When to change factory oil?

ARH_0700 · Sep 12, 2004

Hi guys, I'm at 980 miles on my new G35 coupe and just called my infiniti dealer to request an oil change to replace the factory oil. They said that they cannot do it until 3700 miles because it is some special break in oil. I've heard that it must be changed early due to the engine breaking in and contaminating it. Is this true or should I wait until 3700 miles to change it? Thanks in advance

Razl · Sep 12, 2004

quote:

They said that they cannot do it until 3700 miles because it is some special break in oil.

Try to get the dealer to show you that in writing (Service Bulletin) and read your owner's manual very carefully.

I am all for getting the metals out ASAP, but I would like to think the engineers have a very important reason when they leave little room for interpretation.

For example, Honda doesn't recommend you go the full OCI, they say YOU MUST wait to the recommend OCI. So I painfully waited to 5,000 to replace the break-in oil.

Some will say this break-in oil is BS ("just an extra dose of Moly added)but I don't see what the manufacurers would have to gain in being untruthful about a "break-in oil".

BTW, nice car! I think that's what I'll be getting when my Saab 9-5 hits 300,000 miles.

JohnnyO · Sep 12, 2004

I've always done my first change at half the recommended OCI with dino oil, then at the first regular and afterward (in recent years) with Mobil 1.

williar · Sep 13, 2004

JohnnyO has it right, except for those cars with synthetic as a factory-fill, IMHO.

ds · Sep 13, 2004

I bought a 2004 civic two months ago and changed the oil right away to Amsoil series 2K 0w-30 and then again at 500 miles. I didn't know about any break-in period. Right now I have about 2100 miles on the car. What damage have I done and is there anything I can do to reverse it?

ARH_0700 · Sep 13, 2004

ds, I know that Honda is very strict about the break in oil they put in their cars. I know this because I also own a 2000 Accord V6 and they wouldn't even let me mention changing the break in oil early. I doubt you did any damage though, as long as it's running fine and isn't burning any oil...

Whimsey · Sep 13, 2004

My good friend bought a 2004 Honda Element and had the oil changed at around 1700 miles by the dealer. The dealer was happy to do it and 6,000 oil burning free miles later(2 oil changes)he still hasn't seen the plague of locusts that is supposed to happen if you change the Honda factory oil before 5,000 miles

.

Whimsey

TC · Sep 13, 2004

The AC Delco/Detroit Diesel ASTM test determined that particles in the 2-22 micron range cause most engine wear. And Grease's "Mercruiser" study revealed that even the relatively fine PureOne media had pores down to about 11 microns. (STP and Hastings medias had pores no smaller than 21-23 microns!) Therefore, during engine break-in when metal particulate load is presumably the highest the engine will experience in its lifetime (ignoring any major malfunctions later on), you'll have a boatload of metal particles in the 2-10 micron range freely circulating within the lube system. For this reason alone, I'd prefer to change the oil and filter after an arbitrary 1,000 miles or so, a point at which I suspect a majority of engines are mostly broken in. This practice could be rejected if "break-in" oils were installed at the factory, but I have yet to see any real proof that such oils are actually used by automakers. I can't say for sure, but suspect the "break-in oil" thing is largely an urban myth. If so, then I say to dump the stuff at 1K mi.

Nosmo King · Sep 13, 2004

Up here in Canada, VW dealers tell customers that if they change the factory fill before 7,500 kilometers, these cars will burn oil.

They also state that VW uses a very special break in oil.

Total lies.

A small oil sample from a brand new vehicle sitting on a dealers lot showed absolutely nothing 'special' about the oil.

Also a change at 1000 kms ( Mobil 1 0w-40 ) and then again at 3,000 kms has produced no oil burning in my 2002 Golf that now has 25,000 kms on it

buster · Sep 13, 2004

I think people also forget that most cars today, if not all, don't need elaborate break-ins. This reason alone suggests switching early is fine.

My oil is comming out tomorrow @ 1,000 miles.

Synthetics are going in throughout the entire vehicle.

crossbow · Sep 13, 2004

A comparison between a broken-in engine at a normal oci for the vehicle, and an OCI done at 1,000 miles on the car, and the oil.

Using my crappy math...in the first 1000 miles...thats 12x more iron wear, 100x more copper wear, and 26x more silicon then a normal (even extended) oil change interval on an aged (broken in) engine.

Here come the posts...

Thats not the same car!
Probably not the same area!
Thats not a valid comparison!
Two different oils!

I can pull up a bunch more comparisons if anybody wants...we've got mazda 6 uoa's falling outta the sky like rain. Regardless, its quite blantantly obvious that there is alot of extra wear metals in the oil very early on in the car's life, then later. Does removing these wear metals help reduce inital (first 10k mile) wear? I'd like to think so, but as argued in other threads, its pretty hard to prove.

[ September 13, 2004, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: crossbow ]

MikeySoft · Sep 13, 2004

I went almost 8k miles on my factory fill which is less then recommended by Honda for my 4cly. I'm having no problems with my car or my UOAs as can be seen HERE.

You do get more wear on a new engine but anything too big will be taken care of by the filter?

penzdude · Sep 13, 2004

twilight, i think alot depends if you are leasing the car, or are going to actualy keep her. if i were leasing, i would just let them do their routine services at the intervals they require. if she's a keeper, i always did mine at 1000 miles. {oil and filter w/ chassis lube} and 2 thousand mile intervals thereafter using a quality dino. i don't believe the "break in" oil quackery. it's real important though to get rid of the metalic particles that are normal in a new motor by changing the oil and filter early. remember, these guys don't want your engine to last forever.

ARH_0700 · Sep 13, 2004

Thanks for all the feedback! I will definitely be keeping this car a while and that's why I'm going to change the oil tomorrow at 1100 miles. They tried to give me all sorts of crap about changing it so early but I insisted and they finally agreed to do it

I'm going to be giving them some Castrol GTX 5w-30 I purchased, is this good for continuing the break-in?

Nosmo King · Sep 13, 2004

Below is a pic of my magnetic drain plug installed at 1000 kms and photographed at 3000 kms.

Those are not large particles but very small ones grouped together.

However speakes for itself

ARH_0700 · Sep 13, 2004

Wow, is that from a new car? Did you pull that with 3000km total on the car or on the oil?

Nosmo King · Sep 13, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Twilight_Blue_G35c:
Wow, is that from a new car? Did you pull that with 3000km total on the car or on the oil?

3,000 kms on the car, 2,000 kms on the oil.

TheFuror · Sep 13, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Twilight_Blue_G35c:
Hi guys, I'm at 980 miles on my new G35 coupe and just called my infiniti dealer to request an oil change to replace the factory oil. They said that they cannot do it until 3700 miles because it is some special break in oil. I've heard that it must be changed early due to the engine breaking in and contaminating it. Is this true or should I wait until 3700 miles to change it? Thanks in advance

Whether or not the dealer claim is true, I would think that going to 3,700 miles before changing the oil is fine.

It is my understanding that while the engine will be breaking in and producing a lot of wear metals and other particulate matter, this is not an excessive OCI, even for a new engine.

Bob W.

ekpolk · Sep 13, 2004

That's nonsense. My month-old G35 Sedan now has 3500 miles on it, and at 1000 miles, my dealer was quite happy to change the oil. I asked specifically about this, and they said the factory fill was just normal oil. They offered that they thought an early change was not necessary, but they were willing to do it if I wanted it, which of course, I did. My car has not melted down. In fact, oil consumption has already dropped to undetectable, at least for the 2500 miles the present oil has been in, performance is good, and mileage is relatively high. Press these folks to find out what they think is in your crankcase, and if they can give you specs on it.

ARH_0700 · Sep 13, 2004

Thanks for the quick replies. I guess I'll try to talk to them in person, because I also think this "break in oil" is just regular dino.

When to change factory oil?

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