RE: Synthetic oils in new engine

[QSHIPQ@aol.com]

Alan writes:
>A trusted friend of mine said that I will have trouble seating the rings in 
>my new engine w/ the Mobil 1 I put in.  True?  Engine so far has only run 1 
>hour and no oil burning evident.
>TIA,
>Alan

Most engine builders use and recommend non synthetic on new engines, since 
the final "machining" (seating, mating) of surfaces is done while the new 
engine is running.  I believe it was Hot Rod Magazine did a long article on 
this several years ago.  What they reported was that the synthetics really 
didn't allow the proper seating of critical interference machined components. 
 Most builders recommended (and what I go by) dyno oil (shale oil, not sand 
oil - ala quaker state, but don't remember why exactly) for the first 2 or 3 
oil changes, then switch to synthetic.  One of the major builders said 10k 
miles, which is about right at 3 oil changes.  Although you have no evident 
problems, the theory is you really haven't allowed the proper seating, by 
using the synthetic from the get go.  

Lots of documentation on the controversy of this concept, but most use the 
dyno oil for the first x thousand miles/x oil changes of new motor operation, 
cuz it certainly isn't hurting anything.  The gains are longer term, properly 
breaking in a new motor, makes it last longer.

If I remember the article correctly, those that have a new motor with 
synthetic in it should add 1 oil change to the dyno oil routine above.  If I 
can find the article, I will post it up.  Right now, your safe bet is to 
switch to dyno oil for a few changes, then go back to synthetic.

HTH

Scott Justusson
QSHIPQ Performance Tuning
QSHIPQ@aol.com