Did I do Damage

[buckabucka]

I just bought a 05 WRX and changed the oil the other night. The manual
says the capacity is 4.2qts, so I put 4qts in and ran it at idle for 20
minutes. I then shut it off and let the oil drain back down before I
checked it. Thinking I would be adding 2/10th of a qt I was shocked to
see no oil on the dipstick. Turns out the capacity is around 4.8qts with
the filter (wish I knew that before). Could I have damaged the motor
running it for that amount of time and being 3/4 qt low?

 

[Edward Hayes]

If oil light did not go on then no damage. Sounds like you changed the
oil before Subaru's recommendation for first oil/filter change at
3,000 miles and NOT before 1,000 miles.

 

[Marcus]

If it was only idling I would not lose too much sleep over it.

Marcus

I like people, they are bio-degradable !.

 

[Frank Logullo]

I just bought a 05 WRX and changed the oil the other night. The manual
says the capacity is 4.2qts, so I put 4qts in and ran it at idle for 20
minutes. I then shut it off and let the oil drain back down before I
checked it. Thinking I would be adding 2/10th of a qt I was shocked to
see no oil on the dipstick. Turns out the capacity is around 4.8qts with
the filter (wish I knew that before). Could I have damaged the motor
running it for that amount of time and being 3/4 qt low?

I'm no expert but should be OK. I assume your oil light did not come on.
Frank

 

[buckabucka]

Funny you should mention that "NOT before 1000 miles". Any new car I have
always changed the oil within the 1st 500 miles. Reason being, you can
sometimes have little bits of metal from a new motor that the oil filter
may, or may not get to, floating around. I have read from "experts" that
no current auto manufacturer uses the so called "break-in oil". This was
something used 30 years ago. I am curious where you heard this not before
1K. I cannot find reference to this in any subaru document and I called my
service folks at subaru and they had not heard of that either. They told
me it is just normal oil in it from the factory.

 

[buckabucka]

I dont recall seeing the oil light. It freaked me out though. I have had
cars be a full quart low and they still register on the dip stick. I dont
know if the boxer motor is different compared to inline 4 cylinders i have
had.

 

[Edward Hayes]

I email Subaru technical dept 3 -4 years ago at www.Subaru.com for
this answer. Most manufactures use coatings and or additives in the
factory oil to assist in properly breaking in their engines and that
is why draining oil early is detrimental. 30 years ago? where did you
get that number? If Subaru has changed their recommendation from NOT
before 1,000 miles then it's 3,000 miles but I cheated and changed at
~2400 miles because a trip was coming up. Oil filter take care of the
rest.

 

[Bobby]

Your fine. Oil was still flowing through your pump

--

|I just bought a 05 WRX and changed the oil the other night. The manual
| says the capacity is 4.2qts, so I put 4qts in and ran it at idle for 20
| minutes. I then shut it off and let the oil drain back down before I
| checked it. Thinking I would be adding 2/10th of a qt I was shocked to
| see no oil on the dipstick. Turns out the capacity is around 4.8qts with
| the filter (wish I knew that before). Could I have damaged the motor
| running it for that amount of time and being 3/4 qt low?
|
|
|

 

[MN]

I just bought a 05 WRX and changed the oil the other night. The manual
says the capacity is 4.2qts, so I put 4qts in and ran it at idle for 20
minutes. I then shut it off and let the oil drain back down before I
checked it. Thinking I would be adding 2/10th of a qt I was shocked to
see no oil on the dipstick. Turns out the capacity is around 4.8qts with
the filter (wish I knew that before). Could I have damaged the motor
running it for that amount of time and being 3/4 qt low?

Lesson here is always check your dipstick!

How could you have not, and on a new car?
Hope your OK, you probably are.

MN

 

[y_p_w]

I email Subaru technical dept 3 -4 years ago at www.Subaru.com for
this answer. Most manufactures use coatings and or additives in the
factory oil to assist in properly breaking in their engines and that
is why draining oil early is detrimental. 30 years ago? where did you
get that number? If Subaru has changed their recommendation from NOT
before 1,000 miles then it's 3,000 miles but I cheated and changed at
~2400 miles because a trip was coming up. Oil filter take care of the
rest.

I had an oil analysis done on the factory oil for my 2004 WRX. Change
was exactly at 3000 miles on the odo. Several metal wear levels were
about 3 to 4 times higher than typical cars; they had no other WRX's
to compare the levels to. Blackstone Labs told me this was normal for
a car breaking in.

However - there was a really high level of molybdenum; it was about
12 times that of an "average" oil analysis. There were a variety of
guesses when I posted it. Moly is used as an assembly lube. Some
manufacturers are known to use it as a breakin additive (for a more
"graceful" wear pattern). Rings are also hard-coated with moly.
It could have been one or a combination of those things.

 

[buckabucka]

Wow, that sucks. So then I pretty much screwed the long term on my motor.
Weird, the service people have not heard of this. I dont doubt what you
are saying, but it is strange. I know I changed the oil in my Tacoma at
200 miles or so and I now have close to 100k. So who knows. Makes me
worry about hanging on to it for too long. :-(

 

[Alan]

Funny you should mention that "NOT before 1000 miles". Any new car I have
always changed the oil within the 1st 500 miles. Reason being, you can
sometimes have little bits of metal from a new motor that the oil filter
may, or may not get to, floating around. I have read from "experts" that
no current auto manufacturer uses the so called "break-in oil". This was
something used 30 years ago. I am curious where you heard this not before
1K. I cannot find reference to this in any subaru document and I called my
service folks at subaru and they had not heard of that either. They told
me it is just normal oil in it from the factory.

It's in my owner or service manual. 04 OBW.

 

[Edward Hayes]

I doubt you did any real damage if your break-in driving was
reasonable and didn't drag race frequently. Live and learn as most of
do. Eddie

 

[Edward Hayes]

Subaru and many service departments will be very glad to change your
oil every 500 miles if you want even if it's against those who
designed and tested 100s of their engines. The world is full of self
appointed experts so "in God I trust, all others bring data"

 

[WRXtreme]

I have always changed the oil in my cars within the first 500-1000 miles per
my mechanic/machinists recommendation. They claim that cars that change
early are less likely to come back w/ engine problems at or around the end
of their warranty. I also use Amsoil synthetic religiously and have yet to
have a motor not last at least as long as the average life expectancy and
have had several go for over 300,000 miles.

 

[Rick Courtright]

the filter (wish I knew that before). Could I have damaged the motor
running it for that amount of time and being 3/4 qt low?

Yawn...

As in don't lose any sleep over it! You had enough oil to pressurize the
system, else a light would have gone on or a pressure gauge would have
registered no pressure, and since you were just idling, there wasn't
much load on anything.

The bit about "don't change before 1000 miles" may be because of moly
additives as someone posted, but as for long term problems caused by
changing too soon, report back at 100k, then 200k and beyond to let us
know! One of moly's endearing qualities is it's claimed to adhere to
ferrous materials, so it circulated and "stuck" to the place it might
"stick" in those first few miles, and there's probably plenty left even
after that initial change. I doubt you'll know you ever changed it "too"
early!

Rick