Thread: Newly built motor - ok to switch to synthetic?

After how many kms/miles would it be okay to switch to a synthetic oil or even a semi synthetic?

Freshly built motor. About 500miles on it now. Been running it hard and had it tuned on about 300miles. So it's had 200 hard miles already. Been doing mineral oil changes regularly so far. About 5 including the start up oil changes.

Going to the track soon and want to know what oil I should use next.

I switched at 500, i also use a zinc additive on all oil changes to help with wear.

I personally don't switch until about 5k miles at the very least, and I only use oils that have a high "zinc" content for a built SR.You need the extra film strength.

2 liter, what do you personally use?

I've been using Rotella 15w40 and i'm currently at around 800 miles..

Im about due for a change though, i'm sure!

I also use Rotella 15w40 on my built motor, lol. I haven't switched to a synthetic yet. The only bad thing about the Rotella is that you have to change it pretty often, it breaks down rather quickly. I change it every 1500-2000 miles. If you have 800 miles on the first oil change, I'd swap it out. Lol. My schedule for break in was run for 30 min, change; run for 100 miles, change; run to 1000 miles, change; then change every 1500 because I started racing on it . I have one more change before I make the switch to synthetic.

This is going to be my 4th oil changed...

Startup

75 miles

200 miles

and i'm about to change it again sometime soon!

Thanks guys. Stuck to mineral. Hope it lasts for the track. Running shell helix hx5 15w40

Whats hidden behind using mineral for break-in and then switching to synthetic? Thanks

Higher in Zinc additives and cheap, lol. There are hundreds of "theories" out there, and no 100% proven way of doing it that's hands down better than others, but there are general guidelines. Typically, you want to follow directions that the engine builder (if you don't build it yourself) gives you. Whether it be the OEM or the race shop that built your motor. The main thing you want to make sure you do is use a high zinc content oil for at least break-in if not at all times (depending on the motor). SRs have a lot of high pressure contact surfaces like the rocker arms and valve shims, so I always recommend high zinc oils for the life of the motor. Because of this, regular commercial oils are not good for them in the long run. Diesel oils (Shell Rotella, Delo, etc) always have high zinc for heavy duty diesel applications. Valvoline VR-1 is a high zinc synthetic that wont break the bank (what I'll be running in my VE). The regular syn-power synthetic does not... not good for an SR. Mobil-1 used to have high zinc until a few years ago when they became an OE supplied oil, which meant they had to pull it out to meet OE emission standards. Mobil-1 these days is not very good. Used to be excellent.

If I trusted in the break-in technique used, I'd be okay switching to synthetic after 500 miles. Still, a quality organic would also be fine for some track use.