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break in oil

6K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  drbob1 
#1 ·
my dealer told me that there is no requirement to change oil after 1000 miles.
how is this possible and what do you guys think ?
 
#4 ·
Geeez @DaveE; do you even drive it. I'm at 1600 miles and you had yours months before me. Lol.
 
#7 ·
I'm going to give mine its first oil change today. I wanted to do it at 1K miles but considering that today is supposed to be in the 70s while tomorrow its supposed to snow, I think 880 miles will be fine. I'm sure that 100 miles won't really make a difference. I'd rather take advantage of the weather.

I hate the words "last good weather day." they make me sad.
 
#9 ·
I can tell you that from may past and recent experiences that "break in oil" applies to vintage engines.
Before ~1986 for GM at least, not sure about others...
The camshafts and hydraulic lifters were called flat tappet. This means there was no roller between the cam and the lifter. Todays cars nearly all (or maybe ALL) have roller cam shafts of some sort.
The problem came about sometime back when the chemical composition of oils had the additive primarily known as ZPPD significantly reduced in them for the purpose of reducing pollution and not harming catalytic converters. The ZDDP is an anti wear agent that provides the "NEEDED" extra lubrication for the flat tappet camshaft in vintage engines.
During the break in period after overhauling a vintage engine Break In oil with the extra ZDDP is nearly a must unless you want to most likely rebuild the engine again very soon after breaking it in.

There are special oils that should be used in the vintage engines on a normal basis that have higher level of the ZDDP for normal operation of them for the same reason as above.
Info on vintage engines/oil...
Best Oil for Classic Cars

DO NOT use these oils with the higher ZDDP levels in them on the more modern engines with catalytic converters. IT WILL harm them.
Info on modern engines...
ZDDP Oil Issues
 
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#10 ·
On the other topic of to change before the computer (book or dealer) tells you to or not...

The oil is the lifeblood of your engine.
Changing it more often does not hurt.
Changing per the book or computer should not Hurt of Harm either. BUT.......

It is fairly well known that engines (even today engines) do have a break in process where the rings seat, the rotating parts meld together, etc. This creates small shavings that should be caught by the filter. Until the rings a fully seated, there is extra blow by from the compression process. This is why you sometimes end up with with the smell of gas in the oil. Kind of like the smoke and fire thing. Where you smell gas; there is gas.
Gas in the oil is not good by any means, it dilutes it to a small degree. Does it hurt anything in small amounts??? Not sure but also not sure if I want to find out...

I say if you think that changing the oil after/during the break period in is a good thing then do it.
I will be. It is not worth the risk even if there is only a small chance of an issue.
 
#14 ·
Hope not but no guarantees.
My 13 fusion got its first at 5k. Got rid of it at 60k. It did not blow, at least at 60k.
Assuming this is based on my earlier reply...
I think my post said nothing about requiring an early change. It said it can't hurt and I will be doing it (on this car). Never don't an early oil change before though...

As far as the dealer oil, probably Ford branded and per the "recomended" oil in the manual which I think is synthetic blend as a minimum or full synthetic.
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
Most all direct injected engines have stinky oil LOL
 
#16 ·
First off, for turbo engines in cold weather, full synthetic all the way, it just flows better! For that matter, the same for very hot weather...

As to the first oil change, getting it done early is kind of reassuring, but if manufacturers were seeing a lot of engine damage from waiting till 5-10k they'd change the recommendation.
 
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