I've only got about 400 miles on my new XLT and I've been taking it pretty easy while driving. When would it be safe to start seeing what this thing can do?

 

Im pretty lite on the peddle so far with only 260 miles,i stomped mine twice with about 200 miles on it but im driving it easy and not doing it anymore till i get some more mileage. Hope it wakes up it feels like my 2000 4.6 liter was snappier.

 

A complex subject with many opinions, but it's time to run your engine to the upper RPM ranges for short bursts...then coast down to draw oil around the rings, etc. at high vacuum...repeat. The worse thing you can do is drive a constant RPM. Note that your engine rarely exceeds 1200-2000 RPM unless you force it.

 

How about stomping on it when the light changes to green? God, I want to do that soooo bad!

This is the first V8 I've owned. Can you tell?

 

Stomp on it a couple time now. Then stomp on it around 2000 miles. Tell us if you feel any difference. I know I do.

 

there was 60kms on this truck that i test drove, took er to the highway, pulled over.... then put my foot down, screeetched the tires and kept er down until it governored at 100mph. what do i care, it was a fully loaded FX4 scab, i couldn't afford that right? right? well a month later i ended up buying it with 160kms on it. I hope i didn't damage anything... oh and once i bought it i drove it home 400kms away at a constant speed..... not sounding good for me is it?

 

Oh no, your in big trouble. You should sell that truck right now. The way you drove the vehicle on the first test drive with the pedal to the metal and then a constant speed for 400 kms. I'm surprised the thing is still running.

 

haha, goes to show you all how trivial this break in bull is! My truck runs and sounds great at 3000kms. By the way, rings takes about 20 mins to break into an engine, its the bushings where the pistons attach to the crank that takes a bit of time.

Ye putt around worried to death about your "TUFF" truck and I'll use mine like a truck... hard!

 

I thought you might get the point, I have always driven my vehicles from the first day in a manner in which they would be used. I've had 4 new ford trucks over the past 25 years and have never had any engine related problems. Beat the hell out of them, their Ford Trucks.

 

I agree with driving it like a truck is to be driven. However, I do think that its important to be easy on the brakes for a few hundred miles. I feel that is important to let the seat and it prevents squealing in the long run. No evidence behind this, just my theory.