Where did the oil go?

[Howard 538]

So, my daughter’s boyfriend stopped by for a while last week and his car sounded really rough.  I suggested to him he have it checked out.  It’s a 2013 Subaru Forester and he claimed he had had it serviced about a month ago.  So today they drive from Hoboken to Morristown, he stayed there and my daughter drove it to her grandmother’s in Mendham.  When she pulled in it sounded bad and actually stalled.  I started it up and then quickly shut it down as it sounded like a bearing.  I opened the hood and saw no oil on the dipstick.  So, I drove home and grabbed a 5 quart bottle of oil, and a partially filled quart to pour it in so as not to make a big mess with the five quart jug.  The car lists the capacity as 5.5 quarts.  Well to get it to the full line on the dipstick I was shocked to use, you guessed it, the full 5.25 quarts – holy shit.  I turned it over twice and then let it sit a while to allow the oil to adhere to stuff.  Started it up after a few minutes and it sounded just as bad as before so I quickly shut it down.  Daughter said, well I guess I can drive it back to Morristown – I told her hell no you need to have it towed, even though I imagine the engine is toast.

 

So the question is how can you go through that much oil on a fairly new vehicle to run it almost dry.  It had sat in my driveway for three days a couple of weeks ago and there were no leaks on the driveway.

[siderman 1,104]

my vehicles have warning lights for that kind of stuff. 

[Zeke 5,504]

Drain plug fell out.

Lube tech

[Zeke 5,504]

my vehicles have warning lights for that kind of stuff.

that is a wired sensor that may be always " open or closed"

[Howard 538]

Yea, this has an oil light too.  It goes on when you start the car as it should but then goes out.  Guess it does not really work as it should.  I did not crawl under it to check the oil plug, but the car sat in my driveway for three days a week or so ago and there was no oil on my driveway.

[Zeke 5,504]

Bad head gasket? Ck antifreeze . Usually works other way though.

Lt. cap is a much better source of knowledge here

[Porthole 15]

Sending units for the oil light work at 2-5 psi typically.

 

Under warranty?

Just go to the dealer and make no mention about adding oil.

[JackDaWack 2,877]

Few things

 

His oil pressure sensor is toast

 

Does he use synthetic? the motors can run a while with no oil if synthetic was previously used

maybe they didnt put oil in a month seems odd though

 

If you dont see smoke coming out the back pipe its not burning it. if it lost that much oil in such a small period of time.

 

and as Zeke said

"Bad head gasket? Ck antifreeze . Usually works other way though."

[Howard 538]

No clue if synthetic with used, and I am likely only hearing part of the story leading up to this.  I know what you mean with the oil and antifreeze.  I had a Volvo years ago that would have steam coming out the tailpipe first thing in the morning and loosing antifreeze with no external leaks.  I told Volvo I bet it was a cracked head, they told me I was crazy.  After months of messing with it with them changing the water pump and a few other things they got the OK to pull the thing apart.  They found the number 3 cylinder was extra clean "steam cleaned :)", and that yes it had a manufacturing problem that was a hairline crack in the head.

[Vlad G 345]

Subaru's of a certain generation, under certain circumstances are major oil eaters. Subaru has been replacing engines

 

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f183/2011-fb25-discussion-about-oil-consumption-split-thread-375081/

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f183/2011-fb25-oil-consumption-usage-data-updates-split-thread-373601/

 

In theory, this is now fixed (says me the owner of a 2015 Forester) but his '13 is in the middle of the problem.

 

On the other hand, the warning light should have been coming on.

[siderman 1,104]

gotta be an oil leak out the plug, prob happened soon after service, thats a shitload to burn thru in a month and not see and smell it and what about prior to that?And not going to lose 5 qts into cooling system with a gasket leak and not have issues.

[1LtCAP 4,100]

So, my daughter’s boyfriend stopped by for a while last week and his car sounded really rough.  I suggested to him he have it checked out.  It’s a 2013 Subaru Forester and he claimed he had had it serviced about a month ago.  So today they drive from Hoboken to Morristown, he stayed there and my daughter drove it to her grandmother’s in Mendham.  When she pulled in it sounded bad and actually stalled.  I started it up and then quickly shut it down as it sounded like a bearing.  I opened the hood and saw no oil on the dipstick.  So, I drove home and grabbed a 5 quart bottle of oil, and a partially filled quart to pour it in so as not to make a big mess with the five quart jug.  The car lists the capacity as 5.5 quarts.  Well to get it to the full line on the dipstick I was shocked to use, you guessed it, the full 5.25 quarts – holy shit.  I turned it over twice and then let it sit a while to allow the oil to adhere to stuff.  Started it up after a few minutes and it sounded just as bad as before so I quickly shut it down.  Daughter said, well I guess I can drive it back to Morristown – I told her hell no you need to have it towed, even though I imagine the engine is toast.

 

So the question is how can you go through that much oil on a fairly new vehicle to run it almost dry.  It had sat in my driveway for three days a couple of weeks ago and there were no leaks on the driveway.

call the dealer. i think that there's a problem with these.........

[Springfield1911 22]

Few things

 

His oil pressure sensor is toast

 

Does he use synthetic? the motors can run a while with no oil if synthetic was previously used

maybe they didnt put oil in a month seems odd though

 

If you dont see smoke coming out the back pipe its not burning it. if it lost that much oil in such a small period of time.

 

and as Zeke said

"Bad head gasket? Ck antifreeze . Usually works other way though."

No engine....no matter what kind of oil you use...can run dry for more than a few seconds. The surface of a crank bearing is as soft as lead.

[JackDaWack 2,877]

No engine....no matter what kind of oil you use...can run dry for more than a few seconds. The surface of a crank bearing is as soft as lead.

I would disagree, but I'm not as knowledgeable on it.  Certainly not a month.

[Golf battery 1,215]

I had my oil changed in one of my trucks at a shop. The engine light went on and it was running funny for a few days. Checked the dipstick. It was four quArts low. They admitted their employee screwed up. Since sold that truck.

[njpilot 671]

I had my oil changed in one of my trucks at a shop. The engine light went on and it was running funny for a few days. Checked the dipstick. It was four quArts low. They admitted their employee screwed up. Since sold that truck.

This. My first thought was the shop screwed up. Wouldn't be the first time it happened.

 

I don't care how much oil an engine is known to eat, 5.25 qts in a month doesn't sound feasible.

[Golf battery 1,215]

This seems the most plausible explanation. Other than that. Isis took it as a terrrorist plot.

[1LtCAP 4,100]

APPLICABILITY:

2013-14MY Legacy and Outback Models with                               

NUMBER:

02-157-14R

DATE:

08/28/14

REVISED:

03/24/15

2.5L FB Engine

2011-14MY Forester Models with 2.5L FB Engine

2012-13MY

Impreza and 2013MY XV Crosstrek

Models with 2.0L FB Engine

SUBJECT:

Surface Treatment Change To Oil Control Piston Rings

 

Bulletin Number: 02-157-14R; Revised: 03/24/15

Page 1

INTRODUCTION

This bulletin announces information regarding a major change to the repair procedures previously

outlined in Service Bulletins 02-143-13R, 02-144-13R and 02-145-13R. These bulletins provided

a repair procedure for the replacement of the piston rings to a

ddress verified concerns of unusual

engine oil consumption. Vehicles confirmed as having this condition which are within the supplied

VIN ranges will no longer be repaired with piston ring replacem

ent. The revised repair procedure

to address verified unusual oil consumption concerns on these sp

ecific vehicles will consist of

replacing the engine short block assembly.

It is critical to understand the nature of the concern as repor

ted by the customer and to confirm the

actual condition prior to attempting repairs. Some oil consumption can and should be expected

as a by-product of engine operation even where no concern exist

s. Failure to recognize this and

correctly diagnose the condition presented can result in unnece

ssary repairs. For example: a vehicle

which is presented with a report of a low engine oil level (as

read on engine dipstick/ gauge or

indicated by illumination of the low engine oil level warning l

amp), which is at or near the time /

mileage of the next service interval (based upon the date / mil

eage of the most recent oil change),

is not representative of unusual oil consumption. The information supplied in this bulletin is

only applicable to vehicles within the specific production range

s of this publication exhibiting the

condition(s) previously described.

IMPORTANT: Read and understand this bulletin COMPLETELY before starting an oil

consumption test or initiating any repairs.

Concerns related to a possible oil consumption condition are ge

nerally initiated when the customer

believes the engine oil level on the dipstick has dropped since

the last time it was checked or when

the low oil lamp illuminates. These types of complaints by themselves do not directly indicate

a concern with the vehicle exists. It is important to understa

nd all the factors involved in order

to make a sound decision regarding whether or not a repair is r

equired or if an oil consumption

test should even be started. When speaking with customers about a reported or suspected oil

consumption concern, always keep the following in mind

[67gtonut 845]

His problem is going to lie in the fact with the engine already toast ...... there is no way to prove excessive oil consumption was the ultimate cause of the failure.....

 

I think Howard is in a bad spot as far as getting it warrantied..... 

 

In my experience with Audi.... we at least had to document the oil consumption .... and then there was never an issue with the repair. But this is something I have never dealt with at the service desk..... 

[Howard 538]

Well I guess we will see what happens when he contacts the dealer. I'll let you guys know when I get some feedback. The info that there have been a history of problems should help him out.

[Kimber45 3]

Had a similar issue with my 2009 surburban. Lost a quart a week no smoke no drops in the driveway. Just gone. Gm's answer was oh thats normal..... put me on a consumption log. Other than than GM did nothing.... its a shame loved that surburban... put some lipstick on that pig and traded it in for a 2015...

[The brew guy 22]

I had a car that would suck down a quart and a half in a 25 minute session. No smoke, nothing in the coolant, just a little blow-by out the dipstick tube from the collapsed ring on the #1 piston. I found out the hard way that they left the rev-limiter off of my new software when I realized that I was well past redline on the back straight at Pocono. Actually, I still have the car, just has a new motor in it,  the old motor is buried somewhere in my garage.

[chris327 30]

my wifes 2014 forester burns oil like crazy. 1 month after an oil change i need to add 2 quarts normally. luckily its a lease. but due to this and a few other issues ive had with that damn car i would not buy 1 myself.

[1LtCAP 4,100]

this is why i posted the tsb info.  i've had a couple customers come in with the same issues, plus 2 or 3 people off the street. it's something that subaru seems to be fixing. on the 2nd page of the tsb, it says something about replacing the entire engine......

[Mikeythumbs 1]

I had a guy I work with had this problem with a 13 forester they did replace the entire block took a while of fightin with them but he got it done a few months and he hasn't ha any problems since

[Howard 538]

I had a guy I work with had this problem with a 13 forester they did replace the entire block took a while of fightin with them but he got it done a few months and he hasn't ha any problems since

I was just talking to my daughter's boyfriends mom and she said she will be talking with the dealer tomorrow.  They wanted to see receipts from the last four oil changes, she has three and is looking for the fourth and it sounds like they may cover the engine.  Fingers crossed.

[A-Tech 8]

No engine....no matter what kind of oil you use...can run dry for more than a few seconds. The surface of a crank bearing is as soft as lead.

You must not have seen the Honda's that weren't seizing during the Cash for Clunkers program as easily as they should be. Some of them were going almost 30 min with no oil bordering redline. Crank bearings are not even close to "as soft as lead".

[1LtCAP 4,100]

I was just talking to my daughter's boyfriends mom and she said she will be talking with the dealer tomorrow.  They wanted to see receipts from the last four oil changes, she has three and is looking for the fourth and it sounds like they may cover the engine.  Fingers crossed.

that's how they get outta stuff. they'll look to make sure the correct grade and quality oil was used, and at manufacturer specified intervals.

[Vlad G 345]

that's how they get outta stuff. they'll look to make sure the correct grade and quality oil was used, and at manufacturer specified intervals.

 

Actually because it is a know issue they are getting sued over, the fill up the oil container and conduct a consumption test

[chris327 30]

i am actually in the oil consumption test with the wifes forester now. they change the oil and now you must come back in 1200 miles to have them check it.