Break in oil changes.

[CASTLEDFW15]

Call me old school but I remember back in the day the owners manual recommended a “Break On” oil change at around 1000 miles. This was 1000 miles for initial new vehicle customers. The logic was piece of mind to remove any possible debris, metal shavings etc from the assembly line.

I realize that manufacturing technology has improved a lot over the years but have other owners still did it for piece of mind even if it had to be a self pay? I am currently physically unable to do OLF but I also hear horror stories about Jiffy Lube, Valvoline Instant Oil Changes and the like, occasionally even dealers leaving drain plug, filters, occasionally both not fully secured and causing major damage .which of course the OLF locations try to weasel out of their accountability, but that’s another story.

Is the “Break in” oil change still even a thing? or just perform the initial OLF a little earlier than normal…..example 4000 miles instead of 5000, 5000 vs 6000 miles etc…..

 

[swathdiver]

Call me old school but I remember back in the day the owners manual recommended a “Break On” oil change at around 1000 miles. This was 1000 miles for initial new vehicle customers. The logic was piece of mind to remove any possible debris, metal shavings etc from the assembly line.

I realize that manufacturing technology has improved a lot over the years but have other owners still did it for piece of mind even if it had to be a self pay? I am currently physically unable to do OLF but I also hear horror stories about Jiffy Lube, Valvoline Instant Oil Changes and the like, occasionally even dealers leaving drain plug, filters, occasionally both not fully secured and causing major damage .which of course the OLF locations try to weasel out of their accountability, but that’s another story.

Is the “Break in” oil change still even a thing? or just perform the initial OLF a little earlier than normal…..example 4000 miles instead of 5000, 5000 vs 6000 miles etc…..

It's not really a thing anymore with these newer engines. Some folks on here have had the first change done at 3K miles. I would caution against 7500 mile intervals, and stick to 5000, the motors with their tight tolerances like clean oil. Dealers generally speaking, employ more highly trained, professional folks who are experts on your vehicle and they have competitive prices for doing oil changes and such, go to their website and look for coupons.

 

[Stbentoak]

I'm going to get the complimentary change at about 4k miles. Get any TSB's and recalls done, and then I'm going to do it on my own about every 5K. Its been proven you can go 7K plus by Blackstone tests, I'll try to do a little better than that. But changing it at 1K is complete overkill and not really necessary....

 

[Bill 1960]

I still do it on all my new vehicles. First time around 500 and then again about 1500. After that I change according to the severe service schedule.

I can’t statistically prove it makes engines last longer, but that first oil change will be glittery with metal like you’ll never see in subsequent old oil. I just can’t leave those metal fines circulating.

Even if it’s nothing more than peace of mind it’s worth the cost to me. I do not patronize quick lube joints. Dealers or trusted local shops if I’m not in a position to DIY.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I cannot speak for GM trucks, but on my Honda cars, I was told there is a special oil that is put into the motors of new cars that is something akin to a modern break-in oil. On one of my new Honda cars, I changed my own oil at 3k miles, and when the dealer found out about this, I received a lot of crap about not leaving this initial oil in the motor for a full 5k+ miles.

I cannot prove whether or not this is true, but I thought that I'd throw this out there in response to the OPs question.

 

[Miami-Dade]

Call me old school but I remember back in the day the owners manual recommended a “Break On” oil change at around 1000 miles. This was 1000 miles for initial new vehicle customers. The logic was piece of mind to remove any possible debris, metal shavings etc from the assembly line.

I realize that manufacturing technology has improved a lot over the years but have other owners still did it for piece of mind even if it had to be a self pay? I am currently physically unable to do OLF but I also hear horror stories about Jiffy Lube, Valvoline Instant Oil Changes and the like, occasionally even dealers leaving drain plug, filters, occasionally both not fully secured and causing major damage .which of course the OLF locations try to weasel out of their accountability, but that’s another story.

Is the “Break in” oil change still even a thing? or just perform the initial OLF a little earlier than normal…..example 4000 miles instead of 5000, 5000 vs 6000 miles etc…..

Yes stay out Jiffy Lube and all of those quick oil change shops. Most dealers are okay for oil changes. If your worried about the dealer just look up their service reviews.

If you live in NYC or New Jersey I recommend Paramus Chevrolet. Some Mobil 1 Express locations are good also but not all. Check reviews on them also. I only go to 5 star shops. There is a good Mobil 1 Express in Lyndhurst New Jersey.

In Florida I deal with Sheehan Buick GMC in Pompano Beach.

 

[avalonandl]

The 6.2 is the same long block asthe camaro LT1. Changing the oil at 1500 miles is a good idea. Use a full synthetic withe the new oil spec and a AC oil filter.

 

[steiny93]

GM doesn't include a written spec (the maintenance algorithm could have it built in for all we know) in regard to an accelerated first oil change interval.

GM's corporate stance is to listen to the 'in vehicle' oil monitor as long as it's once a year.

At the end of the day, if people use oil / filter which meet or exceed spec it isn't going to hurt to change early.

I personally don't accelerate the first oil change as I don't believe it matters, but I see no harm in shorter intervals.

 

[Norm 427]

IMO, we're just wasting unrenewable resources to change earlier than the manufacturer says to. Trust the science.

 

[CiscoKid]

Old school hot rodder here. I still change at 500 miles to get rid of the cam lube and any initial shavings that may have presented themselves during break in. I also drive fairly lightly for the first 2,000 miles or so until the rings have fully seated. I don't drive 5,000 miles a year any more so I go with an annual oil change using Mobil 1 and Wix filters. I still do it myself.

 

[wsteele]

I just bought a new Honda lawn mower and the owners manual states to change the oil at 5 hrs for the first change, so some engines still require a break in oil change. The Koehler engine in my ride on mower also called for a 25 hr first change (100 thereafter).

Talking to my dealer service advisor about my new Sierra AT4 6.2L, he recommended I change the oil filter at 1000 and again at 3000, then 5000 thereafter. He has been my service advisor since I started using this dealer a long time ago and has never steered me wrong.

Not sure it is universal, but at my local GMC dealer, oil/filter changes are less than my retail cost of materials to do it myself. I still do it myself, probably more out of habit than anything else. Still buy Valvoline full synthetic and WIX filters, seemed to work pretty well for the last 14 years on my 2007 Yukon.

 

[R32driver]

I do 5k miles or 1 year on all my vehicles, whichever comes first. This seems to be the new standard for oil changes. I was curious about the first oil change on the yukon (first new vehicle I've ever owned) and the dealer said 5k is their recommendation even for the first one so that's what I did.

 

[NYisles1]

Will the dealer do the complimentary first service that early? Took my wifes Cadillac for an early first oil change two years ago and the dealer said GM would not allow them to do it (under the complimentary program) unless the oil life monitor had reached 20%. Its a lease so I wound up just sticking with what they recommended...but will probably have the Yukons first change done at around 3000 miles whether they cover it or not.

 

[SSGUNNER]

I did my first oil change at 4500 and the oil was pitch black. After seeing that anything between 3500 - 5000 is what I would recommend.

Currently at 7700 and planning next change.

 

[pwtr02ss]

I did my first change at 2700 and the second at 5k. Been on 5k intervals ever since. I don't see what it could hurt. It was black at 2700, black at 2300, and black every change since.

I will say that like @Joseph Garcia said, I read that the Hondas have a special break in oil and it's not advised to change it early. I can't confirm that for a fact, just read it a lot when we bought my wife's car. I've never heard that about a gm vehicle though. IMO, change it early and get the break in stuff out. Oil is cheap. I had planned to do mine at 1500 miles originally, but time got away from me

 

[Stbentoak]

My oil is black after 100 miles… color is no indicator of condition….

 

[R32driver]

Checked mine at 4600 miles give or take and it still looked brand new. It’s one of those unreliable problematic 5.3’s though

 

[avalonandl]

Diesels do that, turn oil black. Means nothing.

 

[thegrunter]

I did a search on this topic and didn't find one specifically and decided this old topic is close to my question. I don't like creating new topics. I just got a new Tahoe and there is the recommended 500 mile break-in period where they don't want the customer to drive a long road trip to avoid flat spotting the cam. My question is with these 10 speed transmissions, the RPM's change a lot and I am wondering if a drive from LA to Las Vegas (300 miles) with only 100 miles on the Tahoe is not a constant RPM drive with all the traffic and hill grades changing gears. I can see if I were in Kansas on a 300 mile flat road on cruise control for 4 hours being ill advised. What say my fellow Tahoe owners? Would you do the LA to Vegas?

 

[StephenPT]

I did a search on this topic and didn't find one specifically and decided this old topic is close to my question. I don't like creating new topics. I just got a new Tahoe and there is the recommended 500 mile break-in period where they don't want the customer to drive a long road trip to avoid flat spotting the cam. My question is with these 10 speed transmissions, the RPM's change a lot and I am wondering if a drive from LA to Las Vegas (300 miles) with only 100 miles on the Tahoe is not a constant RPM drive with all the traffic and hill grades changing gears. I can see if I were in Kansas on a 300 mile flat road on cruise control for 4 hours being ill advised. What say my fellow Tahoe owners? Would you do the LA to Vegas?

That's a good trip for it to break-in. Just don't get it up to 75-80mph and lock the cruise for the entire trip. My Yukon had 5 miles on the odometer when I picked it up at the dealership and then I drove 410 miles home. When I was on stretches of highway where there weren't many other cars around I would slow down to ~45mph and then bring it back up to 65mph. Do that a handful of times on the trip and you'll keep the engine running through its rpm range and avoid improper break-in of the piston rings.