I just finished up replacing the head gaskets in my truck and I'm wondering how long I should wait to do the first oil change. I replaced the oil pump and timing chain while I was at it and cleaned the inside of the pan and valve covers. I know I missed some stuff on the final cleaning, there is really no way to get it all. I also had assembly lube and grease on some components and an oil pump full of vasoline. I imagine it shouldn't be left full of that mix of stuff for too long but I want to make sure all the extra "stuff" inside the engine is flushed off by the oil before I change it out. I filled it up with Rotella conventional to start. Anybody have any recommendations?

 

the vasoline and assembly lube will break down, but they used to use 500 miles as a number for new engines, but that was a while ago.

 

It doesn't matter. Go for the usual oil change.

 

This is not a new engine. It is the same engine with new head gaskets.

Vasoline and assembly lube are both miscible with engine oil, and indeed are extracts of the same refining process.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I know this is not a new engine so my only concern was all of the little pieces of sludge that I missed, tiny gasket bits and the Vaseline but if that's not an issue I'll run with it for a while. The filter should catch most of it I guess.