Guys,probably gonna get the TSX this month,but,I am wondering about the break in time period.What kind of break-in should be done for TSX? I read couple of threads there indicated that should never go over 4k and 90km/h? And on a post that mentioned about a engine rebuid,they mentioned about the previous owner has a highway break in which lead to the leaking problem later on?
I basically commute everyday for about 120kms....o,no,that kills the engine?
Should be a good idea to keep my 4th gen accord for now and drive the TSX in the city to break-in and then sell the accord? Good idea? Hummm,was gonna sell it and then get the TSX...... any idea guys? Thanx!!

 

I am curious about this too. The manual intructs to basically avoid quick acceleration and fast stops for the first 600 miles. It doesn't say anything about limited speed, varyng speed, etc... I also do a lot of highway driving and have been limiting my speed to 65 and under and varying speed (no cruise). I have about 450 miles on it - and plan to continue this until 600. It may be a waste - but why not take the chance...

 

yeah,cauz highway driving,you need to merge at a fast speed all the time,may need to rev a bit higher... Keeping my beater to commute for the first 1000kms or so?

 

this topic has been discussed numerous times. do a search.

but basically, no hard revving, moderate your rpms, and keep speeds to an acceptable rate until you hit 500miles

 

Well for starters, try these:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ighlight=break
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ighlight=break
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ighlight=break
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ighlight=break
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ighlight=break
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ighlight=break

 

^^^

 

^^ This is the thread that has the most information about break-in (theory and application). I encourage you to read Clutch's post all the way through. I pretty much followed this process.

In short:
- The first 600 miles are most important
- Vary your engine speed (RPMs), not necessarily your vehicle speed
- Progressively run your engine at higher and higher max RPMs
- Do some WOT, low RPM runs to better seat the rings.

 

thanx guys!

 

:ibtl:

 

^^^
i agree

 

I find these questions kinda funny, because odds are no matter what you throw at a modern engine it'll last 200K plus. White numbers like those the kinds of oil we use and how we break it don't seem that important... I know I won't be driving it then.

 

Break in and oil use are not strictly long term concerns. People have reported that because they didn't vary their revs during break in, their engines now have a certain hestitation when crossing over a certain RPM range, even on a low milage engine.

Apparantly, break in is an issue, even for low milage cars.

 

I'm curious, not sure how do you do a wide-open throttle at low RPM in a 6MT? Does this mean driving at about 40 mph in 5th or 6th gear and flooring it?

 

I suggest you read this thread (specifically my first post, and post #16). https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28541

And to say "I don't care what break in I use, because I don't think I'll be driving it for that long anyhow" shows you are an ignorant prick. Have some respect for the person who will be driving the car after you.

 

That is "lugging" the engine, and it not recommended. What IS recommended is doing some WOT runs from about 2000-5000, then 2000-6000, then 2000-redline, in second gear or so.

Lugging the engine (bogging it down, if you will) is not recommended, the same way towing a trailer is not recommended - it causes too high of pressures and can be detrimental to the break-in procedure.

 

Now you have me worried, Curls. I've been shifting into 6th after hitting 40 mph, just to keep my rpms low and conserve fuel. I think it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5k-2k rpm when I do this. I just checked the manual and they said not to go below 1k rpms in a given gear, as this will cause knocking. What's the best way to balance good engine longevity with fuel economy? I've been getting 25 mpg with 70/30 city highway driving.

 

OK. I'm still fairly new around here and still getting up to speed on the lingo......

What is meant by WOT? I've seen it on a good number of postings, but can't figure out what it means...


Thanks!

 

WOT = wide open throttle, or flooring the accelerator. I dunno about WOT to run the RPM range, maybe run the tach from 2-5k with 1/4 throttle, repeat with 1/2 throttle, then 3/4 throttle, and then a few times WOT.

 

If you're just cruising in 6th, that's fine... just dont try to accelerate hard in 6th.

And for your second post... that works, too. (1/2 throttle, then 3/4, then full...). Many motorbike guys run-in their engines this way, too.

 

Yeah, I thought about what you meant by lugging the engine, and realized I'd only be putting pressure on the engine is if I were trying to rev hard, which I haven't done. I don't ever WOT anymore, because seeing that instant mpg bar drop does not make me happy =P

I did all my 2-3.5k revs in 5th gear on the way home from the dealership, which was about 100 miles of highway, once every 10 minutes, and alternated between 5th and 6th gear for cruising every 2 minutes. I also did start with 1/4 throttle and make my way up to a few full throttle runs to seat the piston rings.

I am a little bit paranoid with the breakin of my car because the 06s just sound different from the 04s. It must be the improvements to the intake and resonator that Acura came up with, but it almost sounds like it's got a CAI on it. Furthermore, I noticed the the sound had deepened as I pulled into Phoenix from Tucson, confirming those posts about engines changing their sound as you break them in. Hopefully I did it right =)

Since I was at 400 miles and tired of trying to keep the rev happy engine under 4k rpms, I went on a little road trip up to the Grand Canyon today, keeping with the same routine of alternating between 5th and 6th gear. Close to 580 miles I found myself on a backcountry scenic route and did a few runs of accelerating from 2k to 6k rpms in 4th gear - with no traffic around, it was perfect for this.

So I ended up going about 450 miles on one gallon of gas. For those of you who aren't familiar with the geography, Flagstaff is pretty high up in elevation from Phoenix. Still I managed a very respectable 27 mpg going uphill to Flagstaff and continuing on to the Grand Canyon, and achieved an amazing 36 mpg on the way back home, for a net of 31.5 mpg. It was a blast coasting downhill in neutral, something I could never have done in my 5AT because I woulda been too paranoid too! Hurray for the $30,000 soap box racer

 

Why would I care?

 

As I said before: Ignorant prick.

Next time you buy a used (or any) vehicle, I hope its a lemon and you get to deal with the situation.

 

Because a proper break-in is the key for engine performance. You may experience issues such as your engine guzzling oil, or lower fuel efficiency, or sluggish response if you don't. Even if you don't care about where the car ends up you should at least have some pride in the ownership of your car for the duration that you keep it.

 

I've went by the manual for the first 400 miles so far. After I surpass the 600, I'll let you know what mine feels like.

 

"lugging" is exactly what I meant. If you read the procedure that Clutch posted, it says to do it for 2-3 second bursts. Don't do it constantly but the high pressures are what seats the rings better.

 

+1

 

Hi guys.

Lugging is what happens when, for example, you start from first with too little gas and/or let the clutch pedal out too quick. The RPMs drop down to ~700 and it feels like your engine is about to shake its way out of your car. That's lugging.

That said, flooring it in 6th at low RPMs (1500-2500) as the article I posted recommends is NOT lugging and it's just fine to do. Your engine is happier doing WOT when it has some revs, however, so as the article says only do this for short bursts (2-4 seconds). But this is for different reasons. The pressures are high in these conditions, but that's the point. You want the rings to seat as far out (least gap at the cylinder sleeve) as possible and pressure is the only way to influence this.

THAT said, I don't want to lock this thread because it seems like it could be informative to a lot of folks. Squash the personal attacks, and we'll be OK.

I'm watching you...

 

Interesting. I agree with the first definition of lugging, for sure. But I disagree with the latter. I have talked with two very knowledgeable shop owners around my area whom I trust for things like this, and both have had a lot of experience building performance engines as well as rebuilding regular engines. Both say that the WOT super-low RPM will likely cause too much pressure and thus a LOT of blowby, increasing the chances of scoring the cylinder wall where the ring gaps are (with the corners of the ring, if that makes sense). I don't think it will hurt in very short bursts, as you mentioned, but I wouldn't recommend doing this over 10-20 second spans... you'll likely be doing more harm than good. WOT high RPM gets around this problem because the pressures aren't quite as high (as the cylinder is moving easier and faster, thus, less pressure build-up.

I think what we all agree on here is that driving it hard (within reason and allowing sufficient cool down and warm up time when appropriate), from the first time you turn the key, is the best way to break in an engine.

 

Agreed. The dealership (sales and service) told me that the only "break-in" needed is electronic, so the computer can tune itself to your driving style (which can also be reset). There is no mechanical break-in needed.

I waited until 500 miles before bouncing off the rev-limiter just for sanity, but I left rubber leaving the dealership parking lot...

 

I suggest you read this thread (specifically my first post, and post #16). https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28541

Break-in IMPLIES MECHANICAL MESHING/WEARING OF PARTS. How can a break-in be electronic? It can't. Your dealer was full of sh!t.

Run a search on Google for "engine break in" and you will be very hard pressed to even find the word "electronic" in any of the articles. "Seating", "Rings", "cylinder walls", "driving style"... yes, you will find those. But not electronic.

Talk with a real mechanic (service advisors need not apply). They will all laugh at the statement from your sales and service guys.

 

And you bought that?

 

I read a couple of threads regarding this break in... seems that vary the speed is the only way to correctly break it in.Hummmm.I need to commute everyday.It would be tough to do that I guess since all you care is to get to work fast..... Might think about to keep my beater for now...

 

So the electronic is fully broken-in after 500 miles?

 

I think this site has an interesting point which make sense to me. My next car will be broken in this way.

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

 

Its been posted before. It is a way of breaking in your engine. I've had good luck with the "easy break-in" process that ClutchPerformer posted. It really is the owners choice.

 

I still don't believe there's a significant difference one way or another.

 

:whocares: Oh and by the way, don't waste my time by reporting a post from curls calling him a troll. You got what you deserved. Period.

We don't sanction people for disagreeing with you. This site wasn't built for you or around you, believe it or not.

 

Yeah. I thought there was some good in that method until the techs at Real Time Racing basically told me it was too brutal. There is more than one difference with motorcycle engines, so I wouldn't be surprised to know that their methods are inapplicable to car engines.

 

Did you see the quotes around the "break-in?"

You're 43 and you can't read that as sarcasm? <sarcasm> M a y b e__ I__ s h o u l d__ t y p e__s l o w e r . </sarcasm>

<not sarcasm> It's not an electronic break in. What they said was that the engine is fine, no break in needed, and that it wil merely tune the ECU in the first 500 miles. Thus, I summarized by saying "the only 'break-in' needed is electronic."</not sarcasm>

<not sarcasm> If what I heard was false, then so be it, but my engine's fine. I'm at 10K, not burning any oil, no noises, just a Honda 4 enjoying life. </not sarcasm>

<not sarcasm> It's the same way I treated my 4Runner, which I kept for 100,000 miles and 8 years. I drove it hard the whole time. When I sold it, it sounded, smelled, and performed as new. </not sarcasm>

<not sarcasm> If it makes everyone feel better to break-in their engines that's fine. It probably even helps, but if there are no benefits below 100,000 miles, when do the symptoms of missing a break-in show up?</not sarcasm>

 

what does age have to do with sarcasm?

There was no indication of any sarcasm in your post, sorry, but quotation marks do not signify sarcasm in every sense.