How 'bout it? I know the manual says 'there is no specific break in for your engine' but then it says 'vary engine speeds for first 1000mi' ....does it really matter??? I know opinions vary, I personally have been babying it and I only have 450mi on it now and I have been commuting to work which is redlights, 35-45mph zones, so I think this is ideal for break in...but here's the kicker:

HOW ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE THAT SAY CHANGE THE OIL EARLY, LIKE AT 1000MI?

I have heard this is actually worse for your engine nowadays due to the fact that there is a special type of oil in the engine from the factory that helps "set" the seals and so forth, so you need to change it at the recommended time...any opinions/experiences?

btw, I cannot WAIT to be able to really ROMP down on it once it gets past the 1000 mark...

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Finally Here!!!!!!
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I belive that you want to vary your speeds for the first 1000 miles or so. I also try not to put too much of a load on the engine, ie pulling heavy loads and such. The F250 states not to pull anything for the first 1000 miles. This allow your valves to seat properly,

I don't think that manufactures use any special oil anymore. I would just wait until 3000 to do the first change. That way if something is amiss with the engine and you take it back to the dealer they would have no reason to hassle you.

Same with adding the synthetic oil. I tell folks to wait 3000 or so, why through away perfectly good oil. Just wait until your first scheduled change.

For expample in my new Jetta, the first oil change is 5,000 miles and the dealer does it for free for the first 2 years or 24k miles. So I guess it is perfectly okay!


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New Lubrication Forums

 

Well, when I got my truck I did not wait to drop the hammer. I varied my speed but broke it in hard. It probably wasn't the best idea but oh-well, can't change the past. I was told to not put synthetic in until some time after 10,000 miles. Apparently it is to slick and doesn't allow the parts to build up the friction to break themselves in. Don't know how much water that holds though. My truck runs great and I have 15,000 on it and just put in the synthetic in the last change.

Bones

 

I have seen first-hand how synthetics live under conditions/life that many would call severe -- and am thoroughly sold on it's use in gearboxes and was anxious to start my new '97 on it -- so I changed to synthetic (Mobil 1) at around 1,000 miles.

Well, a sample size of one is hard to trend, but my '97 5.4 always used a quart by 3,000 miles (my change interval).

So...


...I waited until 4,000 on my Y2K before it's first oil change (cringe) -- and it's 8,000 now and still full.

You figure...

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Yes I must say that it is difficult to make a decision based on a few examples Y2K, but I think there should be some studies available on this somewhere (probably at the Ford R&D Center....) but anyway, I will consider what was mentioned about waiting on synthetics until 10K....that's the first I have heard of that - but it sounds logical...

 

I changed to Mobil 1 @2,040miles. The majority of those are city(stop/go w/a-c)miles. After 750miles, I pulled several 4k+
when getting on the freeway(the expy picks up to 90 pretty quick-5.4w3.55). I have heard about waiting and have heard that it does'nt matter. Someone tells me that GM has "Synthetic Package Option" on their new vehicles? The owners manuel says nothing about not putting in synthetic? But I would hate have a little blowby because the ring have'nt broken in. I would think that after 1,000 miles the rings are broken in. But I'm only a amatuer engine builder and relied on the 500-1,000 mile break in rule before stepping into my engines.

 

They score (rough) these things with the new honing methods so they are not perfectly smooth walled and break them in to seat the rings at the factory. They learned this lesson from bad experiences in the 50's and 60's.. developed scoring proceediers to put just the right amount of swirl in them. They come to you with regular motor oil in them and ready to go. The days of Bonami in the carb are over for car engines. Some Motorcycle engines still need ring seating but...

Relax and break em in like it say's to loosen up the other parts and then change to whatever good oil you want at 3K.

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ok, so I am going to get this new beauty of a truck, 5.4L with all the trimmings.

But I may go a long way to get it for various reasons (family) and drive it back home.

1800 miles!!!

so, if I do this what is the best procedure--drive it around town a day or so before I head out on the highway?? Vary my cruising speeds? By how much? how often??

--karl

 

Just to be on the safe side. I changed to syntt at 59K.

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I've been told that today's engines have such tight tolerances that they do not require any break-in procedure. Also, I changed to synthetic in my '97 4.6 at 500 miles with no ill effects. I just went 6000 miles between oil changes without adding a single drop of oil in that interval. There is no blow-by in that engine.

 

Some old timers--guess I'm one now--have told me the way you break in an engine is the way it will always run. I drove off the dealers lot with 60 mi. on my 97 & took it up the hill I live on 15% incline 70 mph. It still runs great & no oil burn.

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97 Lariet-sc-4.6-4x off road-auto-3.55 LS-
superchip-K&N-3"
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You should realize that you're not breaking in only the engine in your new trucks. You're also breaking in the driveline and brakes.

 

This may sound a little strange but I believe that if you baby an engine when it's new that's what you'll have... "A BABY" I have always broken in my new car/truck engines exactly the way I intended to drive them and have never experienced any problems. But my vehicles have always performed responsively when I needed them to.

 

Try this link.. http://www.totalengineairflow.com/breakin.html
They basically say change the factory lube out as the assembly lubes clog the oil filter. Ther are ALOT of assembly lubes in the engine when delivered. I changed it out pretty early and it had the strangest color I've even seen come out of a crankcase. Almost looked like antifreeze.

Hydraulic roller engines(which the Tritons are) have nothing to break in except for the rings. How do you seat the rings? Cylinder pressure. How do you get that? Floor it.

I did take it easy most of the time, but my engine saw plenty of full throttle pulls up hills before it hit 1000 miles. I am satisfied with the engine performance, it seems to be getting stronger all the time, now at 8500 miles.

I agree with Bones and would wait til at least 15K until putting in synthetic. You want to make sure those rings are seated.

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I switched to Amsoil 5W30 at 500 miles in my 2000 F150 5.4l. No problems at 13k miles. No oil use or anything. I am an Amsoil dealer so I am biased to use synthetic out the factory door. Why use conventional oils when synthetics have so many more benefits, even cost?

The myth of needing to wait for the rings to seat before going to synthetic is just that, myth. Maybe in the older engine designs it would be better to wait, but just like someone else mentioned here, most of the break in is done at the factory now anyway.

Do whatever makes you feel better. Neither will cause you any problems. I just say start the extra protection of synthetic as soon as possible.