Well, the owner's manual says to keep it at 55 miles an hour for the first 500 miles. Around here if you go almost anywhere you run into a speed limit of 60 or better. I didn't want to hold up traffic in a new Corvette so I didn't quite do what the manual said. Now there were no fast stops or starts and no heavy foot on the gas, just some normal driving. Anybody else unable to keep it at 55 or below for the first 500?

 

No.... no... I don't think so....

 

What new Vette did you get? Here's the break-in info from the 2009 manual:

Follow these recommended guidelines during the first
1,500 miles/2414 km of driving this vehicle. Parts have
a break-in period and performance will be better in the
long run.
For the first 200 miles/322 km:
• To break in new tires, drive at moderate speeds and
avoid hard cornering for the first 200 miles/322 km.
• New brake linings also need a break- in period. Avoid
making hard stops during the first 200 miles/322 km.
This is recommended every time brake linings are
replaced.

For the first 500 miles/805 km:
• Avoid full throttle starts and abrupt stops.
• Do not exceed 4,000 engine rpm.
• Avoid driving at any one constant speed, fast or
slow, including the use of cruise control.
• Avoid downshifting to brake or slow the vehicle
when the engine speed will exceed 4000 RPM.
• Do not let the engine labor. Never lug the
engine in high gear at low speeds. With a manual
transmission, shift to the next lower gear. This rule
applies at all times, not just during the break-in
period.
For the first 1,500 miles/2414 km:
• Do not participate in track events, sport driving
schools, or similar activities during the first
1,500 miles/2414 km.
• Check engine oil with every refueling and add if
necessary. Oil and fuel consumption may be higher
than normal during the first 1,500 miles/2414 km.

 

As long as you varied the RPM's, no hard stops, avoided the wonderful full blast launches and generally followed the other guidelines for the first 500 miles, no problem.

 

Thanks CM for the eye opener. I had not read that part of the manual. The DVD that came with the Corvette said to keep it 55 or below for the first 500 and that is what I was going on. More than likely my top speed for the first 500 was around 80 for a short period. I would be supprised if anyone could keep the speed at 55 for the first 500 on a new Corvette. Mine is a 09 C6 with the A6 trans.

 

• Do not exceed 4,000 engine rpm.

That’s required mucho constraint from me in my first 500.

 

Those are pretty much the guidelines I followed and at 501 miles I hammered the go pedal on the way home to Texas from Bowling Green

 

I know I coud't keek my Z under 55 for 500 miles , but I did keep it uner 3500 RPMs .

 

I agree.

Although, I may have "accidently" been higher than 55 once or twice or more and "bumped" the loud pedal a little too hard. I'm still about 80 miles short of 500.

 

Then change that oil and filter at somewhere around 1,000 and you'll be fine!

 

basically your are breaking in the rear gear. Just don't keep it at a steady speed for long. You should be fine.

 

You're breaking in the drive train as much as the engine itself.
Keep it slow for the first 1000 miles and change that oil at 500-600 miles to get rid of any metal shavings left over from manufacturing. Note also that GM no longer fits the LS-3 with a magnetized oil plug. Pick one up for about $10-12.
By the way, my 09 has about 4500 miles on it and it's just now starting to feel broken in.

 

55 is baloney just don't go over 80 in 6th and vary your revs on the freeway.

 

Back when the Corvette Manual only had the "stay below 55 mph and no heavy throttle for 500 miles" instruction, we had lots of people claiming that was a generic recommendation for all GM cars, didn't really apply to Corvettes. "Run it hard from the beginning to seat the rings", etc. Now, GM has come out with much more restrictive break in recommendations for the Corvette and I'm sure some of those same people are convinced they know better than the GM engineers. One of the reasons I don't like to buy used cars...

 

 

The new vert I'm looking at already has 252 miles on it. I wonder how it was driven?

 

Wow......I was not aware that GM had changed the break-in language that radically for the 2009's....a LOT different that it was for the 2008's.

And no, I did not follow those guidlelines either. I had a 350 mile trip home starting at 8 at night. I varied the speed, but I never got below 50 MPH. Mine does not use a drop of oil and the rear diff is quiet....

 

 

I would say driving in stop & go, bumper to bumper traffic is far more harmful to an engine during break-in than exceeding 55MPH.

 

Easy on the throttle, keeps varying the engine speed, gentle stops to keep the brakes happy.
Should keep the car happy, even if the driver gets frustrated.

One the break in is complete, that kind of driving does indeed create more wear on the engine and will also use up your olil life quicker.