Tips for breaking in a brand new engine?

[hooba]

Can't quite understand what has gotten dirty or what you are cleaning but it won't hurt i guess.

+1. It's a brand new engine....

[Finance_Analyst]

+1. It's a brand new engine....

Cheers.... As I said earlier, I'm a little precious......

[WhiteJames]

Spoke to my service Manager @ McGrath – Sutherland Volkswagen. His justification for not changing the oil until the first 15,000km service is due is based on a Volkswagen Technical Bulletin supplied to him. The finely honed bore and type of oil used is designed to cause pistons rings to bed in with the bore. The service Manager again reiterated that doing an oil change pre 15,000km may void your warranty with VAG – as per his technical bulletin. McGrath service manager suggested that changing the oil frequently in the first 15,000km tends to polish the motor internals, namely the bore, rather than have them bed in. In his experience, polishing the internals via frequent oil changes early-on has motors using a bit of oil. Come to think of it, I changed my oil on the MKV Golf GTI at 5,000km, 10,000km and 15,000km and it used a little bit of oil. The new MK6 Golf GTI did not receive an oil change until its first at 15,000km and has not used any oil in 22,500km and 12 months. It seems consistent with what my service manager is saying. I also asked the head mechanic at McGrath – Sutherland Volkswagen, who is of the same opinion. The head mechanic is an owner of a Golf R and suggests not to don’t bother servicing until the recommended service intervals; that’s if your vehicle does not come under the high risk category. The oil in Volkswagens is considered long-life oil and is designed to work a certain way. The service manager indicated to me that my GTI may be using oil and taking on other contaminates that keeps the oil level dipstick at the same level since service date. The type of oil is designed to operate with this in mind. I was planning on doing a 7,500km interval service at 22,500km and 12 months – both the service manager and head mechanic turned me away suggesting it’s not recommended. I didn’t bother with the interim service. Imo, the break-in oil is lighter in colour than the post 15,000km oil, which has a darker colour and tends to blacken as time goes on. The lighter coloured break-in pre 15,000km oil did not change colour during the whole 15,000km period of run-in.

Cheers.
WJ

[dieterbohlen]

So, do you need to have 7,500 km service or just wait until 15,000 (1 year)?

[WhiteJames]

If you're not in the high-risk category and based on what my service manager & head mechanic are telling me ... No.

[Transporter]

Hmm, interesting the both oils I recently drained from Tiguan TDI and Octavia RS TSI at 1000km were quite dark in color. Tiguan is doing what I consider short trips and RS Octy not. There were no top ups in Tig and Octy, both done now close to 10,000km. Also 12 months ago, I did first oil change at approx. 1,500km in Golf 90TSI that was 12 month old and it was black like coal (still got the sample).
I wonder what would be their recomendation for running in the ball bearings?

So, do you need to have 7,500 km service or just wait until 15,000 (1 year)?

It depends if you drive under severe driving conditions or not.

[dieterbohlen]

If you're not in the high-risk category and based on what my service manager & head mechanic are telling me ... No.

I don't drive like crazy, speed limit on the streets, rarely getting on freeway... Maybe I qualify as a "granny driver"

[nat225]

i changed my Mk6 GTI oil at 7500kms... does it mean i'm doomed??

the car is driven 7 mnts in the mornings and 10mnts in the evening during weekdays since January 2011... the oil temp barely reaches 70 degrees when i arrive at work / home.

only occasionally i would go for a >1/2 hour drive and go WOT.

[hooba]

WhiteJames's post refers to 15,000kms as the only marker for when to change your oil, of course if you're up to 12 months it is time to change your oil.

i changed my Mk6 GTI oil at 7500kms... does it mean i'm doomed??

No, it's not that fragile.

[Corey_R]

Spoke to my service Manager @ McGrath – Sutherland Volkswagen. His justification for not changing the oil until the first 15,000km service is due is based on a Volkswagen Technical Bulletin supplied to him.

Can you please supply the technical bulletin number. Your service manager should be happy to supply that...

[WhiteJames]

How about you call my Service Manager, rather than have me do it for you. His name is Nick Lechowicz - Senior Advisor - McGrath Sutherland Volkswagen, 499 Princes Hwy, Sutherland - Direct Line: 9545 7186 or email: nlechowicz@mcgraths.com.au.
Cheers.
WJ

[prise]

The lighter coloured break-in pre 15,000km oil did not change colour during the whole 15,000km period of run-in.

Cheers.
WJ

The oil on my 118 TSI discoloured progressively through the first 15,000 km and appears to be doing the same after the 15,000 km oil change so I cannot say i have seen any difference.

Maybe you're driving it harder now

[Guy_H]

Spend a couple of dollars & have your oil analysed - that will convince you pretty quickly that 7500 is a much better interval on an FSI car.

Pay careful attention to fuel wash-down of the oil. I think the results might give you a fright.

The only reason I understand that Volkswagen say 15,000km's is to keep service costs down - nothing more, nothing less. If you only keep it 3 years, who cares - out of warranty, some one else's problem.

Several service managers I know change their own oil every 5000kms. It may not ber company line or "procedure".

$36.00 well spent - send a sample after 7,500 & one after 15,000 - let us know the results

e-Monitor oil analysis - A blood test for your vehicle - Australian Laboratory Services - Australia

[brad]

Had my 504.00 oil analysed after 15,000km just before the 60,000km service. Was barely degraded.
TBN = 9.51
Fuel dilution 0.1%
Viscosity 11.19
Water 0.089
Soot 0.394

I still haven't found any technical reason to change oil more often (plenty of emotional / psychological reasons but they don't count).
All I can think of is that I drive under ideal conditions.

[Transporter]

I know you did the UOA only to know if, the oil could last 15,000km in your engine the way you drive and you know that everyone drives differently and use the car differently. Even if you have your oil analyzed, unless you drive under the same condition all the time, you can't extend the oil changes without monitoring the oil on regular basis, the reason for that is that any changes in your driving (a few short trips for example) and your aged oil will not be able to protect your engine and any saving will be very short lived.

To everybody else;
Doing UOA while you change the oil defeats the purpose, you should really continue driving, have the oil tested again until the point when is not good and then change it. Do the same with the new oil, drive on it for 50,000km if it last and let us know once you done let say 200,000km. Dyno the engine and post how many kW remained in your engine.

In 2005 when I bought my T5 the variable servicing was 50,000km or 2years, and I don't think it is more than 30,000km today. I wonder why?