Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

[Mako Koiwai]

What's the latest on breaking in a new car/engine?

John Edwards? Marshall?

I apparently screwed up breaking in my WRX when I switched to Mobil 1 syn too early, ie. 700 miles. Supposedly the rings didn't wear in properly resulting in less then spec compression. I used the gentle, always varying the revs technique otherwise. Yet many high end cars are delivered with Mobil 1 these days.

[Marshall Grice]

...i'm not an engine guy.

[Mako Koiwai]

You might still have a "respected" opinion ...

[Aaron Goldsmith]

You might still have a "respected" opinion ...

It's a question that will just be argued a bunch with no real answer. I say just drive the thing, this kinda question is the car version of the political paddock.

[Mako Koiwai]

There have GOT to be (well) informed opinions? Some say that modern engines are built to such tight tolerances that breaking in isn't as important? I've heard that some race engines are so perfectly built that they don't require breaking in ...

[Leonard Cachola]

I usually just follow the owner's manual.

[Max Hayter]

...i'm not a guy.

[Christine Grice]

...i'm not a guy.

:unimpressed:

[Keith Brown]

Here is how I broke in the past three motors...

Warm up.
On a closed course... accelerate to near red line, lift off gas, coast down (in gear) to around 2000 rpm, repeat. 6 or 7 times.
Let cool.

the idea is to seat the rings. The tolerances are tight on modern engines. Once the rings are set, everything else should be fine.

[Tom Denham]

...i'm not a guy.

:unimpressed:

;)

[Aaron Goldsmith]

...i'm not a guy.

Not interested anymore?

[Jason Uyeda]

...i'm not an engine guy.

Thank god!

[Mako Koiwai]

Keith ... I was afraid of that ... and I think most people would be loath to follow your procedure ... but see ... that's what some folks are doing these days, ie. Kurt ... you're good to go racing with your new Baby!

[Michael Palero]

What about people that autocross their cars at 600mi on the original oil?

[Kurt Rahn]

I've heard stuff like that as well, but I think I'm going old school conservative: no crazy stuff for 1000 miles, and change the oil at 500 and 1000 miles. It's gonna get enough abuse after that anyway.

[Max Hayter]

I've heard stuff like that as well, but I think I'm going old school conservative: no crazy stuff for 1000 miles, and change the oil at 500 and 1000 miles. It's gonna get enough abuse after that anyway.

What did you buy?

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

I followed the instructions in the owners manual. Although it was tuff to cram the required miles in the short time we got the car before its first event.

The only issue I have had is my rings still aren't seated, so I have not used any synthetic oil. I would have thought 65k was enough.

[Marshall Grice]

I've heard stuff like that as well, but I think I'm going old school conservative: no crazy stuff for 1000 miles, and change the oil at 500 and 1000 miles. It's gonna get enough abuse after that anyway.

ok, my only comment.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Pete Loney]

What about people that autocross their cars at 600mi on the original oil?

= tick tick tick tickkkkk.....

Did it clear up with an oil change?

[Tom Denham]

I followed the instructions in the owners manual. Although it was tuff to cram the required miles in the short time we got the car before its first event.

The only issue I have had is my rings still aren't seated, so I have not used any synthetic oil. I would have thought 65k was enough.

Rings???? you're looking for a sucker.

[KJ Christopher]

What's the latest on breaking in a new car/engine?

John Edwards? Marshall?

I apparently screwed up breaking in my WRX when I switched to Mobil 1 syn too early, ie. 700 miles. Supposedly the rings didn't wear in properly resulting in less then spec compression. I used the gentle, always varying the revs technique otherwise. Yet many high end cars are delivered with Mobil 1 these days.

Depends on the type of rings and the related cylinder wall finish. Just follow the owners manual or the advice of the guy who built the motor.

[Kurt Rahn]

I've heard stuff like that as well, but I think I'm going old school conservative: no crazy stuff for 1000 miles, and change the oil at 500 and 1000 miles. It's gonna get enough abuse after that anyway.

What did you buy?

Nothing yet. Ordered a Mini. It ain't what I'd get in a perfect world, but it's what I can afford and I hear they're really fun daily drivers.

[Kurt Rahn]

I've heard stuff like that as well, but I think I'm going old school conservative: no crazy stuff for 1000 miles, and change the oil at 500 and 1000 miles. It's gonna get enough abuse after that anyway.

ok, my only comment.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting. Sounds similar to what Keith said. But here's the big question, Mr. I'm-Not-An-Engine-Guy Guy: If someone handed you the keys to a brand new Evo and said, "It's yours, but you have to drive it for the next ten years," would you follow this method?

[Earl Merz]

If someone handed you the keys to a brand new Evo and said, "It's yours, but you have to drive it for the next ten years," would you follow this method?

Yes. Of the 3 vehicles I've gotten to drive with new engines, two ran flawlessly(broke in by running what I would normally do any day of the week) and one developed excessive blowby and low compression(broke in using the "be easy on it", vary throttle, lite loads).

[Craig Naylor]

What's the latest on breaking in a new car...?

Rocks, hammers, Slim Jims... I think they all still work. Some times the alarms can be annoying though!