How to Break in a New Car
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I feel the need...
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From: Motown
How to Break in a New Car
There are plenty of ways to break in your new car. Some of them are the right way.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...est+Content%29
Did a quick search, hope this isn't a
It’s a thing of beauty: A brand-new car, shiny and crisp. It makes you want to spend the whole evening walking around it. Pretty soon, the neighbors wander over to congratulate you—and to render advice.
Break it in carefully, one says: “No more than 30 miles per hour until it has 1000 miles on the odo.”
“No,” another says. “Drive it like you stole it, if you want it to be fast.”
Others recommend synthetic oil, or nitrogen in the tires, or a mouse-milk oil additive, guaranteed to double fuel economy.
The ritual of breaking in a new car is part of the body of knowledge we refer to as conventional wisdom. It’s not necessarily wise, and the technology of building a modern automobile has evolved to the point where a lot of “wisdom” is obsolete. Few cars specify a break-in procedure anymore, simply cautioning you to avoid extreme acceleration or extended idling for the first thousand miles or so, and there’s little in the way of extra service up front. Some don’t even mandate an oil change until 6000 miles. We think your new ride deserves better. Here are a few tips.....
Break it in carefully, one says: “No more than 30 miles per hour until it has 1000 miles on the odo.”
“No,” another says. “Drive it like you stole it, if you want it to be fast.”
Others recommend synthetic oil, or nitrogen in the tires, or a mouse-milk oil additive, guaranteed to double fuel economy.
The ritual of breaking in a new car is part of the body of knowledge we refer to as conventional wisdom. It’s not necessarily wise, and the technology of building a modern automobile has evolved to the point where a lot of “wisdom” is obsolete. Few cars specify a break-in procedure anymore, simply cautioning you to avoid extreme acceleration or extended idling for the first thousand miles or so, and there’s little in the way of extra service up front. Some don’t even mandate an oil change until 6000 miles. We think your new ride deserves better. Here are a few tips.....
Did a quick search, hope this isn't a
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Bakersfield
No need to worry. I raced the GF in her '05 TL as I was leaving the dealer in mine with 8 miles on it.
As I was taught in the GN, after a rebuild I break the cam in for 30 minutes, change the oil, check for leaks, and leave rubber down the driveway.
As I was taught in the GN, after a rebuild I break the cam in for 30 minutes, change the oil, check for leaks, and leave rubber down the driveway.
Yeah, no worries. I just got back from a drive and the car performs like its supposed to.
no bites today.
the other night tho, an RT chally tried to play catch up. He couldn't keep up.
It would be interesting to change the SRT's oil. I want to see all the metal flakes the article talked about. I'm almost at 1700 miles tho.
no bites today.
the other night tho, an RT chally tried to play catch up. He couldn't keep up.
It would be interesting to change the SRT's oil. I want to see all the metal flakes the article talked about. I'm almost at 1700 miles tho.
Last edited by justnspace; Sep 15, 2010 at 08:39 PM.
That piece of information surprised me. My car already had 19 miles on it when we picked it up. Imagine the look on the service guys face if I drove around the dealership after taking delivery just to hit the 20 mi mark and then get an oil change. 
But no, I didn't know. Had I known I probably would have gotten an oil change at least at 500 or 1000 miles.
But no, I didn't know. Had I known I probably would have gotten an oil change at least at 500 or 1000 miles.
That was uncalled for...
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Toronto, Ontario
https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/i-think-im-ordering-v6-mustang-week-787817/
....I like that smiley...
....I like that smiley...
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Bakersfield
It's very true. Oil is very sparkly after only 30 minutes. I always change the oil after 30 minutes of no load varying rpms on a new engine and it's sparkly every time. The next change at a few thousand miles looks normal. The vast majority of break-in is done in less than 30 minutes.
Your Friendly Canadian
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Toronto, Ontario
That's strange, I've read some long-term reviews of cars where the first oil change interval was longer than the rest, eg. first oil change (or service stop) at 7500 miles, and then every 5000 after. I can't remember one off the top of my head, though.
Either way, when I buy my first new car, I'l just shut the hell up and do what the people who designed and built the car tell me to do in the owners manual.
Either way, when I buy my first new car, I'l just shut the hell up and do what the people who designed and built the car tell me to do in the owners manual.
Senior Moderator
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From: Brooklyn, NY USA
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,172
Likes: 1,818
From: Bakersfield
I have a feeling marketing plays a big role in determining oil change intervals. It's a pretty safe bet if the engineers had their way, intervals, especially the first one would be shorter.
Engines have changed slightly but mechanically they're very, very similar to thier 1950s counterparts. They still go by the same laws. There is no way a bunch of metal circulating in the engine oil is good for any engine.
Some times break-in oil has a little more moly in it. Sometimes there's more moly left over from assembly lube. I would rather them say to change it early but make sure to use an oil with lots of moly..... yet I understand why that would be a disaster too.
FWIW, I changed my oil out early in the TL but not at 30 minutes.
Engines have changed slightly but mechanically they're very, very similar to thier 1950s counterparts. They still go by the same laws. There is no way a bunch of metal circulating in the engine oil is good for any engine.
Some times break-in oil has a little more moly in it. Sometimes there's more moly left over from assembly lube. I would rather them say to change it early but make sure to use an oil with lots of moly..... yet I understand why that would be a disaster too.
FWIW, I changed my oil out early in the TL but not at 30 minutes.
'10 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: CT
There was a TSB for some Acura models that insisted that oil not be changed prior to 5,000 for the initial break-in period. The reason from Honda was that the use Molybnedum(sp?) which is a special mineral that allows the pistons and seals to wear in properly.
'10 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,779
Likes: 7
From: CT
I have a feeling marketing plays a big role in determining oil change intervals. It's a pretty safe bet if the engineers had their way, intervals, especially the first one would be shorter.
Engines have changed slightly but mechanically they're very, very similar to thier 1950s counterparts. They still go by the same laws. There is no way a bunch of metal circulating in the engine oil is good for any engine.
Some times break-in oil has a little more moly in it. Sometimes there's more moly left over from assembly lube. I would rather them say to change it early but make sure to use an oil with lots of moly..... yet I understand why that would be a disaster too.
FWIW, I changed my oil out early in the TL but not at 30 minutes.
Engines have changed slightly but mechanically they're very, very similar to thier 1950s counterparts. They still go by the same laws. There is no way a bunch of metal circulating in the engine oil is good for any engine.
Some times break-in oil has a little more moly in it. Sometimes there's more moly left over from assembly lube. I would rather them say to change it early but make sure to use an oil with lots of moly..... yet I understand why that would be a disaster too.
FWIW, I changed my oil out early in the TL but not at 30 minutes.
Someone had to do it lol.
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2004
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All the engines I build have the oil changed after a twenty minute 1500 rpm run to break in the camshaft. If the vehicle was new then after the first 1000 kilometers. The only exception was the Honda, as that had the oil changed at around 5000 kilometers.
Terry
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durning my break in on my 2011 M3 , i drove it less the 5k rmp at all times and never more than 60 mph for the 1st 1200 miles ,that was when the 1st service was due
now at 2500 miles, i go all out, but still never redline
now at 2500 miles, i go all out, but still never redline
same thing for my M3 the 1st oil change was at 1200 miles and the next one is at 10k miles, i dont get it, i tought every 3k miles oil should be changed, but i read on another forum that ppl top up the oil every few thousand miles with 1/4 or a quart of oil
I have a feeling marketing plays a big role in determining oil change intervals. It's a pretty safe bet if the engineers had their way, intervals, especially the first one would be shorter.
Engines have changed slightly but mechanically they're very, very similar to thier 1950s counterparts. They still go by the same laws. There is no way a bunch of metal circulating in the engine oil is good for any engine.
Some times break-in oil has a little more moly in it. Sometimes there's more moly left over from assembly lube. I would rather them say to change it early but make sure to use an oil with lots of moly..... yet I understand why that would be a disaster too.
FWIW, I changed my oil out early in the TL but not at 30 minutes.
Engines have changed slightly but mechanically they're very, very similar to thier 1950s counterparts. They still go by the same laws. There is no way a bunch of metal circulating in the engine oil is good for any engine.
Some times break-in oil has a little more moly in it. Sometimes there's more moly left over from assembly lube. I would rather them say to change it early but make sure to use an oil with lots of moly..... yet I understand why that would be a disaster too.
FWIW, I changed my oil out early in the TL but not at 30 minutes.
teh Senior Instigator
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 44,094
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From: Huntington Beach, CA -> Ashburn, VA -> Raleigh, NC -> Walnut Creek, CA
Post pics of the m3.
if you think the oil should be changed every 3k miles, then what did you do with your TL? change oil when the MID did not call for it?
and then you're adding oil every few thousand miles!? without checking the levels???
like in your epic M3 post, I'm scared for you.
My first Avatar....
Joined: May 2006
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From: NJ
Originally Posted by CLpower
on a new car...never....on a motor i've built...always
I thought that when a car is assembled by a manufacturer, it's engine gets run in at the factory. By the time the cars get to a dealer the engines have already had more that 20 miles of run time haven't they?
I've never heard of the 20 mile oil drain.
Moderator Alumnus
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By this you guys mean, you buy engine components and re-install them in an existing motor?
I thought that when a car is assembled by a manufacturer, it's engine gets run in at the factory. By the time the cars get to a dealer the engines have already had more that 20 miles of run time haven't they?
I've never heard of the 20 mile oil drain.
I thought that when a car is assembled by a manufacturer, it's engine gets run in at the factory. By the time the cars get to a dealer the engines have already had more that 20 miles of run time haven't they?
I've never heard of the 20 mile oil drain.
Sorry, what I meant was that any motor I build from scratch immediately has it's oil changed once the camshaft has been broken in. In other words, an entire rebuild. I use a ZDDP additive (zinc dithiophosphate) when adding oil to the engine for the first time. After the engine is run for about 20-30 minutes the oil is drained, and new oil and ZDDP is added and run in the engine for about a hundred miles.
Some manufactures bench run engines before installation (many of the higher end manufacturers), but most are installed without any previous run time. Today's engines, however, are computer machined to such close tolerances they rarely have any sort of issues when first run. I've heard of Honda running a random engine from time to time for quality control, but can't verify if this is true or not.
Terry
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Joined: May 2000
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From: Brooklyn, NY USA
follow the manual
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