When to do the first oil change in a Hyundai?

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So we have a new Hyundai Elantra. It has 670 miles on it and before we leave on our quick vacation, we will probably be near the 1000 mile mark. This vacation will be about 2000 miles (mainly freeway-From San Diego to Salt Lake City and back).

I’ve heard conflicting stories about Hyundai using a break-in oil. I’ve been told by the dealer, that with this break-in oil, I should keep it in till the 5000 mile mark. But IF the Hyundai uses special break-in oil is the key question.

If Hyundai uses special break-in oil, then it might be wise to keep the original oil in till the recommended change interval, but if it doesn’t, then I plan on changing the oil the weekend before the vacation (I think of all those small metal shavings in the oil and think of the damage it could do on a hard and long drive, as this trip to Salt Lake will be.

And BTW, when I hit the 5000 mark, I will be switching over to synthetic oil. I know some will be it earlier and some will do it later. 5000 miles has always been my mark for the change.

So here are the questions:
1) Does Hyundai use a special break-in oil for their vehicles?
2) If so, should I get it changed before the trip, or after the trip?
3) Any comments about anything else I wrote above, such as my time frame for switching to synthetic?

Thanks
 
If your Hyundai was built at the U.S. plant in Alabama, it was filled with Quaker State just like you buy off the shelf. No special break-in oil. Your other plan sounds just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
If your Hyundai was built at the U.S. plant in Alabama, it was filled with Quaker State just like you buy off the shelf. No special break-in oil. Your other plan sounds just fine.


Just curious, how do you know they use standard oil when they filled it?
 
I wouldn't ever run a new engine that long on the original fill. I would change it at 800, then again at 3000, then go with your regular intervals.
 
Originally Posted By: kelpie
I wouldn't ever run a new engine that long on the original fill. I would change it at 800, then again at 3000, then go with your regular intervals.


+1

I changed my oil in the new VW at around 500 miles. The used oil, while still clean and new looking, had a lot of wear metal in it. It looked like glitter powder in the oil when the sun was hitting it.
 
I would run the factory fill the full normal OCI. Oil doesn't wear oil contrary to popular belief. It just becomes contaminated over time. In fact when you do you first oil change, cut open your filter and you will be surprised how clean it is. May fine some minor wear metals, but nothing like what some people here think. All my new cars have had a full OCI before the first change, anything less is money down the drain.
 
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
I changed my oil in the new VW at around 500 miles. The used oil, while still clean and new looking, had a lot of wear metal in it. It looked like glitter powder in the oil when the sun was hitting it.



Not sure what you were seeing, but it was not metal. Your oil filter would have caught all metal particles. If it was metal, can you imagine what damage that did to your engine???
 
I always have changed out my FF at ~ 2,500 miles or at 1/2 the normal severe service interval. Remember that it is NOT just the factory fill oil but, it has assembly lubes in it that circulate in the oil to protect. I don't recommend changing it out before 2,000 miles. You do have an oil filter to protect.
 
Originally Posted By: powayroger
Originally Posted By: Johnny
If your Hyundai was built at the U.S. plant in Alabama, it was filled with Quaker State just like you buy off the shelf. No special break-in oil. Your other plan sounds just fine.


Just curious, how do you know they use standard oil when they filled it?


Because I worked for Shell when they signed the contract.
 
I would change it before your trip,
and after you return. Then put the
syn oil of your choice in at 5,000mi,
run 5k oci's & enjoy your new car.
I am a proponent of early & often
oil changes in a new engine.

jringo
 
That changing it at 300/800 etc. is a waste of time and money. This isn't the 1960s. At 200,000 miles you won't be able to tell a difference between a engine that had that done and one that went a full OCI when new. I kinda like around 2500 for first OCI and then follow the OLM if it has one. Dodge trucks the first OCI by the OLM occurs at 2500 new.After that between 5k and 6k. The engine will out last the rest of that Korean car just following the maintance as in the owners manual.
 
I own - have owned 4 Hyundai vehicles.

I do the first oil change around 4000 miles or so and switch to Quaker State 5W20 synthetic oil.

If it were my vehicle would change it after getting back from your trip.
 
I'd dump the FF before the trip, and refill with dino oil and use either Lubro moly or LG Bio Tech Engine Protectant for a nice moly boost.
 
I asked the same question a few weeks back about my new Chevy.
I always changed the FF early and still think it's a good idea.
I don't think waiting to change it at 3000 when you return from your trip would cause any harm in the long run but if it were mine I'd change it before leaving.
Get a 5 quart jug of QS at Wm and you have the same oil as the FF.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd dump the FF before the trip, and refill with dino oil and use either Lubro moly or LG Bio Tech Engine Protectant for a nice moly boost.
+1. Lots of abrasive particulate at 20microns and under floating about. This junk may actually aid wear-in to some extent, but I wouldnt want it in there for over 2000miles since it will most likely just cause increased wear. Also break in shears most oils out of 100kv spec - some engines will tolerate this some wont.
This question is asked daily. Search is you friend (or is that fiend?)!
 
I look at it this way. If changing out the ff would hurt the engine, then its not an engine that will last 100,000 miles anyway.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
I changed my oil in the new VW at around 500 miles. The used oil, while still clean and new looking, had a lot of wear metal in it. It looked like glitter powder in the oil when the sun was hitting it.



Not sure what you were seeing, but it was not metal. Your oil filter would have caught all metal particles. If it was metal, can you imagine what damage that did to your engine???


I love it how people assume they know everything. . . .

You do know that part of changing the oil includes changing the oil filter.

The oil (from the crank case and oil filter housing) had a very fine, powder like, metallic glitter in it.

It is what it is.
 
Read this thread, but only posts by Bbobynski. He is/was a GM engine designer;

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=129903&page=2

From posting 129881:

While the official answer is that the factory oil fill is nothing special....just plain 5W30 Mobil 1 just like you get in the store...the fact is that the engine was assembled on the assembly line with a small amount of ZDP rich assembly lube applied to critical surfaces as assembly lube. Cylinder walls, ring, ring lands, bearings, cam lobes, etc. all receive local applications of a Lubrizol assembly lube product an/or EOS. This assembly lube probably totals around 6 ounces or so total for the engine. This obviously protects against local scuffing or wear during the initial few seconds of operation and then the ZDP rich assembly lube is washed into the oil and contributes to spiking the factory oil fill with extra ZDP....so....in fact, the factory oil fill does, by default, have slightly higher levels of ZDP to guard against breakin wear. Removing this oil and changing early does put less ZDP in the oil for the breakin miles that follow.

It is probably not a big deal at all because the ZDP additive is fairly small, most of the purpose of it being in the oil is covered by the first few miles of operation and new oil would have a certain level of ZDP equivalent to the factory fill oil anyway assuming some of the extra ZDP was used up during the earliest moments of breakin.

But, the fact is that the factory oil fill is a bit "special" having that spike of ZDP rich assembly lube in it.

If you must change early for piece of mind, you could add a pint of GM EOS to the new oil fill to replicate the assembly lube addition to the factory oil fill.

Personally, I would just run the factory oil fill to the first change interval. If you do want to change early, follow the oil life monitor and change at 50% oil life or something like that for an early first change. Changing at 500 and 2000 is a waste of time and money as the oil in the engine at that point is perfectly fine. It won't hurt to change it, especially if you add the EOS but it really isn't going to help anything, either.

I have seen a lot of factory engines torn down after running lots of miles with the factory oil fill and they look perfect inside with no harm done whatsoever by running the oil to the first full oil monitor change interval.
 
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