2019 Kia Sorento - Oil check

I head my first oil change on my car at 7000 miles. The dealer used re refined motor oil, is this normal now.

No, it isn’t in my area. If the oil meets the manufacturer’s specs, should not be an issue.

The dealer actually put re-refined on your report?

+1
… and, if this vehicle requires synthetic oil, is there even such a thing as re-refined synthetic oil?
:thinking:

well, the whole definition of “synthetic” is far from its original definition nowadays, is it not?

When I troll the aisles at AutoZone, Advance Auto, or even Wal-Mart, I have never seen any re-refined synthetic oil. Have you observed such a product?

I’m wondering if there’s some miscommunication going on here . . . ?

+1
That is also my theory… until presented with evidence to the contrary…

not really :slight_smile:

moreover, they used to have some kind of re-refined Valvoline and since it is my brand of choice at Wally, I decided to try it once, considering it met the spec for my Subaru

it was a dead-wrong decision in the hidsight

oil turned black much faster than usual one, I’ve also experienced higher than usual burn rate

off it went and usual Valvoline came in, giving me back the usual 5K miles OCI and 0.5 quarts burn what my Subie was showing before

I never played this game again and it cured my curiosity as well :slight_smile:

https://www.valvoline.com/about-us/faq/recycled-oil-myths

Tester

good FAQ, still I described my own experience, not repeating some myth

I could imagine that some engines would experience less or no ill effects

it is Subaru’s engine what is quite picky on oil, especially as it ages

My son brings me recycled synthetic oil from where he works for free.

The engine has never had a problem with it.

Tester

I’m not sure what “recycled synthetic oil” term describes.
Can you elaborate on brand/trademark?
I bet @VDCdriver will be as interested to know as I am.

They buy it bulk in a 55 gallon drum from Ashland oil company.

He brings it home in a one gallon jug.

Tester

My 2011 Outback Limited 3.6R, with more than 95k on the odometer, still consumes oil at a rate of only 1/8 of quart between its 5k miles oil changes. The brand of oil doesn’t seem to be an issue with this bullet-proof engine.

my experience was exclusively with 4-cylinder Subarus, older 2.2 liter non-intereference one, then multiple EJ253, they all ate 0.5 quarts or more in 5000 miles change interval, which made me to educate myself a little bit on oil specs and try low-NOACK oil types, namely Valvoline Syntetics. it allowed me to reduce burn rate to the one where I would not need to add oil between changes

I agree, Subaru’s 3.6 liter 6-cylinder engine is very different in this regard, I guess because it is much less loaded in the Outback. 2.5 liter one is undersized for that body