"Break in oil"

[rwhgme]

Typically, with any car I have purchased, including the BMW in 2010, I have changed the oil at 1,000 miles. I plan on using full synthetic and change the oil at 5-7500 mile intervals. This has served me well with my cars before the BMW. I sold my cars before the BMW when they had between 155,000 and 180,000 miles and both would not even need a quart between oil changes. Did any of you do the same oil change strategy?

[murphy]

Cars do not come with "break in oil" any more. That stopped a very long time ago. It is standard motor oil now.

 

http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/top-7-urban-legends-about-motor-oil.html

[acdii]

In our cars, 5000 miles on the car is not 5000 miles on the engine. I have nearly 40K on mine, but subtract the EV miles, which I think is about 17K miles now, there is only 23K miles on the engine.

 

Engines today are also built with very tight tolerances, using very good material, unlike engines of years ago, that needed break in and oil changes more frequently to get rid of wear metals. Oils today also have much better protection qualities. So break in is no longer needed. Just drive it and enjoy, change the oil at factory recommended intervals and the car will last a long time.

[Cobra348]

Typically, with any car I have purchased, including the BMW in 2010, I have changed the oil at 1,000 miles. I plan on using full synthetic and change the oil at 5-7500 mile intervals. This has served me well with my cars before the BMW. I sold my cars before the BMW when they had between 155,000 and 180,000 miles and both would not even need a quart between oil changes. Did any of you do the same oil change strategy?

I agree with everything said so far. While my FFH has just been ordered, my experience with the Fiesta puddlejumpers I have is that I go the full 10K miles between changes as the manual states (10K miles or 1 year) since they are not heavy-duty vehicles. I've not had an oil loss issue nor has the oil been anything but clean looking when checked.

[acdii]

When I did reman engines, whether short or long block, I would run just regular oil in it, but change it out after 500 miles, after that, then it was regular change intervals, 3-5K miles depending on the customers requirements. 5K changes worked well, the oil usually came out clear, rarely have I had one that was black with carbon, those usually were carburetor engines, the fuel injected computer controlled ones had much cleaner oil.

 

The reason for the break in oil was twofold, one, the engine was unsealed, transported, handled, and who knows what junk got inside it. Second, the engines were rebuild used blocks that went through all kinds of processes, had different cleaners run through it, shot blasted, etc. so there would be fines and possible metal shavings floating around that the oil will remove and get in the filter. The break in oil would collect the fines from the piston rings and cylinder walls from the initial wear in of the rings, which happens rather quickly, they usually seat within the first few miles if done correctly.

 

Factory built engines are usually done in a clean environment, put on a machine that seats the rings, and flushes the engine, so when installed in the car, no break in period is required.