Dino to synthetic engine break in changeover

Bob Miller · Mar 2, 2005

I took delivery on a 05 Carolla and changed the oil at 500 miles. I changed to Maxlife 10w-40 and am abouyt o change again at 5000 miles. Zero oil loss, hardly notice any mileage change.

Oil appears as clean as original, perhaps a bit darker. Blotter test shows no rings.

I'm not convinced that synthetic adds any benefits unless one decideds to run at high speeds in desert heat or load up the vehicle.

I will change my oil and filter at about 3k mile intervals from here on.

I ran my previous Honda to 220,000 miles on the same oil and when i sold it, it still burned no oil.

We also have a Mazda tribby with a V6. Ran the 5w-20 with good results for the first 20k miles. Changed to Maxlife 10W-40 and have seen a small drop in nileage, about 1 MPG. The V6 seems stronger with this oil.

Just my 2 cents.

Bill in Utah · Mar 2, 2005

Hi,

I have a 2005 Corolla and changed the oil first at 1000 miles.

I went with 5w30 Pennzoil and a Super Tech filter. Here is the used oil analysis of the factory fill;

Factory fill used oil analysis

I left it in for a 2k OCI and went to Castrol Syntec Blend 5w30 (it's about $11 a 5 qt jug) for 5k miles and here is the used oil analysis for it...

Syntec Blend 5k used oil analysis

Had a TBN done and it had life left @ 5k.

I've got a blend of Syntec and Blend in there right now and will change it out at 13k miles and see how it worked.

Going to try Mobil 7500 5w30 next. Since we have to have max of 5k OCI, no sense to use $4-$5 a quart oil IMO....

Love the car and one other thing,

My gas Mileage was running in the 39-41 mpg until 10,000 miles. It dropped to 37.4 for a average.

So I looked at the airfilter and it was not really dirty but decided to change it at 11k miles and the gas milage first tank after the change went back up to 40.59 mpg! 2nd tank was 41.22.. So, the filter done not need to get really dirty to affect MPG.

Just to prove this correct, I've filled up and put the old Air Filter in and lets see what happens to the MPG.

Take care, bill

Minou · Mar 3, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by GarrettSocling:
I agonized on what to do with my 05 Corolla too.

I changed the factory fill out at 2000 miles since I figured the majority of the breakin was done. I rode it pretty good during break-in, and drove to Boston (8hr one way) and back after 1000 miles.

I put 5w30 SuperTech in and ran for about 2700 miles to flush out remaining wear particles and allow what wear that should occur to occur.

Finally I put Mobil 1 5w30 in at 4700 miles and am going to run that from here on out.

I think that pretty much no matter what you do to the engine, as long as the oil is changed, this 1.8L is going to last a couple hundred thousand miles. I hope, with synthetic and other goodies, that it will last me 10 or 15 years or a half-million miles.

G

Looks like every one with a 05 Corolla is here today...

A bit optimistic GarrettSocling?
I'm Ti-Jean on Corolland (Who hi-jacked my "real" nick?)

Bill in Utah,

Is your car manual or auto.?
Has the weather been warmer recently? Might explain your better mileage numbers.

I did my first OCI at 3 months and 2842 km (1760 miles). Went with Petro-Canada 5w30 conventional and OEM filter. In april, I will switch to Esso Extra XD-3 0w30 and go to 2 OCI/yr.

Colt · Mar 3, 2005

Now with all these posts I can't make up my mind.

Bill in Utah · Mar 3, 2005

quote:

Bill in Utah,

Is your car manual or auto.?
Has the weather been warmer recently? Might explain your better mileage numbers.

Manual.

Nope, Temps pretty close to the same for the last week. I go thru a tank+ per week.

Thanks, bill

kreativ · Mar 3, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Miller:
I took delivery on a 05 Carolla and changed the oil at 500 miles. I changed to Maxlife 10w-40 and am abouyt o change again at 5000 miles. Zero oil loss, hardly notice any mileage change.

Any particular reason you went with a high mileage oil in a new car?
Do the seal conditioning additives adversely affect a new engine?

Minou · Mar 3, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Bill in Utah:
Love the car and one other thing,

My gas Mileage was running in the 39-41 mpg until 10,000 miles. It dropped to 37.4 for a average.

So I looked at the airfilter and it was not really dirty but decided to change it at 11k miles and the gas milage first tank after the change went back up to 40.59 mpg! 2nd tank was 41.22.. So, the filter done not need to get really dirty to affect MPG.

Just to prove this correct, I've filled up and put the old Air Filter in and lets see what happens to the MPG.

Take care, bill

Please report your new "old filter" mileage figures. Just curious. But then, if the weather turns warmer...

Are you doing mostly highway miles?

JohnBrowning · Mar 5, 2005

Alan, My 2003 I4 Camry has only burnt 3/4 of a quart over the last 20,000 miles! I broke my car in like I stole it off the dealership lot! My Dad had a death grip on the seat cushion! I do not think that he could belive I was driveing a new car taht hard. It had 4 miles on it when I got! I changed my oil at 58 miles when I got thr car home! Then again at something like 250 mile and again at 500 then 1500 and 3000. After the first 58 miles I just drove it how I normaly drive! I used Rotella-T Synthetic from 1500-3000 then went right to Mobil 1 15W50!

I drive my car preety hard. I drive it like I am in the WRC but with civil driveing manners and obeying all trafic laws other then speed limits! I red line it freq!

All engines burn some oil but if you can not tell by the dipstick and do not need to add any to bring the dipstick back up to full then you are preety much near zero consuption.

Grossomotto · Mar 5, 2005

I always laugh at the myth that Synthetics will not allow a engine to break in or the rings to seat.

An engine wears with Synthetic just like dino. Go look at all the used oil analysis.

Bill in Utah · Mar 5, 2005

quote:

Please report your new "old filter" mileage figures. Just curious. But then, if the weather turns warmer...

Are you doing mostly highway miles?

It's getting a little warmer but maybe 3-4 degrees durning the day. But the car is driven 50% at 2am and the night temps are the same or real close to the same.

Yeah, The car is driven 3 miles roundtrip twice a day (To take the kid to school) and not shut off on the trip. Then, a 60+ mile one way commute @ 1:30pm and come home @2am. That trip is 99% highway with NO stop and go. 70 mph @ 2900 RPM.

May be we should take this somewhere else since it's air filter / MPG ?

Take care, Bill

Dino to synthetic engine break in changeover

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