running in oil - reccomendations?

[AndyTTR]

I get asked this question at work all the time; "i'm running in a new engine, what oil do you recommend?"

Now, I dont know what to tell people. We used to sell a specific running in oil, but we no longer stock it. What makes running in oil different and do you really have to use it?

I've tried searching here and google, a few sites actually say to run cheap oil initially as it doesn't have the anti-wear additives in it that modern oils do. Being supercheap, we have some cheap and nasty oil. I think the cheapest is a 20W-60 ($8 for 4L or something), would you put this in a freshly rebuilt engine? I'm hesitant to recommend this to customers because it's a 60 rating (too thick for a new engine?) and the fact that its rediculously cheap. I dont want my dodgy advice to give somebody headaches (and possibly sue my ass).

From what I've read, and the fact that people dont want to pay a lot of money for oil they're gonna throw away in 1000k's, I'm thinking that one of the cheaper 20W50 oils from a reputable company is the way to go (eg. Castrol GTX / Shell Helix Super).

I'm sure there's a lot of experience on this topic here on the forum, what do you guys reckon?

Thanks from me and the customers whos engines you save.

- Andy

(for the record we do have training on oils, but my memory is pretty vague on the topic of running in oil )

[river]

Hi,

It's usually a lighter, less viscous oil that is used for the first few hundred to 1000ks.

However, when you buy a new car the engine is also new, and it has the normal recommended oil (by the manufacturer). That is, there's no specific requirement to use a specialised running-in oil as far as the manufacturer is concerned on your new engine. It's more important to drive the car accordingly, with it's normal recommended oil, rather than use a running-in oil. There's a thread in here somewhere that highlights how to run-in a new engine.

If you're building a high performance engine or race engine then maybe there could be a requirement to use running-in oil, but for your average engine it really isn't necessary.

seeyuzz
river

[Starfire]

A good mineral oil is the way to go, at whatever weight is reccomended by the engine manufacturer or builder.

A cheap rubbish oil is not the best idea, but the ones with anti-wear compounds dont help the running in process - you want everything to wear and seal up pretty quickly.

Another good tip is to change it as soon as possible. Even after a couple hundred km is well worth it - including the filter. You can never change your oil too much and for only a few dollars it really is a sound investment when compared to the initial cost of the engine.

Cheers,
Terry

[airfireman1]

The main thing is not to by an oil that has any sort of "teflon" or additive that is supposoed to coat the engine "anti friction" stuff. You need the rings to bed in.Just change the filter and oil often.
Cheers

[AndyTTR]

Thanks for the input guys. So I guess Magnatec is off the list then?

What if the builder / handbook recommends a 15W40 which is (mostly) only available as a semi-syth with additives? To avoid the oil with the additives is it safe to use a 20W50? There are mineral based Penrite oils, but they've often got odd ratings like 15W60. Which is the greater evil - incorrect viscosity or the anti-friction additives?

[airfireman1]

Everybody has thier own preference in which oil they use and they all have a reason for why they use that particular brand. I cant reccomend any oil over another otherwise it will open a flood gate of replys.
All i will say is that I use Penrite,Castrol,
Cheers

[barned01]

you could tell them to go to their local sprint or repco or whatever because they could possibly stock running in oil.
I was reccomended once by someone from some autoplace togo to another autoplace for something.
I personally feel that was the right thing to do from the first autoplace and i still go back there because i value their honesty and their fortitude to recommend another retailer without fear of loosing business.
Why is it that supercheap stock less and less car stuff and more and more home and garden maintenance stuff ?

didn't supercheap have a penzoil running in oil, or is that no longer?

[AndyTTR]

I often call suppliers to find out exact details for customers. If I dont have an honest answer than i tell them that I dont know and that they should get a professional opinon. We often refer customers to other auto retail outlets and nearby workshops. At the end of the day Supercheap is a retail outlet, not a specialist mechanic chain and people forget this. The same goes for other outlets such as Repco and Autobarn.

Personally I dont see why the chain has a bad rep with enthusiasts, whenever I visit other auto parts suppliers I'm amazed by how much of our stock is identical but differently branded. In the last 6 months they've started doing away with all the non-auto stuff and replaced it with quality brand name tools etc. We can also order in pretty much anything you can imagine from Rocket Industries, ET Performance, Speco etc. I priced up a thermatic oil cooler setup for a customer today.

But anyway, back on topic.

[haison]

You work at supercheap?? Eeeexcellent..

[Andrew162]

(Valvoline) SAE30 FTW. 800-1000km of this then go for something a bit less-shitty.

EDIT: don't forget the hard disk magnet on top of the oil filter during this period as well!! great for picking up the metal shavings of the typical "rebuilt-engine"

[ace]

Me too! Also great thread Andy, you know your oils!
Yeah i'm also confused with Supercheap's reputaion, we basically sell everything the other stores do + all the cheap shit. If we don't have the product we order it in, we can order in entire exhausts, radiators etc...

[ed]

yup, another vote for SAE30 monograde mineral oil (NOT synthetic)

15mins preliminary run in - dump the oil and filter
500km run in - dump the oil and filter
1500km run in - dump the oil and filter

from 1500km on i run whatever my choice of 'normal' oil is at the time

[Vios-GT_07]

yup, another vote for SAE30 monograde mineral oil (NOT synthetic)

15mins preliminary run in - dump the oil and filter
500km run in - dump the oil and filter
1500km run in - dump the oil and filter

from 1500km on i run whatever my choice of 'normal' oil is at the time

that's good info.. but is it really necessary though? i just use a straight mineral oil like the yellow shell one.. 20W50 .. up till 1000 kms.. then i dump that, and go for semi synthetic or mineral again for the next 3000 kms.. then i go to whatever oil is suitable.. and this is normally a full synthetic or semi synthetic depending on the engine..

[ed]

necessary? i think so, yeah

not like its exactly expensive - esp considering this is the period of greatest wear in your engines life - and youve got to get it right with minimal destructive contamination

[Vios-GT_07]

ahh.. okay.. i see the point...

+ respect

[Tanya]

I too asked the same question when I rebuilt my bottom end, and got a whole lot of different answers.

I ended up using 10w30
changing after the initial 20 minute run
then again at 500mi (800km)
and last time at 1000mi (1600km)

I did change the oil filter all 3 times, they are cheap enough anyway.

seems to have "broken in" just fine, but then again, I haven't checked the crank since then either, lol

[allencr]

Any non-synthetic 5,10,15,20 straight, or multi grade if not available. Brand/manufacturer is not important.
Change at 500mi/100km, and you're good to go. Anything else is unnecessary.
If there was anything in there that would do any damage, it has already been DONE, and changing every 5 min/50km will not make it one bit better! Then again, anal retentives do seem to enjoy keeping busy & patting themselves on the back for every obscure reason.

[ed]

???

so changing the oil after initial 15mins run in you dont recommend?

ok, you go with that

[Tanya]

Any non-synthetic 5,10,15,20 straight, or multi grade if not available. Brand/manufacturer is not important.
Change at 500mi/100km, and you're good to go. Anything else is unnecessary.
If there was anything in there that would do any damage, it has already been DONE, and changing every 5 min/50km will not make it one bit better! Then again, anal retentives do seem to enjoy keeping busy & patting themselves on the back for every obscure reason.

uhhh the intial start up on a freshly rebuilt engine is obviously going to be the time where THE MOST metal shavings will be had. Any "damage" from the engine breaking itself in for its 1st few minutes is going to be pretty minimal especially if it's idling and it's not under load. Driving around for 500 miles with all that sloshing around in the oil isn't going to be any good at all.

at any rate, people do everything differently. we give the thread starter our opinions/advice/suggestions and he will go with whatever he feels best.

[The Witzl]

last time i ran my engine in i just ran the valvoline SAE30 mineral oil (run-in oil) for a couple hundred kays of decent driving.....
- dropped the oil and filter
- filled with my semi-syth oil of choice
- dropped oil and filter 500km later
- refill with my oil of choice
- drop oil + filter again 1000km later
- refill with oil of choice
- regular service intervals from then onwards.