Is it true that the Lightning’s that are babied are the slow ones? I have heard this from a couple of people now. From what I have heard the people who had the fastest lightnings are the ones that put it to the floor the day they bought it. I have 244 miles on my truck and have not yet put it even close to the floor. I have not had it over 80 mph or 3,000 rpms. If this is true am I too late with 244 miles or should I start putting my foot into it now?

Thanks for any help



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93 Teal Cobra #4656
95 White Lightning #153 (sold)
2000 Silver Lightning

 

The way I see it, it's like waking up, you have to stretch and move, and twist your body to get the kinks out before you start your day. So what i'm saying is, "Drive it like you stole it."

I bought a 1999 Camaro with 16 miles on it, and treated it like a baby for 6,000 miles before I started racing it. Man, that thing had problems. Had to fix it all the time. Good thing it's all been fixed though, now it drives the way it should.

 

I drove mine like my grandmother would for the first 500 miles. Never went to WOT or cornered hard until then. Changed to Mobile 1 at 4000. First time at the track around 5000 miles I went 14.0 @ 98 with no speed mods. I still don't have the clunk or I/C leak now at 12,000. That's not saying I prevented any problems, but it shows babying it can't hurt.

Mark
'00 Lightning (Silver- the most reliable color)
'79 Corvette

 

I didn't get into the boost at all until I had 750 on it, and didn't do any full throttle runs until I had 1500 miles on it. Ran 14.1 @ 97 in 100 degree heat bone stock. Runs low 13's now with chip and filter. 15K miles and no I/C leak, yet. It may or may not help longevity to break it in gently, but I'd rather play it safe.

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'00 White Lightning
Best run 13.2 @ 103 on F1's.

 

John, I think the best thing you can do for your truck is to take the diapers off and stop babying it! Pass right over that whole puberty deal and skip right into the hair- on- the- chest stage, keeping the little boost gauge vertical at 8psi as often as possible. Hell, my truck is a whole 3 days old and thats how I've been driving it without a leak or clunk to report yet! Did you ever rebuild your KX250 and actually ride around at under half throttle for 6 hours? Nope, never. Actually, I'll do you one better- just to prove I'm right, next time I'm over your house we'll run your stock babied silver L with 255 miles up against my stock heavily used (not abused since thats what they were designed for) 800 mile silver L to see which method of BREAK-in worked better. results to follow for those who are interested.

Extremely sarcastic...

Garrett

 

I didn't stomp on mine until I got out of sight of the dealer. At 5.6 miles on the odo I stomped it...and broke the tranny. Limped back to the dealer for a new one. Since then I've driven it hard and had no problems.

LocoSVT

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, unless you bought your L with less than 10 miles on it, someone's already abused the crap out of it. So, forget the babying, and enjoy! A few others have!

 

I babied mine for a grand total of 2 to 3 blocks!

In all reality, high cylinder pressures actually AID the rings seating to the cylinder walls. Just what we were taught in A & P school. Teledyne Continental Motors, (aircraft engine builder), has this in writing in a break-in proceedures manual.

Later,
Jake...

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2000 Black Lightning
NLOC #476
PSP full meal deal
Level 10 shift kit
SnugLid
BedRug
Wet Okole seat covers
AIM 2" rear drop

13.870 @ 100.52 stock

jacobs@revealed.net

 

I don't think it makes a bit of difference. If you buy a new vehicle you aren't the first one to drive it any how. I work at an assembly plant and the guys who drive them off the line and the guys who roll test them are by no means babying them. Cold motor, slam them in gear and WFO. That's not to mention the guys who load them on car haulers and rail cars they shoot up those ramps at 40 or 50 mph.
I had mine for about 4 miles before I put it up over 130.

Just my opinion,
HIGH RISK

 

The most abuse your engine or transmission will ever get is before it goes in the truck, the test stands are the real stress test. Know this, before your transmssion left the transmission plant, I took it upo to 5600 RPMs and slammed it into first gear at 475 ft/lbs of torque, tehn I wound it all the way up and shifted down the ratio, tehn I atttempted to put it in reverse at 4000 rpms (the computer overides this, or does if it passes test anyway) to see how far it "settled" before it actually engaged reverse. I dare anyone to try any of these tests in your truck. I can only imagine what they do at Windsor to the engine.