Is it necessary to add engine break-in additives?
2 Answers
It is not necessary to add engine anti-wear additives. Here is the relevant information about adding break-in additives to engines: 1. Specific reasons: Because new cars may have just passed or not yet passed the break-in period, new cars at this stage are not suitable for using engine anti-wear additives. At this time, the car requires the driver to operate it correctly for proper vehicle break-in, allowing the vehicle to run more smoothly in the future. Using anti-wear additives at this stage is not only wasteful but may also make the vehicle dependent on them. 2. Precautions: Generally, only changing the engine oil and filter is necessary. If customers are asked to replace other things, they should be careful not to be deceived. The first maintenance is for new cars, and if too many things are replaced or added to a new car, one can imagine the quality of the car.
I've been driving for twenty or thirty years, from carburetor-equipped old cars to today's fuel-injected vehicles. In the early years, break-in additives were indeed popular, claiming to reduce engine wear and protect new components. However, modern engines are completely different from before—they undergo precision machining and testing at the factory, with metal surfaces already smooth. Adding break-in additives might actually leave residues that clog oil passages. The manufacturer's manual doesn't even mention this—it's purely an unnecessary expense. I trust regular oil changes with high-quality oil, like full synthetic, and driving gently on the highway for a few thousand kilometers to let parts settle in smoothly. Those break-in additives sound fancy, but they're really not worth the money.
