How often do we need to perform an oil change while breaking in a new car engine?
By
Vroomouk
This blog post will answer the question, ‘How often do we need to perform an oil change while breaking in a new car engine?’, and cover topics like how to break in a new car engine, why do we need to break in a new car engine, various methods to break in a new car engine, and advantages of breaking in a new car engine.
How often do we need to perform an oil change while breaking in a new car engine?
A new car engine when broken is recommended to have the oil changed after the first 30-50 miles, followed by another oil change at about 500 miles and the next one at around 1600 miles.
The first oil change is required to be done at 30-50 miles as the oil gets contaminated by scraped-off metal chips from the new engine causing it to look flaky in texture. This process is important as it allows engine components like piston rings, cams, and other bearings to sit properly against their respective mating components.
How to break in a new car engine?
These are the some of the practices followed to break in a new car engine:
- Going easy on the engine
- Shifting of gears at low RPMs
- Avoiding constant and aggressive acceleration
- Driving for longer distances
- Avoiding towing of heavy loads
- Altering driving style according to the conditions
Why do we need to break in a new car engine?
Car engines when subjected to high load and speed conditions right after the car gets purchased, often suffer from early wear and tear and a reduction in engine efficiency.
Breaking in a new car engine gives it some breathing space to adjust to the new environment and operate smoothly. This method helps in restricting the engine wear and tear to a minimum amount.
Breaking in also helps in the smooth flow of lubricants to all components of the engine, so that they can run without any restrictions and improve engine efficiency.
Breaking in helps the piston rings seal at their own time as it is important to seal the piston and the cylinder wall to prevent leakage of fuel or air through the sides of the piston. It also allows the car engine and the transmission system to get accustomed to each other.
Various methods to break in a new car engine
These are the following methods that can be followed and practiced to break in a new car engine optimally.
Going easy on the car engine
As discussed earlier, it is best to avoid subjecting a new car engine to high speed and load conditions as this can damage the piston rings along with the cylinders, thus being detrimental to the combustion process and reducing the engine efficiency.
It is advisable to maintain about 4000 RPM for the first 1000-1500 miles and once the break-in miles limit is reached, the RPM can be gradually increased to avoid any further issues.
Shifting of gears at lower RPMs
This breaking-in process in a new car engine helps to minimize wear and tear as much as possible, also helping to increase the car’s fuel economy.
Some modern cars have a command prompting system that prompts the driver when to shift the gears up or down depending on the performance requirements and the amount of traffic ahead.
It is advisable to follow this practice up until the first 1000 miles or so, which helps in minimalizing wear and tear and also improves the engine efficiency.
Avoiding constant and aggressive acceleration
Avoiding aggressive acceleration reduces the loads subjected to the pistons, cylinders, and engine oil. This is even more important in the case of a new engine as it is colder and can have detrimental effects on it.
It is advisable to accelerate gently at least for the first 1000 miles, after which it can be changed. It is also advised during the break-in period, to shift the gears at low RPMs to smoothen the engine performance and help the transmission system get accustomed.
Drive for longer distances only
When the car engine is new, it is comparatively cooler and needs a lot of energy to get to working condition. In case of a shorter distance, it won’t be able to reach its optimum power. Longer distances allow more time for it to work.
After the car has finished working very hard, it needs to be run at a slowed pace instead of bringing the car to a hard stop. This allows the engine to cool down.
Avoid towing heavy loads
Towing heavy loads can damage a car that is not used to towing the load at all. Towing in any case subjects the car engine to heavy loads thus, producing strains on the car engine under normal circumstances.
Altering driving style according to the conditions
Apart from the engines, the tires, brakes, and the suspension system also need time to get accustomed to each other.
The tires fail to provide the necessary grip for the car up to about 200 miles. This is because a special kind of lubricant is added to the wheels at the time of manufacturing which takes some driving to wear off.
The brakes of the car need time to get accustomed to and do this by rubbing the brake pads causing the development of frictional spot-like formation, thus promoting smooth and efficient performance.
Advantages of breaking in a new car engine
These are the following advantages of breaking in a new car engine.
Improved fuel economy
Maintaining lower RPMs and shifting gears in the same help in driving the new car according to the break-in rules, thus improving engine efficiency along with an increased fuel economy.
Superior performance
Following the breaking-in procedures will help improve the engine efficiency and reduce wear and tear, thus also increasing the performance capabilities of the car.
Engine health
The breaking-in process helps the engine components function optimally and maintains the smooth flow of oil, thus increasing the overall longevity and improving the health of the engine.
Research shows how the Acura NSX has a premature breaking-in process and the various tips for breaking-in maintenance to increase the longevity of the car.
Other articles about Mercedes Benz you may be interested in
What are coils in a car engine?
Is it reliable to wash a car engine with water?
Conclusion
This blog post addressed the question, ‘How often do we need to perform an oil change while breaking in a new car engine?’
We understood the reason behind breaking in a new car engine and why it matters. We also came across the various methods to break in a new car engine. Furthermore, the different advantages of breaking in a new car engine have also been discussed. Please feel free to comment on the content or ask any questions in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs): How often do we need to perform an oil change while breaking in a new car engine?
Do you need to break in a new car?
Breaking in a new car is highly recommended and necessary to eliminate early wear and tear of the engine components and also to increase the performance and longevity of the engine.
Do engines still need break-in?
Modern engines no longer require the passenger or driver to perform the break-in process on their own, instead, it is a mandatory process carried out by the production line before handing over the car for purchase.
How long do you run a new engine on break-in oil?
It is advisable to run a new car engine on the break-in oil for at least 1000 miles after which switching to a synthetic oil works.
