Any consensus on when to do first oil change?

[RoadKing]

How many miles is considered broken in?

I hear do not go Synthetic until the engine is broken in.

I understand the minimum change with factory oil must be around 3000.

Figuring on changing the factory Oil around 1500 then at 3000 put Ams Oil Sig in there.

Curious what everyone does and why?

Thanks!

 

[SyN]

1. Many engineers say motors are broke in before they leave the manufacturer. I believe 500-1K miles is the ticket. Depending on your driving style... {Don't Baby it by any Means}!

2. Many motors leave the manufacturer with synthetic in the oil pan... Enough said!

3. Good Plan! I did 1K then 3K then 5k...--->because I wanted too and I felt warm and fuzzy inside afterwards... Actually I was instructed by my service mgr.

 

[SlowRoller]

Anything more than what the manual tells you to do is completely up to you.

 

[RoadKing]

Can not say I am proponent of only servicing the truck when the manual says so. I may be wrong but I see the Factory Recommendations as the minimal standard. Meaning they will compromise vehicle life if they can advertise low service cost.

But on the other hand there is no need to be extreme about service intervals. I try to service my vehicles like I will keep them forever. Only thing is I am on my fifth truck since Jan 05.


Jan 05 bought a 2004 FX4, good highway truck but sucked hard in town, no get up. Plus about five TSBs

Bought a used Tundra that got up good but the paint was peeling off the truck. Kept it a month.

Then 2010 Sierra. Loved that truck no problems ran great, wrapped around pole in a turn avoiding a deer.

Do not like the looks of the new Sierras, really do not like the interior.

Test drove the Ford again in 2013, still too stiff. Heard the 2105 are even more stiff.

Test drove the 2013 Black Ram Express for 10 mins and bought it. Noticed next day I could see through the paint all over and the gold metallic in the clear coat was not supposed to be there.

Recently had some electrical problems and needed some paint work from a being side swiped.

Got a little annoyed went and looked at the 2015 F-150 to make informed decsion. I just do not like the way they look, no matter how many people buy them.

Still can not stand the look of the Sierra interior.. I would only want the 6.2 anyway and could not find one here to test drive.

Went to sleep one morning at 6am got called at 9am to come look at Rams. Got up arrived at the dealership. Salesman had a white one and mid grey for me too look at. Liked them both. Told myself I was supposed to be getting away from dark colors. Looked inside the Sport and then bought it with out test driving it!

I hope this buy back issue is not going undercut the value of the Ram brand name. I love my Ram!

 

[SlowRoller]

If it makes you feel good, there is some value in that.

 

[blackbetty14]

OEM oil change is at 5K miles for standard blend oil. Which is pretty standard for a blended oil. Synthetic you can push longer interval with quality filter. But that also depends on your driving style, I make alot of short trips to and from work so I will only use yellow bottle, Bosch/purolator filter and keep changing my oil in the 3000-5K intervals as that would be every 8 - 12 months.

The thing with new motors is the tech they employ. Piston rings seat faster and better than they ever have, No more lifter wear with roller lifters or annoying lifter break in periods. Bearing surfaces are improved as well as oil systems. Not to mention the EFI reduces cylinder washing considerably. I would say your motor is broken in by 1k miles but I would beat the **** out of it for about 500 miles with down hill engine braking etc to help seat the rings etc.

I prob won't run synthetic as I go so long between oil changes that i would change my oil one every 1.5 years lol. So yellow bottle and fresh oil more frequent works for me. Plus I'm wayyy to worried about the hemi "tick".

 

[QwikKota]

I usually drain the FF at 1000 to 1500 miles but have done so even sooner with dino oil. The new Rams are supposed to be allowed to go for 10k miles or a year on an oil change but that is a bit long for dino oil in my opinion. 6k mile oil change is what I am doing. Not sure if I will go synthetic or not, trying to avoid ticking but it's probably all in my head. I don't baby engines either, I run them hard as soon as I buy them, I try to make sure they are at least warm though.

 

[RoadKing]

My daily commute is only 10 miles, five city five highway. So I guess I am getting a good variation of driving conditions for break in. Like to open it up more but cannot afford any more tickets.

Truck feels like a space ship ready to launch!

Never had the tick on the last Ram, knock on wood. I will probably go conventional on the first oil change then AmsOil Sig on the rest!

 

[SyN]

RoadKing: The key is to get that Oil up to 190-200*F for a period of time to evaporate all that moisture and (cook) out all the contamination (carbon) that has accumulated within the oil. Sustained highway driving at operating temp is the perfect solution...

A good variation of driving conditions is ideal for break in ( I Feel). Just don't be afraid to open her up some.

 

[RoadKing]

Going on a multi state road trip in two weeks. Plenty of open road then but most i have driven it since the 1 hr ride home is 30 mins. Those short trips are not good i guess. Probably have about 1500 miles on it when i take off.

 

[boostking101]

I'm wondering the same thing... My 15 has 4k on it now... I was thinking SRT filter with Mobil 1...????

 

[xrsman]

I changed mine the first time at 5000 kms. I changed to full synthetic and now I change it every 8000 kms. However this time I'm at 9300 and haven't had the time to get it in..Opps lol

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

 

[QwikKota]

I wouldn't worry too much about it, my short 7 mile commute still has the oil up to 200°. It does not need to get all the way to 212° to burn off any water. I drained the oil in my Dakota the other day after 3 years of barely being driven and lots of idling to keep the battery charged and I could find no trace of water.

 

[Burla]

RK most of what you call synthetic will not qualify as something you cannot use early. Use your group 3 stuff and it is ok early. Furthermore, at 5w20 even the group 5 stuff isn't going to have substantial film strength difference, and those group 5 oils have high zinc because they don't care about uncle sam's opinion at the cost of quality. The issue with modern oils is the low zinc thanks to uncle sam, which is bad for break-in. You want all those sharp edges knocked down and zinc helps that a lot, that is why all break in oils contain high Zinc. Many people say it doesn't matter anymore, but none of those same people ever cut open their oil filters and look for early metal wear. I would bet good money if we randomly cut open 100 first oil changes filters, there would be visible metal in a fairly large sample. Run whatever oil you wish, maybe add a zinc additive early.

 

[blackbetty14]

My daily commute is only 10 miles, five city five highway. So I guess I am getting a good variation of driving conditions for break in. Like to open it up more but cannot afford any more tickets.

Truck feels like a space ship ready to launch!

Never had the tick on the last Ram, knock on wood. I will probably go conventional on the first oil change then AmsOil Sig on the rest!

That ram didn't have the MDS? The ticking is from the MDS lifters going south. Key to making these engines live much longer/healthier lives is to remove MDS lifters and swap with NON MDS lifters and plug the MDS in the motor. Then turn it off in the ECM with a tuner and run a 5w30 weight oil. Then she'll never get a tick.

 

[blackbetty14]

RK most of what you call synthetic will not qualify as something you cannot use early. Use your group 3 stuff and it is ok early. Furthermore, at 5w20 even the group 5 stuff isn't going to have substantial film strength difference, and those group 5 oils have high zinc because they don't care about uncle sam's opinion at the cost of quality. The issue with modern oils is the low zinc thanks to uncle sam, which is bad for break-in. You want all those sharp edges knocked down and zinc helps that a lot, that is why all break in oils contain high Zinc. Many people say it doesn't matter anymore, but none of those same people ever cut open their oil filters and look for early metal wear. I would bet good money if we randomly cut open 100 first oil changes filters, there would be visible metal in a fairly large sample. Run whatever oil you wish, maybe add a zinc additive early.

Thats a good point. I broke in a 521 BBF with a flat tappet cam a few years back and I ran diesel dyno oil bc of the higher zinc content with a bottle of zinc additive. Drained it immediately after break in, and put fresh dyno oil with zinc additive for the first 500 miles. Then Drained again and put Valvoline VR1 20w50 in it with a bottle of lunati zinc additive and thats all I use now. VR1 is old school hot rod style oil, dyno oil with lots of zinc. I cut the filter open after every change to inspect and you would have no idea how much metal gets found in the filter during break in and the first 500-1K miles. Also I run Non bypass Jomar filters on my 521… I have 80+oil PSI on startup and that would push past a bypass valve causing unfiltered oil to go through the motor. I also run high strength filter mag (magnetic filter wraps) to trap the small stuff that gets through the filter. You should see the crap stuck to the side of the oil filter with the magnet! You gotta remember that every moving surface is wearing away to bed/seat itself. ALl bearing surfaces, lifters, piston rings, piston skirts, cylinder walls, distributer gears (not the coil on plug engines) Oil pump gears etc. All creates metal shaves on metal to metal contact. A good oil limits that and then the filter does the job of collecting the crap and filtering out usable clean oil.

 

[Burla]

Those filter mags are great ideas, I don't know why I haven't get one yet.

 

[blackbetty14]

Prob bc of the $45 - $80 cost lol. I couldn't justify the cost so I put it on my xmass list lol.

 

[RoadKing]

Now i am wondering what oil comes in there from the factory. I assume its not Synthefic but maybe it is.

Is it something that qualifies as breakin oil with the correct zinc content. No idea. But if I change it too soon and put another class 3 in there with lower zinc then the idea of getting the breakin oil out for supposefly cleaner fresh oill is negated. But when is breakin mileage over, no idea. I hear its from the factory to 10k miles.
...hmm.

I have 1000 miles on there now i hear plenty guys say get the breakin oil out at 500-1000.


I was thinking of putting the Penzoil Platinum in there at 3k instead if the AmsOil because there is a Jiffy Lube 4 mins from my house. And if i want to keep oil change records it might be better then records showing Ams Oil that is not certified even though it is great oil.

I have heard people say not to use synthetic too soon on a new motor because its too slipery and the metals do not wear in correctly.

I do not know what to belive really. I guess I could put Reg Penzoil in there for a few K then go Penzoil Ultra Platinum. Assuming reg Pensoil has enough zinc if I am still in break in mode.

 

[RoadKing]

Emailed Penzoil about break in and Synthedic oil. Here is his reply.

Engines leaving the factory are ready for the road and do not require break in. Protecting the engine with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum as early as possible would be the best for your engine. The Pennzoil Ultra Platinum with PurePlus will clean your engine 65% better than the industry standard and up to 40% better than any other full synthetic oil out there. It will also protect your fuel economy and horsepower and flow well in high and low temperatures. While providing The BEST Wear protection available.


Of course Jiffy Lube, Auto Zone and Walmart to not carry the Ultra Platinum in 20 weight, just the 30. I will have to order it.