ravi

well i picked up my TL earlier this week and was woundering when i can test the car to the limits
as of now i have kept the car under 4k rpm...
got about 400 kms on it so far...when can i start driving the car the way its meant to be driven
ive heard either 1000 or 2000kms

thanks

Modeler

It's all BS. You can drive the car the way Acura intended the day you pick it up. Today's Acuras do not require a special break-in period.

youngmic

Your owners manual gives you Acura's recommended break-in period. I don't have it in front of me and don't remember the figure, but for the first x number of miles, you're not supposed to do "jack-rabbit" starts, or repeated hard breaking. Look it up in your manual.

UminChu

The TL owners manual recommends:

Avoid full throttle starts and rapid acceleration for 600 miles.
Avoid hard breaking for 200 miles.
No oil change until the MID indicates it's needed.

mattlana

Didn't you receive a packet with lots of books and printed information such as the Owners Manual?

RTFM........

EggrollXpress61

I think you should follow the break in period. Dont want any blown head gaskets or anything

Fisherman

I will pick up my TL next week and I plan to do the following break-in as I have done for my pasr 6 cars. This method was recommended by few car tuning shops and should be good.

1. Try to maintain under 3K RPM for 500KM.
2. Don't slam the brakes and try not to floor because new brake pad need to be heated up a bit to prevent from cracking and rims and tires to be fitted nicely.
3. Maintain under 4K RPM until 1000KM. Then change engine oil and transmission oil to get rid of metal frakes.
Actually changing engine oil at 500KM is better if you can.
4. After 1000KM, you can let the motor to run 4-5K RPM but not maintain same RPM for long time up to 2000KM.
5. Change engine oil at 2000KM and try to use up to 6K rpm and occasionaly up to 6.5K RPM.
5. Around 3000KM, the break in is over, enjoy the performance!!

BTW, do not drive on highway for a long time at same engine RPM. If you do this, your motor doesn't run smoothly up to rev.

Getting rid of metal frakes is the key. If you can get magnetic drain plug from Spoon Sports, it'll be ideal because the plug collects metal frakes( I believe Honda/Acura use same drain plug for all models).

RavenHwk

Read the manual, and be careful of advice given on this board!

ACURA specifically recommends not changing the oil on 2004 TL until instructed to do so by the Maintenance Minder.

If you're interested why, SEARCH the board. There are several different topics on that point.

jtruman

Has this been verified? I drove the car on highway from LA to SF, the first 400 miles on the car.

I notice in the morning when the car is cold, at low rpm, the car does not accelerate smoothly. But it goes away when the car is warm... now I am paranoid.

rets

I agree everything you said above, except Change Oil at 2k KM. As long as the engine oil is enough, you should try to keep this first TANK of oil until the MID warns you. Or just simply follow your manual, which says clearly inside.



TO ravi, about the break-in period, if this is your car, why don't you spend a little time on it and drive it slowly in the beginning, learning the car/features? This could make sure your car will have a good run in the future. IMO, 90% of ppl may say you need to break-in the car, that's your choice, be joining this 90% of "yes" group or another 10% of "no need to break-in".

My frend in LA leasing this 04TL since Oct, and vtec his engine since 10 miles, whatever this engine had broken-in in the Acura plant or not, he doesn't care. That car will end the lease on April, 08...

automophile

I give my cars at least 1000 miles of mild driving. 3 cars ago, I was told that break-in was not necessary for my Millenia S. The supercharged engine was so much fun, that I drove it freely from the first week. That car give me piss-poor gas mileage (far less than the EPA estimates) and rough idle for the 3 years of the lease. The next car, a Lexus ES, I broke in carefully for 1000 miles, and it not only ran like a watch, it gave me more than 30 mpg on the road at 80 mph. The same for my Solara. I have now done the same for my TL, and it is running and idling perfectly. The mileage seems quite good - about 24-25 in mixed driving, over 30 at highway speeds. I have yet to take a trip - will do next month.

Anyway - it CAN'T HURT to be careful for a while with a new car, can it? There are SO MANY moving parts in a new car besides the engine, it only stands to reason to give them all time to break in gently to each other before putting high stress on them.

KilroyR1

Every new motor is run right up to the limiter so if something's going to pop, it does so prior to you getting.

Do whatever you wish.

Don

automophile

It's not a matter of things breaking, it is a matter of bearing getting overheated and galling, making rough spots for the life of the bearing. It is not only the engine, but the pumps, alternator, transmission, A/C compressor, wheel bearing, U-joints, etc etc etc.

Don't be foolish, be patient.

KilroyR1

With regard to bearings, this just came out today...

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

Don

Fisherman

Ravenhwk and Rets
"Changing oil more frequently" doesn't hurt anything except our wallet. Especially if the car came out from the assembly line, you should change more often because:
1. any metal frakes could be left while on manufacturing.
2. Metal frakes could be produced at beginning(as you drive the car, the metal smoothen).

Have you ever done transmission fluid change by your self or any of mechanics let you see the used transmission fluid came out from new car?
When I cought civic SIR in Japan and went to oil change at local mechanic, the mechanic showed me the used oil in the draine bucket. All I saw was silver flakes in the oil. I put the Spoon Sports drain plug with magnet. Then I went back to the mechanic around 1,200KM. This time he smiled and showed mw the plug...wow..more flakes attached to the magnet...I changed the transmission fluid....much more flakes than the engine oil plug..

Oh, I spoke to my friend who has S2K and told me that S2000 had different oil when came out from assembly. He was told by Honda not to rev to the limit or may damage the engine dur to the special ingredients in the oil...I don't know whether Acura put the special oil for TL or not...I need to confirm.

Fisherman

jtruman,

If you drive on highway at same rpm for long time in break-in period, there is a chance/tendancy that engine doesn't rev up to red zone smoothly. I can't guarantee this happens all the engines but this was told by "Mines" a famous car tuner in Japan specialized in Skyline, Lance Evo....I used to live 15 mile from his office.... So, I still believe this...Anyway, technology is changing...my belief may be old...

caball88

you gotta be kidding me, i commute 50 miles to work everyday and you are saying that during the break in period i can't leave the rpm's constant on the highway?????

jtruman

Well, my experience is the following: car doesn't rev smoothly at low RPM from 1000 to 2000 in 1st or 2nd gear in the morning when it's cold. Do you all have the same experience, or is my car screwed?

Above 2000RPM, the acceleration is smooth. I think even when the car is warm, it's still a big jerky at low RPM in low gears. I'll have to double check later when I go for a drive!

Tripp11

5AT or 6MT?

KJSmitty

Afternoon all,
I myself would really like to hear from a reputable Acura "engine engineer" etc. regarding the "first" oil change statement in the owners manual. My experience has me believing that the "change when the oil life monitor says to" comment is to warn/insist that the first oil change does not EXCEED that mileage.... I am fully aware and in-tune with "special" break-in oils etc. but would debate that the "special" in the oil would be extra anti-friction additives for proper wear-in occurring in the first 500-1000 miles. After that, it shouldn't matter if you change oil.
I have built/rebuilt numerous engines in my time, both for race and street. Like many have mentioned above, the real harm to a new engine is recirculating "debris". In the past, factory machining/building processes resulted in greater risks involving particles left behind. Today’s engines are done in cleaner environments and tighter tolerances thus large amounts of internal engine "shavings" etc. aren't a factor. This is one reason manufacturers don't stress a "sooner" first oil change.
I will admit, this is actually the first vehicle that I haven't changed the oil/filter at the 500 mile point. But now, at 2000 miles its all I can do to keep myself from changing...

This is just my personal opinion and heaven knows my "hands on experience" is dated. Obviously "things" have changed and that’s why I would like to hear Acura's (or any auto/engine manufacturers) no-bull "intent" or "interpretation" regarding the manual and the first oil change interval requirements/justifications.

Food for thought

Smitty

rets

I have similar doubts as Smitty said above.

Will the new engine have so much "debris" any more? Does our first engine oil contain any special add-in additive? Does Engine factory run/torture/tune/break-in our engines already?

More and more brands have told customers there is no need to have engine oil changed in first thousands of miles. This should mean something.

Before this 04TL, I did 1k first oil change for all my brand new car. Then, to chagne oil at 3-5k miles was the rule I always follow in the past. I'm really confused now.

I did change my first engine oil at 5700 miles following my MID info.

Someone may said "RTFM", but I'd appreciate some Acura Engineer could help educate us.

Thanks Fisherman & KJSmitty.



BTW, IMHO, I do believe the "break-in" would definitely help other components/parts in the car to tune well because I also believe the automobile plant only break-in the engine itself, not the whole car.

And, to rev the engine in the different range of RPM would be necessary, too.

jtruman

6MT.

I just came back from lunch, and once the car is warm, I can be in first gear, rev from 1000 to 2000 smoothly.

The jerky acceleration must be due to cold condition.

mattlana

I said RTFM.....I would have to believe that the manual was written by Acura Engineers and not some backyard mechanic. I do like what KJSmitty said...and if I paraphrase correctly...."things change". I happen to believe things have changed and will continue to change. Years ago, a 5W weight oil was just about unheard of....but "things change". I cannot even keep track of the ratings of oil.....SE, SF, SG, SH, it goes on and on. Things do change...let's all hope that they change for the better!

Fisherman

Cabal88,
I don't know 50 miles on highway is not good or bad for the engine during "Break-In". But it's not really good for the engine driving few hundred miles during that period.

KJSmitty,
I wanted to say "Additive"but the word didn't come up to me...my apology....I need to learn English again....