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      01-10-2013, 07:30 PM   #1
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Break-in type and oil consumption poll

I wanted a poll but not sure how to do it. Even just several people if you could post how you spent your first 1200 miles of the car and than give your mileage and how much oil you tend to burn between changes roughly.

0-400 kept it below 5k, varied gear shifts quite a bit on highway and city
400 and beyond, went up to 7k consistently hard until 600 and after that I was hitting redline multiple times a day from then on and it has never stopped.

Essentially I did minimal break in beyond 400 miles and then drove the piss out of the car. I did this the same with my old 5 series and it was a great enigne with no oil loss.

I firmly believe given a few hundred miles for all the parts to sync together etc is good but the harder you drive, I feel valves get seated more effectively, the tolerances where oil is lost is tighter and overalll the harder the break in-the less oil burned down the line.

Any other info
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      01-10-2013, 07:42 PM   #2
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Click "thread tools" > "add a Poll"

Zero oil consumption for me
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      01-10-2013, 08:18 PM   #3
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Did my oil 1st oil change at 15k miles...added about 1.5 qts over the period. Had engine oil analysis done (want to make sure filter wasn't letting in silicate and see how oil would hold up under regular service intervals), oil was perfect. Generally followed break in (with a few revs to 6.5k rpm by 'accident')
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      01-10-2013, 08:53 PM   #4
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I stuck to the recommended break-in. 36k miles in 4 years on my '08 (now sold) and had to add 2 quarts of oil during car's life-time.
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      01-10-2013, 09:57 PM   #5
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It boggles my mind that some folks would spend $70k on a car and then ignore recommendations for driving in the first 1200 miles. Because, yea, they probably know a lot more about the engine than BMW's engineers...
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      01-10-2013, 10:01 PM   #6
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I also followed the break-in recommendations.

I never needed to add oil between changes (closing on 45k miles and the ///M is seeing plenty of track time).

If one elects of not following the break-in interval, my understanding is that the break-in oil should be changed before the engine is operated beyond the specified break-in limitations. The different composition of the break-in oil and any contaminants present (manufacturing residue) may have a negative impact on the engine.
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      01-10-2013, 10:09 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CanAutM3
I also followed the break-in recommendations.

I never needed to add oil between changes (closing on 45k miles and the ///M is seeing plenty of track time).

If one elects of not following the break-in interval, my understanding is that the break-in oil should be changed before the engine is operated beyond the specified break-in limitations. The different composition of the break-in oil and any contaminants present (manufacturing residue) may have a negative impact on the engine.
I followed the recommendations except for passing the 5k rpms few times just for few secs. Do you think that might cause any issues in the future?
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      01-10-2013, 10:11 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mhabs
Did my oil 1st oil change at 15k miles...added about 1.5 qts over the period. Had engine oil analysis done (want to make sure filter wasn't letting in silicate and see how oil would hold up under regular service intervals), oil was perfect. Generally followed break in (with a few revs to 6.5k rpm by 'accident')
I'm in the break in now and I did the same by having few revs over 5krpms.
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      01-11-2013, 05:31 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ONE-77 View Post
I followed the recommendations except for passing the 5k rpms few times just for few secs. Do you think that might cause any issues in the future?
IMO, there is no need for concern. I also went a few times above 5000RPM during break-in. This engines revs up so easily...

My point was that if one wants to drive the car hard right out of the bag, it would be preferable to have the right oil in the engine and diff. It is my understanding that the break-in oils in both the engine and diff are not designed for maximum performance but rather to optimize the break-in.

So the ones that beat the sh!t out of the car with break-in oil have issues? Most likely not. But I prefer being on the safe side for these kind of things .
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      01-11-2013, 06:01 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CanAutM3 View Post
It is my understanding that the break-in oils in both the engine and diff are not designed for maximum performance but rather to optimize the break-in.
What do you mean? I am not 100% sure, but I believe they put in the same type of oil... TWS 10W60.

OP, I pushed my RPMs to 7K+ at least a couple of times during the break-in period. I also drove past 140mph during the same period (autobahn is wayyyy too tempting). Changed the oil at about 1900 miles and no issues at all. About 20k miles now and running strong. Was I right or wrong? I don't know, but I do know this: When I brought in the vehicle to the dealership for the oil change, I asked the mech (who happened to be the "M expert") if he thought I would have any issues later. He looked at me, smiled, and said "It's an M3! It's ok!". So I didn't worry about it anymore.
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      01-11-2013, 06:31 AM   #11
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I followed the BMW break in rules...I might have climbed over 5500 rpms once or twice.

I just drail the oil and refill (of course) every 5k miles. Never had to add any in between.
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      01-11-2013, 10:02 AM   #12
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Im the 2nd owner so not sure about break-in but I need to add a liter of oil every 7k miles or so.
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      01-11-2013, 10:49 AM   #13
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2nd owner as well, service records show 1200 mile service at 1192 and no additional oil has been added in ~20k. Car has had 4 oil changes though aside from the initial 1200. I've not had to add any in the 550 miles I've owned her.
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      01-11-2013, 11:03 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Munit View Post
I wanted a poll but not sure how to do it.
You add a poll when you post the initial thread. See the image below ... once you made your post you scroll down all the way ... the last box gives you the option to click "Yes" and select the number of options for the Poll "4" is the default you can change it also the type of poll you like single or multiple replies. It's all self explanatory ... just scroll down to the end of the image or at your original post.

Once you post your thread then you can type in the poll questions.

Hope this helps.

I had no oil consumption during break in ... I never exceeded 5,000 RPM during my break in period. Now at 7,300 KM no oil consumption to speak of I do not track my car.
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      01-11-2013, 11:27 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glockperfect View Post
It boggles my mind that some folks would spend $70k on a car and then ignore recommendations for driving in the first 1200 miles. Because, yea, they probably know a lot more about the engine than BMW's engineers...
I gotta agree with this statement but to each his own. My understanding is that the break-in oils are non-synthetic and not quite as friction reducing as the post break-in oils. I'm sure that the break-in oils have very good pour-point and pressure resistance numbers and also have most of the essential additives of a modern engine oil. They probably just allow a little more wear than the synthetics.
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      01-11-2013, 11:52 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CanAutM3 View Post
...my understanding is that the break-in oil should be changed before the engine is operated beyond the specified break-in limitations. The different composition of the break-in oil and any contaminants present (manufacturing residue) may have a negative impact on the engine.
That's what I understand, too.

Previous car I kept below 5500rpm for the first 1200 miles. I also refrained from WOT + short-shifting. It took a lot of restraint!

After 1200, I never had any issue of needing to replace oil (except once when the gasket on the oil cap got creased). Even after a hot track weekend. Not in the 32,000 miles before trading it in.
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      01-11-2013, 03:44 PM   #17
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Followed the break in procedure.

I've added half a quart Two times in the 3200 miles since the break in. The 2nd half quart was this morning. I just checked it last night and the car said the level was fine. Both times the car asked for oil, I was in the midst of +50 plus mile trips on the freeway. Also, the only 2 times I've traveled extensively on the freeway.
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      01-11-2013, 04:50 PM   #18
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Oil consumption is not related to break in. Abuse? Yes.

You'll abuse your piston rings and wear them out faster if you're revving the engine to high rpm without properly warming it up and allowing the oil to reach its optimal temperature. The higher you rev, the more friction, thus more wear you'll have in the piston ring. Engine oil, when at optimal temperature combats this and helps reduce the wear.

Build (manufacturing and assembly) tolerance, especially around the valve guides and piston rings, average operating temp of the engine as a percentage of the time it's on, PCV valve condition, main bearing seals, straightness of the cylinder, etc. all have much more to do with oil consumption than anything else. Engines have A TON of moving and mating parts, and anything that's mass produced is going to have some amount of tolerance. As special as the S65 is, it's still a mass produced engine (so are the AMG "assembled by hand" engines for those keeping score at home).

To make parts with zero tolerance is just short of impossible for anything that's mass produced. You'd reject most of the parts made and it would cost a fortunate and take too long. So there's manufacturing tolerance on each component, and then that tolerance compounds (known as tolerance buildup) when you mate all of these parts together. So it's enviable that some will have looser gaps and others will have tighter gaps.

Heck, even the alloys will vary slightly in their buildup. For instance, specs would state that 7075 Al is made up of 5-6% Zinc, and 2-3% of Magnesium, amongst other raw materials. Well, the coefficient of thermal expansion for 7075 might be assumed to be fixed, but it'll vary every so slightly based on the tolerance of the various raw materials that go into it. Is this enough to make a noticeable difference in an engine? Likely not, but it just point to the fact that it's another variable that can contribute to it. So take all of those variables, add them up, and you'll have some noticeable difference.

The fact is that all cars will consume oil. It's just that 1.) you don't have a very accurate way to measure the amount of oil that's actually in your engine at a given time, and 2.) if your driving style and other variables listed above contribute to a slowe consumption rate, you'll never notice it because by the time it would be noticeable, you'd have changed the oil already.

The old days of having tons of larger (relatively speaking) metal shavings in the engine that would score the rings and cylinder liners no longer exist. Yes, there are still microscopic bit and pieces and always will be, including regular dirt that gets past the air filter and deposits that are in the fuel. This is why we change the oil filter regularly.

In any case, you're engine is already run hard once or twice, before it ever gets into the car as part of any testing process.

I'm not debating whether you should follow the manufacturer's recommendation for break in, but I wouldn't conclude at all that it relates to oil consumption. Read up on the motoman method if you're really interested to learn more about different thought processes behind engine break in, at least about the theories behind them.
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      01-11-2013, 05:47 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glockperfect View Post
It boggles my mind that some folks would spend $70k on a car and then ignore recommendations for driving in the first 1200 miles. Because, yea, they probably know a lot more about the engine than BMW's engineers...
My previous Audi RS4, also a high revving V8, had similar recommendations and I ignored them too. Zero issues there also. The recommendations are there because a lot of people don't know how to do a proper break in, and there must be allowances for this. It is easy to tell people just to baby the car for a certain time period rather than tell them what really needs to be done for optimal performance.
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      01-11-2013, 06:03 PM   #20
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All engines are produced with a certain amount of slack built in around all moving components (piston rings, valve seats, guides etc) to account for thermal expansion of the metal

The higher the RPMS the engine sees the more metal wil wear and the more likely you are to consume oil.

I really struggle to understand all those who swear by red lining ALL the time in every gear. Just because the engine is designed to rev high doesnt mean living in the high rev zones wont have consquences.
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      01-11-2013, 06:20 PM   #21
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i followed break in to the letter changed oil at 1500 miles and basically every 7500 miles normally half to one quart for every 7500 miles especially when i drive at high speed for 1hour plus
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      01-11-2013, 06:28 PM   #22
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Sheesh...I take mine to the track and torture it and I stay at the highest mark on my oil level gauge.
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