[blackasta]

I went through this article (admit that I jumped a couple of pages) and could not find anything specific for automatic transmission cars. My car manual suggests that during the first 1000 kms, I should rev between 2k-4k and vary the speed. I adhered to this 98% of the time (had fun for a couple of times )
Now that I have driven 1030 kms, my first service should be coming up in a week @ 1200 kms.
I have the following questions:

Do I change my engine oil + filter at first service? If yes, do I use full mineral or semi-synth oil?

Do I keep up the same driving restrictions for another 1000 kms (another month for me)?

Also, the car sometimes does 60 kmph effectively at 1800-2000 rpm after a good shift. Though I do not think this is bad (engine is not lugging) , does anyone have any comments on this?

thanks.

I own a 2009 Hyundai i10 Kappa Asta A/T.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by blackasta

Do I change my engine oil + filter at first service? If yes, do I use full mineral or semi-synth oil?

Yes! it is best if you changed the oil at the 1K mark. Gets rid of all the metal particles and other muck a new engine will produce. Change the oil and you will notice the difference. Stick to mineral for the time being.

Do I keep up the same driving restrictions for another 1000 kms (another month for me)?

You do not need to be conservative as you were during the 1st 1K kms. Just open her up gradually in increments as you move towards the 2K mark


Also, the car sometimes does 60 kmph effectively at 1800-2000 rpm after a good shift. Though I do not think this is bad (engine is not lugging) , does anyone have any comments on this?

It's an automatic. So don't worry about it. The ECU will manage the gear selection and therefore the engine RPM depending on a variety of factors.

thanks.

I own a 2009 Hyundai i10 Kappa Asta A/T.

Answers in line. Hope you find em helpful.

Cheers!

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by ImmortalZ

Honda and TATA provide run in instructions in their manuals. I'm not sure about any other manufacturers

Toyota has brief running-in instructions in the OM.

Rgds,

[Sawyer]

In your place, I would change the oil/filter, and stick to a good mineral, such as the Shell in the SL grade that the Hyundai folks now use for oil changes. Or, if you want the latest grade, Magnatec in SM grade is very good too. Personally, I think that anything more expensive than that is money better spent on fuel.
I drove an autobox CRV for 5 years, and I am not sure one can get the engine to lug, the autobox should not let it, by definition. And, after the oil change, I think you should be able to use the car without any worries. My experience of the 1.2 i 20 is that running in requirements are very nominal, the engine feels very free from day 1. So a 1000 kms run in followed by an oil change should be more than enough.
Enjoy the car!

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Answers in line. Hope you find em helpful.

Cheers!

thanks!
any suggestions for 5w20 or 5w30 mineral oil brand/make?

[Sawyer]

In India, I would always stick to a grade that goes up to 40, even if that means the bottom number is as high as 15. As it is in the case of the Shell mineral SL grade oil. Magnatec is 10w40 at SM grade, and is a better choice - but not by much. For my i 20, I had bought Magnatec not knowing that Hyundai a s s has now standardized on the Shell. In future, I will let Hyundai use their oil, it is not worth the bother to buy the Magnatec and give it to the garage.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

In India, I would always stick to a grade that goes up to 40, even if that means the bottom number is as high as 15. As it is in the case of the Shell mineral SL grade oil. Magnatec is 10w40 at SM grade, and is a better choice - but not by much. For my i 20, I had bought Magnatec not knowing that Hyundai a s s has now standardized on the Shell. In future, I will let Hyundai use their oil, it is not worth the bother to buy the Magnatec and give it to the garage.

So at the time of first service, should I just ask them to change the oil & filter? Or do I specifically mention the shell helix super 15w40 grade?

[Sawyer]

I would first make sure that the garage has moved to the Shell you refer, and then insist on the oil and filter change. Insist, because they will hesitate to, given that this is not the norm.
The Hyundai garage in Pune I use has switched to this Shell, with Hyundai posters endorsing it. I think the change happened when the Kappa engine was introduced, so by now I am pretty sure that the change has been carried out all over India, but best be sure.

[sridhar_setty]

Is this still applicable for new generation cars like Punto or Ritz. On these cars, there is no oil change required in first service...

[Sawyer]

I would do it for them too, as abundant caution that does not cost much, considering the possible benefit. In fact, I would do it for all cars except the very high end custom built ones that come with running in done already.
Maruti has stopped the 1000kms change for their K series engines, while still requiring this for the same engine series that powers the Punto diesel. I am not sure I understand the logic, and the cost of the oil/filter change is not enough to warrant taking a chance on that logic to save that one time spend.

[DieselFan]

Originally Posted by sridhar_setty

Is this still applicable for new generation cars like Punto or Ritz. On these cars, there is no oil change required in first service...

Whether new gen or old. Manufacturing technology has not drastically changed to have engines coming out perfecting run in from the factory. At this point in time all cars do need a run in time as well as change in engine oil IMO.

[sridhar_setty]

Originally Posted by DieselFan

Whether new gen or old. Manufacturing technology has not drastically changed to have engines coming out perfecting run in from the factory. At this point in time all cars do need a run in time as well as change in engine oil IMO.

I started looking for more information and official ones. Here is what I can see from their press release:

The Heart of the Ritz
The Ritz will be available with two different power-train options:
a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, 16-valve unit with maximum power of 85PS petrol engine (Superb fuel efficiency of 17.7 kmpl: Certified as per CMVR rule 115)
the successful 1.3-litre, Common Rail 16-valve diesel (DDiS) unit that delivers a maximum power of 75PS. (Excellent fuel efficiency of 21.1 kmpl: Certified as per CMVR rule 115)
The all-new K12M engine on the Ritz Petrol has been specifically designed for Indian applications. The BS-IV and OBD-1 compliant engine promises to be best in class fuel efficient, high performance, low emission, light weight, with lower NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness).
To make the all-aluminium engine lighter and more fuel efficient, high grade plastic parts have been extensively used. The skirt area of the piston has been shortened to reduce weight, which helps in lowering friction and enhance fuel efficiency.
Maruti Suzuki engineers worked as part of Suzuki’s engine teams for design, calibration and testing of the engine in Japan and in India. This is a step further in enhancing the engine development capability.


Some other salient features of the all-new K12M are:
Innovative rocker-less DOHC cam shaft, plastic intake manifold and offset crank shaft with low tension rings to reduce losses and improve fuel efficiency
Smart Distributor Less Ignition (SDLI) system with dedicated plug top coils, High pressure fuel system & advanced injectors for superior atomization to provide uniform and optimized combustion for better performance.
Optimized cylinder block, light piston and nut-less con rod for light weight configuration
Improved engine stiffness and use of advanced technology like silent timing chain to improve NVH characteristics
First engine oil change after 10,000 kms as against conventional 1,000 kms
Spark plugs first change at 40,000 kms as against conventional 20,000 kms

[Sawyer]

If you ask any manufacturing engineer from Maruti, he will admit to some discomfort about the dropping of the 1000kms oil change. Since other makes have discontinued this, marketing pressures force Maruti to fall in line. In a K series engine, regardless of what Maruti says, I would change out at 1000kms if I was going to keep the car for a long time.
Spark plug changes are easy to extend with technology, but to discontinue the 1000kms change calls for a transformation in the manufacturing processes, disciplines and achieving hospital class engine build environments. Not easy to do anywhere, and in India it is even more difficult.
PS: and I mean top class hospitals here!

[Gansan]

I am not from an Engg background, so can't comment about the technical process which enables the first oil change to be done at 10K KM. But IMO it can't harm to change the oil at the first 1000 KM and then at the intervals recommended by mfr, unless it is going to cost a LOT. Having done the first oil change after run-in for all my vehicles so far, I will feel uncomfortable not doing this. In fact I have a friend who changes the oil at the 1000/2500/5000 KM marks for his new car, before settling down to the regular intervals!

Even for the Alto, after the first recommended oil change at 1000 KM, Maruti recommends oil change once every 10K KM / 12 months. But I am not convinced, so will change the oil every six months even though my car will do hardly 3000 KM in the interval. To be cost effective, I have chosen a good mineral oil from Shell, the price of which is comparable to the MGO used at MASS.

BTW, the recommended drain interval for the oil used in my bike (Hero Honda 4T+, 10W30 SJ / Jaso MA) is 6000 KM. But the HHASS people still recommend to change it during every service irrespective of KM, which I think is good. They may have their motives, but I will give them the benefit of doubt!

[tsk1979]

In Safari manufacturer recommends first oil change at 15000 in the OM. I changed at 7500, but inspite of hill driving, the oil had maintained its viscosity and texture, and it looked perfectly usable.
Modern engines have much better tolerance levels, and the machining is also much more precise nowadays.
So probably 10 years back the damage due to not running in would be greater than now, but still, to be on the safe side, do not rev your engine above 50% of the rev limit, or max 60%