Reading the dip stick

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Step 6 above. The defense rests.

I only said that the argument could be made. Still could.


So defensive.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Life was simpler back-in-the-day .......


humfrz

When an engine rebuild cost $150 and it was a miracle if it didn't happen before the odometer rolled over?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Poodles

5 pages and nobody posts this?

I linked the manual in post 48, was too lazy to screenshot it and upload.

You didn't finish reading the instructions as @Tcoat points out, it tells you how much to fill on page 243, not on page 242.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

When an engine rebuild cost $150 and it was a miracle if it didn't happen before the odometer rolled over?

Yep, new valve guides, valves, piston rings, plugs, points, condenser ...... good for another 50,000 miles ......


humfrz

[Scrappydoo]

Someone needs to mention 20th century German national socialism.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Scrappydoo

Someone needs to mention 20th century German national socialism.

It's a boxer engine, I thought agreeing to that was part of the terms of service when you registered an account here.

[Poodles]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

You neglected to go to the next page for the filling instructions.

The "full" mark is not an indicator that it MUST be to that line. It simply means it is full.

The instructions are very clear when you need to add oil and it does not say "If below the full line at all".

That said I am firmly with you in the keep it full all the time camp.

Especially when the difference between full and low line is 1.1 quarts. That's a hell of a difference.

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I linked the manual in post 48, was too lazy to screenshot it and upload.

You didn't finish reading the instructions as @Tcoat points out, it tells you how much to fill on page 243, not on page 242.

True, but do you really want to run around a quart low? The language used is more likely to cover Subaru in the even the engine burns oil. "Look! It's fine if it's above the low mark!" Even though the engine has burned through a quart of oil...

[JD001]

Tiny bit of oil goes a long way.. or am I getting it confused with 'tiny bit of lubrication goes a long way'?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Poodles

Especially when the difference between full and low line is 1.1 quarts. That's a hell of a difference.



True, but do you really want to run around a quart low? The language used is more likely to cover Subaru in the even the engine burns oil. "Look! It's fine if it's above the low mark!" Even though the engine has burned through a quart of oil...

Or it could be as simple as that is where they determined the minimum safe level is and there is no secret conspiracy to cover themselves in the event some oil gets burned.


My concern with running at the lower limits is simply that if I have dropped that far since my last change then it is pissing out someplace and I am not going to risk the rest doing the same.


I have no clue how much oil you may go through if tracking but in a daily driven street car if anybody is losing a quart between oil changes they have a serious issue and need to get it checked. I have never even had a noticeable drop between oil changes. so the whole point of when to fill it is sort of moot in at least my case.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have no clue how much oil you may go through if tracking but in a daily driven street car if anybody is losing a quart between oil changes they have a serious issue and need to get it checked. I have never even had a noticeable drop between oil changes. so the whole point of when to fill it is sort of moot in at least my case.

Even though the manual states 1L/1,000 miles is "normal" I've never added more than half a quart over a 7,500 mile interval, track days and autox be damned. Although I was barely a novice at track duty I'm sure some have had much worse consumption. This engine seems to be doing alright compared to past Subaru engines.

Originally Posted by Poodles

True, but do you really want to run around a quart low? The language used is more likely to cover Subaru in the even the engine burns oil. "Look! It's fine if it's above the low mark!" Even though the engine has burned through a quart of oil...

The manual says add oil to stay above the "low" mark and warns of an overfill damaging the engine. I check my oil at least once a month (the manual states check oil at every fill up iirc) and am totally happy following the manufacturer instructions for oil levels on my $25,000 piece of machinery. It's served me well over 60k miles.

You can presume whatever you wish but according to the manual I'm not "a quart low" I'm about half a quart from overfilling and potentially damaging the engine (as I'm not advocating running the car at the minimum all the time, I generally keep mine between 1/4 and 1/2 between the marks). As above my oil consumption is extremely low and I recently posted some UOA of my engine and it seems to be doing just fine.

Nowhere does the manual say "full" is correct and the manual per my understanding treats "full" as "maximum" which is consistent with the language they use for listing out the oil capacity later in the book. Again, the instructions say overfill can damage the car, underfill is not mentioned and even being below the low mark is treated as a non-issue.

Originally Posted by JD001

Tiny bit of oil goes a long way.. or am I getting it confused with 'tiny bit of lubrication goes a long way'?

My manufacturing processes instructor stressed to us multiple times that more lubricant is almost always a good idea, but I think he was referring to areas of life where there's no designated acceptable quantity... Like free drilling a tight hole.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Even though the manual states 1L/1,000 miles is "normal" I've never added more than half a quart over a 7,500 mile interval, track days and autox be damned. Although I was barely a novice at track duty I'm sure some have had much worse consumption. This engine seems to be doing alright compared to past Subaru engines.

I would be going through almost a liter a week if that was "normal"!

[NAEightySix]

This thread is hilarious


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by NAEightySix

This thread is hilarious

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have no clue how much oil you may go through if tracking

To satisfy your curiosity, 1 quart every 3-4 track days (2 to 3 hours of track time per day) and 2 months of daily driving (around 1500 miles of city use) is what mine and a few others use up around here.