Engine Break In and Initial Oil Change

[jimmymcnulty]

So, I've read the forums, and I see the intervals of when to change are broadly discussed and full vs blend, but what about the initial oil change.

Should it be changed at or around 1K or is that unnecessary?

Is the Oil from the factory a concern, and a good idea to change it or is that garbage and the factory oil will be fine for initial 3-5K?

Jimmy

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Sorry if this sounds like a harsh sentiment on the way things are nowadays, but it is what it is

If you are talking about the oil in a BRAND NEW, never-titled vehicle, then I would recommend changing it after about 1-2K miles, as I simply do NOT trust any of the factories to use any high-quality stuff anymore, even on what they refer to as "full synthetic" or "premium" grades of oil...

They have all moved to cut costs in any/every way possible nowadays, and what better way to do that but to use stuff where it is not easy for the average consumer to verify it's quality, like oil.....

And if the vehicle is "pre-owned", then you really have no idea or proof of what the previous owner put in it, so I would drive it directly to your favorite, local shop asap....even with a carfax report that shows a recent oil change, the report will only show what the shop entered into the database, and they can fill it with whatever they want and you'll never know any different....

 

[jimmymcnulty]

Appreciate the response. It is brand new, never titled, with the High Output. I'm just about to cross 1K and keep hearing mixed reviews. I'm with you and feel that I will just get it in here in the next week or so. I'm not too concerned with the cost and will certainly do it every 5K or less.

What are your thoughts on Full Synthetic? Should be done or not a good idea for any reason?

 

[DieselMonk]

Always full synthetic engine oil. Change it every 5k miles (severe schedule) and you'll be way ahead. Haven't had a turbo or engine fail doing this. Proper oil change interval is absolute key, if you plan to keep the vehicle for a long time. Modern engines have much more extra stuff on the go than old ones. If you just in for 2-3 years and change cars often... oil changes? Whatsdat?

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Always full synthetic engine oil.

^^THIS^^

I would NOT risk using anything else on a new(ish) vehicle.

Hell, that's what I've been running since the day I bought my '11 EL in '21 (Mobil 1 or Pennzoil Premium 5W30), I drove it from the dealer straight to my favorite mechanic the same day, and had him run a bottle of engine flush through it before he changed the oil... although the oil that came out looked ok, but just sayin

 

[cooldude919]

Full synthetic. I stock up on oil when they have the rebates, normally during the summer, like right now Pennzoil has rebates, Valvoline does sometimes as well. You can do it yourself with a little effort, watch a few youtube videos if you feel uncomfortable.

What i did on my new f150 starting in 2022 and what i plan to do for the new expedition is the following.

1K miles, 5K miles, then every 5k miles after.

 

[East-TN]

Full synthetic. I stock up on oil when they have the rebates, normally during the summer, like right now Pennzoil has rebates, Valvoline does sometimes as well. You can do it yourself with a little effort, watch a few youtube videos if you feel uncomfortable.

What i did on my new f150 starting in 2022 and what i plan to do for the new expedition is the following.

1K miles, 5K miles, then every 5k miles after.

I agree with this. I would accomplish the initial oil change at 1k, then again at 5k, then every 5k after that. If there are any loose particles from the engine assembly process, the initial 1k oil change should 'catch' these and get rid of them. Plus, I would just feel better knowing I have a high quality oil of my choosing in the engine.

That's what I did on my Roush's and Shelby's and I always felt much better about how the engines were maintained. Now, I don't know if it made any difference mechanically, but I know it made a difference to my peace of mind.

 

[chuck s]

My procedure is whatever oil came in the engine until the first oil change, then full synthetic thereafter.

I don't note an "early oil change" requirement in my Expedition owner's manual but I have another car (not even a Ford) which specifically notes in the break in section "Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time."

-- Chuck

 

[DieselMonk]

My procedure is whatever oil came in the engine until the first oil change, then full synthetic thereafter.

I don't note an "early oil change" requirement in my Expedition owner's manual but I have another car (not even a Ford) which specifically notes in the break in section "Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time."

-- Chuck

Actually there is a "severe" schedule for fords. On some cars you can change the oil life reminder to whatever you want and others have then this scheduling by name like "severe" "normal" or "extended".
look at this: https://www.ford.ca/cmslibs/content...wners/brochures/ServiceBrochure_8.5x11_EN.pdf

 

[42pilot]

The factory puts good oil in the engine. And its appropriate for a new engine. They also ensure there is no sand from sand casting, by using shot blasting and cleaning, so don't worry about that. What you really want to do, is drive the car for about 1,000 - 2,000 miles, then change. What you are doing is removing the metal that wore off rings and bore - should be a fine sludge. You need to keep the oil the factory used in the engine long enough to seat the rings and bearings (cams, crank, oil pump). If you change too quickly, these items might not seat correctly. And above all, DO NOT use any oil additives. Ever. If you feel you need an additive, use a different oil. I change my oil every 5,000 miles. I do not tow anything anymore, so using synthetic or convention does not matter. High stress or heavy loads, use synthetic. I have always used Pennzoil Ultra Platinum because its a superior oil with lower calcium to control low speed pre-ignition (LSPI). Now that the car has 100,000 miles on it, I changed to Driven Oil (used to be Gibbs Racing oil) because of their increased amount wear additives and low calcium. Anyway, find an oil you like that satisfies Fords specs, stick with it for the life of the car (all oils have different formulations and generally don't play well when mixed), and change it often - cheap insurance.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

I'm not too concerned with the cost

If you take it to a stealership, expect to pay between $140-200 for full synth & a motocraft or fram filter, but most other places that do oil changes usually charge about $70-80....

I would strongly suggest you avoid any stealerships that have the so-called "express lane" service. I tried that at 2 different stealerships for 2 different fairly new(ish) vehicles (Ford & GM), and both times they said I needed this or that repair work done (total BS) for some ungodly prices, to which I replied "B.M.A."

 

[jimmymcnulty]

Just a follow up,

Took it in at 1,250 and had the Full Synthetic done. Glad I did and will be replacing every 5K.

Thanks,
Jimmy

 

[dr2024]

Your new 3.5 Ecoboost requires oil that meets Ford’s WSS-M2C961-A1 oil specification, and that’s going to be full synthetic. Motorcraft 5W30 full synth

API SP oils in 5W30 apparently also meet this spec (Mobil 1, Kirkland, …), and all the API SP oils in 5W30 I’ve looked at are fully synthetic.

API SN didn’t quite cut it for turbo/direct injection (calcium, pre-ignition etc) so they came out with SN+, newest spec is SP and it’s best.

I went down the rabbit hole learning about API specs trying to figure out oil for a flat tappet V8 (1996 Ford Windsor 351 in a ski boat), and learned that earlier specs are good for it (SJ) and while SN is supposed to be OK, it’s worse than older specs because they dialed out some anti-wear additives to (eg zinc stuff) to protect catalytic converters. SN+ came as they noticed problems and adjusted to reduce pre-ignition in turbo/direct injection engines.

Turns out the additive package in API SP is pretty dialed in - it’s the best available not only for turbo/direct inject engines, but also just fine in older flat tappet engines too (much better than SN), per Lake Speed.

 

[iaazan]

Your new 3.5 Ecoboost requires oil that meets Ford’s WSS-M2C961-A1 oil specification, and that’s going to be full synthetic. Motorcraft 5W30 full synth

API SP oils in 5W30 apparently also meet this spec (Mobil 1, Kirkland, …), and all the API SP oils in 5W30 I’ve looked at are fully synthetic.

API SN didn’t quite cut it for turbo/direct injection (calcium, pre-ignition etc) so they came out with SN+, newest spec is SP and it’s best.

I went down the rabbit hole learning about API specs trying to figure out oil for a flat tappet V8 (1996 Ford Windsor 351 in a ski boat), and learned that earlier specs are good for it (SJ) and while SN is supposed to be OK, it’s worse than older specs because they dialed out some anti-wear additives to (eg zinc stuff) to protect catalytic converters. SN+ came as they noticed problems and adjusted to reduce pre-ignition in turbo/direct injection engines.

Turns out the additive package in API SP is pretty dialed in - it’s the best available not only for turbo/direct inject engines, but also just fine in older flat tappet engines too (much better than SN), per Lake Speed.

Most importantly.....stick to one brand through the life of the motor. Don't get whatever is on sale.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Most importantly.....stick to one brand through the life of the motor. Don't get whatever is on sale.

Why?

 

[jkp71]

Anyone know when Ford stopped calling for synthetic blend in the 3.5 EB? That's what my 2021 truck required. I understand my 3.5 HO will need the good stuff.

 

[iaazan]

Why?

Mixing different brands mixes different detergents, additives, etc. Stick to one and you'll be just fine. I personally use Mobil 1 full synthetic on all my vehicles when I can, and I've had many in my garage. 2 cars (wife and I's), multiple family member cars that I've done the oil changes for, 2 motorcycles, boat, diesel RV (that one gets Rotella).

 

[JohnnyG]

I watched a video by a guy that lab tests oil. He claims that your engine will put a lot of metal in the oil in the first 500 miles. He claimed that you should drain the oil at 500 miles and then add a quart and let it drain (to flush the remaining contaminated oil.) Then you should change the oil at 3,500 miles. At that point, your engine if fully broke in and wear should stabilize. So, after the 3500 mile change, go to the recommended oil changes. He is not telling you what he thinks, he can prove everything he says through lab tests results. His logic made sense and doing what he suggested did not cost much (compared to a $90,000 vehicle), so I did it. If my engine lasts a few hundred thousand miles, I'll let you all know.

 

[bb37]

Your new 3.5 Ecoboost requires oil that meets Ford’s WSS-M2C961-A1 oil specification, and that’s going to be full synthetic. Motorcraft 5W30 full synth

This link doesn't work for me. Doesn't appear to be a properly-constructed URL.

I watched a video by a guy that lab tests oil.

Who was it? There's a guy on you YouTube who goes by The Motor Oil Geek. Used to be an oil expert in a NASCAR shop. His videos dive into additive packages and testing.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Mixing different brands mixes different detergents, additives, etc. Stick to one and you'll be just fine. I personally use Mobil 1 full synthetic on all my vehicles when I can, and I've had many in my garage. 2 cars (wife and I's), multiple family member cars that I've done the oil changes for, 2 motorcycles, boat, diesel RV (that one gets Rotella).

If Mobil 1 full synthetic is on sale, do you avoid it based upon your advice in post #14?