Break-in method

[r3n3g4d3]

Sorry if this is a repost, but I didn't see anything on this.

I read this article a while ago and wasn't sure what to think. It seems to make sense, however I have never heard anyone else recommend this method of breaking in an engine... What do you guys think? What about the initial oil/filter change intervals? Thanks

break-in secrets

 

[Terry]

I did the executive read on this but generally I agree. While motoring down the road full throttle acceleration from say 45mph to 55mph intermittantly will increase the pressure on the piston and rings resulting in a good seal.

Drive train needs a breakin also and thats why I'd stay below 60 or so for 1000 miles. No full throttle accel off the line.

Chrysler used to recommend the piston sealing technique in their owners manuals in the 60's and 70's. Now that they goosestep I'm not sure what Benz recommends

. Just kidding

 

[r3n3g4d3]

Hmmm, so its probably one of those things that has been that way for so long that no one can believe otherwise? I guess people just want to treat their new car nicely, but if this is the best way to break-in the engine, the definition of "nicely" should be changed

I think I'll have to start bugging one of my friends. He's into classic american musclecars and when I showed him that article he didn't think it could be right. But if I could get an old manual that recommended something like this maybe he'd change his mind

Neil

[ August 16, 2002, 11:38 AM: Message edited by: r3n3g4d3 ]

 

[r3n3g4d3]

Well d4mn, it was a repost, just not in the sections I look in... oh well

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=000013

 

[Judd]

I agree with it. The main points are numerous heat cycles and varying the rpm and load.
Basically, I just take it around and go to friends homes showing off the "new" toy. We get to yapping and the motor cools down, then crank it up and go to another friend house. Do that about 5-10 times in a couple of days, go back and forth to work a few times and you are done.
Between building motors, buying new cars and bikes I've broke in around 10-15 new or rebuilt motors with no problems yet. Main thing is to not let a "brand new" rebuilt motor idle below around 1500-2000rpm for any long period of time, the cam is the most important thing on a new motor.
When you buy a car or bike new, it's pretty much already "broke in".

 

[TomL]

hi guys, this is very interesting and I didn't even know about this until I read this site, found out that a LOT of other car literage people really didn't even know this either. But I'm wondering if this is really even possible since that site says the window of opportunity is within only 20 miles??? Don't even most "made to order" brand new cars have more than 20 miles on them? I was hoping to do this to the new focus my wife and I were planning to get shortly but I don't think it'd have < 20 miles on it.

A nice ring seal would be awesome though!

 

[alexiskai]

quote:

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Originally posted by TomL:
Don't even most "made to order" brand new cars have more than 20 miles on them?

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Not always. My new Toyota had 8 miles on it. But my first 12 miles were on small suburban roads where I couldn't redline, so looks like I'm screwed for life.

 

[Patman]

I've bought new cars with less than 6 miles on them.

 

[TomL]

Ok, that's a little ray of hope for my now

Anyone else?! Anyone buy a brand spankin new car with more then 20 miles on it? And what about that window of opportunity too? Would any of you M.E.'s out there argue it might go beyond a 20 mile window?

 

[Al]

I think the difference in miles when you buy the vehicle is the amount of miles the dealer puts on it. I bought a Toy Truck that had 4 miles on it and my Sentra had like 20. The dealer said they road test it for about that number.

[ November 18, 2002, 06:44 PM: Message edited by: Al ]

 

[Patman]

Al is right, it all depends on the situation. I've also bought brand new cars that had over 200 miles on them! My old 95 Trans Am for instance, it had 217 miles on it. Why? Because it was built in Sept 94 and I didn't buy it until Jan 96! It sat on the lot a long time and was definitely subjected to many test drives.

If you factory order a car (like I did twice) you often get the car with very few miles on it. Now that I think about it, I remember my 88 Dodge Shadow ES Turbo arrived with only 2 miles on it! I saw it come right off the truck, I drove it before they even had the chance to do their inspection on it (they did the inspection after they let me take it for a spin, with the plastic on the seats and everything!)

 

[TomL]

good points al and Pat. I guess if you were to purchase a "new" 2002 car off the lot now it would've already been way past that break-in point. So it sounds like if I REALLY want to get the good break-in seal on the rings that we WILL have to order the car. It's not extra to order your car right? My dad has worked for Ford for over 30 years too so I'd get a real nice discount anways!

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Patman]

Factory orders don't cost extra but you do have to wait longer. I waited 8 weeks for my Shadow and 11 weeks for my 98 Firebird Formula. Dealers try to discourage factory orders unless there is no car in stock at any dealer in the area. In both of those cases for me, I ordered at the very beginning of the model year and there were no cars (of any color) in any dealer's stock that they could give me. But in both cases I would have insisted on a factory order no matter what.

 

[Al]

In some cases you could get the car for less bc the dealer doesn't have to pay the finance charges as the vehicle sits there. Since a dealer makes money even at invoice (the 3%-varies- "holdback" + incentives.) You should be able to get the vehicle a couple hundred below invoice-again it depends. As Patmansays-you have to wait.

 

[MavRick]

I recently purchased a Ford Explorer and it had 30 miles on it when I took it for a test drive, and 40 when I drove it home. The good news is people who test drive tend to run it harder than normal to feel the power.

Also my brother was a Ford salesman and he was told that Ford breaks in the engines at the factory with 500 equivelent miles. Can anyone confirm this? I would normally be able to take his word on this, but you never know what kind of mis-information they tell sales people.

I remember my 1st or 2nd oil change on a '91 Explorer had a large metal shaving that came out, obviously left over from the machining process so getting that first oil out is a good idea.

 

[Al]

I think that is pretty much disinformation. The last information that I heard is that they had a set short course of about a mile where they drove the vehicle to the shipout area.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Well, if the answer to break-in is "Run it hard" as the article suggest, then I'm probably all set. My car had 380 miles when I bought it new, so it means it was test-driven for that long. Since it's a sporty sedan, I'm pretty sure that whoever test-drove it ran it pretty hard. However, I can't be sure that they let it warm up beforehand - most likely not.

In any case, I have 21K miles on it now, and haven't encountered any problems. Engine does not consume any oil.

[ December 18, 2002, 10:47 AM: Message edited by: Quattro Pete ]

 

[R1Rider]

I just purchased my new car with ONE Mile on it, it came off the truck and into my hands.
And yes I did the 20 mile full throtle vary the speed thing from its first mile.
My cars rings should be sealed better than most.
I changed the oil after 100 miles and yes it had glitter looking metal shavings it, I should have changed it sooner.

 

[hk33ka1]

Well the guys in the Oshawa GM truck plant are running them on dynos then doing a burnout before a mile or 2 drive to the parking lot.

 

[buster]

quote:

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I often recommend a procedure that can be done on the expressway by putting the trans in a manually selected lower gear so that the car is about 4500 RPM at 45-55 MPH. Full throttle up too 5500-6000 and then lift and allow engine braking back to 4500. Do this 10 times and then drive normally to cool things off. Repeat. Do this several times on several consequtive days. This is excellent for braking in the rings or exercising the rings on an older engine that might have carbon deposits restricting ring motion causing poor oil economy.

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I would love to see some data on those that broke in their engines using the method in quotes above, vs those that took it easy on their cars.