a brand new Toyota has "break-in" oil. Correct?

[ERdept]

I went to get Mobile 1 Extended Life and my neighbor who has 4 toys says not to do that.

He says the new Toyotas have special break in oil and shouldn't be changed until the first oil change.


Crazy? Correct?

[TacoSter]

I would venture to say (not fact) that he is right... I've had a few to many new cars over the last 6 yrs and all of them have break-in oil

[concrete jedi]

I have not heard of "break in" oil, but I have heard that many will not go synthetic until many more miles, maybe like 5000 +, I am at 35,000 miles and am still using dino. oil, not sure what I am going to do.

[marvin02]

This is the first I have ever heard of Toyotas having a special break-in oil.

There is no mention of it in the owner's manual.

It has always been my practice to change the oil early in the break-in period since most of the wear happens then and this gets the particulates out of the engine. I have done this with new cars and with engines I have rebuilt.

There are differing opinions on going to synthetic oil early. Some recommend waiting, the interval depends on who is making the suggestion. You can check out this thread for a discussion of that.

My personal practice is to change at 500 miles and at 1500 miles using a good quality dino oil (just because it seems a waste to run synthetic that few miles) and a new filter. Then I change at 5,000 miles with Mobile 1 and change at 5,000 mile intervals after that. Doing the two oil changes in the first 1,500 miles is probably overdoing it, but a quality oil change won't do any harm.

[WilsonTheDog]

If anything, you should change your oil early. The "break in" oil may contain metal from the engine breaking in. I typically change mine at 1500 miles on a new vehicle and go right to synthetic. There's no reason at all to wait on synthetic anymore, if there ever was, and synthetic is superior to dino, anyway. This isn't 1947.

[ERdept]

I researched on other Toyota forums and half the people say there is a special oil and the other half says it's the same oil we all buy over the counter.

Well, I'm sure there's not harm to change it early AFTER the break in period, but before the 5 K mile service.

There cannot be just clean oil in there. I really cannot believe manufacturers have come so far that the engines don't make any particles.

[cvillechopper]

I changed my oil with basic conventional oil @ 1000 miles and there was enough particulate to make me very glad I did. It's been my practice with new and engines I rebuild and I have always found a nice shiny (metallic paint looking) film on my collection container.

[GratefulPred]

I picked up my new Tacoma on Thursday and I noticed the oil change, from the dealer, sticker says I need to change it at 5000. I am going to call the dealer and make sure the Service Guy was not smoking crack prior to writing that down because I have already put 1000 miles on it.

[cvillechopper]

It's not required and will not effect your warranty to change the oil before 5K. From experience, many people change around 1K as it can have an effect on the longevity of the engine.

[Janster]

I have heard of the 'break-in-oil', but I honestly don't know the details.

All I know is..... wait a bit. Why waste the $$ changing the oil right away?

I changed mine to Mobile 1 at 3,000 miles. I figured that was enough time for the majority of the break-in residue (from the engine) to be cleared out (so to speak).

And yes, the Tacomas have 5,000 mile oil change interval. I think the maintenance light comes on and flashes at 4500 miles and as you reach 5,000 miles, the light will stay on. I'm still waiting to see mine light up.
I reset the light after my 1st oil change at 3,000 miles. My former 96 tacoma oil change interval was 5000 miles. I only went 4,000 miles cuz It was always 1/2 qt low by that time. Instead of topping it off, I just changed it.

[ZonKs]

I just changed out the Dino yesterday at 5000 miles. I put in Mobile 1. Maby its just me, but the truck seems to run smoother now. Yeah, its prob just me.

[pdxyota]

Straight from a Toyota rep, there is NO such thing as a "break-in" oil, but if you want to do something helpful change the oil in your brand-new car/truck at about 1,500-3,000 miles because there are little beasties in the engine that come off into the oil, remove it asap and switch to synthetic from then forward.

Bottom line: You can use non-synthetic from day one, change it every 3,000 and you will not have an "oil" related problem with your Toyota engine ever. it's always something else; alternators, timing (I have the chain so I'm not worried), starter, etc.

Change out ALL of your front & rear differential oils ASAP to dyno or synthetic, you will SH*T when you see the garbage in the gear oil and on the magnetic plug. Change out the transmission at 30,000 to dyno or synthetic, same thing and do it every 30,000. I have Amsoil in the tranny, Mobil1 in the front/rear & transfer case.

Myth!

[LRH]

I don't think there is any special oil for break-in, but it does end up with a high moly content due to the assembly lube used at the engine plants.

[ERdept]

Interesting info that seems unbiased and realted to synthetic oil, especially a comparison of Mobile 1 and Amsoil.........

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/s.../oil-life.html