How do you plan to "break-in" your new CTR?

[RatedR]

I know there are probably many opinions on this, but this 10 minute video from Road & Track ( http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...e/videos/a31398/best-way-to-break-in-new-car/ ) pretty much mimics what I was told from a Honda engineer years ago. And that is basically during the first 500-600 miles you want to vary your load and speed, never staying too long at one rpm (such as by using cruise control) and never going full throttle to redline. His message to me (in a perfect world condition) was to get on the highway in the slow lane and basically go from 1500rpms to 4000/4500rpms gradually at light throttle and repeat over and over again. Now obviously doing this means your car would be repeatedly slowing down tremendously and then speeding up, and then slowing down etc., and that's probably not the safest thing in the world to do on a busy highway. City driving would mimic this, but it just takes longer to do since you have red-lights, stop signs, etc.

Anyone have thoughts on this or their personal technique to seat in the piston rings properly?

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[erbee]

Talk about break in when we don't even know how much the car is. Lol



Redline it when the temp is up to seat the rings. Sell it to somebody for msrp 7months later .

 

[RatedR]

 

[17CivicTypeR_Brian]

I agree with the addition that the car be allowed to warm up a bit before loading it...at least to warm the oil. Being that it'll be practically summer when we pick these up, I'd say an idle for long enough to adjust the mirrors, seats, climate control, and radio (preferably OFF to listen to the sweet sounds) and then set off. I would not do anything other than limp the car around until at full operating temperature. Not sure if it has a temperature indicator, but I'd like to see antifreeze of at least 160°F or see that the temp gauge is no longer rising. Then, I'd do a series of 'pulls' of increasing throttle position up to 100%, but I wouldn't red line it personally. If I can drive it up a long hill, I'd do that in 2-3 gears and at different throttle positions.
I would avoid using cruise control if possible for the first 500-600 miles. Downshift instead of letting the engine load up below 2000 RPM.
Once I hit 1000, I change the oil, run to operating temperature, then red line gears until I run out of road.

 

[pie]

Asked the head service guy at my dealership, basically what you said @09CivicSiBrian - and I intend to do it this way. That "blasting it off the lot to seat the rings" definitely seems to make sense, but I'd rather just take the recommendation. If my type R ends up losing power due to being broken in properly, so be it.

I also kinda want a "honeymoon" period with the car before I beat on her. I'd hate to do something stupid before feeling out the car and its capabilities to a level where I'm comfortable tossing it around a bit.

 

[RatedR]

I agree with the addition that the car be allowed to warm up a bit before loading it...at least to warm the oil. Being that it'll be practically summer when we pick these up, I'd say an idle for long enough to adjust the mirrors, seats, climate control, and radio (preferably OFF to listen to the sweet sounds) and then set off. I would not do anything other than limp the car around until at full operating temperature. Not sure if it has a temperature indicator, but I'd like to see antifreeze of at least 160°F or see that the temp gauge is no longer rising. Then, I'd do a series of 'pulls' of increasing throttle position up to 100%, but I wouldn't red line it personally. If I can drive it up a long hill, I'd do that in 2-3 gears and at different throttle positions.
I would avoid using cruise control if possible for the first 500-600 miles. Downshift instead of letting the engine load up below 2000 RPM.
Once I hit 1000, I change the oil, run to operating temperature, then red line gears until I run out of road.

I'd be cautious of changing the oil so soon. Same engineer I mentioned above stated Honda puts additives in their oil at the factory that the car will never see again which is obviously formulated to help with the cars break in. I'd leave it in there as long as possible.

 

[pie]

Talk about break in when we don't even know how much the car is. Lol



Redline it when the temp is up to seat the rings. Sell it to somebody for msrp 7months later .

Gonna be honest, it basically doesn't matter how much the car costs. Not because I'm rich (not even close), but because MSRP isn't going to be something astronomical or prohibitive. If we didn't have a clue and it could be $50k USD, then yeah it matters, but as it stands I think most of us are willing to eat a few grand as long as it's not ADM.

 

[17CivicTypeR_Brian]

I'd be cautious of changing the oil so soon. Same engineer I mentioned above stated Honda puts additives in their oil at the factory that the car will never see again which is obviously formulated to help with the cars break in. I'd leave it in there as long as possible.

I've heard that too... my thought though is to try and get out anything that may have 'worn off' and not gotten into the oil filter. I want to get full synthetic in there as soon as possible.
Does Honda still use conventional oil for their break-in?

 

[Phantisy]

I've heard that too... my thought though is to try and get out anything that may have 'worn off' and not gotten into the oil filter. I want to get full synthetic in there as soon as possible.
Does Honda still use conventional oil for their break-in?

I would not do the first oil change so soon. They do use special additives in their factory fill. Honda is one of the best companies to care about what they do with their motors before the consumer gets it.

 

[Trey]

Motoman break-in!

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

 

[Harlaquin]

Ain't gotta worry about it. Dealers and employees "test driving" it will most assuredly dash any break in plans you have. I'm sure it will be redlined within 30 mins of being at dealer .

 

[jpmelfi]

Motoman break-in!

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

Why should we go with this guys method based on 300ish new engines, when car manufactures are basing their method off of millions?

 

[Trey]

Why should we go with this guys method based on 300ish new engines, when car manufactures are basing their method off of millions?

I don't think anyone is telling anyone else to do anything. I believe it works. I rebuilt my b18c and used his method. No issues. Many others say the same.

 

[Trey]

Dp

 

[Evolution999]

Ive done a hard break in on all my vehicles directly off the dealer lot and never burned a drop of oil on any and all motors have run very strong. You only have the first 20 miles of the engines life to seat the rings properly. An interstate rd and light traffic is needed to do this. You could do it easier on a dyno but that's not realistic.
Bring car up to operating temp first couple miles then full throttle to redline in 1st gear 3 times, letting the engine brake back down to 2000 rpm each time.
(I'd probably only go 50% throttle in 1st in a FWD car to not spin or wheel hop)

Repeat with 2nd, 3rd, 4th gears but on these gears i usually start at 3000rpm to not load the rods unnecssarily. Last, do a long full throttle pull 3 times from 1-4 shifting very slowly between each gear then engine braking as long as possible in 4th.

Drive home, change oil and filter to full synthetic. Engine break-in complete.

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