Do any manufacturers still use break in oil?

[oil pan 4]

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?

LSjr did a video on this like a year ago.
Generally it doesn't appear to be needed in modern car engines.
Probably just an early oil change.
My break in oil for brand-new small engines is fill them up with 4,000 mile reclaimed oil, run them for like 5 minutes till they get warm and dump it.

 

[mark pruett]

Where does bmw come up with this mythical 1200 mile rule.

It's really close to 2000 kilometers (specifically it would be 1242 miles), which is a nice, round metric distance to schedule something like that.

 

[64bawagon]

I have heard that some engines are built with an oil formulated for the possibility of long storage periods while on the lot. This was from people in the OEM space but of course its anecdotal and you could never prove it one way or another. I do know that GM has several engine cells in the Milford proving grounds and does a lot of testing on oil and filters.

 

[factorytuned2012]

A lot of misinformation and blown out hype

 

[Elmo Howe]

There is going to be a lot of initial small particle wear material <10um on break in that a filter isn't going to grab - if its anything like an industrial machine. I change mine out on a new engine very early - to get rid of that stuff. Has nothing to do with the oil itself.

To each their own.

I did an early filter change ( removed Toyota filter, installed CarQuest Premium at 71 total miles and an oil and filter change at 737 miles on my new Toyota RAV4 2025 ( purchased with 7 total miles on it ) for that same reason. I didn't like the idea that the fine wear particles that weren't caught by the Toyota oil filter might be developing into " valve grinding compound " or similar contaminants and causing potential damage to the bearings, cam surfaces, or piston rings and cylinder walls.

 

[Elmo Howe]

There are also a lot of high mileage engines that are burning oil, down on power and getting worse MPG than new as well. So just because they have reached the higher mileage doesn’t mean they’re running perfectly.

I still don’t understand why there is so much pushback on here against spending $40 to do an extra oil change at the beginning of the cars life. You only have one chance to do it so why not? Worst case scenario you lost $40 and accomplished nothing. Best case scenario you have done something that benefits your engine for its lifetime. I see no evidence saying why it is harmful to do that first early oil change.

This, and my previous post, is why I prefer to do an early oil and filter change on any new vehicle that I own.

 

[ABOVE Oils]

Cool videos. For one race client we spent weeks of testing hone, polishing and sealing of cylinders that were nikasil plated. it was easy to burn through the plate so it wasn't easy. Would be interesting to know how they handle rebuilds of these cylinders, if they need to be resprayed, etc. The key is to get that first period break in correct for that engine and those rings. You have to assume the manufacturer is correct, but so much of what we have learned is that most engine parameters are still focused on ancient oil limits. When you plug in the capabilities of newer oils not reliant on messy mineral oils or synthetics from mineral oil, you can take HP much higher. F1 pushes some of these boundaries, but you can go much further than F1 specs with today's technology. Oil's coolant properties are overlooked and some F1 teams don't over look it. When you reduce friction by cylinder wall treatment that helps, when you use higher VI and carbon chain length and branch you can suck heat away from the critical parts and allow a higher conversion of energy and handle the heat. But if you are rebuilding for longevity or racing, take the extra time to plan very carefully your break in. Lean toward full on hard break in upon start up if the other components can handle it, ring seat is amazingly important.

 

[kschachn]

Cool videos. For one race client we spent weeks of testing hone, polishing and sealing of cylinders that were nikasil plated. it was easy to burn through the plate so it wasn't easy. Would be interesting to know how they handle rebuilds of these cylinders, if they need to be resprayed, etc. The key is to get that first period break in correct for that engine and those rings. You have to assume the manufacturer is correct, but so much of what we have learned is that most engine parameters are still focused on ancient oil limits. When you plug in the capabilities of newer oils not reliant on messy mineral oils or synthetics from mineral oil, you can take HP much higher. F1 pushes some of these boundaries, but you can go much further than F1 specs with today's technology. Oil's coolant properties are overlooked and some F1 teams don't over look it. When you reduce friction by cylinder wall treatment that helps, when you use higher VI and carbon chain length and branch you can suck heat away from the critical parts and allow a higher conversion of energy and handle the heat. But if you are rebuilding for longevity or racing, take the extra time to plan very carefully your break in. Lean toward full on hard break in upon start up if the other components can handle it, ring seat is amazingly important.

What? Let me guess, you know of an oil brand that’s a solution here?

 

[Hohn]

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.

If thermal cycling had any beneficial effect on the new parts, they are defective.

There's a lot of effort invested into heat treating things precisely so they do NOT change as a result of thermal cycles.