Synthetic oil from the factory...

[XCELR8]

I was discussing with someone earlier today about the proper procedures of breaking in a new engine. I was under the impression that a natural oil was required until ~3,000 miles to assist in getting the rings to seat correctly. The reason being was because sythetic was to slippery to achieve this and would cause the rings not to seat and create an engine that consumes oil. Then, after the initial 3,000 miles with a natural oil, it was then okay to swith to a fully synthetic oil. His argument was this was not true, because some cars come from the factory with synthetic already in them. (ie Corvette, BMWs, Aston Martins etc.)

So, I ask the people of SVTP, which is the correct practice? Do these cars that recommend synthetic from the factory, are the filled with sythetic from the get-go, or do they just recommend every oil change afterwards to be done with such. :shrug:

 

[SID297]

No break in needed.

 

[-Chip-]

No break in needed, generally all motors from the factory, crate motors etc are pre broken in and cranks spun much higher then normal to allow proper seating and a pre test of durability. Also, things are generally pre-seated (valves, piston rings, etc) before they engine is ever turned over with new CNC machine work. Throw in the synthetic and drive it like to stole it.

 

[XCELR8]

Well.... guess I was wrong. Thanks

 

[03CobraBro]

I was discussing with someone earlier today about the proper procedures of breaking in a new engine. I was under the impression that a natural oil was required until ~3,000 miles to assist in getting the rings to seat correctly. The reason being was because sythetic was to slippery to achieve this and would cause the rings not to seat and create an engine that consumes oil. Then, after the initial 3,000 miles with a natural oil, it was then okay to swith to a fully synthetic oil. His argument was this was not true, because some cars come from the factory with synthetic already in them. (ie Corvette, BMWs, Aston Martins etc.)

So, I ask the people of SVTP, which is the correct practice? Do these cars that recommend synthetic from the factory, are the filled with sythetic from the get-go, or do they just recommend every oil change afterwards to be done with such. :shrug:

If the car comes with conventional I'd wait until your first oil change atleast to switch over to synthetic. If it comes with synthetic from the factory than I wouldnt worry about it.

Got a 92 5.0 notch sitting out in the driveway with 315 thousand miles worth of proof on the odometer that, thats the way to do it.

 

[jdk]

I think the whole "wait for syn until break in" urban legend is bullshit. The rings are seated by pressure exerted against them, there is no way the "slipperyness" of an oil is going to stop that. Further to that, I've never seen any "slipperyness" reports published on different types of oil so I'd have to assume us laymen are the only ones that are worried about it.


For one, the corvette z06 comes from the factory with mobil-1 synthetic. The break in on that car is the same as every other car.

 

[Silver2003Cobra]

let me think of cars I know that have synthetic from the factory

all C5 and up Corvettes(including the Z06)
all AMG cars
all Porsche cars
00 Cobra R
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VIII
Mercedes Benz SLR Mclaren
Bentley Continental GT Coupe
All Aston Martin vehicles
Pontiac GTO
Dodge Viper


well, those are factory fill with Mobil 1 synthetic oil.. don't think that any other synthetic is factory fill...

 

[05 Roush]

I changed my oil in the truck at 1000 miles. The thought of any contaminants from manufacturing floating around in there too long doesn't sit well with me.