How important is break in, really?
Racer
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 341
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '14
I've heard completely opposite sides from very reputable sources. My take on it is, drive it easy for the first thousand when ever possible, but don't be afraid to play either.
I managed to take it easy for the first 500, after that, not so much.
I managed to take it easy for the first 500, after that, not so much.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 24
The differences in opinion on this subject are unreal!
Me? Don't heavily load the engine with full throttle pulls from low rpm. Increasingly longer heat cycles when new. SLOWLY accelerate to progressively higher rpms over time. Limit WOT early on and increase duration over time. Always let the engine warm up before doing anything but easy driving. SHORT periods of high RPM is not totally out of the question early on as long as it is not obtained by WOT from low rpm. High torque early on is not good. Neither is high rpm for long periods of time. Good fuel. Good oil and filters. Good to go.
I have never understood the "Drive it like you stole it" approach to breaking in a motor.
Me? Don't heavily load the engine with full throttle pulls from low rpm. Increasingly longer heat cycles when new. SLOWLY accelerate to progressively higher rpms over time. Limit WOT early on and increase duration over time. Always let the engine warm up before doing anything but easy driving. SHORT periods of high RPM is not totally out of the question early on as long as it is not obtained by WOT from low rpm. High torque early on is not good. Neither is high rpm for long periods of time. Good fuel. Good oil and filters. Good to go.
I have never understood the "Drive it like you stole it" approach to breaking in a motor.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 199
Likes: 1
I just sold my c6 after having it 8 plus years and putting 104,000 miles on it. Every vehicle I have ever had including motorcycles I have never really followed the manufacturers guidelines and have never really had any issues what so ever. I don't go wot on anything really but I sure don't baby it from the get go. Most people don't drive their corvettes as much as I did either so I would think even less possibilities of a problem. Friends seem to think My bikes and my cars always seem to pull harder than their exact types also. I think it's due to me not following but honestly I'm no mechanic or anything. Just a thought. Lots of articles on both sides of the coin.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
This is one I kind of liked. Granted its about motorcycles mostly.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
This is one I kind of liked. Granted its about motorcycles mostly.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
The engineers that built the car know more about the car and what testing yielded as far as best results.
Nobody here was really there for that and therefore we cannot be any more informed than the engineers. So I follow the engineer's guidelines. Anything other than that would be like self-medicating.
I think people lose sight of the value of the education and experience of those that we've relied on to engineer the things we want. "Thanks GM for building an amazing car, and a technological marvel. But I'll take it from here. I know what's best."
Nobody here was really there for that and therefore we cannot be any more informed than the engineers. So I follow the engineer's guidelines. Anything other than that would be like self-medicating.
I think people lose sight of the value of the education and experience of those that we've relied on to engineer the things we want. "Thanks GM for building an amazing car, and a technological marvel. But I'll take it from here. I know what's best."
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 199
Likes: 1
Well sometimes that engineering is used so well that they know roughly how long you can expect a car to last based on what they put into it. Every company does that. Research the light bulb that has been burning for 100 plus years. Why don't they all do that? Instead they make light bulbs with stated lengths of usage and what do you know they last almost exactly that. They know what they are doing. If they sold a light bulb that lasted 100 years we wouldn't buy many and soon they would be out of business. You think they don't know how to build a better one?? Of course they do but that would ruin everything. Lol. Or what about gm buying up battery technology to try and stop the switch to electric cars or atleast controlling it. Companies aren't always just looking out for your best interest. They are there to make money and service is a big money maker.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,021
Likes: 171
From: Vancouver Island
Since its only the first 500 miles, better to be safe than sorry and follow the program, at least within reason. I'm sure you can put your foot into it once or twice in the mid range RPM's and not hurt it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
Well sometimes that engineering is used so well that they know roughly how long you can expect a car to last based on what they put into it. Every company does that. Research the light bulb that has been burning for 100 plus years. Why don't they all do that? Instead they make light bulbs with stated lengths of usage and what do you know they last almost exactly that. They know what they are doing. If they sold a light bulb that lasted 100 years we wouldn't buy many and soon they would be out of business. You think they don't know how to build a better one?? Of course they do but that would ruin everything. Lol. Or what about gm buying up battery technology to try and stop the switch to electric cars or atleast controlling it. Companies aren't always just looking out for your best interest. They are there to make money and service is a big money maker.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 17,541
Likes: 2
From: Manhattan, KS Missing SoCal since 2005
The engineers that built the car know more about the car and what testing yielded as far as best results.
Nobody here was really there for that and therefore we cannot be any more informed than the engineers. So I follow the engineer's guidelines. Anything other than that would be like self-medicating.
I think people lose sight of the value of the education and experience of those that we've relied on to engineer the things we want. "Thanks GM for building an amazing car, and a technological marvel. But I'll take it from here. I know what's best."
Nobody here was really there for that and therefore we cannot be any more informed than the engineers. So I follow the engineer's guidelines. Anything other than that would be like self-medicating.
I think people lose sight of the value of the education and experience of those that we've relied on to engineer the things we want. "Thanks GM for building an amazing car, and a technological marvel. But I'll take it from here. I know what's best."
If you read the owner's manual, it's pretty clear lawyers had a heavy hand in it, in addition to the techies: "Don't do this, because you get hurt, don't do that because you could be killed." Etc.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 17,541
Likes: 2
From: Manhattan, KS Missing SoCal since 2005
"Legal" has everything to do with it: trying to prevent newbie owners from hurting themselves with 300 more horsepower than they are used to, and then suing Chevy because the car "got away from me."
Many of the cautions in the owner's manual are performance-related, and I would wager were inserted by legal staff. Maybe (Paul) Talon90 can comment on this.
Many of the cautions in the owner's manual are performance-related, and I would wager were inserted by legal staff. Maybe (Paul) Talon90 can comment on this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
"Legal" has everything to do with it: trying to prevent newbie owners from hurting themselves with 300 more horsepower than they are used to, and then suing Chevy because the car "got away from me."
Many of the cautions in the owner's manual are performance-related, and I would wager were inserted by legal staff. Maybe (Paul) Talon90 can comment on this.
Many of the cautions in the owner's manual are performance-related, and I would wager were inserted by legal staff. Maybe (Paul) Talon90 can comment on this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
I agree... You're not supposed to keep the RPMs at the same RPM for a long time. I was cruising at a steady 65-70 MPH, but I kept shifting between 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th... It was fun, but I got really crappy economy because of it. (If you consider 16 mpg crappy)
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 322
From: Indiana
If you've ever been to the plant, and watched the dyno test of a new 'vette after it comes off the line - well, it's pretty brutal: i.e. near-redline testing through the gears while hooked up to a computer. I think a key is not to get yourself in situations where you have to use heavy brake applications, and to get used to what 400-plus HP means if you're not used to it.
I managed to keep below 55 MPH for the first 100 miles with moderate shifting and braking. This next 100 miles I'm starting to loosen it up quite a bit.