Ditto.
Easy Engine Break-In - Who?
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We followed the manufacturers recommendations when we bought our 96 Cherokee new. Now at 140K it uses NO oil and runs like new. It currently gets worked pretty hard-sometimes pulls a boat or enclosed trailer.
DOdge recomends hard or brisk acceleration runs to help break the engine in. All the OEM's redline the engine before it leaves the plant. THe plant drivers drive them like they stole them out to the storage area. Commercial engines are put into service right away. Tractors are put to work right away, race motors are dynoed which means redlined. So what am I missing here? IF OEM do it to your car or truck before you buy it what are you afraid of?
No one has answered why we do not see the AUtobahn littered with cars from being driven home from the dealership on the autobahn?
I followed Motuneusa on break-in on my Camry and so far in 20,000 miles it has used a 1/4 quart total! It only did it once and it happened the first and only time I ran Redline 5W40 in it!
Tadays engines are not at all like they were 15 years ago. Now tapered low tension rings,surface coating, better surface finish, better meterial and better tolerance control all mean less break-in is needed for the engine! Look at all the UOA we have of imports with single digit numbers at the 1000-5000 mile mark!
It does indeed take much longer for gearing especialy ring and pinion gears to break in! I have often in the past mentioned this when this topic comes up! I have often mentioned that I belived that speed and load restrictions were more for the ring and pinion to breakin then they ever were for the engine!
If one follows motuneusa's recomendations you should be able to break in the engine in less then 20 miles and with out hurting your ring and pinon at all especialy if you have a manual transission!
No one has answered why we do not see the AUtobahn littered with cars from being driven home from the dealership on the autobahn?
I followed Motuneusa on break-in on my Camry and so far in 20,000 miles it has used a 1/4 quart total! It only did it once and it happened the first and only time I ran Redline 5W40 in it!
Tadays engines are not at all like they were 15 years ago. Now tapered low tension rings,surface coating, better surface finish, better meterial and better tolerance control all mean less break-in is needed for the engine! Look at all the UOA we have of imports with single digit numbers at the 1000-5000 mile mark!
It does indeed take much longer for gearing especialy ring and pinion gears to break in! I have often in the past mentioned this when this topic comes up! I have often mentioned that I belived that speed and load restrictions were more for the ring and pinion to breakin then they ever were for the engine!
If one follows motuneusa's recomendations you should be able to break in the engine in less then 20 miles and with out hurting your ring and pinon at all especialy if you have a manual transission!
John, please read what I am saying. You don't have to break it in any particular way. IF they redline it before it leaves the plant, then it doesn't matter either way. Point is, those that don't follow your advice or MotortuneUsa still have cars/trucks that run perfectly normal. That guy is a whack job. You do NOT have to drive it like you stole it, but it won't hurt if you do.
I'd like to hear from those who have 150-200,000 miles on their engine who drove it like they stole it. The last time I asked the question there were no answers as of 2 years ago. ed
I've been to a GM and Ford plant and I saw engines being run easy to check for leaks and oil pressure checks only. They do once in a while take an engine off the assembly line and do brief full load tests to ascertain that the production line is getting it correct. Red line every motor? in your dreams. ed
I babied both my new motors in my 740. The original motor lasted 283K with the boost doubled and driven very hard. Still it only used about 1/2 quart of dino between 3K OCI's. Replaced due to a rod knock. The new motor has 38K on it running Mobil 1 10W30 from day one. It uses zero oil in between it's 5K OCI.
From my 1997 Volvo 960's owners manual
quote:A new car should be broken-in!
Refrain from utilizing your car's full driving potential during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km).
Automatic transmission
Do not use "kick-down" during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km).
From my 1987 740 Volvo owners manual
quote:
A new car should be broken-in!
Refrain from utilizing your car's full acceleration during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km).
Automatic transmission
Do not use "kick-down" during the First 1200 miles (2000 km).
Manual transmission
Do not exceed following speeds:*
First 600 miles(1,000 km) 600-1,200 miles (1,000-2,000 km)
Gear mph km/h mph km/h
first 18 30 25 40
second 30 50 45 70
third 50 80 60 100
fourth 70 110 80 130
overdrive 80 130 90 150
*These are the maximum speeds recommended by the factory. Note that legislation in different countries and states can stipulate maximum speeds other than those given here.
[ March 29, 2005, 11:05 PM: Message edited by: ALS ]
From my 1997 Volvo 960's owners manual
quote:A new car should be broken-in!
Refrain from utilizing your car's full driving potential during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km).
Automatic transmission
Do not use "kick-down" during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km).
From my 1987 740 Volvo owners manual
quote:
A new car should be broken-in!
Refrain from utilizing your car's full acceleration during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km).
Automatic transmission
Do not use "kick-down" during the First 1200 miles (2000 km).
Manual transmission
Do not exceed following speeds:*
First 600 miles(1,000 km) 600-1,200 miles (1,000-2,000 km)
Gear mph km/h mph km/h
first 18 30 25 40
second 30 50 45 70
third 50 80 60 100
fourth 70 110 80 130
overdrive 80 130 90 150
*These are the maximum speeds recommended by the factory. Note that legislation in different countries and states can stipulate maximum speeds other than those given here.
[ March 29, 2005, 11:05 PM: Message edited by: ALS ]
My dad always told me, "drive it like your going to drive it".
I don't run them hard, but I don't run them easy either - just normal.
Out of 4 new cars, not one of them has been an oil burner (Dodge Ram, Mitsu Eclipse, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Ford Ranger).
It has to be hard to stay at 55 MPH. Here in Dallas, people would run you over!
I don't run them hard, but I don't run them easy either - just normal.
Out of 4 new cars, not one of them has been an oil burner (Dodge Ram, Mitsu Eclipse, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Ford Ranger).
On the street it would be almost impossible to break one in hard, too many stop and go's, people in front of you etc. Even at 70mph merges into the freeway your only holding the rpms in each gear for a few seconds, nothing compared to track or racing conditions.
Experience I've had with new 600cc sportbikes that are raced at the track from mile zero, they ALL burn oil when they are "dumped" at the end of the season (if they don't get crashed). The same models in the hands of the street crowd (even if they think they are ricky racers and run em hard) don't experience this early oil usage. The litre class bikes are so ******* fast that it takes a long time to even get the rings to seat on the street, you just plain can't ride them hard and stay alive. Oil usuage for the 1st 10000 miles can be somewhat normal.
Modern auto's? IMO, just drive em as you normally would. Consider two of the fastest types of autos made: company cars, and rental cars. We all know how they get broke in! LOL. From what I've seen they are no worse for wear than any other used vehicle of the same age/miles?
Experience I've had with new 600cc sportbikes that are raced at the track from mile zero, they ALL burn oil when they are "dumped" at the end of the season (if they don't get crashed). The same models in the hands of the street crowd (even if they think they are ricky racers and run em hard) don't experience this early oil usage. The litre class bikes are so ******* fast that it takes a long time to even get the rings to seat on the street, you just plain can't ride them hard and stay alive. Oil usuage for the 1st 10000 miles can be somewhat normal.
Modern auto's? IMO, just drive em as you normally would. Consider two of the fastest types of autos made: company cars, and rental cars. We all know how they get broke in! LOL. From what I've seen they are no worse for wear than any other used vehicle of the same age/miles?
Both my 02 Ranger and 03 Cavlier were bought new by me and both were driven normally during break-in. Not babied, but not driven hard, just normal driving like we do every day. Neither one uses any oil during a 4K interval and both use 5w30 or sometimes 5w20 in the Ford.
I always "driver her like I don't like her but NOT like I hate her."
1700 miles on my '04 Monte Carlo SC SS already changed the oil once and it bunrs nothing. That that it shows anyways.
1700 miles on my '04 Monte Carlo SC SS already changed the oil once and it bunrs nothing. That that it shows anyways.
When my wife bought her car, new, she was not aware of the term “break-in” (this was before she met me). She didn’t know about it until we finally bought a new car together and I was all worried about proper break in. She thought I was crazy and even asked some one her male co-workers about break-in. He’s a little bit of a car guy and he confirmed my thoughts, which comforted my wife a bit. Anyways, I digress. Here is the main point:
Her car will hit 100,000 miles before its next oil change and it maybe burns a couple ounces between changes. I’ve never had to add oil.
Her car will hit 100,000 miles before its next oil change and it maybe burns a couple ounces between changes. I’ve never had to add oil.
From break in through ownership,treat it like you want it to treat you.Plus with today's gas prices if you're driving like ya stole it then you might be coming from your last bank heist for all the gas money..
1996 Saturn SL2
1.9L DOHC 124HP Engine
Gently broken-in at 45-55 mph for 800 miles.
Currently has about 80,500 miles.
Used mainly for city driving, burns about 1.5-2 quarts of Havoline 5w-30 within a 5K period.
Michael
1.9L DOHC 124HP Engine
Gently broken-in at 45-55 mph for 800 miles.
Currently has about 80,500 miles.
Used mainly for city driving, burns about 1.5-2 quarts of Havoline 5w-30 within a 5K period.
Michael
Take it easy for the first 500 miles and gradually increase your shift rpm's. At 800 to 1000 miles, start loading the engine with some hard driving . Change the oil very 2000 miles until you have about 8000 miles and then start using synthetic. Driving too hard in the begining will cause the honing cross hatches in the cylinder walls to bend instead of wearing down and glaze the cylinder walls and make the engine an oil burner. Not driving hard enough after 1000 miles will not let the pistons expand enough to fit the cylinder walls tight enought to set the engine and will also result in a oil burner, but that is not as bad as driving it too hard too soon. Proper break in and oil changes are still important to the future longevity and performance of your engine.
BTW, first oil/filter change was done at 1700 miles exact, then every 3-4K thereafter up until the 40K mark, before my dad developed a bad habit of not changing the oil for 7-8K for a few times.quote:
Originally posted by Michael Wan:
1996 Saturn SL2
1.9L DOHC 124HP Engine
Gently broken-in at 45-55 mph for 800 miles.
Currently has about 80,500 miles.
Used mainly for city driving, burns about 1.5-2 quarts of Havoline 5w-30 within a 5K period.
Michael
But the funny thing about this car is that, I recall checking the oil around the 4K mark (2.3K after the first oil change) and having to add about 1/4 quart of oil to the engine.
Michael
buster, I am going to change my drive it like you just stole it saying as too many people take me literal on that and do not understand what I truely mean! I simply mean that you need to driveit slightly harder then normal to force the rings against the bores!
I have done it both way easy and somewhat hard and I have not had oil consuption in any of my vechiles. I think the fact that they were Toyota's might help some. The Dodge had 110 miles on it so I know the dealership was driveing the snot out of it!
I think that in modern engine designs useing modern materials and surface finish's from the OEM motuneusa has the right idea. In a reman or rebuild or in Domestic designs that crap all over them selfs an easy breakin might make sense. I am not really changeing my view so much as modifying it to be more flexable for engine like most of GM's. If you look at the wear trend from a GM power plant and compare it to a Toyota,Honda,Audi or Dodge 4.7 you see a very different trend. It would be silly of me to recomend the same brake in method for both types of break in patterns or trends.
I think that the more refined the materials,design and surface finish's are the more agressive the break in needs to be. I have noticed that the best engine DC has in the N.America has a wear pattern much like a Toyota and useing very high grade material and surface finish's were it counts(3.7V6 and 4.7V8)! It makes sense that they also recomend hard acceleration runs to help it break in!
What we might do is have everyone with consuption issues state how they broke it in? How many miles they went before the first oil change? What viscosity of oil was most often used? We might be able to detect a trend based on engine design,type and break in method for future recoemndations!!!
I have done it both way easy and somewhat hard and I have not had oil consuption in any of my vechiles. I think the fact that they were Toyota's might help some. The Dodge had 110 miles on it so I know the dealership was driveing the snot out of it!
I think that in modern engine designs useing modern materials and surface finish's from the OEM motuneusa has the right idea. In a reman or rebuild or in Domestic designs that crap all over them selfs an easy breakin might make sense. I am not really changeing my view so much as modifying it to be more flexable for engine like most of GM's. If you look at the wear trend from a GM power plant and compare it to a Toyota,Honda,Audi or Dodge 4.7 you see a very different trend. It would be silly of me to recomend the same brake in method for both types of break in patterns or trends.
I think that the more refined the materials,design and surface finish's are the more agressive the break in needs to be. I have noticed that the best engine DC has in the N.America has a wear pattern much like a Toyota and useing very high grade material and surface finish's were it counts(3.7V6 and 4.7V8)! It makes sense that they also recomend hard acceleration runs to help it break in!
What we might do is have everyone with consuption issues state how they broke it in? How many miles they went before the first oil change? What viscosity of oil was most often used? We might be able to detect a trend based on engine design,type and break in method for future recoemndations!!!
I like to follow both sides of the fence.
Don't run it rediculously hard, but don't baby it either.
Avoid using cruise control at all costs, and always vary the rpm as much as possible THROUGH THE ENTIRE REV RANGE.
Avoid hard stops and stops. But vary that rpm!
I think what some people tend to forget, is your not just breaking in the engine on a new car...your breaking in the transmission, the differential, the suspension, the braking system, the electronics...etc etc.
Don't run it rediculously hard, but don't baby it either.
Avoid using cruise control at all costs, and always vary the rpm as much as possible THROUGH THE ENTIRE REV RANGE.
Avoid hard stops and stops. But vary that rpm!
I think what some people tend to forget, is your not just breaking in the engine on a new car...your breaking in the transmission, the differential, the suspension, the braking system, the electronics...etc etc.
I dunno if oil consumption is the best way to judge a proper break-in. Some engines are designed to burn a bit oil, where do they fit-in? I took my 2002 A4 to the Tri-Oval at Nazerath Speedway with an Audi instructor when my car was only a week to 10 days old. Fun it was and I beat the snot out of it.
Zero consumption.
Good post crossbow, I agree. Point I was trying to make is that cars don't need a special break-in today and that if you did break it in easy, your fine. I would agree that keeping the rpms varied is the most important. I don't think you need to floor it in the first 20 minutes.
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