Sunbeam Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi guys, I'm stumped for ideas on this one. My daily is a 2005 Outback and it runs fine, has plenty of go, gets great fuel mileage etc. I am using a litre of oil every 600km or so. I can tell you there is: No smoke from the exhaust, I can't even smell a light trace of oil burning with my nose right up the tailpipe (made sure no one was watching...) It does not leak oil. The spark plugs are clean. The throttle body and all the hoses that plug into it and around it are clean. Where the heck is all that oil going? Any ideas... cheers fellas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0fnsiv Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 What grade and brand of oil are you using? When was the last oil change done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOHC Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 If you are using synthetic oil that hardly smokes at all, I just had the same problem with a ford mondau, do a compression test and all will be revealed. They say modern cars will use a bit more oil, 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbeam Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 Oil changed 5,000km ago. Penrite full synthetic 5w40. Old girl has done 245k, but oil consumption has just taken off in the last 3000k or so. Non turbo, so that's a lot less leakage potential. It's clean underneath though, and no oil in the bellhousing. Anyone know how the pcv system is set up in one of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raizer Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 It will be burning it thanks to worn rings, fairly common with Subaru. I'm going to guess it's a 2.5L? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogre Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Have you always used the same brand and grade of oil? Penrite, Valvoline are crap. All the second Tier oils are, anything thats from Ozzy is a re-refined oil. Ie, second hand. Eww. Put a 5w30 Castrol, Mobil, Total or somthing in it. See what happens. Does the oil smell like fuel at all? Does it seem to use oil after a longish drive and not so much on shorter drives? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbeam Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 Have you always used the same brand and grade of oil? Penrite, Valvoline are crap. All the second Tier oils are, anything thats from Ozzy is a re-refined oil. Ie, second hand. Eww. Put a 5w30 Castrol, Mobil, Total or somthing in it. See what happens. Does the oil smell like fuel at all? Does it seem to use oil after a longish drive and not so much on shorter drives? Hmmm. Never had any problems with either Valvoline or Penrite. Anyway, oil doesn't smell like fuel at all. I have been doing longer drives lately. 50km each way. Raizer, yes it is a 2.5 could be worn rings, but I can't believe at a litre per tank of fuel there is no smoke and the plugs are clean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 It's not magic So basically its gotta be going out zorst or leaking out of block. Put ur face behind exhaust and see what it smells like at 6,000rpm 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllTorque Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 5w40 is too thin for that many kms. Change to some 15w40 and report back. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogre Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 5w40 is too thin for that many kms. Change to some 15w40 and report back. I dont want to get into this, but 5w40 and 15w40 are no different in viscosity in an operating engine. At start up at -10 degrees maybe, but after 1 min there is no difference. There is no way that you should go to anything thicker than a 40 in a modern engine like that. From factory they are made to have a 30 yeah? I would stick with what the engine was made for. What ever the issue is it has nothing to do with the oil. The only thing changing the oil specs will do is either lesson or worsen the issue to a small extent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim13 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 5w40 is too thin for that many kms. Change to some 15w40 and report back.yeah , 15/40 semi , any 'name' brand will do 245k will burn thin oil but thicker stuff will be fine and cheaper !EDIT , Ogre , I know that is the theory/science etc but my personal experience has been going up a grade or two in a worn engine helps oil consumption as does avoiding full synthetics , manufacturers recomendations are only really for low km cars , once out of waranty you go with what works and a diy oil change on an outback is less than $100 and 1/2 hour , which is cheaper/easier than most of his other options Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogre Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 ^ I totally understand where you are comming from and pretty much agree. I need to take my oil salesman hat off sometimes... I must say that i have found going to a mineral/semi does seem to fix some issues, and thats what i have recommended a number of times to people that arnt the usual retards when it come to engines etc. The other thing is changing oil brands and grades all the time. If you change to a diffferent grade or brand then the new oils additive package will strip the buildup from the other brand inside your engine and this can do all sorts of weird shit. Often will take 2 or 3 changes with the same brand etc for it to settle down. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbeam Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 Previous owner thought his mechanic was using 5w40 since day one. Have now discovered the mechanic was actually using 15w40 semi. P.O had his wires crossed. Might go back to a 15w40 next week when I'm back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajg193 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I've been running penrite for a while, stuff seems better than magnatec at increasing the time that the valve clearances stay in spec /ling /beer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangbug Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Bmw v10. Eats oil. They carry oil around with them. Dafuq new engines? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muncie Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 You need Castrol oil and a nice big glob of moreys in your sump hell moreys works in most things power steer diffs its good value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hop Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Check the PCV is functioning as it should Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cletus Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 didint keltik have the same problem with his wagon? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raizer Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Yeah with a 6 cyl from memory. Non turbo Subaru's have issues with the oil rings losing tension, especially the 6 cyl and 2.5l engines. The later ones are worse though as they do it from factory, there's a law suit going on in the states over it ATM. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Daniel Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I had a similar issue on a falcon. It's not exactly a recommend fix but 15w-40 with a bottle of moreys oil stabilizer and the problem went away . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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