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Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:00 pm
by 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.

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:31 pm
by Marshall Grice
...i'm not an engine guy.

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:49 pm
by Mako Koiwai
You might still have a "respected" opinion ...

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:51 pm
by Aaron Goldsmith
Mako Koiwai wrote: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. :lol:

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:02 pm
by 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 ...

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:11 pm
by Leonard Cachola
I usually just follow the owner's manual.

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:15 pm
by Max Hayter
Marshall Grice wrote:...i'm not a guy.
:shock:

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:18 pm
by Christine Grice
Max Hayter wrote:
Marshall Grice wrote:...i'm not a guy.
:shock:
:unimpressed:

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:29 pm
by 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.

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:34 pm
by Tom Denham
Christine Berry wrote:
Max Hayter wrote:
Marshall Grice wrote:...i'm not a guy.
:shock:
:unimpressed:


;)

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:37 pm
by Aaron Goldsmith
Max Hayter wrote:
Marshall Grice wrote:...i'm not a guy.
:shock:
Not interested anymore?

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:44 pm
by Jason Uyeda
Marshall Grice wrote:...i'm not an engine guy.
Thank god!

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:58 pm
by 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! :D

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:07 pm
by Michael Palero
What about people that autocross their cars at 600mi on the original oil?

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:11 pm
by 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.

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:17 pm
by Max Hayter
Kurt Rahn wrote: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?

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:29 pm
by 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. :thumbup:

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:43 pm
by Marshall Grice
Kurt Rahn wrote: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;

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:36 pm
by Pete Loney
Michael Palero wrote: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?

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:44 pm
by Tom Denham
Jason Isley BS RX8 wrote: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. :thumbup:

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

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 4:07 pm
by KJ Christopher
Mako Koiwai wrote: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.

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:05 pm
by Kurt Rahn
Max Hayter wrote:
Kurt Rahn wrote: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.

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:14 pm
by Kurt Rahn
Marshall Grice wrote:
Kurt Rahn wrote: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?

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:54 pm
by Earl Merz
Kurt Rahn wrote: 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).

Re: Opinions On Breaking In a New "Baby"

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:29 pm
by Craig Naylor
Mako Koiwai wrote: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!