Break-in oil change debate

[John105]

I'll have ~425 miles or so at that point, enough that any wayward particles should be removed.Thats what the oil filters job is,to remove wayward particles!!

I don't know if there is any rhyme nor reason, to the number: 1,000

BMW said 1000 km, so that's where 1,200 miles came from.

But if it were me, I'd wait until 1,000. Not 999.9, not 1000.1. Just keep driving circles around the shop, and park it when you can control rolling in at 1000.0. I'm just kidding I think no harm in doing an early change.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Ask 6 people you will get 7 answers. So here is mine.

I am for early change, however I would say 435 miles might be even a little short for me - I doubt its actually broken in yet. Most oil filters miss the smallest particles < 20um. I have found no studies for auto engines but in the industrial lubrication world small particles are well known to cause excess wear. I believe there are more small particles at break in than after. So I dump it - anywhere from 1 to 2K for me.

 

[Danh]

Honda used to be pretty adamant about leaving the factory fill in for a normal interval. The logic seems to be that assembly lubes contain a lot of molybdenum that washes into the sump. During break-in this molybdenum helps to prevent hot spots from forming on cylinder walls as the rings seat. Hot spots can create deposits on cylinder walls that compromise ring seating and lead to problems like oil consumption.

This makes sense to me so I leave the FF in on Honda products for at least 5k. If I get itchy about it I use a high-molybdenum oil (Idemitsu makes some) as a replacement.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

On some Subaru you have to drop the pan to get the RTV out of the oil pump pickup tube that is hindering oil flow..

 

[DwightFrye]

I think a happy medium is to change out the factory fill oil at about the point that the owners manual says the car is broken in enough to drive without babying it. That is usually around 3000 miles.

I have always changed mine though at around 1000 -1200 miles. Changing it at under 500 miles is unnecessary. However, I do regular oil & filter changes at less than the owners manual says. On my Mazda CX 5 I only use Mobil 1 Extended Performance and change it every 5000 miles and will do the same on my Jaguar F Type once the free yearly oil & filter changes as part of the 5 year warranty expire. The factory suggested OCI on the Jaguar is 16,000 miles and no way am I going to go that long between changes.

This topic has been covered here many times. I seem to recall that when the automakers were queried, only Honda would admit that they used a special blend for their new vehicles and therefore recommended against changing it before the owners manual suggestion. Correct ?

 

[FZ1]

The unsolvable debate, change oil soon after purchase or wait for the OCI to say do it. I was going to wait, partly from doubting its necessity with today's engines and partly from cheapness. The local Christian Brothers just announced an oil change special for $14.99, eliminating the cheapness argument, so I'm going tomorrow and get it changed. I'll have ~425 miles or so at that point, enough that any wayward particles should be removed. And small side benefit going forward I'll have July 4th every year as my oil change reminder.

Run it to the severe service interval (6/5000) then dump it. .02

 

[chemman]

I have always changed the factory oil and filter within the first 100 miles to get rid of any leftover machining fines from the manufacturing process. However, for the 2022 Silverado, I contacted several more experienced longtime techs on par with Trav, Chris142, and clinebarger, and I decided to wait until the OLM said to change it or 12 months had passed and let a Chevy dealership change it on Chevrolet's nickel since the first maintenance visit (including an oil & filter change) was included in the purchase.

However, now that the oil & filter changes will be on my dime, I've decided to change the oil & filter every 6 months or 5000 miles because the truck will fall under the "Severe Service" category, and that is what I am most comfortable with.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[Malo83]

Dump my FF between the 500/1K mark.

 

[Hall]

I think a happy medium is to change out the factory fill oil at about the point that the owners manual says the car is broken in enough to drive without babying it. That is usually around 3000 miles.

How many cars still have that restriction ? A Corvette ? Pretty sure a Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, Chevy...., etc do not.

 

[PF52]

I changed mine at 1000 miles on this new car, and I cut open the filter and was a little surprised by how much glitter was in the oil. Oh, well, that's gone now.

 

[JohnnyG]

I'll just say this. I've heard of more problems or major damage caused by oil change places that have ever been caused by Factory Fill oil being changed at the full interval.

I change mine rather quickly when I buy a new or used car, only because I like to know what I'm using. Typically full synthetic for as long as I can remember.

 

[loneryder]

What I like to do is change the factory fill after 1k miles. Not going to argue or tell anybody else what to do but I just figure 1k miles is enough to get most of the "metal" out of there. I've changed new cars at 100 miles and the oil was full of glitter.

 

[nomas]

I did my first oil change on my 2018 Titan at the factory recommended 5k . Now , the truck has 50k and doesn't burn a drop between oil changes . I don't tow anything or otherwise abuse my truck so I'm expecting a long happy life out of it .

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

What I like to do is change the factory fill after 1k miles. Not going to argue or tell anybody else what to do but I just figure 1k miles is enough to get most of the "metal" out of there. I've changed new cars at 100 miles and the oil was full of glitter.

Well I guess everyone feels differently. My car came with a filter and it stayed in for one year and 5000 miles!

 

[bilibako2]

The 23 Mazda CX-30 we got reach 6 months/3200miles done first oil change with K and N oil 0W-20 with Purolator one.Every car I owned new 3-4k oil change routinely done.Now these Mazda had look like crosstreaded drain plug-when loosen fine halfway out it got little tight and same putting it back.Anyone can chime on these issue?

 

[TiGeo]

 

[ZeeOSix]

On my new motorcycles, I do the recommended 600 mile oil & filter change per the OM. On my new cars/trucks, I typically do the first oil change somewhere between 1000 and 2000 miles.

 

[fsdork]

How many cars still have that restriction ? A Corvette ? Pretty sure a Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, Chevy...., etc do not.

Shockingly, ze Germans still have a procedure. From our '22 Tiguan (2.0T):

 

[John105]

Shockingly, ze Germans still have a procedure. From our '22 Tiguan (2.0T):

View attachment 165113

That's what someone pointed out when I stupidly bedded the brakes of my BMW after installing new rotors and pads. If that's the proper way, why wouldn't it say that when new...

 

[Badgerstate]

The unsolvable debate, change oil soon after purchase or wait for the OCI to say do it. I was going to wait, partly from doubting its necessity with today's engines and partly from cheapness. The local Christian Brothers just announced an oil change special for $14.99, eliminating the cheapness argument, so I'm going tomorrow and get it changed. I'll have ~425 miles or so at that point, enough that any wayward particles should be removed. And small side benefit going forward I'll have July 4th every year as my oil change reminder.

500 miles is way too soon. I wouldnt do it before 1500 or 3K. The filter should catch most of the metal particles anyway.