FINALLY engine is broken in...engine/tranny smell?
 

Finally!! I have reached 1000 miles on my car. I haven't gotten my first oil change, but i'll probably do it shortly.

Being that i hit 1000 miles i really wanted to hit redline and push that bad boy for the first time. I have to say the power is night and day from 2-4k and 5k-redline. What concerned me is that after i pulled over, i noticed a smell coming from either the engine or the tranny...couldn't tell where. do you think this smell is normal, being that it's the first time i've ever pushed the engine passed 4kish?

Hard to say without knowing what the smell smelled like. In general, engines smell of enginey things when pushed hard. Nothing to worry about probably unless the smell is from something leaking and burning off on the block. Check the fluids and look for leaks and if you're OK, I wouldn't worry about it.

mine always gets that smell after 4k rpms

Depends on what the smell actually is. I know it's not helpful but that's the best diagnosis that can be given.

It shouldn't be a problem. If you've broken it in property then it should be fine.

It could be the clutch if you were beating on it, launching, agressive shifting, etc.

To be honest, I don't think it should be an issue unless the smell is happening all the time. Then it is reason to be concerned.

^Agreed. Probably nothing to worry about if it is not constant. If you start seeing smoke, then start worrying.
Use your best judgement and take it to a shop if it becomes a concern.

-Zach

I get the same smell too if i push the car, happed when i pushed it right after 1k
And i thought the same thing, dosnt seem to be a big deal

I think it's pretty normal on a newer car - the smell will go away over time.

-Frank

Its just the perservation wax being burned off, takes quite a lot of use before it goes away for good

How in the hell did you go 1000 miles and never break 4k rpm...I would be the most angry person on the road if I did that...That being said I redlined the car coming out of the parking lot the day i bought it...sideways...

To each their own I guess, 2700 miles and going in for the oil change this tuesday. No issues yet nd no wierd smells...well except for the A/C that smells weird when i first start the car.

First day I got my car I redlined it lots of time? I didn't buy a prius damn it! :D
My car smelt of hot rubber and hot plastic all day long.
I stunned you actually were able to never go over 4k rpm in 1000miles?!

Not taking this motor over 4k for the first 1000 miles makes no sense. Don't beat on it but the motor needs to be ran through it's RPM range and varying degrees of load. If you don't do this Engines can have a bad Ring seal. IE excessive blow by.

Gregg

the smell is 100% normal, and don't change the oil till around 3-5k because the oil that is in the engine from the factory is a special oil made for break-ins. after that go amsoil full synthetic ALL THE WAY!

while this used to be true it is not anymore. they take care of that before the engine is even installed in the car, but i will agree that 1000 miles is a little to long for a break in.

I know for fact that most motor cycles are ran right up to redline before delivery from the factory. Not sure about all Car Motor's. I have built a few Complete race motor's and have never had any failures from revving them too early.


I did however have a motor somebody built me back in 2001 and they did a horrible job that motor never did seal right.


I say drive it like you would everyday and it should last 150k plus.

Gregg

I read a very convincing article on how the seals will seal better with higher pressure ( rpms ) and therefore break in better, and have more power. and that's what I told myself everytime I dinged it off the rev limiter while still in double digits.

We did a lot of testing around break in at the shop where I used to build and tune sportbike engines. The results were pretty significant. We found that a light break in (by the book) to an off-the-floor gsxr cost 3-5whp and 1-3lbft. That's a lot on a 600, and it was pretty consistent. We had a pretty large sample size as well since we were the only dyno in town and offered a free pc3/dyno tune with every bike purchase for a while.

Lots of forum content on the whole break-in thing. The engine break-in is only part of the equations, and probably the least important - though it seems to get the most attention. There are other things that require break-in, transmission, cats, etc. It would be interesting to do a long term study of those who observed break-in procedure vs those who didn't long term - looking at transmission wear, cat failure, etc.

Not seals, rings. Gas pressure exerts outward force on the rings. That's why you should not load up a new engine except briefly.

The trick is to load the rings but not overheat them while they hone in.

Manufacturers recommendations are intended to load the rings hard enough to hone them in but not so hard they overheat. Ditto to avoid high piston speeds, overheats the rings.

Anyone who says to break a road engine in hard is just ignorant of the engineering facts.

You break a road engine in easily, not too hard and not too light. Stay out of high piston speeds and try not to run only light loads. Also don't run the same piston speed for long periods.

Finally, once the break in mileage has been reached THEN you run it hard to the redline at full throttle a lot. As much as you can and, keep driving it that way. My engine is really loose and powerful now after 1,600 km of factory recommended break in and 1,600 km of thrashing the bejeesus out if it.

Today I scrubbed in my new snow tires with some hard driving including a lovely four wheel slide. Only the outside of the left front tire (hard left 90) needs scrubbing in now. Snow comes early here and I want the mold release worn off the tread before it comes.

1000 mile break in? Wow! That's discipline. Took me about 3 miles on my new car before I let it rip to redline and rowed the gears.

I think most new car smells are "normal" but use your head. If you see smoke or it keeps lingering for too long take a peak under the hood and see if you see any smoke.

There are a lot of theories on engine break in. However, it's true a majority if not all production vehicles are broken in from the factory. Every car is put to the test at the end of production and through the system check it gets a good break in.

1000 miles is definitely over kill but hey it shouldn't hurt the car either.