Synthetic or Dino?

[F6Dave]

Agree, but I do enjoy reading them and every now and then pick up a nugget of interesting information.

There is a lot of BS out there from people who have no idea what they are talking about in these oil threads, here and elsewhere. Subarus from 2011-2017 are known for being oil burners due to weak rings and a coating that lines the cylinder walls, in attempts to increase fuel efficiency. I have a Forester with 67,000 on it and it uses a quart every 2500 miles. On the Forester forum, there is one of these people saying that oil consumption is due to people not changing the synthetic oil enough (7000 is recommended)...this despite a well-documented class action lawsuit that clearly identifies the piston rings and cylinder coating for the problem.

For the record, the oil consumption does not bother me. Pop the hood every six weeks, through a quart in. Subaru will even pay for the oil if I feel like filling out the forms and sending in receipts!

A lot of non-car Subaru owners are flipping out though, thinking it is the end of the world.

This is proof that you can learn from these threads! I had a friend that bought a new Outback around 2011. It used oil like crazy, about a quart in 1,500 miles. At at the time nobody knew why, and the dealer just told him it was normal without explaining why. It really irritated him, and after a few years he got so fed up that he traded it. I'm going to pass your post on to him.

I agree much of the info on these threads is inaccurate, but you can learn to filter that out pretty easily. Some sources, like BobIsTheOilGuy.com, have loads of useful information. There are also some very knowledgeable guys over on the old Valkyrie (VRCC) board. That's where I first heard of Ford's tests of the new CK-4 oils. It's also where I learned about the problems with K&N air filters.

[VStarRider]

This is proof that you can learn from these threads! I had a friend that bought a new Outback around 2011. It used oil like crazy, about a quart in 1,500 miles. At at the time nobody knew why, and the dealer just told him it was normal without explaining why. It really irritated him, and after a few years he got so fed up that he traded it. I'm going to pass your post on to him.

I agree much of the info on these threads is inaccurate, but you can learn to filter that out pretty easily. Some sources, like BobIsTheOilGuy.com, have loads of useful information. There are also some very knowledgeable guys over on the old Valkyrie (VRCC) board. That's where I first heard of Ford's tests of the new CK-4 oils. It's also where I learned about the problems with K&N air filters.

Dave, it does not appear that most 2011 Outbacks were impacted by oil consumption. That being said, my neighbor has a 2012, and his uses oil just not at the rate mine does. I just tell everyone I own a two-stroke Subie.

Here is some basic information on the oil consumption lawsuit; your buddy may be interested:

https://www.cars.com/articles/2011-1...1420683845519/

Ironically, I think my Forester was traded in for a RAV4 for the same reason!

I have had the oil consumption test done, and have qualified for the 8 year/100k warranty on oil consumption. However, after discussing it with several mechanic friends, I have chosen not to have some dealership monkey tear my flat-4 apart to replace half the motor. Nooooo thank you. There are plenty of horror stories out there about this whole event turning into a shitshow. Subaru has ended up replacing several engines because the dealers cannot do the job right. I will just keep adding oil at a rate that I consider to be reasonable. Like I said, I really do not care, but I know I am in the minority.

[VStarRider]

Maybe I can find a used Honda flat-6 from a Wing in a scrapyard and put that in my Subaru?!? That would be awesome ... though a tad underpowered. Current engine in Subie makes 170 hp, and its no speed demon.

[unsub]

I have chosen not to have some dealership monkey tear my flat-4 apart to replace half the motor. Nooooo thank you. There are plenty of horror stories out there about this whole event turning into a shitshow. Subaru has ended up replacing several engines because the dealers cannot do the job right. I will just keep adding oil at a rate that I consider to be reasonable. Like I said, I really do not care, but I know I am in the minority.

I don't have any skin in the Subaru game but I'd be rooting for that to happen to me.

[F6Dave]

Dave, it does not appear that most 2011 Outbacks were impacted by oil consumption. That being said, my neighbor has a 2012, and his uses oil just not at the rate mine does. I just tell everyone I own a two-stroke Subie.

Here is some basic information on the oil consumption lawsuit; your buddy may be interested:

https://www.cars.com/articles/2011-1...1420683845519/

Ironically, I think my Forester was traded in for a RAV4 for the same reason!

I have had the oil consumption test done, and have qualified for the 8 year/100k warranty on oil consumption. However, after discussing it with several mechanic friends, I have chosen not to have some dealership monkey tear my flat-4 apart to replace half the motor. Nooooo thank you. There are plenty of horror stories out there about this whole event turning into a shitshow. Subaru has ended up replacing several engines because the dealers cannot do the job right. I will just keep adding oil at a rate that I consider to be reasonable. Like I said, I really do not care, but I know I am in the minority.

His Outback had the 3.6L H-6 engine, which wasn't listed in that bulletin. He still had a ridiculous level of oil consumption. You'd think the issue might exist in other engines if they were designed by the same engineers.

Interestingly, this circles back to the ZDDP issue. The concern was that in older engines with higher oil consumption, more of the phosphorus in ZDDP would make its way into the exhaust and poison the catalyst prematurely. With such high oil consumption on low mileage engines, I'd think Subaru would be concerned about this issue since they have to warranty the cats through 100,000 miles.

[VStarRider]

Strange. That is the first report of excessive oil consumption I have heard from the 3.6 flat-6. Maybe because those engines only ended up in about 10% of Outbacks? Not sure. My neighbor's Out-B has the 2.5 flat-4, but it is a slightly different version than the one used in the Foresters.