Fedupdave42169

Need some advice on breaking in a 5.0. The manual says 1000 miles and when do you recommend the first oil change. Thanks

Mustm26

You have to run it hard to seat the piston rings properly. Don't baby the engine. Low rpms will not build up enough pressure to seat the rings. If the rings don't seat properly, the motor will never develop it's max. potential power and there is a chance the engine will burn oil more than one with rings that were seated properly. I ran my GT Premium hard in S mode mostly on fast rights out in the 'country' for 1000 miles.


Some have written the rings will seat in the first 20 miles but my GT Premium 5.0 already had 24 when it was delivered.


I also had the oil changed at 1,000 miles because I read years ago that the oil filters do not remove all the fine metal particles produced during break-in. I changed the oil at 1000 for over 12 new cars and cycles I bought new over the years. Every first change the oil in the drain pan looked like dark aluminum paint when stirred with a screwdriver.

BatRide

So, when you change your oil at 1000 miles, do you stay with break in oil or go syn?

Mustm26

I had mine changed at 1000 at the dealer I bought it at. I went with the Motorcraft Semi-synthetic as recommended by the manufacturer. As little as I will drive it in a year, the full synthetic is not cost effective.

BatRide

I was going to go to syn 5/20 after 1000 miles. Do you think it would be better to stay with Fords semi syn until maybe 2000 or 3000 miles? My feeling was it's ready for syn after the 1000 mile break-in. Thanks.

Mustm26

I have read in the past that some say full synthetic is so 'slippery' that it does not allow an engine to 'break-in' properly. So, based on that I would wait a while before going to full syn. But, OTOH, I have read Corvettes come from the factory with full syn..

tom281

My 15 GT came with the Roush TVS blower for 630 hp. I'm breaking it in like I intend to drive it normally (like I stole it) and once I get to 1000 miles or so will go with either the ford blend 5w20 or mobile 1 5w30. I've had great luck with the ford blend but can get the M1 product at Costco for a good price so i'm not sure yet which way I'll be going.

SilrBult

Mustm26 pretty much has it right IMO. I'll just add a few details. There isn't much point in hammering it in first gear unless you just like lighting up the tires. There is so much gear reduction in first that you can't really put much load on the engine which is what builds cylinder pressure which in turn forces the rings against the cylinder walls. I like to hammer it in 2 nd., 3 rd. 4 th. & 5 th. I 'll take it in the lower gears from around 2,000 rpm up to 4,500 rpm for the first 50-75 miles after that I'll bump it up to 6,000 rpm and then to near red line [ 6,800 rpm ]. It helps if you back off the gas quickly after making a pull in a gear since this will create a strong vacuum which will pull a bit of oil up past the rings which will cool any hot spots. This is also a good reason to avoid SUSTAINED high rpm use for the first few hundred miles. Anything remotely like normal interstate speeds in 6 th. is fine. I changed the oil & filter in my '14 GT at the 600 mile mark. At that time I used 5w20 Motorcraft syn blend. Presently I use 5w30 Mobil 1 full syn. and change between 4,000-4,500 miles. This is more often than Ford requires, but I intend to have this car well past the warranty and no one ever hurt an engine by changing oil too often. I do my own oil changes, that way I can personally inspect things while I am under the car and possibly head off any problems. FWIW I only have 11,500 miles on the car, but it dosen't use any measurable amount of oil or have any unusual noises or ticks.