A car that consumes oil is not a good sign of health in our mechanics, as long as we talk about excessive consumption. However, the Subaru oil consumption test procedure is a must-learn guide if you own Subaru as a daily commuter.
These types of problems are usually the prelude to complex and costly breakdowns.
So it is advisable to know how to monitor the consumption of lubricating oil in our diesel problem car to prevent scares.
In addition, it never hurts to apply tricks that help take care of our diesel mechanics to extend their useful life and not generate problems in our checking account.
In the below guide, we will learn about how to test Subaru oil consumption for all generations.
Subaru Oil Consumption Test Procedure: Simple 3 Steps of the Test
Go through the following step-by-step guide to know about the Subaru all-generation oil consumption test procedure.
Step 1: Watch the smoke coming out of the exhaust
The smoke that expels the exhaust of your car is a very simple system to recognize possible failures in your diesel engine.
And one of them is the consumption of oil due to an internal leak or degradation of some element that allows the oil to reach the combustion chambers and be burned.
There is no room for doubt, if the smoke from your diesel car has a bluish tone, your engine is burning oil.
The most likely causes of this situation are a fault in the turbocharger, in its bearings, which allows the passage of lubricating oil into the intake ducts.
Another frequent breakdown that motivates the transfer of oil to the combustion chambers is the breakage of the piston rings.
Therefore, the valve guides, are elements whose mission is precise to prevent the passage of the lubricant to the chambers but with the kilometers, Manufacturing defects or misuse can break.
It is important to keep an eye on these types of breakdowns because their tendency is to get worse quickly, something that could lead to fatal breakdowns or dangerous situations such as feedback.
Step 2: Check the oil level of your diesel engine
It seems like a no-brainer, however it is not a common practice among drivers.
Monitoring the oil level is in most cases a simple task that only requires a few minutes applying a very simple process if our engine installs an oil dipstick.
This process should always be carried out with the engine cold and the car parked on a flat surface.
Without a slope, remove the dipstick, clean it to remove deposits, reinsert it as far as possible, and remove it to now perform a level check.
The ideal reading of the oil level is that it is located in the maximum position without exceeding it.
If the reading is lower than this maximum mark it is not a big problem, it is recommended to fill with oil of the same characteristics and that’s done.
But, if the reading is below the lower mark we do have a problem. Some modern cars install electronic oil level measurement systems, even simpler and cleaner systems.
Knowing how to measure the lubricating oil level, it is advisable to check the oil level at least once a month. However, if we make intensive use of the vehicle.
We have suspicions of possible high consumption we can carry out periodic checks every few days to verify if the level drops with no apparent explanation.
All diesel engine manufacturers report a tolerable oil consumption in their engines, amounts that vary from one engine to another.
But as a general rule, a consumption of 1 or 1.5 liters per 10,000 kilometers is within normality.
Step 3: Leaks: follow the trail and you will find the fault:
If we discover that the oil in our car disappears, another important point that we must try to investigate is the leaks.
Knowing how to detect the typical oil leaks under the car in time can save us from more than one headache.
External leaks are common, especially in cars with high time and/or mileage where the tightness is not as good as the first day. Seals, sleeves, seals, seals, fittings, etc.
These are points where leaks can occur, although this does require a thorough inspection of the propeller.
If we observe external areas where oil accumulates, we will be very close to failure. Depending on the area where this leak occurs, we should be more or less concerned.
But, it is always advisable to neutralize any leak to the outside to prevent it from going overboard or affecting another external element such as the starter motor, the alternator, or the timing belts.
But there can also be internal lubricating oil leaks, that is, to other circuits such as the refrigeration circuit.
These types of leaks do not pose serious problems, but they do complicate the cooling function since part of the oil passes into the circuit.
The failure occurs when the oil coolers cooled by the same “water” of the engine deteriorate and thus allow the passage of oil into the cooling circuit.
This transfer alters the properties of the coolant; also causing the presence of sludge in the entire circuit.
Which in the long term means talking about a large presence of residues, obstacles in the circulation of the coolant, and loss of performance in terms of the ability to dissipate hot.
What is a Short Block Engine?
The short engine block and a long block are two different states of engines.
While they both have the same external dimensions, they differ in the number of parts they contain.
Both the short block and the long block engines are potential components of the best automobile engines. The assembly, commonly known as a short block.
Typically includes the short engine block and the rotating assembly, consisting of the crankshaft, pistons and connecting rods, and the camshaft, complete with the timing assembly.
The camshaft is only included in short block assemblies that do not have overhead cams.
Subaru Oil Consumption: A Must Known FACT
It turns out that products with a higher index have a higher resistance to breakage of the lubricating film and maintain viscosity better when hot.
Therefore, its consumption is somewhat lower under equal conditions of service.
If we put these oils to work at more than 100 degrees Celsius, the one with the higher viscosity index will be more viscous when it rubs the jacket.
So, it will move more slowly in the direction of the combustion chamber. Thus, it will enter less in that chamber and will burn less.
An oil change is one of the indispensable tasks listed in car maintenance.
We have always recommended that these changes and revisions should be carried out as described in the official technical sheet of each manufacturer.
However, sometimes a certain car model can offer excessive oil consumption, an amount that can be considered out of the ordinary, as reflected in an interesting report published by the American consumer association Consumer Reports.
Here is the list of all the models affected by Subaru Oil
- Forester 2011-2014 with 2.5 L Engine
- Impreza 2012-2013 with 2.0 L Engine
- Outback 2013 with 2.5 L Engine
- Legacy 2013 with 2.5 L Engine
- XV Crosstrek 2013 with 2.0 L Engine
Subaru Oil Burning: What & Why
Subaru Oil Burning is often the result of worn parts.
If you have ever noticed that your vehicle uses more oil than normal (no exhaust fumes) and that the oil level is low between each oil change.
Therefore, you will need to determine why your engine is burning oil. Usually, it can be due to 4 main problems, either:
- Defective piston seals
- The PCV system not working properly.
- Valve seals may be worn.
- Or the engine has mechanical problems. We advise you to check the compression to determine the condition of the engine.
Whatever the case, we advise you to seek the advice of a professional.
Subaru Burning Oil Fix: How to Fix
Here is a complete step-by-step guide to fix burning oil:
- Step 1: Before completely disassembling the engine, we will have to have previously identified if the oil loss occurs in the cylinders or in the valves.
If you do not know this information exactly and have already ruled out any other element external to the engine, it is recommended to start with the cylinder head.
- Step 2: The main thing will be to check that there are no gaps in the stem or its diameter and verify in what state the valve retainers are.
Before disassembling the valves, it is recommended to mark them and not change the position of the springs.
It is also important to inspect the cylinder head to rule out any cracks and to rule out that the cylinder head gasket is in bad condition.
- Step 3: When checking the cylinders, we will pay attention that they do not have steps, scratches, or deformities.
We must also look at the state in which the pistons are and that the segments are not glued to them so that they rotate without any kind of difficulty.
To know the maximum wear that each type of engine accepts, we will have to consult directly with the manufacturer.
- Step 4: If you choose to reuse the pistons when repairing the engine, it is advisable to thoroughly clean the groove where the rest of the ring is.
In addition, the tips of the segments will have to be mounted at 120 degrees and if there are more than 3 segments it will be necessary to avoid that two grooves are aligned.
As it is a complex subject, here we have summarized the procedure a bit but if you do not have extensive knowledge of mechanics, it is not advisable to perform this type of task yourself.
FAQs about Subaru Oil Consumption Test Procedure
How can I know how much oil my car consumes?
The only way to really know the oil consumption of the car is to control a series of parameters by weight or volume.
That is, by kilos or liters: the amount of lubricant that was used in the filling, the amount of oil that was added before the oil change, and the amount of used oil collected when changing it.
Then you have to do a very simple operation: add the first two amounts and subtract the third.
In this way we will obtain the amount of oil that has disappeared when burned in the combustion chamber, that is, the actual consumption of lubricant of the vehicle.
Of course, if there are leaks, they need to be detected and accounted for.
If an engine works properly, is it normal for it to consume oil?
Despite the existence of seals in the way that leads the oil to lubricate valve guides, cams, pushers, or rocker arms, some lubricant always passes to the combustion chamber, where it burns.
The same thing happens in the piston-liner zone, where the fluid is dragged into the same chamber during the upward movement of the piston.
So yes: even a minuscule amount, the engine should always consume some oil if the lubrication is correct.
If I use synthetic oil, what would be the reasonable consumption in 20,000 km?
That reasonable consumption would normally be between one or two liters, a maximum of three.
Will that same oil last 20,000 km without replenishing?
No, because the minimum level could be reached between 7,000 and 10,000 km due to consumption, which as we have indicated above would be around 1 liter.
Remember that the rod indicates a maximum and a minimum: the variation between the two is usually approximately one liter.
That is why you would have to add lubricant in a mandatory way, especially if we are talking about a high-end car or your driving style powers said consumption.
Why do new cars consume more?
In the beginning, new cars consume more because wear occurs due to running-in, which causes increases in temperature.
This in turn leads to an increase in oil consumption, which reaches the combustion chamber in greater quantity because its viscosity is lower.
At present, the finish of the surfaces when making a car makes this phenomenon not so frequent.
This is the explanation why, normally, there could be a higher consumption of lubricant in the first kilometers traveled than in those after the engine break-in.
What are the reasonable maximum amounts of oil consumption?
Manufacturers usually indicate a maximum value of one liter per 1,000 km for diesel engines and 0.7 liters for gasoline, although consumption is actually much lower.
The most common is the consumption of around 0.6 liters per 10,000 km in relatively new vehicles. But all this depends on the condition of the engine, the pump, the oil filter, or the speed of rotation.
In addition, this consumption increases over time due to the natural wear of the propeller. So, the average consumption of one liter per 10,000 km could be considered normal.
Summary
Hope the Subaru oil consumption test procedure guide helps you with what you have always wanted to know about the lubricant that vanishes. However, you have never dared to ask.
Surely by now, you are clear that car engines consume oil. As well as, what are the reasons why the dipstick can mark less and less level.
Even so, it is very likely that you have doubts related to the subject.