Break In Oil - change at 500mi or at 1,000mi?

[Tripower]

Is the factory specified oil dino or synthetic blend since many have changed to full synthetic? TIA.

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[Brisvegas]

What I do is beat the absolute dog shit out of the car from 0-1000 then change the oil and then beat the dogshit out of it again until 3k. Then beat the dogshit out of it for 2k-3k intervals until I have had my fill of beating the dogshit out of it.

Pretty spoton here , when its new get it warm use WOT or near to it from about 3000 - 6000 rpm and that going to bed those rings in nicely a lot quicker than you think , they run in engines on a dyno using low or no additive oil and can bed an engine in in 6 - 10 dyno pulls , ready to put in a car , warm up and redine straight away basically race ready . Hi end shops will use a crankcace pressure metric as to ascertain when rings are bedded . i think even at 500 miles / 1000 km using these methods you can start driving it like you stole it just dont ride the rev limiter . The guys who pussy foot their engines for 1000 miles or more are often doing more harm than good . As soon as they put the best of the best oil with super low friction additives the rings will no longer continue to bed in any meangful way so drive it hard at least a bit before that first oil change into killer spec oil ......

 

[Skye]

Is the factory specified oil dino or synthetic blend since many have changed to full synthetic? TIA.

The Owner Manual specifies the following for Eco and 5.0 engines: WSS-M2C961-A1, 5W-30

The Ford requirement translates to API SP and ILSAC GF-6A.

Checking Motorcaft, Valvoline, Castrol and O'Reilly's oil brands, I could not find a dino oil that was API SP, GF-6A and 5W-30.

Most conventional oils are 10W or straight weight, GF-5 or even 4.

7Gs are filled with blend.

If someone has a stock car, 2015-ish or older, traditional, conventional oil could make sense. I'm not aware of any modern manufacturer producing cars to use dino. Temperature, compression, emissions and Low-Speed Pre-Ignition requirements are some of the reasons why. Virtually all makers are requiring blend, if not synthetic from the start.

https://www.oilspecifications.org/ilsac.php

https://www.api.org/products-and-se...ies-and-classifications/latest-oil-categories

https://www.api.org/products-and-se...categories-and-classifications/oil-categories

https://www.exxonmobil.com/en/basestocks/faq-basics

 

[tktrain]

I found the following regarding the Ford Spec on 5.0 motor oil recommendation:
"WSS-M2C961-A1 is a Ford motor oil specification requiring a 5W-30 full synthetic lubricant. It was developed to protect modern turbocharged engines (like EcoBoost) against premature timing chain wear and Low-Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI)."

 

[ZXMustang]

I found the following regarding the Ford Spec on 5.0 motor oil recommendation:
"WSS-M2C961-A1 is a Ford motor oil specification requiring a 5W-30 full synthetic lubricant. It was developed to protect modern turbocharged engines (like EcoBoost) against premature timing chain wear and Low-Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI)."

LSPI is all covered by the tune. That shit is all over the OEM file pulling spark and putting in tq management to protect the engine. That oil isnt doing shit lol.

 

[D/\rK•650]

LSPI is all covered by the tune. That shit is all over the OEM file pulling spark and putting in tq management to protect the engine. That oil isnt doing shit lol.

Is this a good thing? You mean its bad for performance?

 

[ZXMustang]

Is this a good thing? You mean its bad for performance?

Its part of the tq management strategy Ford uses to neuter these cars. Some of it can be tuned out and some left as-is. There are thousands and thousands of parameters like that all over the calibration at many layers to keep these cars running at what I call 70% of their actual peak potential in best case scenarios. Its our (tuners) job to decide how much of it can be reduced or eliminated to give more performance based on how and where a car is going to be used. For racecars, most everything is turned off or tuned out. For street cars at sea level running 93+ or E85, lots of it can be reduced or tuned out. For say someone in Colorado thats only going to have 91 pump gas at best, then a good chunk of that is left as-is to keep the engine protected from premature wear or failure because of too hot of a tune.

But the oil topic, for the engine's sake you really should break them in as hard as you can as soon as you can. Buuuut, for the rest of the entire drivetrain, you shouldnt. Its a catch 22 really. The driveline needs time and RPM to wear in for trouble free operation. The engine needs high load to secure the most possible compression it can achieve to give the most economical power it can produce.

 

[D/\rK•650]

Its part of the tq management strategy Ford uses to neuter these cars. Some of it can be tuned out and some left as-is. There are thousands and thousands of parameters like that all over the calibration at many layers to keep these cars running at what I call 70% of their actual peak potential in best case scenarios. Its our (tuners) job to decide how much of it can be reduced or eliminated to give more performance based on how and where a car is going to be used. For racecars, most everything is turned off or tuned out. For street cars at sea level running 93+ or E85, lots of it can be reduced or tuned out. For say someone in Colorado thats only going to have 91 pump gas at best, then a good chunk of that is left as-is to keep the engine protected from premature wear or failure because of too hot of a tune.

But the oil topic, for the engine's sake you really should break them in as hard as you can as soon as you can. Buuuut, for the rest of the entire drivetrain, you shouldnt. Its a catch 22 really. The driveline needs time and RPM to wear in for trouble free operation. The engine needs high load to secure the most possible compression it can achieve to give the most economical power it can produce.

Wow, I had know idea how much is involved with tuning. Is tuning something one could take classes for? Or just something one learns through other tuners? Always have been fascinated with this stuff.

 

[ZXMustang]

Wow, I had know idea how much is involved with tuning. Is tuning something one could take classes for? Or just something one learns through other tuners? Always have been fascinated with this stuff.

Yeah "the tuning school" ran by Bob Morale here in FL is a great one. They have a few day or week courses with tons of instructor led classes. You can learn on your own as well but its a long process. This is a very protected trade and people who have earned their knowledge arent very quick to share. Especially when its very expensive to earn that knowledge. Me personally I've bought 4 s650's since 2024 for tune development. I've easily spent 1000+ hours of time and tens of thousands of miles of logging and testing for my tune set. I've lost count on how much money I've spent on the cars in fuel and parts. If you already own the car and are willing to spend some cash to get a few things and also willing to throw your warranty and caution to the wind, then by all means buy some training materials and an MPVI4 and see what you can do. And sign up for the HP Tuners forums. Lots of good info, but also you can get in trouble quick with some of the shit that gets posted over there...

https://thetuningschool.com/collect...3dXfYgGEaLVCUSqgebaVVUqyCVR6w6LvufKGEeHaHQ3_x

 

[D/\rK•650]

Yeah "the tuning school" ran by Bob Morale here in FL is a great one. They have a few day or week courses with tons of instructor led classes. You can learn on your own as well but its a long process. This is a very protected trade and people who have earned their knowledge arent very quick to share. Especially when its very expensive to earn that knowledge. Me personally I've bought 4 s650's since 2024 for tune development. I've easily spent 1000+ hours of time and tens of thousands of miles of logging and testing for my tune set. I've lost count on how much money I've spent on the cars in fuel and parts. If you already own the car and are willing to spend some cash to get a few things and also willing to throw your warranty and caution to the wind, then by all means buy some training materials and an MPVI4 and see what you can do. And sign up for the HP Tuners forums. Lots of good info, but also you can get in trouble quick with some of the shit that gets posted over there...

https://thetuningschool.com/collect...3dXfYgGEaLVCUSqgebaVVUqyCVR6w6LvufKGEeHaHQ3_x

Thank you for sharing.

 

[LouG]

Pretty spoton here , when its new get it warm use WOT or near to it from about 3000 - 6000 rpm and that going to bed those rings in nicely a lot quicker than you think , they run in engines on a dyno using low or no additive oil and can bed an engine in in 6 - 10 dyno pulls , ready to put in a car , warm up and redine straight away basically race ready . Hi end shops will use a crankcace pressure metric as to ascertain when rings are bedded . i think even at 500 miles / 1000 km using these methods you can start driving it like you stole it just dont ride the rev limiter . The guys who pussy foot their engines for 1000 miles or more are often doing more harm than good . As soon as they put the best of the best oil with super low friction additives the rings will no longer continue to bed in any meangful way so drive it hard at least a bit before that first oil change into killer spec oil ......

Race ready? For racing teams who expect to rebuild engines on a regular basis?
I'll stick to manufacturers break in rules. It's worked well for every new car and bike I've had. What you've recommended is why I will not buy used performance cars.

 

[ZXMustang]

Race ready? For racing teams who expect to rebuild engines on a regular basis?
I'll stick to manufacturers break in rules. It's worked well for every new car and bike I've had. What you've recommended is why I will not buy used performance cars.

You’d be mistaken and missing out on cars that won’t need a catch can oil diaper for their entire lives then. But to each his own.

 

[Brisvegas]

Race ready? For racing teams who expect to rebuild engines on a regular basis?
I'll stick to manufacturers break in rules. It's worked well for every new car and bike I've had. What you've recommended is why I will not buy used performance cars.

You do you buddy but you going to have that 5.0 that needs quarts of oil between oil changes and excess crankcase pressure , It is a performance car , let it perform .. My job for 3 decades was as an auto tech and i have worked on race teams and raced bikes . Not my first rodeo .. Have been involved in oil testing also with Mobil

 

[LouG]

You do you buddy but you going to have that 5.0 that needs quarts of oil between oil changes and excess crankcase pressure , It is a performance car , let it perform .. My job for 3 decades was as an auto tech and i have worked on race teams and raced bikes . Not my first rodeo .. Have been involved in oil testing also with Mobil

250mls oil added in 9000 km. Never had an oil burning car.
I trust engine designers before I'd listen to a race engine builder on how to break in a street engine. I'd love someone to tell Lampredi or Colombo how engines should be run in.
Ferrari procedure is much the same as most modern manufacturers - light to moderate load, under 5500rpm for 1200 miles. avoid sustained high revs and high load running.
I'll do them

 

[Sofa King]

Race ready? For racing teams who expect to rebuild engines on a regular basis?
I'll stick to manufacturers break in rules. It's worked well for every new car and bike I've had. What you've recommended is why I will not buy used performance cars.

Only problem is, Ford no longer recommends anything for break in... So, everybody is doing it wrong (or right)... just drive it like a car.

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