"Breaking in period" on new truck engine/trans/transfer/diff?

New Tundra comes to me around Sept 15th. Should I run dino/conventional oil for the first 5,000 miles to provide slightly more friction for the piston rings to "seat"? If so, I would likely need to drop the factory oil and replace, right?

This is my first new vehicle ever and I want to get things straight & right from the start. I plan on running full-synthetic for the lifespan of the truck after any potential break-in period. Any advice or thoughts on this is welcome.

tags: oil change, full-synthetic, engine oil

 

I would like to assume that Toyota knows what they're doing when it comes to new vehicles and the oil they recommend.

I bought my truck brand new, too. First new vehicle I have ever bought myself and all I did was make sure that around 2k miles I did my initial oil change. I'm going to do my next once I hit 5k and then keep it on a 5k interval after that, using full synthetic. Just make sure you're using genuine OEM oil filters when you change it, and you should be good to go.

 

Do you know which oil the new trucks ship with?

 

They ship with Toyota brand synthetic. If I remember correctly it is actually blended by Mobil. Any high quality synthetic will keep your engine happy.

 

Agreed completely. Just wondering if the engine benefitted from dino oil first for ~ 3-6k miles?

For instance:
- O.C. #1 @ 1,000 miles...conventional oil
- O.C. #2 @ 3,000 miles...conventional oil
- O.C. #3 @ 6,000 miles...full synthetic oil
- All forward O.C....full synthetic oil

I might be overthinking this. Tell me if so...

 

I honestly believe you’re over thinking it as you suggest. Your Toyota comes built-in with automatic service intervals paid for for the first 24,000 miles. I’ve owned many Toyotas or the last 35+ years and I’ve always trusted the maintenance schedules and follow their recommendations. I also bye additional service on my truck as I just bought like my last one I paid for five years or 75,000 miles from Toyota.

 

Good information to know. First Toyota & first new vehicle for me.

 

don't overthink it. These are new vehicles. Just follow the Toyota maintenance .
Free Toyota Care is good for flushing issues if any and being documented while still under the 36K warranty imo.

 

Just follow Toyotas recommendations.

These threads typically end up being people that firmly believe theyre doing better by increasing oil change intervals and changing it out early and people that follow the 10k schedule.

End all be all is the ones that follow the schedule dont see any increase in failures and save money and limit waste. If you want to spend more and use oil more frequently then go ahead.

Just about every high mileage thread Ive read has plenty of people that state "only had to do routine maintenance".

 

Agree with everyone else that you’re overthinking it. I changed my oil the first time at 3k and have been on 5k intervals since.

If I had to do it over again, I’d skip the Toyota care maintenance and not worry about their “free” maintenance plan. No one will take of your vehicle like it’s their own. Get the tools to make the oil changes easy and the metal filter housing to replace the plastic one and your gtg.

Only maintenance item I wish I’d done earlier was changing the diff oil. I waited until 35k to do the front and rear. Front was okay but glad I didn’t let it go longer. Rear was gross - magnet loaded with paste and the oil was black and stinky. Probably should have changed it the first time around 10-15k following break-in. I tow and occasionally tow hard/heavy so YMMV.

 

Toyota’s use 0-20w, which I think can only be found in synthetic form. I wouldn’t put any other weight in the engine, not only could it cause damage but I’m sure void the warranty.

The owners manual has a section for break in. Covers stuff like not towing for first 500 miles, avoid extremely high speeds for first 1000 miles.

Just baby it to start, and enjoy your new ride!

 

Both so true.

Did the front diff ECGS bushing on my Tacoma, gear oil smell for a day. That stuff stinks, the truck only had 1500 miles on it, it will stink even if its new.

 

just run it.. had both 2019 24k then traded for 20 with 27k currently, just change it out earlier for peace of mind or do whatever. Its gonna be ok.
The only thing I do not do is tow a trailer until after 500 or 100o miles. But I still usually floor it occasionally to get those rings and everything used to it haha. Pussyfooting, no

 

I'm hearing both FLOOR IT and BABY IT for the first 1,000 miles. Assuming factory oil is not changed out, which is better...or does it just not matter?

Thx for the advice on the diffs @AZBoatHauler. Had not seen/heard that. I will check the factory maint schedule when I first get the truck.

 

Mine shows up this week, and I plan on driving it a little lighter than normal through the first 500 miles and doing my own oil changes with synthetic. This is a proven engine, as long as you do the recommended maintenance there shouldn't be any issue.

 

Congratulations on the new truck!

 

Has your new SR5 been built yet? If so, when? Mine is due to be built 8/27.

 

This is the only reference to break-in in the owners manual.

 

Its the internet so FWIW here is my suggestion. Follow recommended break in for the most part. For the engine, just drive it like you are going to drive it. Not much short of cold revving off the limiter is going to pique my interest as far as being overly harmful, but getting in some longer drives followed by full cool down is nice if you can....mostly for the diff and rear ring an pinion. After owning nearly 50 new cars the most important thing to me is tires and brakes. Tires take a few miles (don't act like an idiot right out of the lot), and brakes often take up to 500 miles or more of normal driving if you don't purposefully bed them in.

Changing oil a bunch of times and driving like a grandma just doesn't fit in with any mechanical philosophy I can dream up....you basically have a short time (50 miles) to have any influence on seating the piston rings if it isn't already pretty much done by the time you get it. Not much else in a modern engine you are "breaking in" and seating rings takes some full throttle and overrun to do it properly, definitely not babying it.

After all that I'd say drive like you are going to drive it, don't drive hard until up to temp, and give it some good driving followed by a full cool down for the first few days if you can. Bed the brakes with some purposeful techniques (google it...my opinions are based on 20 years of bedding in track brakes is probably way to aggressive for a truck forum) and you are good to go.

Last bit is all the things I have had messed up on a new car are from me or some other dumba$$ wrenching on it....oil drain plugs with no crush washer, oil filters not torqued properly, transmissions overfilled, and oil being over or under filled are all WAY more likely and way more harmful than just driving the thing and following the manufacturer maint schedule. Ok ....I feel better now. Carry on.

 

Due to be built on Sept. 5th. Kept getting pushed back.

 

Toyota's interval is every 10k miles. Don't sweat it.

 

One thing I have to add is to cut open your oil filter and inspect for metal. This is a habit carried over from my flying days. I've yet to have a new car produce much more than a few very fine metal slivers and gasket sealant. If anyone has had a car that used Ferodo brake pads, they require a break in and Grandma wouldn't approve if it either.

 

Do you guys change your own oil, or use the Toyota service? I'm used to changing my own, because of bad experiences at the oil change places and the cost. I'd like to change it on my Tundra (build date currently 8 September), but don't want to do anything to void the warranty.

 

I'm a DIY guy on oil changes, but my first ~36,000 miles of oil changes (ToyotaCare) will be done by the dealer purely for warranty compliance service records (my thought). Plus, it's free to me aside from driving & waiting time.

Otherwise, DIY oil changes are a no-brainer: better service, cheapest cost, minimal wait time.

 

Changing your own oil will not effect the warranty. Keep the receipts of the oil and filters, plus you can document it on this Toyota App.
https://www.toyota.com/owners/my-vehicle

 

My truck has 180k and still runs like new. Have all the oils changes starting around 5k at Toyota it’s entire life says the car fax when I got it.

I would say that a 5k oem change interval starting from new would give your truck a good life expectancy.

 

Ive logged in and looked around but don’t see where we are supposed to document out own oil changes. What menu item/link are you going to once logged in?

 

My Garage > Service History > Add Record

 

Thanks for the breadcrumb. I figured it would be in the Service History section but I don’t see the ‘Add Record’ button/link.

This is all that is on the Service History page. There is note of Owner-Reported Information but no link.

 

You must not have your truck's VIN entered into the app. It's not a bread crumb, that's how you get there.