Breaking in a '16 Focus ST 2.0l Turbo

[skunkstevens1]

Want to swap out the factory fill on my Focus ST at 500m to get the crud out. Many say to use dino oil for break in oil. The ff is Motorcraft 5w-30 synth blend (manual doesn't specify synthetic). I'm planning to use Mobil Super 5000 (dino). Will this be safe for a turbo application, keeping in mind I don't beat the snot out of my engines (not a ton of boosting going on). I was going to run it to 3000m the swap over to a full synthetic oil. Should I be OK to do this? Thank in advance for any insight.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

IDK about the whole mystique concerning break in...lots of people, even mechanics, also say you can't switch back to dino if you put synth in your car and we know that's not true (as exemplified by the existence of synth blends). I've never read a good explanation for breaking in with dino, other than not spending too much money on oil you're not going to run very long.
I'd guess you'd be fine on dino if the manual says it's OK, but it's also telling to me that Ford chooses to start you off with a synth blend...you know they would choose to keep the extra fifty cents or whatever that synth blend is costing them in their own pocket if they felt 100% confident in using dino.

That should be a fun car, enjoy it!

 

[pbm]

Why not stick with the Motorcraft blend for the first oil change....it's only about $2 more for the 5 qt. jug at Wallyworld. I'd probably wait until 1500 miles to change the FF as engines produce less 'break-in' debris than in the past. I agree with going to full synthetic after the 2nd OC....which I would do at 5K. Mobil 1, PP, QSUD, Castrol Edge etc...would all work well.

PS: I believe that using some 'engine braking' on a MT equipped car helps with seating the rings....

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
IDK about the whole mystique concerning break in...lots of people, even mechanics, also say you can't switch back to dino if you put synth in your car and we know that's not true (as exemplified by the existence of synth blends). I've never read a good explanation for breaking in with dino, other than not spending too much money on oil you're not going to run very long.
I'd guess you'd be fine on dino if the manual says it's OK, but it's also telling to me that Ford chooses to start you off with a synth blend...you know they would choose to keep the extra fifty cents or whatever that synth blend is costing them in their own pocket if they felt 100% confident in using dino.

That should be a fun car, enjoy it!


I ran my terrain with zero miles on the FF for the OLM (ended up being 6k) and my engine hasn't blown up yet. Nor will it. Specs now a days for engine builds are much tighter than they were in the past. Only thing I would recommend is to not go on a long road trip with the cruise control. I tried to vary my revs and speeds for the first 1k but besides that I would follow the manual and not sweat it. Doesn't mean there wont be 100 people saying I am dead wrong. Part of the fun with BITOG haha

In terms of oil I would stick with MC oil and filters. Both good quality. Does Ford offer any free oil changes for a new vehicle? Why not take advantage of that if they do? I am milking my 4 free oil changes on my GMC. Every 6 months they change the oil, rotate the tires, inspection and they also clean the interior and exterior (I skip it, I'm a hand wash kinda guy.)

 

[Bud]

Its really going to make no difference no matter what you use. If it were me I would use the MC Blend first change and then go to full syn. Its your car so do what makes you happy, don't overthink it and have fun with the ST. If I were 50 years younger I would buy one of them.

 

[Bigdude2468]

The whole "break in" thing IMO is blown way out of proportion. Today's engines are built to much closer tolerances and to think that they leave "gunk" in the block makes no sense. It has also been suggested to change the filter at low mileage as it may be plugged from the "gunk". A new engine has no sludge and I highly doubt you could plug a filter in a new engine in less than a normal oil change cycle. Seeing as how many high performance vehicles come from the factory with full synthetic can we please end the debate about running conventional oil as a "break in". Any evidence to the contrary is purely anecdotal as is 3 or 5 thousand mile oil changes. Many engines last 200,000 miles and more today. I can't remember the last time I saw a vehicle burning oil or had someone tell me their vehicle needed rings or a major rebuild. Head gaskets or valve seals maybe but not for a bad bottom end of an engine. Once again I think this is being way overblown.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Normally leave that oil in 2K miles at least. Unless you suspect something, see lots of particulate in oil. I prefer to do a pan drop on race engine to make sure pump screen is clean and free of sealants and big chunks of flotsam are not in the pan - only to be stirred up whos knows when ///

 

[wemay]

Originally Posted By: skunkstevens1
keeping in mind I don't beat the snot out of my engines (not a ton of boosting going on).


If this is the case, I would see no issue in going until the OLM prompts to change and also sticking with MotorCraft Synthetic Blend and filters for the duration of ownership.

But if Synthetic is preferred, i'd still go the full OLM on the initial FF.

 

[Camprunner]

I have a friend that works for Ford motor co and he says that most ford motors that they beat the living [censored] out of then tear down are run on Motorcraft syn blend in either a 20 or 30 weight depending on application. He has seen many a motor torn down after an extensive beating in a car/truck and then the motor is run on the dyno for more abuse. He says the Motorcraft oil performs real well in every application they test. No worries I would just stick with the Motorcraft simi syn in your 30 weight.

 

[bigt61]

Change FF at OLM, not before. Stick with the MC Blend at OLM for at least an OCI or two. Then run full synthetic if you want to. Stick w OLM while under warranty and make sure to keep it topped off.

 

[widetrax]

Hhmmm, recently got a new F-150 that now has 1,100 mile and a 91% OLM reading. I think I will let the OLM get to 50% or 5,000 miles---whichever comes first. I am older [ 72 ] and we used to always change around the first 1,ooo miles--- these modern engines are built a lot better with closer tolerances now though. I also factor in that I have 7.7 qts in there too.

 

[WylieCoyote]

2014 ST - I changed my oil at 500 miles and put in Mobil1 w/ Motorcraft filter. Running fine and no consumption at 12,000 miles.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: bigt61
Change FF at OLM, not before. Stick with the MC Blend at OLM for at least an OCI or two. Then run full synthetic if you want to. Stick w OLM while under warranty and make sure to keep it topped off.



If I had a new engine that needed topping off I would bring it back to the dealer. My Equinox didn't need topping off till it hit 120k.

 

[HemiHawk]

Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
Originally Posted By: bigt61
Change FF at OLM, not before. Stick with the MC Blend at OLM for at least an OCI or two. Then run full synthetic if you want to. Stick w OLM while under warranty and make sure to keep it topped off.



If I had a new engine that needed topping off I would bring it back to the dealer. My Equinox didn't need topping off till it hit 120k.


I think every new performance engine I've ever seen has consumed some oil in its initial break in. Most will continue to do so their entire life. BMW even states something like a quart for ever 1,000 miles is to be expected.

 

[skunkstevens1]

I'll stick w/Motorcraft for the first change. I'll use the Mobil in the wives Equinox & the lawn mower.

 

[FutureDoc]

Originally Posted By: skunkstevens1
Want to swap out the factory fill on my Focus ST at 500m to get the crud out. Many say to use dino oil for break in oil. The ff is Motorcraft 5w-30 synth blend (manual doesn't specify synthetic). I'm planning to use Mobil Super 5000 (dino). Will this be safe for a turbo application, keeping in mind I don't beat the snot out of my engines (not a ton of boosting going on). I was going to run it to 3000m the swap over to a full synthetic oil. Should I be OK to do this? Thank in advance for any insight.


Personally, I am fine using the FF until the first normal oil change interval. None of my fleet vehicles get early oil changes and none have had an oil-related issue, including LE vehicles. I run my personal vehicles til my normal interval as well.

Very few of my fleet vehicles get "fancy synthetic oil" - I kid about the use of the word "fancy". This includes Ecoboost Fords (the 3.5 V6, not the 2.3). Some of those are flogged with LE duty. I have had dozens of vehicles on Dino with 7,500mi intervals. Dino will be fine for 5,000. Dino is darn good and the gap between the two is ever shrinking. The smaller displacement turbo and DI will shorten that oil life but you will fine with only partial hooning it. Sometimes my vehicles get a synblend change (the GM require Dexos when under warranty, go to barrel dino after that) but that is more like a "lucky freebie" than a conscious effort.

The only vehicles I "upsell" to Syn/synblend are some of my transit/shuttle vehicles (Ford 3.7V6 and the 5.4V8) . Because they get 25K miles a year averaging 12.5mph (so 2000 hours per year), doing a severe duty, I just want to change the oil less. A little less vehicle downtime for general PM and the "hassle" of government purchasing (I can't stock up on oil filters or oil like I would like... so oil, tires, and filters are a PITA), I will take it. Nothing like being told to get $6.99 "contract" Valvoline Dino... just shook my head at that. Worse, the NAPA brand was on sale and I could not order it because "NAPA" was not an approved vendor, but National Automotive Parts Association was.

I run Synthetic in my personal vehicles just to reduce the number of oil changes I need to do in a year. That is all of the major benefit there.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
Originally Posted By: bigt61
Change FF at OLM, not before. Stick with the MC Blend at OLM for at least an OCI or two. Then run full synthetic if you want to. Stick w OLM while under warranty and make sure to keep it topped off.



If I had a new engine that needed topping off I would bring it back to the dealer. My Equinox didn't need topping off till it hit 120k.


I think every new performance engine I've ever seen has consumed some oil in its initial break in. Most will continue to do so their entire life. BMW even states something like a quart for ever 1,000 miles is to be expected.



True, didn't think about that with the turbo. Guess my 2.4 DI isn't considered performance? haha

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: widetrax
Hhmmm, recently got a new F-150 that now has 1,100 mile and a 91% OLM reading. I think I will let the OLM get to 50% or 5,000 miles---whichever comes first. I am older [ 72 ] and we used to always change around the first 1,ooo miles--- these modern engines are built a lot better with closer tolerances now though. I also factor in that I have 7.7 qts in there too.
I think castings have improved but the wear in flotsam is almost just as bad. Lost of issues with liquid gasketing migration were you didn't see this dacades ago. Sometims you just want to drop the pan to clean it and the pickup. This was My std practice on performance rebuilds.

Tolerances are pretty much the same though some japanses bootom end are under .002 diametrical clear on main and rods where 2-3 thou was the norm in the distant past. Pistion to wall is similar to decades ago with cast pistons . Forged pistons with inserts can be run tighter than in the past. Some metallurgy improvement and egg shaping will get you another 1/2 thou tighter

 

[AirgunSavant]

I wouldn't bother as you said. My 2015 F250 w/ 6.2 gasser I did at 2500 miles and it
was a waste of oil and filter. Even the suspect MC820 filter was perfect and it was the factory white with no lettering.
All of it was pristine and the filter was cut opened. I would go 5K without a worry.

Originally Posted By: widetrax
Hhmmm, recently got a new F-150 that now has 1,100 mile and a 91% OLM reading. I think I will let the OLM get to 50% or 5,000 miles---whichever comes first. I am older [ 72 ] and we used to always change around the first 1,ooo miles--- these modern engines are built a lot better with closer tolerances now though. I also factor in that I have 7.7 qts in there too.

 

[CT8]

Engines can't help but to break in. Let is warm up before WOT and drive it , vary the engine speed as possible. Oil doesn't Matter.