When Should I Do My First Oil Change? - Select Synthetics - AMSOIL Authorized Dealer

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When Should I Do My First Oil Change?

"At what mileage should I do the first oil change on my new vehicle? Should I be changing it earlier then recommended due to engine break-in?"

The short answer is: There is really no need to do the first oil change earlier than what is recommended in the owner's manual.

However, since I’ve never been very good at giving short answers, here’s a more elaborate answer.

Today’s modern engines are a combination of accurate and precise machining and assembly. The different components are honed, polished, and built to much higher/tighter manufacturing tolerances (measured in the ten-thousandths of an inch) than they were in the past.

Furthermore, the automotive industry has much higher cleanliness standards and requirements today than in the past. The working environment and the engine components need to be kept very clean during the entire assembly process.

The engine parts are thoroughly cleaned before assembly using specially engineered cleaning equipment.

Improper part cleaning can potentially lead to big problems such as excessive wear or even, in a worst case scenario, a powertrain failure if debris is released into the engine. It can also adversely affect downstream processes such as heat treating and plating.

It is for these reasons that the auto companies’ component cleanliness standards have become more stringent over the years. So how clean is clean enough for the automakers? It depends largely on the application; however, automakers generally require that, after final part cleaning, critical components must not release particles larger than 250 microns, or a collection of particles weighing more than 1 milligram.

Furthermore, engine oil quality has also come a long way. This isn’t your grandfather’s oil. Due to the use of higher quality base stocks and better additive packages, today’s oil can last (and protect) a lot longer than it could in the past.

AMSOIL uses only the highest quality base oils and additives available in their product formulations.

The bottom line is, since today’s engines are cleaner, better designed, and built to much higher standards than yesterday’s engines, and since modern engine oil formulations are vastly superior to formulations of yesteryear, there is really no need to change out the ‘factory fill’ early.

However, all that being said, even though I know that the initial factory fill doesn’t need to be drained early and will easily go the distance, I still always prefer to do my very first oil change early (I changed it at around 1500 miles/2400 km on my 2014 KIA Sorento).

"Why?" you ask. Mostly for my own ‘peace of mind’ and because it makes me feel better having fresh new oil in the sump of my brand new ride. Besides, even though the FF oil can and will easily go the distance, it is true (IMHO) that there will most likely be more wear particles and other contaminants in the oil due to engine break-in - and perhaps from the machining and assembly process (the oil did seem ‘dirtier’ on my first oil change than it did on my second one).

Another reason I usually choose to change it out early is that I don't know what was in the sump in the first place, so I want to get a high quality Full Synthetic Oil (I use AMSOIL Signature Series) in there as soon as possible.

But it’s up to you whether or not you want to change it out early. Just keep in mind that it doesn't really NEED to be.

Next: “Can I Mix Different Oils?”