So what's the deal with breaking in engines in 2010? Is it still the old method of no hauling, no towing, keep it under 65 MPH, vary the speeds type thing? Or are these new motors good to go right from the start?

How long a break in period? 500 miles? 1,000 miles?

Change the oil when? 200 miles? 500 miles?

What say you?

 

I'd do what the owners manual says. Did you get one with that new truck? Might wanta read it.

 

no break in period. you can go ***** to the wall as soon as you leave the lot.

 

You can, but do you really want to... Like any new technology the transition should be taken with a grain of salt... She's new treat her with respect...

 

Already did read it...and it's suspiciously lacking in detail. Thus I ask here.

 

I personally wouldn't tow or run WOT for the first 1000 miles, and I'd do the first oil change at 3000. Note the use of the word "personally" - I don't always do things strictly by the book, I try to use some common sense too. Speaking of the first oil change, have the dealer do it. Bubba is still installing the oil filters at the factory with an impact wrench.

 

How far did you get? On page 5 of the owner's manual.....

BREAKING-IN YOUR VEHICLE
Your vehicle does not need an extensive break-in. Try not to drive
continuously at the same speed for the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of
new vehicle operation. Vary your speed frequently in order to give the
moving parts a chance to break in.
Drive your new vehicle at least 1,000 miles (1,600 km) before towing a
trailer. For more detailed information about towing a trailer, refer to
Trailer towing in the Tires, Wheels and Loading chapter.
Do not add friction modifier compounds or special break-in oils since
these additives may prevent piston ring seating. See Engine oil in the
Maintenance and Specifications chapter for more information on oil
usage.

 

Yep...read it...still see nothing in it about first oil change, metal shavings, max speed limitation/RPM limits etc.

Do you?

It's pretty skinny on detail...especially for a piece of gear as important as an engine.

Perhaps the lack of detail signifies what others here have written...break in isn't as much of a concern nowadays as it was in prior years.

 

When I first started Dyno testing modular engines in 1988 the pretest breakin was 18 hrs of various load and RPM. Then the oil was changed,compression and leakdown performed and then we ran a power test ( 30 minutes) which ran the engine through various RPMs running WOT at peak torque and peak hp, 5 minutes each. We then started the actual selected testing which was anything from a 4 minute Piston scuff test to a 300 hr FIE. Around 1998 they changed to an 8 hr breakin changing the oil and performing checks after the 8 hrs then the power test and then starting the chosen test. Again the same various load and RPM sequence only 8 hrs instead of the 18 hr. We all suspected that we would see some indication of this change during engine disassembly with greater bearing wear, lack of piston ring seating etc.as we figured 8 hrs was not enough time to break an engine in. We didn't and actually there was no difference at all. I personally always change my oil and filter on my new vehicles the first time at 1000 miles. After tearing down many engines that ran only breakin or short tests and inspecting oil that was removed after 8 hrs of breakin it was interesting to see the metal particals in the oil that was removed. When looked at under bright light the oil looked like metalflake paint. The inital scraping of rings and parts meshing/mating together removes a lot of very fine particles of metal which ends up in your oil and is not captured by the filter. Like glc and others said just use some common sense and you should be fine. Take care.

 

Exactly what I was looking for...Thanks!

 

Once again, this is "me personally" but of all the new vehicles I've owned, I always drive them from day one the way they will always be driven, no special break-in treatment at all. If an engine is "babied" as opposed to being "made to work" it will not fare as well. The rings need to be forced out against the walls to seat well and as long as you aren't going WOT or overheating it will seat better being made to work some. I remember when they made the 1st around the world non-stop flight (Rutan), they took the plane up to break it in before they went for real. The plane didn't have enough drag (didn't have to work hard enough) to break in the rings and had power and oil consumption problems. They took the engine off and broke it in on a test stand where they could "make it work" and power was up and the oil consumption gone. Enough said!

 

I agree code58. What you say has a lot of merit with one exception and I think heavy towing done early can sometimes start conditions that may show up later in an engine. Excessive heat and loading initally can damage bearings which may not fail until thousands of miles later. When running a 300 hr FIE test for example. This is a brutal test much more severe than what 95% of the population will put their car through in its lifetime. (my wife falls in that other 5% by the way).This test basicly runs peak power (hp) and peak torque, (approx. 3600 rpm WOT for torque and up to 6800 rpm WOT HP, engine dependent) alternating between the two for 300 hrs. During the entire test we are monitoring over 25 different parameters on the computer, horsepower, torque, exh temps, oil temps, and pressures and on and on. Its interesting to watch the hp and torque actually increase almost throughout the entire 300 HR test. That is an indication that the engine is after hundreds of hours still loosening up and becoming more effecient (sp)to a point of course. By the way we change oil and filter every 50 test hrs.during the testing process. Take care.

 

You might find this article on break-in interesting.

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

 

I'll also agree with code58. The rings need to be forced out against the walls to seat, and that is only going to happen when a warm engine either accelerates or decelerates. That is why idling, freeway, towing and babying your engine are bad, they all involve constant engine speeds, or the lack of acceleration. Today, normal driving is enough because of advanced engine build technology. For example honing technology has come a long way. The cylinder is sized to the piston during honing, and three grades of stone are used to hone the cylinder and that is followed by a brush.

Cylinder Bore Honing - Engine Building Video - Hone Piston Wall

bookmark

 

Dynotech- I always appreciate your input because it gives us a look at the technical side of engine "hows and why's" as well as forensics that you mention from time to time. I wasn't thinking of towing when I said "work it". I agree with their guidelines concerning when you should be able to tow. I actually was going to post the link that is posted right below your post. I know this was motorcycles but still very valid principal concerning seating rings in and the power produced by properly seated rings. I worked in a Ford dealership back in the mid-late 60's. They had a fair amount of problems with chrome rings not seating (that problem had existed for a quite a while before that) and Ford had to pay to re-ring them. The mechanics didn't want to have a redo of their re-ring so they devised a way to avoid that. They put the piston with the rings in dry ( I realize it got oil splash about the second revolution ) and no water in the radiator. They started it and held the water hose (with press valve) right over the rad opening and revved it repeatedly to about 25-2800 RPM while watching the exhaust. The second they saw the smoke (minor-mod.) disappear they dumped the water to it at idle. They broke it in right in their stall!. They did quite a few re-rings back then (and the warrantee was only 12&12K) and never ever had a complaint about oil consumption on any done that way. I'm sure Ford probably wouldn't have approved of it but it worked.