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Hey Dan, do you know exactly what kind of oil is being put in the Caliber motors from the factory?DodgeInfoCenter said:Every vehicle we sell requires a proper break-in period for optimal engine life, including ALL SRT vehicles. Here is the exact wording from page 59 of the Caliber Owners Manual.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in your new vehicle. Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km). After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or 55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration, within the limits of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in. Wide open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detrimental and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a high quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil changes should be consistent with anticipated climate conditions under which vehicle operations will occur. A new engine may consume some oil during its first few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This should be considered as a normal part of the break-in and not interpreted as an indication of difficulty.
Dan
I'm wondering because I always run synthetic oil as soon as I take delivery. However it has recently come to my attention (see this thread at TheCarLounge.net http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2515790&page=1 ) that doing so may compromise the motor... or it may not. It looks like it may depend upon what happens at the factory.
How long is it recommended that the factory oil be left in the motor before synthetic is put in?
Will using synthetic too early harm the break-in period?
Is there any sort of precautions to take before using synthetic?
Thanks!