Engine Break-In
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 10,445
Likes: 4,403
From: Northern VA
"Ask Tadge" Producer
I love the "Drive it like you stole it!!!one1Eleven!" guys that come out of the woodwork when discussing break-ins. Some interesting points:
As tempting as it is to get on it when you first get the car, don't. Specially if you plan to keep it for a while. Take it easy for the first 500+ miles or so, so that the gears in the diff can get to know one another. If you don't, you'll possibly end up with a nice, annoying gear howl at highway speeds (ask the CTS-V and ZR1 owners that didn't do their break-ins properly about that one). The only fix for said howl is a complete diff replacement.
The rest of the break-in guidelines regarding the tires and brakes are also good to follow, assuming you don't burnish and bed them properly.
- The break-in rules and guidelines haven't changed much in decades. They just keep re-printing the same things.
- Engines have changed in that time, and do NOT need to be broken in any longer. They get spun up on a chassis dyno at the plant, for instance. BUT!!!!
- The rest of the drive train does need to be broken in. Specifically the differential.
As tempting as it is to get on it when you first get the car, don't. Specially if you plan to keep it for a while. Take it easy for the first 500+ miles or so, so that the gears in the diff can get to know one another. If you don't, you'll possibly end up with a nice, annoying gear howl at highway speeds (ask the CTS-V and ZR1 owners that didn't do their break-ins properly about that one). The only fix for said howl is a complete diff replacement.
The rest of the break-in guidelines regarding the tires and brakes are also good to follow, assuming you don't burnish and bed them properly.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,909
Likes: 2,701
From: Phila Suburbs 2023 C8 & 2013 650ix
So I just watched the YouTube video. The engine section is at the very end of the video around 25min 11sec. It says the engine goes thru 38 individual dynamometer checks that take an hour to complete. The video says one of the checks is "to verify horsepower and torque". There is no mention of "close to redline" and my video cutout before anything about a mini track.
Last edited by Walt White Coupe; Aug 27, 2013 at 09:18 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
I love the "Drive it like you stole it!!!one1Eleven!" guys that come out of the woodwork when discussing break-ins. Some interesting points:
As tempting as it is to get on it when you first get the car, don't. Specially if you plan to keep it for a while. Take it easy for the first 500+ miles or so, so that the gears in the diff can get to know one another. If you don't, you'll possibly end up with a nice, annoying gear howl at highway speeds (ask the CTS-V and ZR1 owners that didn't do their break-ins properly about that one). The only fix for said howl is a complete diff replacement.
The rest of the break-in guidelines regarding the tires and brakes are also good to follow, assuming you don't burnish and bed them properly.
- The break-in rules and guidelines haven't changed much in decades. They just keep re-printing the same things.
- Engines have changed in that time, and do NOT need to be broken in any longer. They get spun up on a chassis dyno at the plant, for instance. BUT!!!!
- The rest of the drive train does need to be broken in. Specifically the differential.
As tempting as it is to get on it when you first get the car, don't. Specially if you plan to keep it for a while. Take it easy for the first 500+ miles or so, so that the gears in the diff can get to know one another. If you don't, you'll possibly end up with a nice, annoying gear howl at highway speeds (ask the CTS-V and ZR1 owners that didn't do their break-ins properly about that one). The only fix for said howl is a complete diff replacement.
The rest of the break-in guidelines regarding the tires and brakes are also good to follow, assuming you don't burnish and bed them properly.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
So I just watched the YouTube video. The engine section is at the very end of the video around 25min 11sec. It says the engine goes thru 38 individual dynamometer checks that take an hour to complete. The video says one of the checks is "to verify horsepower and torque". There is no mention of "close to redline" and my video cutout before anything about a mini track.
PS: I'm actually surprise at how almost no one suggested a hard break-in in this thread! Hard break-ins are almost a given in other car forums haha
Last edited by EvoXvette; Aug 27, 2013 at 10:17 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
In another car forum, not corvette related, the break in for that car is 2000 miles, along with all the other restrictions mentioned here. The thought there is that the long break in is as much for the driver to get used to the car as it is for actual mechanical break in.
Any thoughts on that?
Any thoughts on that?
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
You got a point there. If someone is following break-in, it's not as likely the new owner is going to wrap it around a tree in the first 50 miles.....Never happens right? I remember when the first LS1 engines came out, there were lots of low mile totaled Camaros and Firebirds in wreaking yards.
Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 34,551
Likes: 505
From: Auburn Hills MI
Your right, my comments come from sitting down and having breakfast and lunch with those people nearly every day of the 20 years I worked in the industry and in vehicle engineering.
Did you read my post? The question was ENGINE break in. Modern engines do not require a traditional break in period. I said there may be exterior components that do and those parts are directly related to engine speed.
Pully's and bearings for AC, PS, etc, those are directly related to engine speed.
RIF.
BTW 50 percent of that owners manual is written by the legal department. Vehicle engineering has almost nothing at all to do with the content. The most we were ever asked for were drawings, never any input at all.
Last edited by NoOne; Aug 27, 2013 at 12:56 PM.
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Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 34,551
Likes: 505
From: Auburn Hills MI
BTW since LPE and the lot are so well revered around here what do you think happens when they rebuild your engine.
So long as the clutch is OK that thing gets put together, started, warmed up, and right on the dyno.
A better question is what magical things do you think happens during this so called break in period on an engine?
So long as the clutch is OK that thing gets put together, started, warmed up, and right on the dyno.
A better question is what magical things do you think happens during this so called break in period on an engine?
Scraping the splitter.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,111
Likes: 1,029
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
I have had more than one engine builder tell me (after having a new motor built for one of the cars) to heat cycle it, retorque the cylinder heads, change the oil and let it rip. IMO, there is very, very little engine break in required in today's cars. However, those of you buying M7 cars should follow a clutch break in procedure. Unless it's a sintered iron clutch (which the C7 clutch is not), nearly every aftermarket clutch manufacturer has a break in recommendation.
S.
S.
Scraping the splitter.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,111
Likes: 1,029
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 195
Likes: 20
From: Rochester NY
I agree - there really shouldn't be any need for a lenthy break-in procedure.....
When i had my '01 Trans Am, i had the engine rebuilt, and a twin-turbo kit installed.... we started the car, let it come up to full temp, then shut it off and changed oil... did that same thing a second time... then, after full temp the third time, she immediately started getting run hard under 4# of boost...... i no longer have the car, but 10K+ miles later, its still running like a beast, making 800+rwhp the entire time, and no reason to believe that the engine won't outlast most of the other parts on that car under that kinda power....
i know, someone's going to say "ohh, 10k miles, big whoop".... but that's big power for a stock cube LS1, and a lot of very hard miles under that kind of pressure
When i had my '01 Trans Am, i had the engine rebuilt, and a twin-turbo kit installed.... we started the car, let it come up to full temp, then shut it off and changed oil... did that same thing a second time... then, after full temp the third time, she immediately started getting run hard under 4# of boost...... i no longer have the car, but 10K+ miles later, its still running like a beast, making 800+rwhp the entire time, and no reason to believe that the engine won't outlast most of the other parts on that car under that kinda power....
i know, someone's going to say "ohh, 10k miles, big whoop".... but that's big power for a stock cube LS1, and a lot of very hard miles under that kind of pressure
Last edited by SonofaBish; Aug 27, 2013 at 01:57 PM. Reason: adding more detail
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 15,300
Likes: 2,262
From: NorCal
I too am conservative during the recommended break in period and always change my oil and filter the first time at 1,000 miles or less.
In talking with previous Chief Engineer Dave Hill about this, he said that after my initial oil and filter change, whatever I was comfortable with, that changing oil every 3,000 miles (as I continue to do) was a waste of oil and money, but heck, "it's your money." What he cautioned about however, was not driving it too hard for the first 1,200 miles to allow the differential gears to properly break in, as well as not using cruise control for the first five hundred mileage, and, as stated above, you should vary your RPM's during that time.
Never had a single engine problem in my life and many of our cars and pick-ups have gone just under 200,000 miles. At the same time, there are many who say that from the first turn of the key, "drive it like you stole it." Not me, thanks...
In talking with previous Chief Engineer Dave Hill about this, he said that after my initial oil and filter change, whatever I was comfortable with, that changing oil every 3,000 miles (as I continue to do) was a waste of oil and money, but heck, "it's your money." What he cautioned about however, was not driving it too hard for the first 1,200 miles to allow the differential gears to properly break in, as well as not using cruise control for the first five hundred mileage, and, as stated above, you should vary your RPM's during that time.
Never had a single engine problem in my life and many of our cars and pick-ups have gone just under 200,000 miles. At the same time, there are many who say that from the first turn of the key, "drive it like you stole it." Not me, thanks...
Poo.
Full throttle out of the dealership.
Break in is a myth today. The reason for break in before was the parts like the cam were not heat treated. So they were soft. Take a new car out and beat on it, wear down the cam lobes. Going through a break in procedure heat treated and hardened the metal.
Now with heat treated metals if its up to operating temp its good to go.
I do not know why they continue to publish stuff like this. Now there might be other parts like the AC/Alternator, PS Pump, etc that go through a break in process but the engine, no.
Changing the oil early is not a bad idea but never done the break in deal.
Full throttle out of the dealership.
Break in is a myth today. The reason for break in before was the parts like the cam were not heat treated. So they were soft. Take a new car out and beat on it, wear down the cam lobes. Going through a break in procedure heat treated and hardened the metal.
Now with heat treated metals if its up to operating temp its good to go.
I do not know why they continue to publish stuff like this. Now there might be other parts like the AC/Alternator, PS Pump, etc that go through a break in process but the engine, no.
Changing the oil early is not a bad idea but never done the break in deal.
Last edited by tuxnharley; Aug 27, 2013 at 10:00 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,661
Likes: 67
From: Ocean Springs MS
I haven't found any forum topics on this, except for those older gens that are doing nothing but rebuilds at this point, but what are people's opinions on breaking the engine in? I've seen all sorts of different views, but there's a common theme on changing almost right away (first few hours/couple dozen miles) and again 1000 mile mark.
Does GM do the initial break-in and first oil change at the factory, or is that left up to us to figure out? Also, any idea if the dealerships are covering the first few regular oil changes and if they'd toss in a 1000 mile change?
Does GM do the initial break-in and first oil change at the factory, or is that left up to us to figure out? Also, any idea if the dealerships are covering the first few regular oil changes and if they'd toss in a 1000 mile change?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 24
From: Cary NC
Or you could go back to post #9 in THIS thread and read that section, which is what we're all discussing!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,145
Likes: 537
From: Upland CA
I have generally been one of those who subscribes to the drag race and brake from light to light on a 10 mile stretch of boulevard to break-in the engine, driveline and brakes. However, given the likely engine monitoring, I will follow the engine break-in procedure. I have the 3,000 mile trip home from the NCM to get it done.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
When the gear is new and properly set up it will have a well centered contact area, but within that area it's just rubbing on all the high points.
Too much pressure early on these high points will rip and tear the surface instead of lapping/burnish/peening a broad contact patch.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 15,300
Likes: 2,262
From: NorCal
I can buy the idea about "ring and pinion gears to mesh into a wear pattern" but I'd hope it doesn't anneal.
When the gear is new and properly set up it will have a well centered contact area, but within that area it's just rubbing on all the high points.
Too much pressure early on these high points will rip and tear the surface instead of lapping/burnish/peening a broad contact patch.
When the gear is new and properly set up it will have a well centered contact area, but within that area it's just rubbing on all the high points.
Too much pressure early on these high points will rip and tear the surface instead of lapping/burnish/peening a broad contact patch.
