How many of you Did Not Break-in your Engine?

[Z3papa]

While I think break in procedures have merit, I can't forget taking a tour through the BMW factory in SC with engineers leading the discussion from stop to stop which ended with the engineers demonstrating how every car went through a booth where every car/engine was run through pre-determined testing which included running it up and down to redline for each gear up to 155 mph. We watched two cars go through this, and I did the tour on two separate occasions. They said every manufacturer is believed to run their cars through this testing, admittedly without the ODO connected. That gives you a little thought about whether break in is for real.

Sponsored

 

[SDAlexander8]

Manual says take it easy for the first 600 miles. I'll probably take it easy for the first 800 miles. However, I live in a city with shitty roads, stop and go traffic, and people who lane hop and cut you off constantly. Pretty sure I'll never get to lean into this car very hard anyway.

Take it out if the city once in awhile and find some sick roads.

 

[ziludood]

I know for a fact that if the vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission you must break in the clutch. Failure to do so will result in premature wear. It also means city driving. If you drive in the highway it doesn't count. I am about to reach 800 miles on my 2020 SI I can't wait to let her rip.

 

[mvela]

Yeah I am use to older vehicles requiring break in periods. So when I bought both my civics I asked how long the break in period was at the dealer and was told they are already broke in from the factory. But they also told me to avoid long highway travel and excessive acceleration for the first 600 miles. And they also said to wait until the maintenance minder says it is time for an oil change to change your oil. They said not to change it early. So my first oil change was about 7000 miles on both my civics, the 1.5t and 2.0na.

 

[R MODE]

This is what I know from personal experience. I am a retired professional motorcycle road racer. We would take a brand new bike, put it on the dyno and run it in, start to finish 15 minutes. We would rev to 2000 rpm then let it engine brake back to idle, rev to 2100 rpm back to idle, rev to 2200 rpm back to idle, rev to 2300 rpm back to idle and continue this process until we hit red line, back to idle, turn the bike off and take it off the dyno. "Break in" finished. We found a 2% to 4% power gain over engines that had been ridden on the street and broken in. Never did we have engine or transmission problems. One of the bikes I raced was a 2000 Honda RC51, a V-Twin 1000. We had over $30,000 racing miles on that bike when we sold it and the only thing we ever had to replace was a clutch. There was no power loss during it's entire life of racing.

I believe "break in instructions" are more for the driver/rider, to make sure they get used to the machine and are less likely to crash it from inexperience.

 

[Israel]

This is what I know from personal experience. I am a retired professional motorcycle road racer. We would take a brand new bike, put it on the dyno and run it in, start to finish 15 minutes. We would rev to 2000 rpm then let it engine brake back to idle, rev to 2100 rpm back to idle, rev to 2200 rpm back to idle, rev to 2300 rpm back to idle and continue this process until we hit red line, back to idle, turn the bike off and take it off the dyno. "Break in" finished. We found a 2% to 4% power gain over engines that had been ridden on the street and broken in. Never did we have engine or transmission problems. One of the bikes I raced was a 2000 Honda RC51, a V-Twin 1000. We had over $30,000 racing miles on that bike when we sold it and the only thing we ever had to replace was a clutch. There was no power loss during it's entire life of racing.

I believe "break in instructions" are more for the driver/rider, to make sure they get used to the machine and are less likely to crash it from inexperience.

I never brake in my engine step by step
I remember doing full trottle couple of times never redline it , and i went to speeda up to 100 on the first 100 miles
Would that affect me in the future or it wouldve have done already

 

[icemansi]

Drove it pretty easy with the exception of a few pulls for the first 600 miles

 

[RehabJP]

Yea you buy a brand new Si or Type R and than tell you not to go and drive it fast. You know anyone test driving a car before they buy it they are not taking it easy and not giving full throttle acceleration. Now should you take a brand new car and drive it full blast on a track.... no probably not. I would say the best thing is vary your driving do not take it on a long road trip where you are going to be at cruising speed for extended periods. You want to get the parts wearing in like a new pair of shoes you need to wear them in since everything is gonna be stiff and shiny. You want everything to "wear together and fit in" If you want to take it on the highway and pull the gears and feel the need for speed sure I would take it easy, maybe not take it all the way to red line for the first few hundred, but its okay to drive the car otherwise you would have to circle the block for 500 miles.

Also I would bet dollar to donuts they do at least some sort of break in at the factory. I know with some Acura models they come "Pre-broken in" so you can drive it off the lot and take it straight to the track. I agree with those that say the recommended break in is less about not damaging the engine and more about not taking a brand new $30,000 or $40,000 sports car and totaling it when you get on the Freeway for the first time and are not familiar with the car and wreak it..

 

[The Vyzitor]

I honestly have not floored it 100% or taken the rpm to redline yet. At all. I’m just over 7k miles.

 

[born_hard]

Why is it important to wait until the maintenance minder says it is time for an oil change? What is the reason? There are various reasons to change the first oil after 1000miles.

and how can you break in the clutch? Do you have to operate it slowly for the first couple miles? I have never heard this.

 

[bcrichster]

Why is it important to wait until the maintenance minder says it is time for an oil change? What is the reason? There are various reasons to change the first oil after 1000miles.

and how can you break in the clutch? Do you have to operate it slowly for the first couple miles? I have never heard this.

Metal shavings from the stated "break-in" process.. more metal = more cylinder/piston/cam/crank damage

 

[David Harper]

just don't beat on it for the first 1K. "break in" is not necessary with new cars today. the engines are run-in at the factory. and normal driving will break in the clutch just fine.

Sponsored