JB, that was in my 94 Dakota owner's manual, and in my 97 Neon owner's manual as well. Too late for the Neon, it was driven in from another state & had 186 miles on the clock at delivery. If I ever get a brand new car again, or have a freshly rebuilt engine, I'll do exactly as the website says.
Oh Man, Let the Flaming Begin
- Thread starter nicrfe1370
- Start date
- Status
I can't say that I have run them hard but I drive it from the start just like I normally would. I do not take it easy at all, never have and never will. I have taken many cars from the lot to the interstate and put 1000 miles on them in one weekend travleing to home and back to the project. Never had a problem.
Note that most every high-performance MFR (including Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW M, Mercedes-Benz AMG, lots more) hot-run each and every engine on a dyno to ensure it makes rated power - or better.
So babying such a vehicle makes little sense, as it has already been ridden quite hard.
So babying such a vehicle makes little sense, as it has already been ridden quite hard.
WOT, yes! From a standing start, no!
Rolling, from 15 mph (or higher).
After a few of those, let the car rest awhile.
(Among other details)
Rolling, from 15 mph (or higher).
After a few of those, let the car rest awhile.
(Among other details)
Kestas
Staff member
I always thought an engine was broken in to develop a diffuse ridge pattern at the top of the cylinder by varying one's speed. This was to prevent a sharp ridge formed by babying an engine, only to have the rings break during WOT by running into the ridges.
Sounds like BS to me. I've taken the opposite approach with excellent results on both cars and motorbikes: waiting until after the 1st oil change before romping on them. This leads me to believe that the whole issue is just a red herring and breakin just isn't that important anymore. It's much ado about nothing.
Because of that, I'll still continue to break in nicely because it gives a chance for other parts like tires, brake linings and differential gears to heat cycle and seat properly.
But the advice in that article definitely will NOT work for small (2-10cc) R/C aircraft engines. These need to be really babied when new with a super rich A/F ratio, else they will suffer from drastically reduced life, losing compression with less than 50 hours of operation (ask me how I know that
[ July 02, 2003, 01:47 PM: Message edited by: MRC01 ]
Hmmmm...I don't know what to say. When I bought my car it already had 16 miles on the clock. If the procedure stated is true, then I really hope whoever drove my car before me drove it somewhat hard (which is very possible since it's a Z28). I did get on it at about 400 miles or so.
Also, we might owe and apology to those brave souls who load our brand new vehicles into ships and trains at the factories for transportation to their final destinations, as it is almost guaranteed that: 1-They drive it hard since it isn't theirs; 2-They could care less about breaking in YOUR new car.
Rick
Also, we might owe and apology to those brave souls who load our brand new vehicles into ships and trains at the factories for transportation to their final destinations, as it is almost guaranteed that: 1-They drive it hard since it isn't theirs; 2-They could care less about breaking in YOUR new car.
Rick
The initial break-in is usually done at the factory on cars at least. After doing some work at a honda plant, I have no doubt that the workers break the rings in before they leave the plant....LOL. I have a couple SBC's and I have always just fired them up, adjusted the timing and idle mixture, checked for leaks and cooling problems, then held them to 3500 rpm for 20 minutes. After which I changed the oil, and have never had any problems with the engines in question.
I tend to agree. Running hard is fine if you need to seat just piston rings and nothing else. The problem is you still need to break in bearings, cam lobes, etc., and on a new vehicle, transmission, differential, wheel bearings, etc., etc. I follow the manufacturer's recommended easy break-in procedures. Everything else on your new vehicle will thank you for it.quote:
Originally posted by MRC01:
Sounds like BS to me. I've taken the opposite approach with excellent results on both cars and motorbikes: waiting until after the 1st oil change before romping on them. This leads me to believe that the whole issue is just a red herring and breakin just isn't that important anymore. It's much ado about nothing.
Because of that, I'll still continue to break in nicely because it gives a chance for other parts like tires, brake linings and differential gears to heat cycle and seat properly.
But the advice in that article definitely will NOT work for small (2-10cc) R/C aircraft engines. These need to be really babied when new with a super rich A/F ratio, else they will suffer from drastically reduced life, losing compression with less than 50 hours of operation (ask me how I know that).
As the saying goes "the world may never know" the best break-in method. Having worked for over 25 years for one of the "big-3" automakers in an engine manufacturing plant, dimensionally monitoring machining processes,I thought I would add this thought: No matter how hard we try, once in a while a bad one slips through. It may only be a scratch in one cyl bore, a little nick in a camshaft, a crank journal out-of-round, a partially plugged oil galley, what ever. The point is that this engine won't break in like another one, no matter what procedure you follow.
Regrettably, that one engine may influence 10 or more peoples' impression of oils, dealers, vehicle brands,etc.
Regrettably, that one engine may influence 10 or more peoples' impression of oils, dealers, vehicle brands,etc.
continuing; one plant I worked in 20 years ago produced a diesel. every motor was hot tested consisting of hooking to a test stand, air-motoring the engine at about 300 rpm to prime the injector lines, starting and idling approx 5 mins. and then a short inspection routine for pressure, leaks, noises, ect., A number of testers would bump the engine to WOT before shutting down to check rev-limiter. A later project on a 4 cyl gas engine ran each motor again by air-motoring, for about 3 mins. at about 400 rpm and never fired the engine. I know many engine plants under this manuf. never fire an engine. some dyno test at random and then ship those engines. you never really know what your engine went through as a consumer.
- Status
Similar threads
