Do any manufacturers still use break in oil?

[Patman]

We used to talk a lot about how Honda might have been using a break in oil which they recommended leaving in for the full interval on their new cars. But I’m not even sure they are still doing this. Are there any car manufacturers at all that use a special break in oil anymore?

 

[Wylie6G72]

Some of the finest car manufacturers in the world put readily available synthetics in the engines on the assembly line. I don't think break-in oils are necessary with the manufacturing technologies in place now. It used to be a forbidden practice to put synthetic oil in a new engine, due to concerns that the engine would never break in. Now that seems to be limited to rebuilders' recommendations.

I think a lot of car makers put break-in procedures in the owner's manual as a CYA, but I think they're rarely followed. Some cars have a safeguard in place to keep you from revving too high before 500, 1000, etc. miles have been driven. Investing in break-in specific oils for use at the factory? I doubt anybody's doing it.

 

[Patman]

I think a lot of car makers put break-in procedures in the owner's manual as a CYA, but I think they're rarely followed. Some cars have a safeguard in place to keep you from revving too high before 500, 1000, etc. miles have been driven. Investing in break-in specific oils for use at the factory? I doubt anybody's doing it.

That’s my thought as well but every once in a while I will hear someone claiming that certain new cars come with a break in oil, but I don’t believe them.

 

[k1xv]

On break in, I think the most important thing is to allow an engine to go through a number of heating and cooling cycles to relieve stresses in parts such as pistons.

 

[Hall]

necessary with the manufacturing technologies in place now

Yet there are people who still insist on changing the oil after 250, 500, 1000, etc miles

 

[OilUzer]

Japaneese manufacturers like moly.

 

[Patman]

Yet there are people who still insist on changing the oil after 250, 500, 1000, etc miles

That’s definitely overkill doing it that many times (unless you built an engine yourself in your garage). But a single 500-1000 mile oil change is definitely beneficial, especially these days when we keep hearing about new engines with debris in them from the factory. Why not spend an extra $40 in order to possibly prevent any issues? It’s a no brainer actually.

 

[Nessism1]

I knew guys that worked in an engine plant. They changed the oil used because they got a better price than the old oil. It was all about the money.

 

[Hall]

That’s definitely overkill doing it that many times

I meant those as different mileage points, not multiple changes.

especially these days when we keep hearing about new engines with debris in them from the factory

Doubt it.... If you're referring to something like the Toyota Tundra debacle, IMO, the damage to those was already done by the time the owner drove them home, between start-ups at the factory and the vehicle being driven on/off transport and around dealer's lots.

 

[4wheeldog]

Logically, manufactures are using off the shelf (Well, "Out of the barrel") oil. The extra goodies (Moly, etc.) in the crankcase of new engines is most likely from the assembly lube.

 

[4WD]

Yes, I dump the oil right after I decide it’s broke in …

 

[Hall]

Investing in break-in specific oils for use at the factory?

What are these magical oils anyway ? Who makes it ? I'm not aware of any evidence that any such oil exists.

 

[Averroes]

From the UOAs I see from assembly line oils around here, there high traces of silicon (gasket?) and other stuff. Normal id say as the engine is moving about and things are settling.

I personally dumped my mom’s RAV4 oil out at roughly 2,000km, and refilled it with M1, and a fresh Toyota filter. Peace of mind if anything.

 

[Speedy3861]

Japaneese manufacturers like moly.

You are correct, generally most Honda technicians reccomend running the factory fill for 5k. They explained that factory fill is generally Full-Synthetic Idemsu, but the engine is assembled with lot of moly assembly lubricant which helps with break-in when it mixes with the oil.

 

[factorytuned2012]

We used to talk a lot about how Honda might have been using a break in oil which they recommended leaving in for the full interval on their new cars. But I’m not even sure they are still doing this. Are there any car manufacturers at all that use a special break in oil anymore?

No. They would be telling customers first service do at 500 miles vs 5, 7500 or 10k. There’s no need in modern engineering and manufacturing. Assembly lube may be found in the first few oil analyses. But break in oil nah I ain’t sold on it.

 

[chris719]

I have no idea why moly would be good for break in. It would slow break-in, if anything. LSJ and some others recommend a higher friction oil for break-in. The Japanese oil just has a lot of moly for fuel econ. Euros all just use the same oil that factory recommends. BMW is the only one still calling for 1200 mile break-in oil change as far as I know on M cars, but even then the oil is not special.

 

[PandaBear]

I got a hand out back in 97 for my Integra about leaving it in for the full OCI, but that's almost 3 decades ago.

 

[Wylie6G72]

What are these magical oils anyway ? Who makes it ? I'm not aware of any evidence that any such oil exists.

I'm skeptical myself. Half the things I've read said that Honda had a special oil they installed at the factory, the other half said it was just all of the high-moly assembly lube mixed in the oil and that Honda, on that merit alone, wanted you to leave it in until the oci.

 

[Wylie6G72]

Yet there are people who still insist on changing the oil after 250, 500, 1000, etc miles

Guilty on that point, but speaking for myself, only for the purposes of flushing out the alleged manufacturing residue that Hyundai has been accused of leaving in their engines, which have allegedly led to failures.

 

[sfbmw]

BMW M uses break-in oil in engines and drivelines.