Break in Period
 

So I have my M/T whiteout Monogram (Sorry no pix). Got her last friday but haven't driven much the first week because it was getting opti coated and clear bra'd. The dealership totally failed on the clear bra though and we are trying to get that straightened out.

But my question is this. Was the break in period extremely boring to you? I got it with 8 miles, now has 157. It was particularly frustrating at the start because I'm still refining my stick shifting. Not much of a thought now, trying to learn engine braking and rev matching and all that. But I just want to floor it so, so bad. I've always waited for ideal operation temperatures before working an engine hard. But this first 1k miles is the slowest process of my life.

Still, shifting at 4K rpm and this car blows the doors off my 5.9 Cummins lol. So this car is already faster than my previous DD. So how was the first 1K miles for you guys? Did you wait the whole 1K before redline?

I waited about 190 and said fuck it

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5618
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35493
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1036

Also read

http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I personally would love to follow his tips because I believe he has valids points, but I'm scared at the same time of an engine problem that would cause my warranty to go down the drain if the dealer would search the car ECU and realize their recommended break-in wasn't respected...

The first 1000 miles were hell... LOL

I waited till 1000 to really start pushing it. I took it above 4k a few times before that period, but only about a handful.

I'm at 670 miles right now. I'm ready to be over with the break in, but I also like being able to really refine my driving with the car before pushing it too hard.

Professional engine builder. I vote follow the manufacturer recommendations.

Patience, grasshopper, patience .... ;)

I suggest you take your new machine out for a couple of day trips and find some twisty back roads that require a lot of shifting of gears, backing off and accelerations and still keep it under about 4,000 rpms.

After all, your FR-S should go at least 90 mph in 6th gear and still be under 4,000 rpms. Hey, that's fast enough for average driving .... :)

Besides, you won't be winning too many drag races anyway....:thumbup:


humfrz

Be good. You don't want an engine that burns oil.


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The only time I'm under 4k RPM is at stops. Other than that, WOT FO LYFE.

It wasn't really boring per se... it was more frustrating because this was my first manual so I easily put 500 miles on it driving up and down backroads learning how to drive it.

I went over 4000rpms only a couple times, but because of busy roads where I had to go quick. At about 800 miles I started slowly going more. 4500rpms, then 5000 rpms, but never pushing it hard, but my patience was running out :) but it took about 2 weeks to get that 1000 since I was practicing so much.

One fuel-cut a day keeps the doctor away !

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Followed the proper break in on my 2003 Celica GT and it does not burn oil to this day. (Supposedly 2003-2005 I read have problems burning oil)

Do it right the first time!

:paddle:

:burnrubber:

:thumbsup:

Break in Period
 

For me it wasn't much of a pain. I just ended up driving down to LA from Frisco and got about 950 miles on it round trip.


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Done!

Attachment 70478

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I near redlined mine about once every 100 miles with low engine load for the first 1,000 miles.

I didn't find it all that bad, although I also drove the first 1,000 miles in the first 24 hours that I owned the car.

Aren't you also not supposed to go above 80km/50mph during break-in?

:D

Hooned it from the start. Break in is a myth IMO. I guess we'll see.

definitely didn't break in my FJ. it had less than 800 miles on it before it got stuck doing mud donuts. No engine problems in sight, 5 years later

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Personally many older mechanics and many performance shops that I know of run the engine pretty hard during the break in process on a engine dyno. The purpose of running the engine hard is to seat the piston rings. Which helps reduce oil consumption. When I broke in my 350 I did several hard runs for the first 500 miles and tried not to keep the rpms steady. As for the brz I did the exact same thing and it is running perfectly fine at 11,000 miles no oil consumption. But then again I think this matters more on older engine designs than modern engines.

Just turned 142,500 on my Honda Ridgeline. I bought it with 11 miles. I have floored it almost every mile. It does not burn oil. I was nicer to my FR-S, only driving it hard for a few seconds in the first 1000 miles. We will see...

I took it pretty easy on the engine for the first K, with some "look what MY car can do" zips around the neighborhood, keeping it under 4000 RPM. Never took it over 70mph, easy starts, etc.

I was told different things about the break-in period by different people when I got mine. The salesman said "don't use the cruise control until 1000miles." Detailer/Delivery guy said "don't drive the same speed for too long until 1500miles, and don't go over 80 until then."

Went in today at 1500miles to get an oil/filter change, and the Service Advisor gave me a very condescending speech about "you know, these cars don't need their first oil change until after the break-in period at 7500miles right? You've only owned this for like, 30 days you know? I guess if you want to burn one of your free service appointments, we'll do it.. "

Isn't the first oil change due at 1,500 miles?

Can anyone confirm the varying speed break in? I guess this is like how you shouldnt just drive short drives and drive highways as well.

The manual for my FR-S (US) states 7,500 miles or 7.5 months, whichever comes first. Half that under severe conditions......:)


humfrz

It's my understanding that during the break in period, that the RPMs should be varied (not to hold a constant speed for any length of time). Also, don't make a habit of exceeding 4,000 RPMs. Allow engine braking when possible (letting off the gas to slow down).


humfrz

I have always rev matched my Celica. Is this good or bad to do as part of the break in period?

That would be just fine.....;)

Hey, @Chad86 ..... you don't have to get all obsessed with this "break in" procedure ..... this engine is not made out of glass ..... ;)

Relax, enjoy the drive ..... :)


humfrz

FWIW, our 86/brz club here in AUS just had a dyno day with over 25 cars running. The ones making the most power were the ones driven the hardest. The babied ones made the least. Will the ones driven hard last as long? Time will tell, but they certainly made more power.

eg - 2 completely stock cars, dynoed just mins apart, 104rwkw to 112rwkw (our aussie dyno's read low) But 8rwkw difference is alot for zero mods

Just baby the car for the break-in period and then modify it later on. Then we'll see who's car is fastest...

:burnrubber:

With equal mods though, the cars pushed harder early on made more power, pure and simple.

By a measurable amount too.

Can anyone back up this claim or is is :bs:

Reading about break-in, there's many schools of thought.

What I took from it all was, for the first few miles, to ensure the best seating of the rings, you want to induce the highest pressures. This causes the rings to seat quickly.

This is important in the first 50 to 100 miles or something like that.

This doesn't mean you have to redline the car a bunch, just drive it so the highest pressures are produced.

In the article I read, that was something like mid-rpm's, high load, at full throttle. Like 3rd or 4th gear pulls from, say 2500 to 5000 rpm.

Our dyno day results showed some results. Enough to be conclusive? Well that depends on you.

Totally stock cars Varied from 102rwkw to 112rwkw. Thats a 10% variance in power with the only differences being amount of km run, and how hard the cars have been driven.

Throughout the day, ALL the cars driven the absolute hardest were at the higher end for their mods.

Is it a scientific test? No. But its some data to draw from.

We also might see how long until your engine has problems?
Has anyone else on here tried this?

:confused0068:

True,but i never said your engine will last longer driven harder, only that it will make more power :P

How long these engines really last we won't know for a few years about their long term durability.