Does engine oil need to break-in after an OCI?

C

camrydriver111

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After changing my oil it feels like performance is reduced for about a week of driving or 500 km. Afterwards it feels like performance is restored. I know this is subjective, so I am asking here to see if someone has more scientific knowledge.

I was thinking after you perform an OCI there could be chemical reactions taking place. The engine had old oil, and now it's brand new. Various oil films on the engine parts cold be getting stripped away or regenerated.

Does engine oil need to break-in after performing an OCI?
 
A performance loss should only be due to increased viscosity new vs sheared down old.
If you have an OBD interface box and a smartphone, easy to run some comparison tests measuring time vs speed.
 
OIl won't shear that fast. Also most new oils have boron which makes perform like a thinner oil until it wears out so some would say the opposite. Valvoline marketed the boron in one of their oils making a 30 perform like a 20.
 
cptbarkey said:
Alot of misconceptions in your questions. I would go back to researching.
Click to expand...

There are research articles showing it takes time to establish a protective tribofilm.

Additionally, by changing oil brands frequently, you are potentially changing the building blocks of that tribofilm.

Based on my research so far, engine oil needs to break in, and it is ideal if you stick with one oil formulation.
 
camrydriver111 said:
There are research articles showing it takes time to establish a protective tribofilm.

Additionally, by changing oil brands frequently, you are potentially changing the building blocks of that tribofilm.

Based on my research so far, engine oil needs to break in, and it is ideal if you stick with one oil formulation.
Click to expand...
And that's why it's important to stick to the same motor oil brand and type throughout the vehicle's life, right?
 
The Critic said:
Seriously, Rod Knock?
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My comment was intended to add a bit of sarcasm for a light-hearted touch. Of course, if the OP responds, I'd clarify that I wasn't being serious. Additionally, I'd be curious to know their thoughts on how changes in the formulation of that motor oil brand and type might affect things. Motor oils are indeed periodically reformulated for a variety of reasons. It's important to note that my comment wasn't meant to suggest that a rod knock would occur if oil changes are done differently.
 
Wow ! I suppose we should never have an oil change after reading this. Since new oil needs a break in, minds well just have a new engine change at the same time the oil is changed in a few years or so, and break them in together. :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :love:
 
camrydriver111 said:
There are research articles showing it takes time to establish a protective tribofilm.

Additionally, by changing oil brands frequently, you are potentially changing the building blocks of that tribofilm.

Based on my research so far, engine oil needs to break in, and it is ideal if you stick with one oil formulation.
Click to expand...

Now, your thread title is a direct question and I'm going to give you a direct answer. NO - oil does not "need to break in". Oil does go through changes over the life of the OCI. Add-packs get depleted, contamination and oxidation build up, etc ... But oil is good at mile 1 and essentially (generally) doesn't get "better" with use.

The TCB (tribochemical barrier) is well-studied and documented. One of the better ones is the Ford/Conoco "taxi" study that is found in SAE 2007-01-4133. The TCB has been proven to affect wear rates in a positive manner; the thicker the film the lower the wear rates go as the OCI matures. Valve train friction also is greatly affected; it goes down by a magnitude of 10X as the TCB matures, but that friction is low compared to ring/cylinder drag, etc. I would encourage you to buy/read the study I mentioned. The "building blocks" you mention in regard to the TCB is really just oxidation of the oil base; believe it or not, some amount of oxidation was shown to have a positive effect on wear rates. But, the TCB also hasn't been studied with today's modern engine oils which have much different detergents, especially in high-end products like HPL and Amsoil (esters and ANs). What was true with GF-4 and GF-5 lubes may not hold true today at all, or perhaps with a lesser effect (no study currently exists to my knowledge with these newer formations so we cannot say one way or another).


I would note that your perceived performance changes (dropping immediately after an OCI and then improving) are likely anecdotal, akin to a placebo effect.
 
camrydriver111 said:
There are research articles showing it takes time to establish a protective tribofilm.

Additionally, by changing oil brands frequently, you are potentially changing the building blocks of that tribofilm.

Based on my research so far, engine oil needs to break in, and it is ideal if you stick with one oil formulation.
Click to expand...
I have read probably some of the same articles. Wear was measured to be higher during the first 3000 miles or so, then taper down during the OCI. The OCI mileage was quite high before wear started to go back up again. My take away was that overly frequent OCI's wouldn't help extend engine life at all. However, that engine should have no or very little varnish.

Edited to add: dnewton3 answered this question better than I did...
 
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