Engine oil for proper break-in: conventional or synthetic?

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cornelius967

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If anyone knows of a thread that is already discussing this topic, I would appreciate a nudge in its direction. Otherwise, I did some searching and didn't find the information that I was looking for. I realize that there are lots of threads on which engine oil to use, but none seems to discuss the oil needed for proper break-in.

I've been working on my own vehicles for many years now. I've always heard that to properly break-in an engine one shouldn't use synthetic oil as it is too slick to actually wear down the cylinder honing which is key to a proper break-in. Perhaps the manufacturer uses a conventional oil from the factory to help with the break-in. I usually change the oil in a new engine after a few hundred miles to get that initial accumulation of metal particles out of the engine. I then use conventional oil for the next few oil changes switching to synthetic around 2500-3000 miles (Yes, I change the oil about four times before 3000 miles on any new vehicle that I've purchased -- I tend to keep new vehicles a minimum of 10 years; I'm hoping to get 25 years out of my new RAM 1500 4x4 5.7).

Is the "don't use synthetic oil to break-in an engine" mantra still valid? I'm open to changing my mindset if more recent valid information presents itself (for example, after decades of being a loyal Mobil 1 user, I'll be switching to Rotella after reviewing data that it outperforms M1 statistically and in tests). But at this point it's hard not to keep doing what I've been doing, if it seems to be working.

Any thoughts?

Side note: I did the first oil change in my '21 RAM and it was very frustrating. How hard would it have been to make the oil drain bolt point straight down?? It points straight at the sway bar and splashes oil all over the place until it slows enough to miss the sway bar. And why on Earth would the factory crank on the oil filter so darn tight? That is totally unnecessary! For all the money that manufacturers spend on advertising to get us to like and trust them, they shoot themselves in the foot by idiotic engineering and production actions. My confidence in their ability to manufacture a quality product should come through in my interaction with the product and not from unrealistic television commercials of vehicles smoking their tires and racing through city streets. I've been waiting all of my life to look over a new vehicle and think: whoever designed this was thinking of me, the consumer, when they did it. Instead I usually end up thinking, "I have to deal with this crap so they could save $0.23 on manufacturing costs??" We'll see, maybe one day...
 
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Travelin Ram

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Many new engines are factory filled with synthetic not to mention in some cases synthetics are the only products meeting the manufacturer’s lubricant specification.

There’s also the old myths about mixing types of oils, and synthetic will make your engine leak oil.

I do early oil changes during break in also. Using the oil meeting whatever spec is printed in the manual.
 

dieseldave

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Same as @Travelin Ram - I do first oil change sooner to dump the final lapping-in machining of the engine. Metal fines in the filter, mostly.
With a new motor break in , what are your thoughts of placing a strong magnet on the oil pan to stop any metal shavings from cuclating within the motor ?
 

mikeru

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With a new motor break in , what are your thoughts of placing a strong magnet on the oil pan to stop any metal shavings from cuclating within the motor ?
I would only do that if I was planning to remove the oil pan after the "break-in period". You'll have a concentration of metal that will drop into the oil pan when you remove the magnet. I'm thinking that would be a bad idea, especially if those all migrated to the area of the oil pump pick-up. You're better off letting the oil filter catch those metal particles over time IMHO.
 

mikeru

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See message number 5 above.
The point I was making in message #5 that you referred to, was that if you remove the magnet with the pan sealed to the engine, it will release any metal shavings that the magnet caught into the oil. Likely in a big blob. Using a magnetic drain plug is not the same thing. Using one allows you to remove those particles with the drain plug, because they are stuck to it when you remove it. Definitely nothing wrong with using one.
 

18CrewDually

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2 things.
Replace the drain bolt with a Fumoto Valve. Go to their website for application part#. Then if you're on Amazone search that number. They offer one with a nipple so you can use a small piece of clear hose to drain the oil. No more mess .
Second, you can get a magnetic band that goes around the oil filter to capture in the filter any metallic debris. Then after an oil change you can cut the filter apart and check the pleats of the media for pieces of your roller lifter and cam shaft when that happens.
 

Zoe Saldana

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If anyone knows of a thread that is already discussing this topic, I would appreciate a nudge in its direction. Otherwise, I did some searching and didn't find the information that I was looking for. I realize that there are lots of threads on which engine oil to use, but none seems to discuss the oil needed for proper break-in.

I've been working on my own vehicles for many years now. I've always heard that to properly break-in an engine one shouldn't use synthetic oil as it is too slick to actually wear down the cylinder honing which is key to a proper break-in. Perhaps the manufacturer uses a conventional oil from the factory to help with the break-in. I usually change the oil in a new engine after a few hundred miles to get that initial accumulation of metal particles out of the engine. I then use conventional oil for the next few oil changes switching to synthetic around 2500-3000 miles (Yes, I change the oil about four times before 3000 miles on any new vehicle that I've purchased -- I tend to keep new vehicles a minimum of 10 years; I'm hoping to get 25 years out of my new RAM 1500 4x4 5.7).

Is the "don't use synthetic oil to break-in an engine" mantra still valid? I'm open to changing my mindset if more recent valid information presents itself (for example, after decades of being a loyal Mobil 1 user, I'll be switching to Rotella after reviewing data that it outperforms M1 statistically and in tests). But at this point it's hard not to keep doing what I've been doing, if it seems to be working.

Any thoughts?

Side note: I did the first oil change in my '21 RAM and it was very frustrating. How hard would it have been to make the oil drain bolt point straight down?? It points straight at the sway bar and splashes oil all over the place until it slows enough to miss the sway bar. And why on Earth would the factory crank on the oil filter so darn tight? That is totally unnecessary! For all the money that manufacturers spend on advertising to get us to like and trust them, they shoot themselves in the foot by idiotic engineering and production actions. My confidence in their ability to manufacture a quality product should come through in my interaction with the product and not from unrealistic television commercials of vehicles smoking their tires and racing through city streets. I've been waiting all of my life to look over a new vehicle and think: whoever designed this was thinking of me, the consumer, when they did it. Instead I usually end up thinking, "I have to deal with this crap so they could save $0.23 on manufacturing costs??" We'll see, maybe one day...
Read your manual. There is a very short window of break in e.g. no towing for awhile, speed etc.

Read manual for oil to use.
 

Snoopy

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Im with you. Oil filter placement in 12 ram 1500 genius!!
 

Bmags

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My brother uses conventional, if changed often enough I don’t think it matter all that much
 

seabrook

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Why is a magnetic oil drain bolt not standard equipment? Maybe so we will not see metallic particles that were in the oil and freak out?
we had a acura mdx that the rear diff had a magnet on it and when i pulled it for a 10k fluid dump it was not that bad looked like a black film over the magnet
 

FL-RAM

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The owner's manual is very specific about engine oil. Probably best to stick with that.
 

zogg

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Same as @Travelin Ram - I do first oil change sooner to dump the final lapping-in machining of the engine. Metal fines in the filter, mostly.
I agree. I never go over 1500 miles on a new engine and I always use full synthetic.
 

ic3man5

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Synthetic is best, conventional is garbage. You only risk glazing the cylinder wall if you idle too much or very very low power. More power = greater ring pressure against the cylinder wall.

They have proven out break in isn't really a thing outside what I said. If you are ****, early oil change and magnet will help. I've done it around 2k miles on new builds but I also break them in extremely hard.

 
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