it says cold engine.

 

[Edward Hayes]

Probably has to due with the dimensions of the sump and maybe drain
down time.