Recommendations on how the break-in a new engine

Mt Tam I am · 02-21-2011, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Sweet Z

What's your thoughts on an oil cooler. I'll be doing mostly DD with a few spirited drives. I might not get the oil temp that high?
It seems to be a very common topic, but alot of guys have stilled them.

RE: an oil cooler. You will know if you need one. Going uphill spiritedly, in one mile I went from 220-245 and in another mile to 260*. This is my daily drive home too. I got an oil cooler and oil temp is just like water temp now, constant.

Rooskey · 02-21-2011, 10:04 PM

I really dont feel the break in procedure. I have noticed my Z with only 3,000 miles is a half quart low. I changed the oil at 1,500 miles so maybe I didnt put enough in. Ill double check next time it comes around. Anyways I have a 06 chevrolet truck with 110,000 miles on it. I bought it new and have always changed the oil every 4,000 miles, starting at 4,000 miles. The truck has never burnt a drop of oil and I use castrol 10w 30 standard not synthetic. Maybe I should use this in my Z too.

odie99 · 02-20-2011, 11:08 PM

I agree with the hard break-in. I've done the hard break-in with my truck and my bike. Just so you know, the tech at the dealership beat the crap out of your car during the PDI.

Bleek · 05-02-2011, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odie99

I agree with the hard break-in. I've done the hard break-in with my truck and my bike. Just so you know, the tech at the dealership beat the crap out of your car during the PDI.

Too true. I used to work at a car dealership doing details. Immediately after the PDI the car was parked near the detail building. We(my co workers and I) would always take out the "fast cars" and have "fun" before washing them and delivering them to the car lot.

Everyone acts asif their car has been babied and never driven above 3000 RPM... Unless you personally sat and waited at the dealership for the truck carrying your car to arrive, your car has been taken for atleast one joyride.

This was back in 2000, I'm sure this kind of thing still happens today.

TL;DR - Drive it like you stole it, the people at the dealership did before you received your car.

samb03 · 02-20-2011, 11:13 PM

I haven't ever been to ontario so I don't know what kind of summers you have. Most recommend an oil cooler for track days or if live in a climate the hits triple digit temps. Mountain terrains because of the elevation changes put heavy load (most of them are curvy and may inspire more spirited driving) will get the oil temp up. Most of all it seems to be driver characteristics. If you drive it hard keep the revs up you will see more heat in the oil and would justify the cost of an oil cooler. I bought mine in Nov. so I haven't had in warmer weather to see how it does personally. We I live I have seen it break 100 for over a month. But so far even at 70 it don't break 200 of the drive to work. I don't really beat on. My friend set the cruise at 90 for a hour in a used one and said the temp did climb to 220 on a 50-60 degree day.

1Sweet Z · 02-21-2011, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samb03

I haven't ever been to ontario so I don't know what kind of summers you have. Most recommend an oil cooler for track days or if live in a climate the hits triple digit temps. Mountain terrains because of the elevation changes put heavy load (most of them are curvy and may inspire more spirited driving) will get the oil temp up. Most of all it seems to be driver characteristics. If you drive it hard keep the revs up you will see more heat in the oil and would justify the cost of an oil cooler. I bought mine in Nov. so I haven't had in warmer weather to see how it does personally. We I live I have seen it break 100 for over a month. But so far even at 70 it don't break 200 of the drive to work. I don't really beat on. My friend set the cruise at 90 for a hour in a used one and said the temp did climb to 220 on a 50-60 degree day.

We will peak out at 100 a couple days in the summer. The humidity levels are typcially higher in the summer, but the air temp will stay between 85 - 95 most days. Ontario has a little bit of elevation, but nothing over 1500 ft I'd say. So I won't really have to worry about it that much.

I will break the car in to 2000k, change the oil and go from there. If I am noticing the oil temp climb on a continual basis I will install one.

Nitrouz · 02-20-2011, 11:15 PM

drive it before 1000 miles like how you will drive it after 1000 miles. regular 3-4k upshifts, occasional redline runs, etc. 1, your ecu will adjust to your habits. 2, I've followed that method with every car I've owned. Still no oil consumption from any of my VQ's no matter what year (knock on wood).

Jordo! · 02-21-2011, 10:15 PM

I'm a big believer in the rev-up-coast-down-avoid-constant-speeds method (which, BTW, is not inconsistent with the Nissan recommendation...), although my explanation for it (heat cyclying) has been debunked...

Anyway, zero oil consumption.

I've broken in two motors this way and had no issues with either, so will continue to do so until I see compelling evidence pointing to an alternate method.

The idea of the method I use is to neither baby it nor drive it like you stole it, but rather to drive it "normally" and avoid constant engine speeds whenever possible.

Rooskey · 02-21-2011, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordo!

I'm a big believer in the rev up-coast down, avoid constand speeds method (which, BTW, is not inconsistent with the Nissan recommendation), although my explanation for it (heat cyclying) has been debunked...

Anyway, zero oil consumption.

I've broken in two motors this way and had no issues, so will continue to do so until I see evidence pointing to an alternate method. The idea is to neither baby it nor drive it like you stole it, but rather to drive it "normally" and avoid constant engine speeds whenever possible.

That is exactlly the way the instructions told me how to do it on my new GM crate motor (zz383). Actually to take it to redline slowly in a lower gear then let it coast back to 2,000 rpms and so on. I forgot about that proceedure

KillerBee370 · 05-03-2011, 01:36 AM

I dropped mine off for ECU reflash development with 500 miles on the clock. I picked it back up with almost 1200 on the clock... Mostly dyno. (with redline increased to 8k)

How's that for a break in? Lol

Vegitto-kun · 05-04-2011, 09:37 AM

now I think about it.

My Z was a demo car. I once drove with the dealership's owner in a 350Z I was interested in. redlining, drifting high speeds. then he gets out and goes "there we go I heated her up, now you can have fun"

my Z probably got a hard break-in.

zero oil consumption though.

02-20-2011, 11:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
odie99 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Earth Posts: 89 Drives: flip flops Rep Power: 15	I agree with the hard break-in. I've done the hard break-in with my truck and my bike. Just so you know, the tech at the dealership beat the crap out of your car during the PDI. __________________

02-20-2011, 11:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
Nitrouz Track Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 934 Drives: 40th Z, GTR, 420z-tt Rep Power: 16	drive it before 1000 miles like how you will drive it after 1000 miles. regular 3-4k upshifts, occasional redline runs, etc. 1, your ecu will adjust to your habits. 2, I've followed that method with every car I've owned. Still no oil consumption from any of my VQ's no matter what year (knock on wood). __________________ 2010 370Z 40th Anniversary - Anastasia VENACI / AERO JACKET / HKS USA / MXP / NISMO / FALKEN / STILLEN / T1R / MR WORKS / CARBON SIGNAL / EVO-R / BLUE BATMOBILE

02-21-2011, 10:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jordo! A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2010 Location: nirvana Posts: 6,394 Drives: 2023 NATM Rep Power: 419	I'm a big believer in the rev-up-coast-down-avoid-constant-speeds method (which, BTW, is not inconsistent with the Nissan recommendation...), although my explanation for it (heat cyclying) has been debunked... Anyway, zero oil consumption. I've broken in two motors this way and had no issues with either, so will continue to do so until I see compelling evidence pointing to an alternate method. The idea of the method I use is to neither baby it nor drive it like you stole it, but rather to drive it "normally" and avoid constant engine speeds whenever possible. __________________ Enjoy it. Destroy it. Last edited by Jordo!; 02-21-2011 at 10:20 PM.

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02-21-2011, 10:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
Rooskey Track Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: South Carolina Posts: 974 Drives: 2014 Alpha7 GTR Rep Power: 17	I really dont feel the break in procedure. I have noticed my Z with only 3,000 miles is a half quart low. I changed the oil at 1,500 miles so maybe I didnt put enough in. Ill double check next time it comes around. Anyways I have a 06 chevrolet truck with 110,000 miles on it. I bought it new and have always changed the oil every 4,000 miles, starting at 4,000 miles. The truck has never burnt a drop of oil and I use castrol 10w 30 standard not synthetic. Maybe I should use this in my Z too.

02-20-2011, 11:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
samb03 Base Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: western Oklahoma Posts: 164 Drives: Black Cherry Sport Rep Power: 15	I haven't ever been to ontario so I don't know what kind of summers you have. Most recommend an oil cooler for track days or if live in a climate the hits triple digit temps. Mountain terrains because of the elevation changes put heavy load (most of them are curvy and may inspire more spirited driving) will get the oil temp up. Most of all it seems to be driver characteristics. If you drive it hard keep the revs up you will see more heat in the oil and would justify the cost of an oil cooler. I bought mine in Nov. so I haven't had in warmer weather to see how it does personally. We I live I have seen it break 100 for over a month. But so far even at 70 it don't break 200 of the drive to work. I don't really beat on. My friend set the cruise at 90 for a hour in a used one and said the temp did climb to 220 on a 50-60 degree day.

05-03-2011, 01:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
KillerBee370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: So Cal baby! Age: 52 Posts: 5,964 Drives: with passion Rep Power: 322	I dropped mine off for ECU reflash development with 500 miles on the clock. I picked it back up with almost 1200 on the clock... Mostly dyno. (with redline increased to 8k) How's that for a break in? Lol

05-04-2011, 09:37 AM	#11 (permalink)
Vegitto-kun A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: USA Posts: 2,011 Drives: 09 370Z Rep Power: 263	now I think about it. My Z was a demo car. I once drove with the dealership's owner in a 350Z I was interested in. redlining, drifting high speeds. then he gets out and goes "there we go I heated her up, now you can have fun" my Z probably got a hard break-in. zero oil consumption though.