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.