2006 Legacy Oil Consumption

[saywhuut]

My '06 Legacy is becoming an oil hog here recently. I've got almost 100,000 miles on it.. been about 4000 miles since last oil change. I usually do every 5,000 miles per oil servicing due to majority of driving being highway commute , but noticed the oil to be rather low today when checking the dip stick. Do I have to put in the same exact brand as what I last got it serviced with, or can it be any conventional 5-W30 oil just to get it back up to the full portion of the dipstick? Should I start getting the 5-W30 oil that is made for higher mileage engines? Thanks!

[king_j]

have you been using synthetic or regular oil?

i would keep it at 3,000 miles for oil changes.

[saywhuut]

I've just been using regular oil. I put almost 120 miles on it everyday via highway, should I still keep it at every 3000 miles for the oil changes? I'll be changing it quite often if so, but if that is what it takes to keep it going smooth, so be it.

[LosAngelesLGT]

Saywuut sounds like you dont spend a lot of time working on your car. Not to worry!!! Even though you do not change your own oil, you can easily keep an eye on the level. Primarily the concern is that if you are using synthetic stick with synthetic and if not, not. Yes 5w-30 is the way to go. One thing to note is that a boxer engine, partially because the pistons are sideways, can eat a little more oil than some other designs. This is not inherantly a bad thing as long as it is monitored.

 

It is not unusual to use as much as a qt of synth every 1000-1500 miles from what I have read for higher mile motors. The thing to concern yourself with is not so much the quantity of oil consumed (which clearly is not THAT much per OP) as with the consistancy of the consumption.

 

Start monitoring your oil level. Every time you fill your car, take a look at the dipstick and monitor how quickly you need to add oil. It sounds like adding a 1/2qt every 2000miles will take care of you. As long as you use the same amount of oil from change to change you are okay.

 

I am adding 1/3-1/2qt every 1000miles or so.

[saywhuut]

Saywuut sounds like you dont spend a lot of time working on your car. Not to worry!!! Even though you do not change your own oil, you can easily keep an eye on the level. Primarily the concern is that if you are using synthetic stick with synthetic and if not, not. Yes 5w-30 is the way to go. One thing to note is that a boxer engine, partially because the pistons are sideways, can eat a little more oil than some other designs. This is not inherantly a bad thing as long as it is monitored.

 

It is not unusual to use as much as a qt of synth every 1000-1500 miles from what I have read for higher mile motors. The thing to concern yourself with is not so much the quantity of oil consumed (which clearly is not THAT much per OP) as with the consistancy of the consumption.

 

Start monitoring your oil level. Every time you fill your car, take a look at the dipstick and monitor how quickly you need to add oil. It sounds like adding a 1/2qt every 2000miles will take care of you. As long as you use the same amount of oil from change to change you are okay.

 

I am adding 1/3-1/2qt every 1000miles or so.

 

 

Thanks for the tips, no i'm not all that mechanical but hopefully i will become a bit more after lurking around these forums and getting help. thanks for the answers. I will stick with conventional, might step up the type for higher mileage engines, and will start stocking up on oil in the garage to add myself. That I can definately handle. haha

[Max Capacity]

I have 128,000+ miles, use oil also.

 

To check the oil you have to park the car on a flat surface. Pull the dip stick out about 2", close the hood and walk away. Come back later on, I wait up to 8 hours, (during work) then wipe the stick and check the oil. I have found it's the only true way to geta correct reading. At home I'll wait 10-30 minutes or more.

 

It has to do with the boxer design, my 14hp Briggs and Stratton does the same thing, it's a boxer too and it's 14 y/o.

 

I'm getting close to having my block rebuilt to help reduce oil comsumssion, but mine has seen some abruse in the early years.

 

I check mine every few day's and top off as needed. I'm currently using Shell Rotalla 15-40

 

In the winter I use whatever 5-30 is on sale normally use 10-30 in the summer for the past 5 years.

[saywhuut]

I have 128,000+ miles, use oil also.

 

To check the oil you have to park the car on a flat surface. Pull the dip stick out about 2", close the hood and walk away. Come back later on, I wait up to 8 hours, (during work) then wipe the stick and check the oil. I have found it's the only true way to geta correct reading. At home I'll wait 10-30 minutes or more.

 

It has to do with the boxer design, my 14hp Briggs and Stratton does the same thing, it's a boxer too and it's 14 y/o.

 

I'm getting close to having my block rebuilt to help reduce oil comsumssion, but mine has seen some abruse in the early years.

 

I check mine every few day's and top off as needed. I'm currently using Shell Rotalla 15-40

 

In the winter I use whatever 5-30 is on sale normally use 10-30 in the summer for the past 5 years.

 

 

Do I have to use the same brand as what I last got it serviced with?

[Max Capacity]

No, I use whatever I happen to have even mixing weight's, it's all good oil. It has to meet the SAE standards.

 

 

Same with gas, well kind of. I do mix brands but alway's run 93.

[BennnGeee]

4qts in the trunk FTW, I have to add a qt about every 1000 miles of hard driving.

[iyalla]

I would switch to 10W30 given the mileage and commute, and see how it goes. But that's just me