Are the engines pre-broken in or not?

The Car Care Nut is apparently a Toyota Master Technician and on his YouTube channel he has a video in which he talks about breaking in the engines. He also says that if you plan to drive your new Toyota until the wheels fall off (which I do) then you should consider getting an oil change at 5K miles, even though Toyota suggests waiting until 10K, since they do find small bits of metal in the oil at 5K miles because the engine is still being broken in.

I just took my taco in for its 5K mile service appointment and was talking to the service guy about whether or not to get an oil change. He told me that he heard that the engines were already broken in before being sent to the dealer. Since I'm about to take two long road trips this summer, I decided to go for the oil change, but all of this got me wondering if the engines are broken in by Toyota or not. Can any Toyota techs confirm or deny this?

 

Just drive your truck and enjoy. Toyota suggests oil and filter change intervals of 10,000 miles

 

They are broken in, there's rarely metal in the first oil filters when I check.

The issue with older engine was tollerances, how things seated and wore.

Toyota is very good with their engine assembling and you have nothing to worry about.

I personally change my oil every 5k on my Toyotas and most other techs do as well. We have more cold starts where I am and the oil saturates with fuel.

 

Listen to this and enjoy your truck and take the concerns on this forum with a grain of salt.

 

They are broken in, but with that said and knowing what I know, I still changed the oil at 1k for my own peace of mind. Cost me less than 20 bucks and 30 mins of my time. Done and done. Don't have to worry about it

 

I’m not a tech but I can say that my truck is running better at 1,500 mi than it was at 100 mi. It seems a little quieter, smoother, and the acceleration is more linear. It also feels more powerful and torquey now when driving in the overdrive gears on moderate grades.

 

Giddy up, another oil thread!

I don't know anything about it, so I just follow the recommendations in the manual.

 

I'm an engineer who designs things. I change my oil every 10K or so. Every engine is run through a test sequence, drained and refilled before installing in truck. I trust their engineers.

With that said, do what you wish. Every 500 miles could be a good interval lol.

 

I'm guessing by the fines I found at 800 miles NOT broken in

 

Do you think those fines just "broke off" moving parts within the engine? Like big end bearing, crank journals, cam shaft lobes etc?

Or were they "left overs" from the machining operations? I wonder why the fines didn't get caught in the oil filter. They are supposed to catch that sort of thing.

 

Alright alright.. OP... the engine is not fucking broken in! It has been run, it has fresh oil but only time and miles break it in. Satisfied @Itchyfeet?

 

The manual says engine break-in happens with the first 1000 miles. Feel free to change the oil at that point if you want the engine to fail after the frame does...

 

When changing the oil I think the oil filter housing needs to be replaced with a metal one. The one that comes from the factory is plastic.

 

The manual that is in your glove box has it printed with break in period . Go off that . Personally I do my oil changes every 5k miles . I live in a Arizona and driving conditions are stop and go .cheaper to replace oil than rebuild a engine .

 

Manufacturers do not "break in" engines. They don't have the time nor the facility plus the added cost would put them out of the market.

The truth is in the advanced machining techniques used in modern factories. Machining methods have advanced quite a bit since the 1950s.

Just follow your Owner's Manual. Enjoy your ride.

 

Filter alone was/is about $10. Which oil did you use for other $10?

 

X2 What kind of oil + oil filter are you buying for less than $20 and where can I get some?

 

Buy the filters on Amazon in bulk. I forget the cost but I think it breaks down to 6/7 dollars. Mobil 1 is 22 to 24 bucks for 5 quart. Minus Mobil 1 rebates when they have it. All in all, about 20 bucks

 

Damn I never thought to look on Amazon for oil

 

He is buying from the used oil recycler.

My very first car had a serious fluid problem. I would go to gas stations and ask for used oil. Cost me about $2/gal. Never bothered to change the filter. That ol' 63 Buick had many many miles....it eventually tossed a rod, but it ran for another week before my Dad insisted to scrap it.