Apparently Subaru engines need oil?

it was only 4 quarts low... is that bad?

Subies normally start running 1Qt Low about a 1000 miles before your regular oil change mark.. So when you hit the special mark just keep an eye on it..

 

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I see that engine manufacturers soon will get a fault code set on low oil level and prevent the engines from being started.

 

 

"The Money Lamp" is on.

It has always amazed me that with all of the safety and protective & electrical devices and sensors on a car, that there isn't more protection for low oil level.

I know the Subaru engines we have now, have a low oil level sensor, but I think that it's not common for other cars to have this.

And other than a light coming on, the low oil sensor doesn't de-rate/limp home mode, etc.

Believe me, I agree that Idiot lights are for, well, idiots. People shouldn't wait for a light or problem to pop the hood and check things out.

Some issues and idiot lights are not preventable and can happen without warning.

But running low and OUT of oil. 100% preventable.

Subies normally start running 1Qt Low about a 1000 miles before your regular oil change mark.. So when you hit the special mark just keep an eye on it..

 

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I got two of them that do not lose any perceptible amount of oil between oil changes... but then again I do not beat the pee out of the cars either....

 

 

2003 is at 140K

2014 us at 60K

Subies normally start running 1Qt Low about a 1000 miles before your regular oil change mark.. So when you hit the special mark just keep an eye on it..

 

 

I wouldn't say it's 'normal' or 'typical' that they burn oil, but I also wouldn't say it isn't entirely unexpected.

 

We've had four Subaru's and only one - 2005 OBXT 5MT - burned oil. By 150k it was burning about a quart or two per 5000k (the same as my Prelude at the same mileage).

None of my Subarus have ever consumed that much oil. I check regularly, and all have had limited or no oil consumption. Of course, then there is my co-worker with a 2002 WRX with 168,000 miles which was using a ton of oil until he got his rear main seal and valve cover gaskets replaced. Now, it uses virtually no oil.

My 2012 Impreza burnt 1.2qts in 1200 miles, got the shortblock replacement and that helped the consumption.

 

 

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Just to add to this, a few years back I asked a Subaru SA what usually kills the EJ255's (turbo outbacks) and he said "oil starvation". Pressed for details, he couldn't say how the oil starvation occurred ... whether low on oil, or a banjo bolt clog, or a cracked oil pickup. These are known Subaru problems which aren't necessarily indicated with a dash light indicating low oil volume or pressure ...

 

It is plausible (i.e. I do this too) that an owner spot checks oil level once in a while and grows complacent when, after a few OCI's, there is no oil consumption. Then suddenly it does burn oil and they find themselves on the side of the road, 2000 miles after an oil change, with the oil light on. This happened with out Audi; in the course of 25k it would never burn oil, except for maybe three times it just gulped down a few quarts between an OCI. It was the weirdest thing ever.

 

I will saw that I'm happy that Subaru hasn't done away with the dipstick. My BMW didn't have a dipstick, and other than draining the oil to measure the volume, one had to trust the on-dash display, as reported by (known to be faulty) oil level sensors.

Our Turbo Outback 2.5XT never burned any oil but the turbo blew all the same, requiring an engine replacement. What a disaster that car was. The new Legacy uses no oil, as expected.

2016 3.6r uses little to no oil between changes as the stick level is always good.

Subies normally start running 1Qt Low about a 1000 miles before your regular oil change mark.. So when you hit the special mark just keep an eye on it..

 

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Normally?? My MY 16 3.6R uses about 1/3 qt. every 5,000 miles.

 

 

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2016 3.6r uses little to no oil between changes as the stick level is always good.

 

Ditto here.