Brand new Toyota engine... What's best method of break in?

[IBJanky]

Buying a 2006 Scion xB very soon. It has the 1.5L 1NZ-FE engine

Should I follow what the manual says?

Or should I run it hard? (per MototuneUSA's recommendation)
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I'm going to be keeping this car for at least 7-10 years, so I want the engine to be broken in properly and for the piston ring seals to seat well

I'm torn between the two methods

Your thoughts?

 

[buster]

No need to break it in any particular way. Engines today don't need special break-ins IMO. Just vary the rpms as much as possible the first 500 miles. I think that is most important.

 

[benjamming]

This bucket of worms is as big as synthetic vs. dino. You'll get good reasons from both sides of the camp. Do what will make you sleep better at night.

 

[427Z06]

Follow what the manual says.

 

[Drew99GT]

quote:

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Originally posted by benjamming:
This bucket of worms is as big as synthetic vs. dino. You'll get good reasons from both sides of the camp. Do what will make you sleep better at night.

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I agree. Most likely, the engine was run in hard at the factory to seat the rings properly. For a motor rebuilt or put in in your garage, then a break in where you accelerate several times in a higher gear is recomended in every service manual I've ever seen.

 

[JHZR2]

drive it light, no over 55-60 for the first 1000 miles. Change the oil at 7500, then at 15k, change to M1 10w-30.

My father's 94 previa now has 195k, and has not needed a thing except tires, brake pads and a radiator. and drives and even the AT shifts like new. UOAs are super low at 13k mile OCIs... the engine just isnt wearing, and we exceed EPA estimates.

Good enough proof for me as to how to break in a toyota engine.

JMH

 

[GarrettSocling]

I did the gradual increase in RPM on my new 1ZZ-FE (a few hard accelerations when I first picked it up, then nothing over 3000 RPM for like 200 miles, nothing over 4000 RPM before 500 miles, etc etc). Throw in a dozen or so of WOT, a couple downhills in third around constant 3500 RPM, etc etc.

At 13,000 current miles, doesn't burn a drop over a 5000 mile period (at least, I don't see any difference on the dipstick).

 

[Starbreaker666]

here we go! =)

Drive it easy for oh... About 5 seconds. I would follow that motousa link. Infact I have been all my driving life with out ever reading that website. A few WOT bursts between 30mph and 60mph is good for a motor. And I change that first OCI at 500 miles to get that crap outta there...

 

[MarkC]

Just drive it.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I do not know if it matter's one way or the other!! I traditionaly broke them in easy when that was an option! Now I have tried the Motune procedure with my 03 Camry and to date it has only used oil one time and it was limited to a 1/4 of a quart. It used that 1/4 of a quart the first time I ran synthetic in it. It does not matter if I do a 3500 mile OCI or a 7500 mile OCI it never drops on the dipstick at all!!

I think Motune's ideas make a lot of sense on import engines useing low tension rings with low friction designs and supior materials like moly rings and coated pistons etc......I also think they make good snse on some domestic engines like the Ford Modular V8's and DaimlerChryslers 4.7V8 and 3.7V6!

A lot but not all of bikers and racers strongly belive in the agressive break in recomended by MotuneUSA. You also see a lot of trucking company's loading the heck out of new trucks right away and sending them on hard routes like hilly or moutainious terrain from the get go!

P.S. WHen was the last time you saw a Farmer being gentel to a tractor? They put them to work from day 1!

 

[puggiesv8]

As soon as the starter starts its broken in! never baby it ,but it does get abused!

 

[simple_gifts]

quote:

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Originally posted by JHZR2:
drive it light, no over 55-60 for the first 1000 miles. Change the oil at 7500, then at 15k, change to M1 10w-30.

JMH

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Change interval is 5K for this engine, but a good plan IMHO. This was my breakin regime for my echo, now at about 73K miles, no oil loss during 10K intervals.

 

[Truck&Cycle]

When I picked up my new V-6 Tacoma a few weeks ago, the oil on the dipstick was clear as a bell.

150 miles later it showed clear signs of a color change to dark.

I changed the oil with Casterol 10W-30 and now at 450 miles I struggle to see the oil level on the stick, it is that clear.

If you do nothing more, get the factory oil out early. How can it do harm and it, as the Moto-Man says, may do a world of good.

 

[sands]

As soon as you get it do a few very brief runs up to 75% of redline...For example if it redlines at say 10 g's then accelerate up to 7,500 and immediately let off..Just touch the target rpm for a fraction of a second and let off...After a few of these drive normal and avoid driving at a constant rpm...Keep it varied.

Avoid lugging of any kind if you have a manual transmission...Say for instance like shifting into a high gear trying to maintain a certain speed while trying to keep the rpms low..Big no no...Avoid lugging for any reason.


I'd get the factory fill oil out of there as soon as possible...If it were me I'd chnage it at about 200 miles with a good dino (because of the expense of short OCI's and synthetic) to get metal particles out that may not be caught by the filter...12 bucks is cheap insurance to keep it clean in there..Change it again at 1,000 with a good dino and leave it in for 3,000..At 4,000 change to your favorite synthetic and enjoy longer OCI's.

I've broken in alot of motorcycles and rebuilds this way, although a bit more aggressive for motorcycles than what I described above and a bit more structured than what the motoman website suggests but the results match exactly with what is said on his website...You can actually see the difference in what the pistons look like by proper break in.

 

[BlazerLT]

Go out and make 3 half throttle acceleration runs up to 80mph from 20mph and then do 3 3/4 throttle runs to the same speed from 20mph.

Take it home and change the oil immediately.

 

[Ray H]

Romp that puppy HARD! Don't change out the factory-fill oil and filter until 15,000 miles have rolled up. The break-in procedure in the owner's manual? Ignore it - what do Toyota's engineers know about engines, anyway?! Always blindly trust information off the internet from unknown sources whose expertise you cannot possibly determine and who couldn't give a rat's behind about you and your silly little mouse-motor anyway. 7-10 years' ownership? Get real - who keeps a car that long except wheezing old fogies without a life?

 

[2004 F150 4x4]

Ray H, Why are you here?

Go stick your head back in your owners manual. There you will find all you will ever need to know about your car.

 

[LubeOiler]

If you do city driving try to get it warmed up atleast and don't lug the engine. If you drive for extended periods vary your speeds to help seat the rings I guess.If the Masters of the Machine tell you its not needed then run it hard! Drain out the early OCI due to wear and when you get a Oil report or two you will know when to start extending the oci or switch to Amsoil.

 

[Ray H]

quote:

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Originally posted by 2004 F150 4x4:
Ray H, Why are you here?

Go stick your head back in your owners manual. There you will find all you will ever need to know about your car.

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On second thought, my initial response to 2004 F150 4X4 was over the top and unnecessary. No point in starting a war - I'm not even sure he really understood the point I was trying to make with my off-the-wall humor and sarcasm. On the other hand if 2004 F150 just flat-out disagrees with me and factory advice, he's certainly entitled to.

(Drew99, you might want to consider appending your message below to get this thread back on track.)

[ July 26, 2005, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[Drew99GT]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ray H:

quote:

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Originally posted by 2004 F150 4x4:
Ray H, Why are you here?

Go stick your head back in your owners manual. There you will find all you will ever need to know about your car.

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I rest my case - you've made my point better than I could ever hope to. (Guess where you can stick your head . . .

)

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OMG, *****!!

Sarcasm is good.

Back on topic, I would just do what the manual says. Can someone more knowledgeable fill us in as to whether an engine is broken in "hard" at the factory? I'd imagine they do a similar procedure described above in the motorcycle link.