1st Oil Change.....Break In Oil?

[Whalstib]

Ok...

New one on me but a search reveled there is such a thing...

Break in oil.... does Toyota use it?

Should I really wait till 10K mark to first oil change?

Being old school when we rebuilt V-8's in the 70's-80's a 1000 mile oil change standard. Of course that was crude oil 30w that only got like 3000 miles!

I can't imagine Toyota risking their engines to save on one "free" (we paid for it; don't kid yourself!) oil change....well maybe I can!

This is my very first brand new vehicle so want to make sure I do it right from the onset.

Thanks,

Whalstib

 

[Jesse_NE]

Engine manufacturing has come a long way since the 70's. Unless the owner's manual call for break-in intervals, I wouldn't worry about it. But it's your money, and you should do whatever makes you sleep better at night.

 

[dave1251]

I don't change before 5K anymore. I used to be a 1500 mile change for break in guy.

 

[DweezilAZ]

Originally Posted by Whalstib
Ok...

New one on me but a search reveled there is such a thing...

Break in oil.... does Toyota use it?

Should I really wait till 10K mark to first oil change?

Being old school when we rebuilt V-8's in the 70's-80's a 1000 mile oil change standard. Of course that was crude oil 30w that only got like 3000 miles!

I can't imagine Toyota risking their engines to save on one "free" (we paid for it; don't kid yourself!) oil change....well maybe I can!

This is my very first brand new vehicle so want to make sure I do it right from the onset.

Thanks,

Whalstib


10,000 miles till the first oil change ? I'm from the same era and regardless of all the progress in oils, metallurgy and tech personally I'd say Eff Dat.

How much did you just pay for this new car ? Plan on keeping it for many years ?

These are the first oil change intervals I have used on new [or remanned] engines:

63 Valiant [ remanufactured replacement 1988]: 900 miles
99 Cavalier: 1300 miles
05 ION: 1500 miles.
3000 to 5000 thereafter.

The ION now runs M1 and is changed annually.

People can scoff, but even "throw away" cars get platinum maintenance from me. The intention is to drive them for decades, not just a few years. Your objectives may be different, but that 10,000 mile thing sounds extreme. That would be abuse at my shack.

 

[Bill_W]

On one side peace of mind that you are removing machined metal junk, on the other side the assembly lube goes with the factory fill and the car recommended schedule.

You are asking us... So.

Personally I think a modern engine break in like rings and cylinder walls are done after the first 500 miles. I would use the same oil and filter and change it at 1500 miles. But I doubt any thing but peace of mind will be done. The question you ask is will it hurt since it is break in oil? If it was break in oil I would want that stuff out at 1500 miles. I doubt you would want break in oil for 10,000 miles.

 

[PimTac]

Today's break in oil is no different than any oil you can buy off the shelf. Automakers contract out for factory fill oil. There may be some extra molybdenum due to assembly lubes used during the engine assembly.

My thoughts are that break in happens during the first 500 miles or so for the most part. It may take a few thousand miles for the engine to full wear in.

So, I change out the factory fill at around the 1000 mile mark and schedule the next change to put it on the schedule you or the manufacturer recommends.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Look at Redline (or Amsoil) Break-In Oil. Like engine builders for years, they say elevated zddp levels are best.

Interestingly, zddp actually increases friction (lowers wear). That should make the rings twist more.

Then, Honda-Acura says to use more moly friction-reducer, and Toyota house-brand 0w20 oil uses a lot of moly, during break-in. This to prevent hot spots on the cylinder walls. This should also decrease ring twist to some extent (less friction). Take mightymousetech's post for example:
Originally Posted by mightymousetech
I am a dealer tech (20 years with Acura/Honda) every couple years we get another service bulletin from Engineering stating that doing the first oil change early can damage the engine, and we are NOT to change the factory fill early. The factory fill oil is not the issue, it is the high moly assembly lube used they want retained in the oil. Doing the first oil change early can cause hot spots to form in the engine.


Maybe this strategy then: Put in Amsoil or Redline Break-in oil, or a high-zddp oil like Rotella T5 for only the first few hundred miles or so, then change to a high-moly low-friction oil for the rest of its life. Use a Fram Ultra oil filter which gets out particles at 80% 5 micron 4548-12.

 

[ka9mnx]

Back in those days new car break in was 500 miles. I would follow what the OM says. I buy used vehicles so I have no idea how they were broken in. Yet I go for years and lots of miles without engine problems.

 

[Bill_W]

The Honda engine does have break in oil.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by Whalstib
Should I really wait till 10K mark to first oil change?

Yes

 

[tiger862]

I did first oil change on the Grand Caravan at 4400 miles and second oil change comes this weekend at 9k. This is according to manual for Severe service. 1 quart low first time and none this time.

 

[StevieC]

I changed out my Highlander in the first 1,000km (600 miles). It had the D4-S GDI/PFI engine.

 

[OilUzer]

As @PimTac and @oil_film_movies have mentioned, I was told by a Toyota mechanic that the factory oil has extra moly or zddp and not drain it too early (like 600 miles). My truck said 10K miles.
Just telling you what this one mechanic told me and I haven't researched beyond that. The only thing I know is that Toyota OM specifies 10K with 0Wx20 ... for the first oil change, I would change it @4-5 K if you prefer early change ... By then IF the factory oil is a special oil, It's done it's thing I assume.

 

[ARB1977]

I went the distance (7500 miles) based on olm on our 18 CRV 1.5LT. So far so good.

 

[CT8]

The break in oil has the highest wear metals etc that the engine,transmission and differential etc will ever see unless there is a unfiltered air leak or pending failure. How long do we keep plan on keeping the vehicles ?

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
Look at Redline (or Amsoil) Break-In Oil. Like engine builders for years, they say elevated zddp levels are best.

Interestingly, zddp actually increases friction (lowers wear). That should make the rings twist more.

Then, Honda-Acura says to use more moly friction-reducer, and Toyota house-brand 0w20 oil uses a lot of moly, during break-in. This to prevent hot spots on the cylinder walls. This should also decrease ring twist to some extent (less friction). Take mightymousetech's post for example:
Originally Posted by mightymousetech
I am a dealer tech (20 years with Acura/Honda) every couple years we get another service bulletin from Engineering stating that doing the first oil change early can damage the engine, and we are NOT to change the factory fill early. The factory fill oil is not the issue, it is the high moly assembly lube used they want retained in the oil. Doing the first oil change early can cause hot spots to form in the engine.


Maybe this strategy then: Put in Amsoil or Redline Break-in oil, or a high-zddp oil like Rotella T5 for only the first few hundred miles or so, then change to a high-moly low-friction oil for the rest of its life. Use a Fram Ultra oil filter which gets out particles at 80% 5 micron 4548-12.

Break in oil is a marketing scam.

 

[K20FA5]

I try not to change it before the first OCI listed in the manual, but it never happens. After all, we're oil nuts or we wouldn't be here

I changed our 4Runner when it hit 5,000 miles and then again at 10,000. From there it gets 10,000 mile changes (owners manual).

I changed out my Silverado at 1,500 and then again at 5,000. From there I'm following the OLM. Currently at just over 6,000 and the OLM is at 86%.

For me, it's just hard to leave all that manufacturing debris in there (even if that debris is only in my head).

I don't honestly feel like you're hurting anything if you don't change it early or if you do change it early.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by Whalstib
Ok...

New one on me but a search reveled there is such a thing...

Break in oil.... does Toyota use it?

Should I really wait till 10K mark to first oil change?

Being old school when we rebuilt V-8's in the 70's-80's a 1000 mile oil change standard. Of course that was crude oil 30w that only got like 3000 miles!

I can't imagine Toyota risking their engines to save on one "free" (we paid for it; don't kid yourself!) oil change....well maybe I can!

This is my very first brand new vehicle so want to make sure I do it right from the onset.

Thanks,Whalstib


There may be break-in oils around, but none for automotive engines anymore. Machining & lubrication have come a loooong way since the 70s & 80s. There was the fable that one oughtn't use synthetic oil till after break-in and that too went the way of the Dodo. I never wait for 10K mile for my 1st oil change, I do it at 3K just to get rid of all the crud from breaking in.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted by CT8
Break in oil is a marketing scam.

Break in oil is marketed for rebuilds in general and high output rebuilds specifically, and is decidedly not a marketing scam in that regard. A new vehicle off the lot doesn't need a break in oil and these isn't marketed for that; I'm sure they "could" be used if one so chose but that's not a need. An old flat tappet engine rebuild with high spring pressures and aggressive cam profiles certainly could benefit from the Red Line, Amsoil, or Royal Purple break in product.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted by Pelican
Machining & lubrication have come a loooong way since the 70s & 80s. There was the fable that one oughtn't use synthetic oil till after break-in and that too went the way of the Dodo. I never wait for 10K mile for my 1st oil change, I do it at 3K just to get rid of all the crud from breaking in.
That "crud from breaking in" comes from the peaks of machining marks breaking off as the brand new rings and cam lobes rub. Machining is better now, yet we do still see some extra ppm iron in new engines. That is proof those surfaces are eroding. Nothing severe. Still you can get the peaks to polish themselves down more slowly and losing smaller chunks, which I guess is about all we could expect from some extra ZDDP and/or moly plating.