FRS Break-in guide

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by QIK86

i wasnt informed by the dealer nor my manual of a break in/run in. if it was important i would have been notified.

you weren't informed by your manual?

you weren't informed?

really?




i just think you didn't READ the manual, derp.

[QIK86]

Meh 6yr extended warranty that's why I got it stress free motoring, 7thgear STFU yeh.

[Blue86]

^^^ 6 year warranty on mine too. However my current car i've had for 10 years so who know how long i'll keep the 86???

This will be my first new car ever so maybe the upgrade bug will kick in after a few years this time

[karma003]

I gotta friend that's the master tech at a Toyota dealer & they sent him to take a class on the frs. They said the break in period is 1000 miles & don't exceed 4k rpms

[Raven86]

I only have about 300 miles on my car so far and I've been trying to keep it under 4k rpm. Today though on my way home from work i was on the highway and i guess hit the gas too hard while passing a car and it jumped to almost 7k rpm. As soon as i saw how high it jumped i let off the gas so it was back down around 3k in probably less than a second. I should be alright correct? This is my first new car so i've been a little paranoid about breaking it in.

[yomny]

This thread has taken a turn for the worse, hopefully people dont keep insulting each other and making smart remarks. We're here to learn and share opinions. Lets try and back up our statements/knowledge with facts or documents like they showed us at school, lol cite your work. So as per motoman we cant really use conventional oil during the break in but we have that oil and cant really use anything else without going up to 5w-30 or so i guess our rings wont fully make the seal they should. Aside from that whats best to use, 0w-20 or 30? The manual states to use a higher weight if the conditions are abnormal, but then again a lot of people say that the manual is just there for safety and not performance. All this back and forth has only caused a lot of confusion so whats the solution here

[reeves]

Originally Posted by DetroitJake

• Do not drive at one constant engine or vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or slow.

I'm not questioning this precaution.. just curious. What's the rational behind this? How can this possibly even be harmful to an engine during break-in? Especially if you're cruising at a LOW RPM, like 2000-2500. I'm not a mechanic, so thanks to anyone who might know.. this has always bugged me.

[DetroitJake]

Originally Posted by reeves

[/LIST][/I] I'm not questioning this precaution.. just curious. What's the rational behind this? How can this possibly even be harmful to an engine during break-in? Especially if you're cruising at a LOW RPM, like 2000-2500. I'm not a mechanic, so thanks to anyone who might know.. this has always bugged me.

I'm not an engine designer, but this is what I think. Different RPM loads the engine in different ways. Ideally, if you run around the entire RPM spectrum, it probably runs in a tad better that way. Of course the high RPM ranges are the most difficult, so you want to save those until its got a few miles on it ideally. Again, I wouldn't worry too much about the run in period (my ignorant opinion) Just don't 'race' your engine too hard too often for the most part while its brand spanking new would be my feeling on the whole thing. A few high rev events here and there certainly will not kill it. Just don't go tracking your car during the first month of ownership. Again. Just my two cents.

[brzltd]

Owners Manual:JP

New Vehicle break-in driving (the first 625 miles [1000km])

[Maxximillian]

Originally Posted by DetroitJake

I wouldn't sweat it. I've pushed mine a bit too (during the break in period), though I'm trying not to rev it all the time. If it makes you feel any better here's some of my sufferings:
1) My FR-S got hit in a parking lot after owning it for only 4 days. Minor front bummer and driver's side front 1/4 panel damage but it still makes me cry.
2) Got caught in a hail storm on week two of ownership. Very rare in Michigan. Haven't seen one in 20 years. There's about 20-30 small almost invisible (but visible) dimples on the hood and roof.

Other tangential information regarding your engine:
*) My 2003 Insight (bought new in 2003) got driven hard plenty during the run in period. It only has about 70hp and you need all 70 of those horses to get her moving sometimes. The engine now has about 200,000 miles and still runs pretty good. A little idle vibration (I think the motor mounts are bad) and some slight clanking sound internally (but that sound has been there most of its life and most people can't even hear it).

* Long story short, you should be fine. Its recommended but not required I think. If it was, I'm sure people would make a bigger deal out of it. Manufacturing tolerances are so high these days, its basically perfect off the line. No need for a wear in period per se.

I asked the toyota salesman about it as I was about to leave the lot and he said "Honestly I'm not sure" He said the reason was that the car is so new and different from their normally offerings he couldn't say for sure but that I should read the manual.

My friend who steered me away from a FR-S that had already had 200 miles on it. He's a big gear head and told me you don't want to buy that one just because you don't know if it's been dogged out on the wear-in period. And this logic is extendable. I wouldn't want to buy it if a test driver or two dogged it a few times so why would I want to do it to myself in the beginning. "The beginning is a very delicate time" to quote a favorite movie.

Sales people often aren't the most reliable source for information. Case in point. When i bought my first DSLR camera I chose a sony and unbeknownst to me and the camera store sony uses a shorter screw for tripod mounts. If you use the standard size and tighten it down it cracks the housing. I luckily found this buried in the middle of a 200 page manual and when I went back to the store to get the proper mount the sales people said "We swear it's not that we don't believe you we've just never seen that or heard that before. Can you please show us the page in the manual so we know from now on"

But to each his own.

[njccmd2002]

why buy a car if you dont want to drive it?

7 rpm every now and then wont hurt the engine. ive done it twice. then i drive between 4 and 4500 all the time.

if it breaks it breaks. you fix it. with forged internals and stuff.

if you want to baby a car, then put a/c in the garage, and get your own personal attendant that clears the spider webs and cleans the fly sh!it .

It is a car meant to be driven.

No im not saying go track it and run it hard all the time, but every now and then wont hurt the engine.

for all you care, the salesman that got the car in and out the truck could have taken your car for a joy ride, or the previous dude that test drove it.

[jm1681]

Originally Posted by njccmd2002

...if it breaks it breaks. you fix it. with forged internals and stuff...

I wish I had the bank roll to support an attitude that blase.

[driftartist]

Originally Posted by njccmd2002

why buy a car if you dont want to drive it?



if it breaks it breaks. you fix it. with forged internals and stuff.

OH SNAP ill just use the extra thousands in my spare bank account for that then. i agree a car is meant to be driven....even in the beginning, but after te break in can you go all out. its the wise thing to do

[njccmd2002]

Originally Posted by jm1681

I wish I had the bank roll to support an attitude that blase.

yeah i agree that was too much... lol, but seriously just enjoy your car.