Is there any special break-in routine for the Lightnings? Should I wait to a certain mileage before hammering it? What are the average dyno numbers on a stock Lightning? Thanks.

 

Signed the papers at 5, hit the track at 5:30 with 30 miles on it. Must be something to the hard break in huh??

 

Many have hammered theirs from the beginning. Johnny Lightning drove his new L from the dealer to the track and ran a 13.2xx.

I chose to be a little less aggressive with mine. I start mine up and immediately drive off slowly, allowing everything(not just the eng.) to warm up evenly. An ocassional WOT blast mixed with varying RPM s when just cruising. Don't use the cruise control.

I drained the factory installed oil at 1,000 miles and used Motorcraft 5W20 and a Ford filter. At 4,000 miles, I switched over to Royal Purple's #11(5W20) Racing Synthetic oil and a K&N Gold filter. I have 34,800 miles on my 01 now with no reliability/unusual noises issues.

Dan

 

Get about 10 decent NORMAL thermocycles throughout all the drivetrain Normal driving at varying speeds and full cool downs over night/8 hrs. Then change the oil.

For the way I drive, it was 600 miles at the first oil change then a couple of 0-60 runs. Waited til up around 1200 miles (next oil change) before I hammered it.

WOT

 

Drive it like you stole it. After sucking the first tank of gas, change the oil

 

The truth is it is probably broke in when you drive it off the dealer lot. I didn't nail mine until about 1000& change. Not because of break-in, but more to prolong the excitement. Ya know, like a good bout of lovemaking......you could shoot the wad straight away and get it out of your system.....but where is the fun in that? Ya gotta go slow and prolong things until you can't take it anymore and then when the anticipation builds up to a maximum.....BAM!!! Uh....hehe....I think I need a cigar. Ya know, I just broke it off with my girlfriend last night and I'm obviously already a little edgy. I think I'll go make some coffee.....uh...anyway...good luck with your new ride, you"ll definetely dig it. I would'nt say it is as good as the aforementioned romp in the sack....but it is one DERN GOOD substitute if the latter is unavailable.

AWWWW SOOKIE SOOKIE NOW.....

 

It got broke in when you test-drove it. Mash your Motor!!

 

I had mine at the track with less than 300 miles on it. I plan to break em in just like I am going to drive them for the rest of the time I own them. Hate to start all soft and easy then scare the poor things by jumping into tire frying, snap oversteering, maniacal banzai autobahn runs at a certain set mile limit.



Breaking in my Miata the same way... already had it out to an autox (won my class) with 175 miles on it. So its working so far...

 

I actually followed a similar break-in as for one of my bikes...the ZX12 needed 2000 miles to break in...With the L, I constantly varied the rpms, did short bursts to red-line, and was nice and easy til it warmed up. So far, at 3000 miles, no problems...

 

I followed the same break in routine as well.

I've never met an engine builder who said "take the product of my pride and workmanship out and just beat the living crap out of it during breakin"

 

Drive it like you stole it

 

thanks for all of the replies...I just rolled 200 miles of varying speeds, time to play !!

 

I changed my oil and filter at 500 miles, 1000 miles, then at the 3000 mark. My thoughts are that the motor bearing, rings etc are seating and small pieces of metal will be floating around the motor oil. I did the varing rpm thing as I was told many years ago thats the best way to seat the rings. Don't know if it still applys, but it makes sense to me.
BTW. the first burnout that I did was at 1000 miles, didn't even get in boost till then. Who knows what happened at the dealership