My new Outback 2004 burns oil

[Joan Masoliver]

I have a New Outback 2004 2.5i (168CV) with about 20.000 Km and it burns
1 litre oil every 5.000 Km. I use a syntetic oil CEPSA 5-40. It is
normal in this engine? There are somebody with the same problem?

The my brother's Subaru Forester X (2.0i), with 90.000 Km, never burns
oil (with the same CEPSA 5-40)......

The Subaru service recomended use a mineral oil 15-40. I think that is
not good for this engine !!!!

Tanks

 

[Edward Hayes]

I use Mobil 1 10w30 in my 2000 2.5L engine per factory recommendations and
at 77,000 miles my engine consumes about 1/2 quart per 5,000 mile oil/filter
change. 15/40 weight is not good and goes against the people who designed
your engine. TRUST YOUR OWNERS MANUAL AS IT IS YOUR FRIEND.

 

[Jim Stewart]

I use Mobil 1 10w30 in my 2000 2.5L engine per factory recommendations and
at 77,000 miles my engine consumes about 1/2 quart per 5,000 mile oil/filter
change. 15/40 weight is not good and goes against the people who designed
your engine. TRUST YOUR OWNERS MANUAL AS IT IS YOUR FRIEND.

Your burn rate is probably a bit highter than
normal, but nothing to worry about. I concur
with Edward in the use of Mobil 1 10w30.

 

[busterb]

I use Mobil 1 10w30 in my 2000 2.5L engine per factory recommendations and
at 77,000 miles my engine consumes about 1/2 quart per 5,000 mile oil/filter
change. 15/40 weight is not good and goes against the people who designed
your engine. TRUST YOUR OWNERS MANUAL AS IT IS YOUR FRIEND.

The manual does state that 20/50 is fine for extreme heat and towing.
The poster is not in the US so oil grade availability may vary. In
the US yes 10/30 or 5/30 is fine for most. I have noticed that Mobil
1 5/30 gives 1-2 mpg more than Mobil1 10/30 in my 04 OBW

 

[y_p_w]

I use Mobil 1 10w30 in my 2000 2.5L engine per factory recommendations and
at 77,000 miles my engine consumes about 1/2 quart per 5,000 mile oil/filter
change. 15/40 weight is not good and goes against the people who designed
your engine. TRUST YOUR OWNERS MANUAL AS IT IS YOUR FRIEND.

Well - the owners manual does state that there are a variety of oil
weights that may be used for extreme temperatures of towing. Among
these weights are 30, 40, 20W-40, and 20W-50. I haven't seen 20W-40
in years, but 15W-40 is very close and easy to find. I can't imagine
everyone who tows will be doing so EVERY time. I'd think the people
who make the recommendation for heavier weight oils for towing would
realize this, and not make the recommendation if it's going to result
in problems when NOT towing.

The engine should be tolerant of receiving any number of different
oil weights, types, or brands. Granted, 15W-40 probably won't do
wonders for fuel economy, but it's not going to destroy the engine
either.

 

[Bonehenge]

I concur
with Edward in the use of Mobil 1 10w30.

Make it 3.

Barry

 

[Jack]

I too burn about 1 qt per 3000-3500 miles on my 2K Outback. It has
done it since very early in the car's history and I have over 100,000
miles, now. The good thing is that the compression is very solid in
all 4 cylinders. Even though the dealer has been unable to find any
leaks while it was under warranty, I think it has a small leak
somewhere. I regularly do 600 mile drives and at the end of the drive
I can smell burnt oil on the Cat.

Jack

 

[Jim Stewart]

I too burn about 1 qt per 3000-3500 miles on my 2K Outback. It has
done it since very early in the car's history and I have over 100,000
miles, now. The good thing is that the compression is very solid in
all 4 cylinders. Even though the dealer has been unable to find any
leaks while it was under warranty, I think it has a small leak
somewhere. I regularly do 600 mile drives and at the end of the drive
I can smell burnt oil on the Cat.

Don't worry. By the time it's ready for a new
timing belt, the leak will probably be obvious

 

[Joan Masoliver]

En/na Edward Hayes ha escrit:

I use Mobil 1 10w30 in my 2000 2.5L engine per factory recommendations and
at 77,000 miles my engine consumes about 1/2 quart per 5,000 mile oil/filter
change. 15/40 weight is not good and goes against the people who designed
your engine. TRUST YOUR OWNERS MANUAL AS IT IS YOUR FRIEND.

Sorry Eduard,

but what is a quart, 250cc?

Thanks,

Joan

 

[td]

My dealer in Australia tells me that they did have some oil problems with
the 2004 2.5l engines. They fixed it on the 2005 ones! this tells me that
1- they acknowledge that there was a problem, and 2- they know how to fix
it. I recall him saying something about gadgets.

 

[Joan Masoliver]

En/na td ha escrit:

My dealer in Australia tells me that they did have some oil problems with
the 2004 2.5l engines. They fixed it on the 2005 ones! this tells me that
1- they acknowledge that there was a problem, and 2- they know how to fix
it. I recall him saying something about gadgets.

Thank td, I wait your recall

Joan

 

[Danny Russell]

I use Mobil 1 10w30 in my 2000 2.5L engine per factory recommendations and
at 77,000 miles my engine consumes about 1/2 quart per 5,000 mile oil/filter
change. 15/40 weight is not good and goes against the people who designed
your engine. TRUST YOUR OWNERS MANUAL AS IT IS YOUR FRIEND.

Ed, now while I agree that 15W-40 may not be appropriate for all climates or circumstances, I'd say
it's a bit far to suggest that it goes against the people who designed it.

In fact when I consult my '02 manual I find this:


1. 5W-30 for ambient below 100* F

2. 10W-30 or 10W-40 for ambient above 0* F

3. "If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in areas with very high temperatures, or used for
heavy-duty applications such as towing a trailer, use of oil with the following grade and
viscosities IS RECOMMENEDED" :

SAE 30
SAE 40
10W-50
20W-40
20W-50

I'm curious to know what your manual says.

 

[Rick Courtright]

but what is a quart, 250cc?

More like ~950cc.

Back to your original question: I don't see ANY problem with your oil
consumption rate. ALL engines use a bit of oil, even though people will
tell you they don't. That's bunk, though there are conditions where the
consumption's so low it appears to be non-existent. Some of our group
who live in very cold climates may even report their engines appear to
"make" oil due to condensation from short runs during the winter.

Many things contribute to oil consumption: overall condition of the
engine (new, tight, old, loose, good or bad valve guides and seals,
etc.), seating of the rings (I've seen engines that just wouldn't seat
the rings properly at all until over 35k miles--rare, but it's
happened), driving conditions (high speed will usually eat more oil than
low speed), leaks (obvious or more hidden) and on and on.

Given my driving conditions, virtually all the engines I've had that
started "new with me" used a quart of oil per 2000-3000 miles once well
broken in. IOW, right about what yours is using. Few manufacturers will
even entertain the thought an engine's using excessive oil until
consumption exceeds 1 qt/1000 mi (~1 ltr per 1600/1700 km.) Check
regularly (notice that every engine, no matter how sophisticated
otherwise, STILL comes with a dipstick? Hint, hint!), keep topped up
(I'm a bit fanatic--I try to never let my engines get more than a half
quart down, but you can go to the "fill" line if you'd like) and drive
happy!

Rick

 

[Joan Masoliver]

En/na Rick Courtright ha escrit:

Joan Masoliver wrote:




More like ~950cc.

Back to your original question: I don't see ANY problem with your oil
consumption rate. ALL engines use a bit of oil, even though people will
tell you they don't. That's bunk, though there are conditions where the
consumption's so low it appears to be non-existent. Some of our group
who live in very cold climates may even report their engines appear to
"make" oil due to condensation from short runs during the winter.

Many things contribute to oil consumption: overall condition of the
engine (new, tight, old, loose, good or bad valve guides and seals,
etc.), seating of the rings (I've seen engines that just wouldn't seat
the rings properly at all until over 35k miles--rare, but it's
happened), driving conditions (high speed will usually eat more oil than
low speed), leaks (obvious or more hidden) and on and on.

Given my driving conditions, virtually all the engines I've had that
started "new with me" used a quart of oil per 2000-3000 miles once well
broken in. IOW, right about what yours is using. Few manufacturers will
even entertain the thought an engine's using excessive oil until
consumption exceeds 1 qt/1000 mi (~1 ltr per 1600/1700 km.) Check
regularly (notice that every engine, no matter how sophisticated
otherwise, STILL comes with a dipstick? Hint, hint!), keep topped up
(I'm a bit fanatic--I try to never let my engines get more than a half
quart down, but you can go to the "fill" line if you'd like) and drive
happy!

Rick

Hello Rick,

I had tree cars in 23 years driving before my 2004 Outback:

1) Peugeot 205GLD 1.800cc diesel : 250.000 Km driving, no oil
consumation until 200.000 Km (0.5l every 10.000 Km)

2) VW Golf-II GTI 1.800cc 8valve injection: 380.000 Km driving, no oil
consumation until 200.000 Km (0.5l every 10.000 Km), at 380.000 Km
consumes 1litre every 1.000 Km of syntetic oil

3) VW Golg-III GTI 2.000cc 8valve injection: 290.000 Km driving, no oil
consumation until 200.000 Km (0.5l every 10.000 Km), now consumes 1litre
every 4.000 Km with sinteric oil 5-40

I check regulary the oil, every 2.000 Km, I'm a fanatic too and I try to
never let my engines get more than a half quart down.

I think is "normal" oil consumation until 1litre every 10.000 Km, but I
see that now all the engines consumes oil: Audi, BMW, Ford, GM(Opel),
...... The manufacturers says that the engines are design to reduce the
consume of gas/petrol .... In Europe the manufacturers will even
entertain the thought an engine's using excessive oil until consumption
exceeds 1 ltr per 1000 km !!!!!!!!, like my 380.000Km Golf-II!!!!!.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, now it is necessary take always a quater of oil in a
new car!!!!, I never take it in my old cars until 200.000Km !!!!

Joan

 

[Rick Courtright]

consume of gas/petrol .... In Europe the manufacturers will even
entertain the thought an engine's using excessive oil until consumption
exceeds 1 ltr per 1000 km !!!!!!!!, like my 380.000Km Golf-II!!!!!.

Hi, Joan

That's been about my experience, both with VW and Porsche engines, and
folks I've known with a variety of other German makes have claimed
similar consumption (once the engines have some miles on 'em.) A couple
of old time German car mechanics (from the old country) have told me
it's cuz of autobahn driving: a tight engine that DOESN'T use some oil
will run hot and/or wear more quickly than an "oil burner" when run at
near redline speeds for hours on end. I've had friends tell me they
experienced that problem with earlier Honda and Toyota engines when they
were over there. They didn't use much oil, but you couldn't open 'em up
too long w/o heat related problems. OTOH, my Toyota V-6 runs VERY
constant with respect to temps, and also uses approx 1 qt/2000 miles.
The lady I got it from told me it uses NO oil... hmmmm, why did it
instantly start using oil the day I got it? Gremlins? Turns out looking
thru her service records, the dealer would overfill it by 1/2 qt at oil
changes (instead of splitting a bottle of oil?), so by the time she had
it changed at 3000, it was still at or above "Add." Hence, it "used no
oil!" So a lot lies in definition of terms!

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, now it is necessary take always a quater of oil in a
new car!!!!, I never take it in my old cars until 200.000Km !!!!

Remember the Boy Scout motto? "Be Prepared." Fortunately, a quart of oil
takes little space, often fits in a spare tire well or other cubbyhole
w/o even announcing its presence, AND give the peace of mind of knowing
you've got the same thing on board for topping off that's in the sump.
Where I do a lot of my driving, local choice CAN be pretty limited...
and I always manage to be running whatever they're out of when I need
it!

Still, I think you'll be ok!

Rick