caymandive

iTrader: (2)

Sometimes it doesn't take a doctor to tell you that your leg is broken. Obviously if the oil is black then you have a lot of extra content in the oil compared to what it looks like out of the bottle, so it's a good way to check for serious issues, but you are right in that the only way to get a thorough oil state is to have an oil analysis done.

Also, one extensive test by Amsoil supposedly revealed that cars that run for 60,000 miles on the same batch of synthetic oil end up with less engine wear than cars that run 60,000 miles with regular oil changed every 3,000 miles. Amsoil is one of the major oil companies, so make of that what you will.

caymandive

iTrader: (2)

Every car gets this done!? Man I wonder how much that job pays.

caymandive

iTrader: (2)

Also kinda going along with the oil change topic, I'm following the 5000 mi until the 1st oil change because doing so immediately or shortly after may interfere with the break-in process by preventing the normal wear that allows piston rings to seat properly.

tigmd99

That's just plain ridiculous! The only that they could do this is if they have a way to turn back the odometer...and that is against the law! You can get cars nowadays with only 2-3 miles on the odometer. These miles are usually test miles from the factory +/- moving it during transportation.

As for breaking in techniques, FOLLOW THE OWNER'S MANUAL. Trees are being killed everyday so that you can have that book in your hands...don't let them die in vain! When i had my M3, there were a few people who said to drive "like you stole it" from the dealership showroom floor........these very same people later complain about oil leaks. Remember, in addition, computer in today's cars may be able to record all of this...so, you really do not want to have Toyota deny a warranty repair on your engine because you did not follow the break-in procedure. (Oh BTW, my M3 did not lose a single drop of oil in 24000 miles that i had it...and i used launch control plenty often!)

And if the salesman said that there is no break-in period, then GET IT IN WRITING. I would get the salesperson AND the manager to sign it.

Take everything on the internet and from the salesman's mouth with a BIG grain of salt! Don't listen to me either...just FOLLOW THE OWNER'S MANUAL!

Bichon

I disagree, the only way to get an ACCURATE indication of the state of your oil and your engine is to have a spectrographic oil analysis done. The color of the oil is simply not an indicator of its lubricating ability, the amount of harmful contaminants it contains, nor the condition of the engine.

caymandive

iTrader: (2)

Yeah you are right. I got curious about this topic and did some research and here is what I found. It's always nice to learn something new.

The Dark Oil Myth
Dark oil does not indicate the need for an oil change. The way modern detergent motor oil works is that minute particles of soot are suspended in the oil. These minute particles pose no danger to your engine, but they cause the oil to darken. A non-detergent oil would stay clearer than a detergent oil because all the soot would be left on the internal engine parts and would create sludge. If you never changed your oil, eventually the oil would no longer be able to suspend any more particles in the oil and sludge would form. Fortunately, by following the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval, you are changing your oil long before the oil has become saturated. Remember, a good oil should get dirty as it does it's work cleaning out the engine. The dispersant should stop all the gunk from depositing in the oil pan.

The only real way to determine whether oil is truly in need of changing is to have an oil analysis performed. Since most people don't want to bother with this, it's acceptable to err heavily on the safe side and simply follow the manufacturer's recommended change interval for severe service. There are still a few cars that specify 3K intervals for severe service, but not many. If you look at countries other than the U.S., the oil recommended change interval is much higher than even the normal interval specified by vehicle manufacturers in the U.S

emissivity

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I would follow the recommended procedures. Toyota/Lexus engineers didn't get hired to put useless information in their specs and procedures.

Tony1

I never bought the theory of if you drive the car slow while break in,
then it'll be slow forever.. I never broke in any of my cars in a harsh
way and they all ran very strong, actually, i usually used to beat cars
that were identical to mine...

Even if it's true that it lets the rings seat properly, it probably ruins
five other things at the same time..

eg6turbo

yes every single car that come off the assembly line...he said its the only real way they know if the car is running good or not...and they pick at random which car goes on the highway for road noise and wind noise test...