knucklehead11

When I do buy my Mustang in a month or so, I'm thinking about starting out engine break in and starting it all with synthetics. Is there a certain process you guys may recommend for a break-in process, and what synthetic oils and fluids are good to use? Someone at work told me synthetics harden up the seals and all, but I find that hard to believe. He also thinks condoms are useless in sex too, lol, so that tells a lot about that guy. But anyway, I figure I can ask for some opinions from you guys since you all already own a 4.0 Mustang.

tomsa55

There was a study done, by some automotive outfit, did'nt keep the reference, but you really don't want to use synthetics for breakin. You need some wear to finish the breakin process, and synthetics are so good at reducing friction and wear that they delay the breakin process for too long a period. You want the rings to hone in the cylinders under normal to hot conditions, not mild use, so the phrase "Drive it like you stole it" has some logic to it. Don't use your cruse control, don't drive same speed, vary it some. Let the engine warm up for 5 min or so before you do some hard acceleration. Short trips are the worst on engine breakin, try and take your new car out for a weekend, and drive the crap out of it. Go on a 3-4 hour trip where your in stop and go traffic, and hiway driving mixed. After your first 500 to 1000 miles, your pretty much done on the break in as far as the engine is concerened. The tranny and differential may take longer, 2 to 3k. After you've got about 5k miles on it, your second or third oil change, have them put a synthetic or an synthetic blend it the crank case and you'll be protecting you investment for years to come. I drove my 06 stange "hard" and didn't have any problems with it. Got about 6k on it and plan on next oil change at 9k to use synthetic oil. The synthetics are the way to go for reduced engine wear and better heat transfer, but not during breakin as you need the extra friction and heat to seat the rings, burnish the bearings and hone the gears.

knucklehead11

What are some good mileage times to change the oil with the conventional? I'll probably use Castrol GTX throughout for that. It's what I've been using in my Honda and I love it. Have always used it with no problem.

Also, is there a recommended time to change transmission fluid after break in, or should I just follow the regular 60,000 mile schedule for that? Hell I may just do it every year or two.

BTW, what synthetic oils do you recommend? As well do they make a synthetic version of transmission fluid that could be used for better wear as the engine is done likewise?

And also, is a special oil filter needed or can the good 'ole Motorcraft (Purolator really) still be used?

Thanks for all the help y'all!

S.SubZero

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...ics/Myths.aspx

"Myth: You should break in your engine with conventional oil, then switch to a synthetic oil like Mobil 1.
Reality: You can start using Mobil 1® in new vehicles at any time, even in brand new vehicles."

A list of vehicles that come with synthetic oil off the dealer lot is included.

rygenstormlocke

I use Mobile 1 synthetic oil in my car.

Dats1NiceMustang

Lucas is a good oil treatment to

tomsa55

Be wary of any study done by the marketing branch of a company trying to sell you a product. Mobil 1 and other synthetic oils are way better for protecting your engine from friction wear, but I'll stand by my experience as an aviation mech, that the break-in period is critical, and you actually need some friction wear to fully hone in the rings, valve guides, cam lobes and burnish in the main bearings and cam bearings. My experience is more with the aviation "air cooled" high output type engines, which do have greater horsepower ratings per weight and a higher heat expansion tolerance than automotive engines. But the principle still applies. On automotive engines, modern production gives the manufacture very good control over quality so the "marketing sales statements" that encourages the use of synthetic oil is hard to challenge.

My only beef with synthetics, is that because they don't "wear out" and you can use an extended oil change period, you run the risk of leaving contaminated oil (from combustion products, ie acid) in your crank case for an extended period of time. This can lead to corrosion of the bearing surfaces, and cyl walls. This would only be an issue on a vehicle not driven daily, and parked for extended periods of time. This has been a major cause of engine deterioration in small aircraft piston engines.

I use the Quaker synthetic blend in my Isuzu Rodeo, and will be changing the oil in my 06 Mustang next month to synthetic. So I'm not against the use of a superior product, just leary of accepting what ever the product manufactuer tell's me as best for my situation.

S.SubZero

Because every single thing every single company has **EVER** said in the history of the world that promotes their product is an EVIL BOLD FACED LIE! RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE! DEY TUK ER JERBS!!!!

Don't be like that. That link I provided has several brands of cars that come with synthetic oil off the lot. If you honestly think that Aston-Martin would not know about the things you are talking about, you give yourself too much credit. I'm sure alot of those manufacturers are using synthetic oil in new cars because they have studied it and researched it and had guys with white lab coats scribble notes on clipboards. If a Porsche engineer tells me "I think this oil is safe" then guess what? I'll *probably* believe them.

If it was "shadeyoilcompany.com" giving the testimony and telling about how they use their oil in unknown Romanian cars or something, that would be a different matter.

Erdrickk

I was told by a ford mechanic that the engines are tested at the plant before the car ships and in that time the engine has already had a good headstart for the breaking in process.

tomsa55

Hey S.SUBZERO, Iam not raging, just sharing my opinion based on experience with the break-in of internal combustion engines. Just because some engineer says you can use synthetic oil for breakin, does'nt mean thats the best way. It means you will do no harm using that oil. The manufacture will use what is best for overall production and cost. We don't agree about this, so what. I, thru many years experience with engines and mechanical work in avaition have learned that some of the best improvements to the internal combustion engine have been by the folks actually repairing and fixing them, not the engineers designing them. Several major automotive and avaition manufactures send all their brand new hire engineers to "school" at a repair depot fixing the product for a year or two before allowing them to have a say in the design or development of new technology. Break-in is just that, the wearing away of machined, jagged sharp edges on a micoscopic scale to reduce friction and help in the transfer of heat. Synthetic oil greatly reduces the friction coefficent so much that this honing in or break-in will be delayed. Just because a product is safe to use, doen't make it the best product for the situation. I'm not against the use of synthetics, just the improper use of them.