My dealer said to bring the car in for its first ever oil change at 3000 miles. He said not to change the oil before then b/c the oil (quote from the dealer) "....has special detergents in it that aid in the break in process".

I have my friend DavidM telling me that he had his first S2000 service at 1000kms (600miles) in Australia. For every new car I've owned while I lived in Australia, the first ever oil change WAS always at 1000kms.

What gives? What is the correct thing to do? I haven't checked the manual yet, but 3000 miles for the first change seems a little too long with all that residue from the engine after brand new.

Wouldn't you WANT to change the oil (and filter) at 600 miles so that you could avoid as many contaminants from circulating in the engine? Is it ok to change the oil and filter after only 600 miles?

Confused......

 

Yes, the oil in the engine now is some sort of break-in oil. All the dealers here gave me the same info. Check your oil, regularly, there probably won't be much of the original oil left to change as it burns oil through the first few thousand miles. (so keep adding oil...you may have to ask the dealer for the "break-in blend" if they have any) Anyways, I ended up topping the oil off every week with 10w30 Castrol until I hit 3000 and promptly changed the oil. I am sure others on the board will have even better info for you. (I always changed my other Hondas out at 1000 miles and then again every 3k)

 

I'm not so sure about the "special detergents" answer, sounds like simple indoctination to me. However, I would still go against your instincts to baby your car and wait the full 3K for the first oil change. Engine break in is an unusual time where you actually expect, and want, a certain amount of wear. Though I understand your desire to minimize that wear, you are most likely NOT doing your baby any favors by preventing it in this case.

An example is my friend who just got an Audi S4 not that long ago. The service intervals for this car were VERY specific, and Audi paid for them all for the first 2 services just to make sure they were done properly. The first oil change was not to be until 7000 miles with the original factory lubricant. At that oil change, they replaced the oil with some wierd mineral oil that they only wanted in for 3000 miles. They then flushed the engine and put normal oil in and he was free to do whatever (mind you this is all from memory but it was something like this). My friend did not believe this maintenance schedule, so they took him to their Master Technician so that he could try to explain it to him, and essentially "beg" that he follow the specified routine. He was convinced.

I'll agree that often times service intervals are determined more as selling features (read the Chevy Malibu with no maintenance required for "100,000 miles"), but I'd trust the suggested first interval in this case.

Clark
'01 Spa Yellow/Black

 

You will find numerous threads on the subject. Since I have seen no written documentation from Honda in Japan (or even American Honda), I changed my oil according to the book at about 3000 miles.

I believe very little I hear at the dealership. There are rumors of break-in oil or additives. Nothing documented.

 

http://www.s2000fans.com/faqs/faq_oilchange.php

 

And just who do you attribute that to? Don't believe everything you read on the internet!

 

Correct. It was only information posted on S2Ki's FAQ section. I do not have the original source to verify the authenticity of the advice.

Only non-internet related information specific to the S2K I have is from the manual. Honda's maintenance schedule recommends oil at 7.5k and filter at 15k for normal conditions and both at 3.75k for severe conditions. In the section on the break-in period, they do specifically say not to change the oil until the recommended time or mileage.

I recall a discussion on a break-in additive to the oil in one of the #4 piston problem threads. However, I do not have an official source to back up its existence.

I would welcome any official advice if something needs to be done differently as I will also be approaching my first change.

 

Went through the #4 problem thread again and there was only speculation of molybdenum being used in assembly.

 

Interesting, it's very different here in Oz. Here the S2000 is filled in with 'special' oil for the 1st 1000km (600 miles) and then (when you hit 1000km) you take the car to the dealer to replace the oil and check the car over to make sore that all is in order. That 'declares' the car 'run-in'. That makes sence and I'd still say that is a 'better' way to do it than wait 'till 3000miles. If there's any residude floating in your oil then the last thing you want is for that to float in your engine for 3000miles - that'll just do damane. Washing out the residue ASAP makes a lot more sence to me. Also, if there's any fault in the engine then you want it to be picked up ASAP, not after 3000miles (this could be the reason for those #4 cylinder problems in States - maybe they could be picked up/detered earlier).

Also, if you have to wait for the 1st oil-change for 3000miles, but you're alowed to drive the car 'anyway you want' (ie. VTEC) after 600miles, then why wait the 600miles in the 1st place? If there's some 'residue' floating in your oil after the 600miles then it will be there until 3000miles - it's not gonna dissapear until your oil is replaced. It makes no sence, either rev the car as hard as you like from the point of delivery or 'run it in' until the 1st service. 600miles alone does not have any 'magical' property that will make your engine run-in or OK. What makes it run in is 'babying' the engine until the 1st oil change. Usually 600 miles is concidered good time for this.

Here in Oz, we have the 1st service (which is free btw) at 1000km (600 miles) and then if you run the car hard you should get your oil replaced every 5000km (3000miles). So at 3000 miles we already have the 2nd service and been runing 2400miles (4000km) on 'clean' oil that has at the 'brake-in residude weashed out.

I'm no Honda technician so I have no idea what Honda's motives are here, but what seems odd to me is that the procedure is different in the States to what it is here.

 

Stretch the oil change to 7500 miles. Let the pistons, valves, etc. get well seated. (Honda basically recommends it)

Nobody drives the car hard enough to warrant a change at 600 miles let alone 3000.

I made the mistake of putting in a "low resitance" oil with molybdinum disulfide in it in a newly reworked Rolls-Royce PII engine (7.4L 6 cylinder); and it took over 7500 miles just to get the engine to stop using oil.

You will find that the engine in the S2000 does use oil intially. @2500 miles it may need up to a quart!