Break-In a New Car

Lug · 11-19-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goolsbymd

I changed the oil first at 300Miles, installed a magnetic drain plug and a magnetic oil filter (FilterMag),

Aluminum is not magnetic.

Kastley85891 · 11-19-2009, 10:43 AM

I give my cars 200 miles, mainly for a TOTAL vehicle break in, not just the motor, build things up, some 75% ish throttle, couple down shifts, some harder corners etc... then start to get on it more and more, oil change at 500, then balls to the wall, another oil change at 1500, then every 1500 I change the oil, after three changes I go to FS, usually Redline, for earlier changes its just good ole 5W/30 conentional.
My two STi's I gave it full bore after 200 miles, they never missed a beat, but got beat, thats was for sure.

MindFusion FX · 11-19-2009, 11:49 AM

i got an 07 civic SI that i've run str8 to 8500 everyday...not every shift, but i def take it there everyday. i started all that on day 1 straight from the dealer and 41k later..it's still runnin perfect.

Kastley85891 · 11-19-2009, 11:50 AM

Civic SI, man that K series is the ****, I looked at one prior to my Z purchase just for the sheer fun of it

MindFusion FX · 11-19-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kastley85891

Civic SI, man that K series is the ****, I looked at one prior to my Z purchase just for the sheer fun of it

yea. i love that engine. it takes a beating and still pushes hard. i got a friend that threw a turbo on it..with 10lbs of boost and made 411whp. at 20lbs it hits the 500's..all stock internals.

Kastley85891 · 11-19-2009, 12:08 PM

man, they love big turbos, they got all that RPM to eat up...lol HONDA do make a great lump

MindFusion FX · 11-19-2009, 12:11 PM

the 1 mod i wish i woulda of done was a reflash..the vtec kicks in at 6100 stock..and after 8500 it wont go anymore. with the reflash you hit vtec at 4500 and it'll rev past 9..don't know how high it'll go cuz the guage only shows 9.

Kastley85891 · 11-19-2009, 12:31 PM

Yeah a number of people have really gotten a hold of the VTEC system and made some great imrpovements

Gurps · 08-31-2011, 02:48 PM

Also, my car still only has around 200 miles on it.

mjg · 08-31-2011, 03:11 PM

I doubt a few test drives, or one abusive moment is enough to ruin a car during break in, or there are any special rules for break in... just common sense. The over all day to day use of the car at a earlier point I think can have a positive influence on the car, or at least get you some to see if everything works right.

I've had my car almost a month, and waited until around 1150 miles to finally get on the car, wouldn't rev past 4k, or do any very aggressive driving. I babied it, let people pass me, and took the time to really get a feel for the clutch, do mostly driving in traffic, cruising around, and familiarizing myself with the feel of the car...

Gurps · 08-31-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjg

I doubt a few test drives, or one abusive moment is enough to ruin a car during break in, or there are any special rules for break in... just common sense. The over all day to day use of the car at a earlier point I think can have a positive influence on the car, or at least get you some to see if everything works right.

I've had my car almost a month, and waited until around 1150 miles to finally get on the car, wouldn't rev past 4k, or do any very aggressive driving. I babied it, let people pass me, and took the time to really get a feel for the clutch, do mostly driving in traffic, cruising around, and familiarizing myself with the feel of the car...

That is how I have felt about the subject. Drive it right over 95% of the time during the break in period and it should be fine.

Snakes709 · 08-31-2011, 05:33 PM

Drive it like you stole it. Thats how you break it in. I got my evo with 25km on it. Wen to the drag strip that night. Just past 4000kms and did my first time attack race the other night and the car runs amazing.

Gurps · 08-31-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakes709

Drive it like you stole it. Thats how you break it in. I got my evo with 25km on it. Wen to the drag strip that night. Just past 4000kms and did my first time attack race the other. Night and the ca runs amazing.

Nice to hear! Good luck with her!

ImportConvert · 09-01-2011, 02:41 AM

How to properly break in a new car:

Most of the break-in you are doing is for the gears in the transmission, and rear-end as well as the wheel-bearings, clutch, and brakes.

Avoid "shocking the driveline for about 1500 miles. This means no clutch-drops or power-shifts.

Avoid taking the car above 4-5K rpm for about 500 miles.

DO travel at varying rates of speed and through all gears, applying various acceleration/decerlation loading. A perfect example is light traffic in a 50mph city-zone, using engine-braking to aid in deceleration. Or you can get on the free way and do 50-70 sprints/decels in various gears, taking care not to rev the engine to hard for the first few hundred miles. The brakes and clutch will not benefit much, though.

This will allow the brakes to seat, the rings in the engine to seat (no, they are not fully seated from the factory. My Z06 burned a bit of oil for the first couple-hundred miles, now, not a drop in over 2500). It will also lap in the gears in the transmission and differential.

The clutch will break in at different mileages depending on stop-go traffic. You make have it broken in in 25 miles if you went through Houston when they were working on 59. You make not have it broken in int 2500 miles if you do a cross-country drive on major highways leaving it in 6th the whole time.

The reason for loading the driveline in acceleration/deceleration is because this creates a vacuum in the cylinders, sucking the rings to the wall. It also makes sure both faces of the gears in the driveline are lapped in and mesh well with each other.

This is how I broke in my Z06, and it shifts smoothly, doesn't burn a drop of oil, and works great.

My mechanic broke in my mustang gt's new crate engine by letting it idle in his shop for 30 minutes and then beating the crap out of it. It burned 1qt of 15-40 oil every 800-1000 miles.

DLSTR · 09-01-2011, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

How to properly break in a new car:

Most of the break-in you are doing is for the gears in the transmission, and rear-end as well as the wheel-bearings, clutch, and brakes.

Avoid "shocking the driveline for about 1500 miles. This means no clutch-drops or power-shifts.

Avoid taking the car above 4-5K rpm for about 500 miles.

DO travel at varying rates of speed and through all gears, applying various acceleration/decerlation loading. A perfect example is light traffic in a 50mph city-zone, using engine-braking to aid in deceleration. Or you can get on the free way and do 50-70 sprints/decels in various gears, taking care not to rev the engine to hard for the first few hundred miles. The brakes and clutch will not benefit much, though.

This will allow the brakes to seat, the rings in the engine to seat (no, they are not fully seated from the factory. My Z06 burned a bit of oil for the first couple-hundred miles, now, not a drop in over 2500). It will also lap in the gears in the transmission and differential.

The clutch will break in at different mileages depending on stop-go traffic. You make have it broken in in 25 miles if you went through Houston when they were working on 59. You make not have it broken in int 2500 miles if you do a cross-country drive on major highways leaving it in 6th the whole time.

The reason for loading the driveline in acceleration/deceleration is because this creates a vacuum in the cylinders, sucking the rings to the wall. It also makes sure both faces of the gears in the driveline are lapped in and mesh well with each other.

This is how I broke in my Z06, and it shifts smoothly, doesn't burn a drop of oil, and works great.

My mechanic broke in my mustang gt's new crate engine by letting it idle in his shop for 30 minutes and then beating the crap out of it. It burned 1qt of 15-40 oil every 800-1000 miles.

Nice post, rational and thought out. The best one in the thread. Read and heed.

08-31-2011, 05:33 PM	#12 (permalink)
Snakes709 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton Posts: 1,205 Drives: 2011 Evo-X GSR Rep Power: 18	Drive it like you stole it. Thats how you break it in. I got my evo with 25km on it. Wen to the drag strip that night. Just past 4000kms and did my first time attack race the other night and the car runs amazing. __________________ 2011 Evo-GSR AMS 2.4 stroker/ bore, FP Black build in progress. Sponsor: DSG Performance Last edited by Snakes709; 08-31-2011 at 06:37 PM.

11-19-2009, 10:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
Kastley85891 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: ATX 370 - Sold Posts: 1,149 Drives: 2003 Wagon Rep Power: 18	I give my cars 200 miles, mainly for a TOTAL vehicle break in, not just the motor, build things up, some 75% ish throttle, couple down shifts, some harder corners etc... then start to get on it more and more, oil change at 500, then balls to the wall, another oil change at 1500, then every 1500 I change the oil, after three changes I go to FS, usually Redline, for earlier changes its just good ole 5W/30 conentional. My two STi's I gave it full bore after 200 miles, they never missed a beat, but got beat, thats was for sure.

11-19-2009, 11:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
MindFusion FX Base Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 132 Drives: Getting a 370 Soon Rep Power: 16	i got an 07 civic SI that i've run str8 to 8500 everyday...not every shift, but i def take it there everyday. i started all that on day 1 straight from the dealer and 41k later..it's still runnin perfect.

11-19-2009, 11:50 AM	#4 (permalink)
Kastley85891 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: ATX 370 - Sold Posts: 1,149 Drives: 2003 Wagon Rep Power: 18	Civic SI, man that K series is the ****, I looked at one prior to my Z purchase just for the sheer fun of it

11-19-2009, 12:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kastley85891 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: ATX 370 - Sold Posts: 1,149 Drives: 2003 Wagon Rep Power: 18	man, they love big turbos, they got all that RPM to eat up...lol HONDA do make a great lump

11-19-2009, 12:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
MindFusion FX Base Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 132 Drives: Getting a 370 Soon Rep Power: 16	the 1 mod i wish i woulda of done was a reflash..the vtec kicks in at 6100 stock..and after 8500 it wont go anymore. with the reflash you hit vtec at 4500 and it'll rev past 9..don't know how high it'll go cuz the guage only shows 9.

11-19-2009, 12:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kastley85891 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: ATX 370 - Sold Posts: 1,149 Drives: 2003 Wagon Rep Power: 18	Yeah a number of people have really gotten a hold of the VTEC system and made some great imrpovements

08-31-2011, 02:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
Gurps Base Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Vancouver Posts: 93 Drives: Nissan Rep Power: 14	Also, my car still only has around 200 miles on it.

08-31-2011, 03:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
mjg Base Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: nyc Posts: 243 Drives: 13' GT 500 Rep Power: 17	I doubt a few test drives, or one abusive moment is enough to ruin a car during break in, or there are any special rules for break in... just common sense. The over all day to day use of the car at a earlier point I think can have a positive influence on the car, or at least get you some to see if everything works right. I've had my car almost a month, and waited until around 1150 miles to finally get on the car, wouldn't rev past 4k, or do any very aggressive driving. I babied it, let people pass me, and took the time to really get a feel for the clutch, do mostly driving in traffic, cruising around, and familiarizing myself with the feel of the car...

09-01-2011, 02:41 AM	#14 (permalink)
ImportConvert A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: SWMO Posts: 4,454 Drives: 2019 CX5 GT Reserve Rep Power: 7628	How to properly break in a new car: Most of the break-in you are doing is for the gears in the transmission, and rear-end as well as the wheel-bearings, clutch, and brakes. Avoid "shocking the driveline for about 1500 miles. This means no clutch-drops or power-shifts. Avoid taking the car above 4-5K rpm for about 500 miles. DO travel at varying rates of speed and through all gears, applying various acceleration/decerlation loading. A perfect example is light traffic in a 50mph city-zone, using engine-braking to aid in deceleration. Or you can get on the free way and do 50-70 sprints/decels in various gears, taking care not to rev the engine to hard for the first few hundred miles. The brakes and clutch will not benefit much, though. This will allow the brakes to seat, the rings in the engine to seat (no, they are not fully seated from the factory. My Z06 burned a bit of oil for the first couple-hundred miles, now, not a drop in over 2500). It will also lap in the gears in the transmission and differential. The clutch will break in at different mileages depending on stop-go traffic. You make have it broken in in 25 miles if you went through Houston when they were working on 59. You make not have it broken in int 2500 miles if you do a cross-country drive on major highways leaving it in 6th the whole time. The reason for loading the driveline in acceleration/deceleration is because this creates a vacuum in the cylinders, sucking the rings to the wall. It also makes sure both faces of the gears in the driveline are lapped in and mesh well with each other. This is how I broke in my Z06, and it shifts smoothly, doesn't burn a drop of oil, and works great. My mechanic broke in my mustang gt's new crate engine by letting it idle in his shop for 30 minutes and then beating the crap out of it. It burned 1qt of 15-40 oil every 800-1000 miles.