Filling oil into Subaru engine -- Question, Thoughts?

[fxr]

I change my EJ22 oil every 3000 miles with 5W-30 dino oil. I never have to top up in between changes - the level just stays the same.

If I did I'd be finding out where the oil was going and fixing it. Just done that on the other vehicle - 2005 Outback - new head gaskets, skimmed heads, and replaced every other o-ring and gasket that had to come off in the process.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[dobryan]

I had an oil drinker, rebuilt long block by CCR. Pulled the EJ25 and delivered the stripped long block to my local Subie speed shop. They said the rings were all coked and locked solid. Not broken in properly, my bad. Cleaned everything and new rings. I went from a quart every 700 miles to a quart every 5000, maybe.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
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Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
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The Western Syncro build
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[Sodo]

Looks like my “new” JDM longblock drinks oil.
Dangit.
2 qts in the 1st 2000 miles.
It sure runs strong.


Link


Anyway this is how I’m adding oil thru the license plate door.

This will suck if I have to add oil every 1000 miles.
I might dose it with Marvel Mystery oil.
And report back on that.....
Which sounds too good to be true, but the theory is that the oil control rings are not worn out, just need to be cleaned a little.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Jake de Villiers]

[dobryan]

[Energy Concepts]

[valvecovergasket]

[11BC2]

[Sodo]

I do not believe an engine "at idle" can damage itself running ATF.
Or even pure Marvel Mystery oil.
I would not run it farther up it's torque curve though.

But interestingly..... using 5W30 synthetic in this "new" JDM longblock...
at 1600 miles I thought it looked WAY too black/dirty (for 1600 miles).
YIKES, I wish I did an initial change much earlier than 1600 miles.

So I changed the oil at 1800miles.
At Hollister Hills campground, incidentally...

And here's what the engine oil drain magnet looked like.
Is that from the synthetic washing down my engine inside?
Will I always see Iron fuzz?
This is the first automotive engine oil drain magnet I have ever seen.

And, the engine "seems" to be using less oil now.
It used 2 quarts in 1800 miles = 900 miles/qt for the first part of my 2600 mile trip
After oil change it used 1 qt in 1500 miles.
Fingers crossed that it's healing.
I will try the ATF or Marvel or both.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[jlrftype7]

[vino de vano]

When I first installed my 100000 mile SVX engine, I used Yamaha ring free for 500 miles at witch point I tore down my engine [ bad head gasket ]. The oil ringings were completely locked with cooked oil. The ring free did nothing as far as I could see. It took me 20 minutes to clean each piston in a parts washer. In other words they were bad, so don't expect a miracle from ring free. I got new rings from Hastings and fallowed their break in instructions. Warm engine fully keeping the RPM up a variable, then drive, do a pull through first and second at one quarter throttle, then at half throttle, then three quarters, then full. You have now bedded your rings. It seams what you do in that first twenty minutes of running is very important. Also running 5-30 synthetic to help with coking in the future.

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what a long strange trip it's been

[Sodo]

FWIW I dosed my engine heavily with a couple elixirs.
RISLONE, and Marvel Mystery oil.

I dosed it twice with the MMO, driving it hundreds of miles with a quart of MMO added.

It was drinking a quart in 900 miles, and now it's down to 1quart in 1,000 miles.
A small step in the right direction but still a PITA.
I don't think it's drinking thru the PCV system, but need to check the "other leg" of the system to be sure.

Should I keep at it with the MMO?
The notion that anything could flussh out coked rings is kinda ludicrous.
But this is not a lot of 'effort' expended.
What if I just add quarts of MMO twice (at 1,000 miles & 2,000 miles) then change oil at 3,000?
I would probably try this if I had an oil pressure gauge to watch.
Perhaps better in the winter, and not on a long trip....but long trips is how I use the van.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[bobbyblack]

So, you've demonstrated your keen ability to turn your engine most of the way on its side with your under body washing trick; here's the Real Deal on getting those rings cleaner and free'd up: while up on its side, pour your ATF/MMO/etc. in the spark plug holes on the Up side. Lets all assume you can roll the engine a quarter turn by hand without knocking it off your high-lift. So, leaving it on its side over night might be a good plan, but every few hours roll the engine a quarter turn back and forth a few times. When it comes time to get all of that out of there, you'll have to have it on its other side, use the starter to crank it a dozen turns, it might clean it out enough to then put in the plugs and fire it up. Smoke to follow for a bit, but it might just clean things up nicely for you.

I would usually say to take the engine out for this kind of thing, but in your case, no need.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[Sodo]

Hasn't anyone tested this on an Inline-4?

I wonder about soaking it with pure "carburetor cleaner" in the cylinder.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb