Over-the-top break-in oil change recommendation?

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Originally Posted by Railrust
People are all over the map on this topic, and the way one should drive the vehicle during "break in", is also debatable.

I changed my oil at 1,200 miles during break in, then again at 5,000 miles. Now I just do 5,000 oil changes.

Shortly after I did that I talked to a shop Forman at a dealer, he said not to change the oil until at least 3,000 miles because all the "good stuff" is in that factory fill and it needs to be embedded into the cam lobes and stuff.


The foreman is in myth land. There is nothing special that is going to magically stick to the cam lobes. Factory fills are whatever they got a good price on. Whatever is different is whatever assembly lube was used to protect the engine on it's first few seconds of run. That can stay in there until the oil is changed.

Cars these days have change algorithms that use various in-use parameters and predict when the oil is due. The algorithms are conservative and will tell you (usually) a lot more than 5000 miles (unless it's extremely hot, or you drive the car very hard, etc...) And even then, when they say: "Change it!" - there is a lot of life left in that oil. (2000 miles per some tests that Edmunds did).
 
Every new vehicle I change at 4000 miles.

I just got a new Chevy and will do first oil change at 4000 miles, silly to change at 1000.
 
Originally Posted by doyall
".....
Ideally, you should change the oil the car came with after a short period (50-100 miles) and then again when the break-in period is over, at 1,000 miles or so. That way, you'll make sure the ‘extras' are gone and you car's oil is as pure as possible.
....."

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/engine-break-in-what-you-need-to-know-91979.html


I used to do a couple of early drains on a new engine, although nothing as extreme as what you post above.
Maybe around 1K then again 3K later and then normal intervals.
I now just run the FF based upon manual recommendations.
The first car I did this with was my '12 Accord and Honda was then pretty adamant in the OM that the FF be left in service for a full normal interval, so I ran it to 15% MM, which was about 8700 miles. The car is now past 100K and uses negligible oil with no need to add between drains at 15% MM.
The newer Subie got its OM recommended 6K on the FF as well as every drain since while I changed the Hybrid at 10K and 20% MM.
I guess I'm trying to say that I no longer see the benefit in early drains of the FF.
If there were any great benefit, then the OM would recommend an early first drain, as some cars in recent memory have, like earlier Subaru flat sixes, for which a first drain at 3K was recommended in the OM.
 
3K on the factory fill and 5K thereafter. Done this with the past eight new vehicles and I'm fiirst & last owner. They all last 18 years it seems and none of em' ever had the tops off for any repairs or replacements. None burned more than a quart in 5K.

Wanna' waste your money and change it the first 500-1000 miles..... go ahead.
 
Agree with above, 3K miles on FF before first oil change, 3 new cars in my lifetime, none burned any oil requiring topping off during OCI ranging from 5K miles on Kia to 9K miles on VW.
VW was traded in at 17 y.o. and with 234K miles (375K km) on it.
 
Do what makes you feel comfortable. There have been experts here recommend what StevieC does and others who have recommended waiting. As mentioned, I should think it would be more of an issue on a rebuild, rather than a new engine.
 
I do it the way my Mom taught me to cook. Pulled dipstick after 2k and something told me it was done. Changed it. Scientific. No. Peace of mind. Yes. Do what makes you sleep well at night.
 
I was planning on doing an early oil change on our q7. Before changing it I inspected the filter at 1000 miles, and it was pristine, no metal shavings in there so now i might wait a bit longer.
 
Originally Posted by A_The_B_V2
What is true today with Honda is that they use an ordinary 0W20 (probably synthetic as that's all there is in that weight), but there is significant moly in there from the build lube that is there to protect it on first start up.


The molybdenum in the build lube is probably what most people believe is in the new engine factory fill oil. I suspect that every manufacturer does something similar. That's probably why people used to say to leave the factory fill oil in.

I've never even thought about draining the factory fill. In every car I've ever bought, the factory fill is drained at the first oil change. The 1st oil change the dealer offers to you free. Let the dealership tech deal with the factory tight oil filter and drain plug.
 
Recent purchased a new car myself. Changed factory oil at 3000 miles then started 5-6k OCIs. Decided to change at 3k because while checking the dipstick on a bright sunny day, the microscopic glitter in the oil was abundantly visible. It was visible as suspension in the fluid itself as well as when wiped on a towel. Those particles are no-doubt in the single-digit micron range but, so are slurry mixtures used for fine-etching certain types of laboratory apparatus. I've done similar early OCs in the last 10+ new cars I've owned over the years -and have yet to regret doing it.

Ray
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
3K on the factory fill and 5K thereafter. Done this with the past eight new vehicles and I'm fiirst & last owner. They all last 18 years it seems and none of em' ever had the tops off for any repairs or replacements. None burned more than a quart in 5K.


First and last owner 18 years X 8 cars = 144 years.

Wow. You are the oil god.
 
Originally Posted by DoubleNickels


I've never even thought about draining the factory fill. In every car I've ever bought, the factory fill is drained at the first oil change. The 1st oil change the dealer offers to you free. Let the dealership tech deal with the factory tight oil filter and drain plug.


I like that last bit! Just picked up my new car last month with $100 / year for 2 years of stealership service. I'll at least do the first oil change there... after that ... prob'y not.
 
With a new car, unless you have the dealership change oil, there's nothing left for you to spend that service credit on. What else could they do for $100 or less? Almost everything is still under warranty. You are not using up $100 a year on windshield wipers and air fresheners.
 
Originally Posted by A_The_B_V2
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
3K on the factory fill and 5K thereafter. Done this with the past eight new vehicles and I'm fiirst & last owner. They all last 18 years it seems and none of em' ever had the tops off for any repairs or replacements. None burned more than a quart in 5K.


First and last owner 18 years X 8 cars = 144 years.

Wow. You are the oil god.

You aren't good at reading comprehension..... are you?
 
I'm in the "follow the oem recommendation" camp on when to drain the FF.

How far do we want to go back? My first cars the recommendation was 500 to 1000 miles oci for FF.

Then the Subarus went to 3k.

The newer cars all seem to be 6 to 7k.

All things change.
 
Not many owners manual recommend early change these days ... None of my cars old or new said anything about early oil change!
All our Toyotas iirc just said take it easy on the car and vary rpm the first 1000 miles.
also Some say drive a new car like you stole it but not any of the om that I've read.
 
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