lol
Break 'em in the right way
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 511
Likes: 12
From: Parkville Maryland
#3
Could be a part defect? Or do they show up sooner then later?
For those who dont know, PowerLabs has a lot more experience with engines then most of us here.
I was also not pointing out that because Nissan does this with the new GTR that we should all follow suit with the new LT1, rather, debunking your doubt of what other high end manufacturers do.
Could be a part defect? Or do they show up sooner then later?
For those who dont know, PowerLabs has a lot more experience with engines then most of us here.
I was also not pointing out that because Nissan does this with the new GTR that we should all follow suit with the new LT1, rather, debunking your doubt of what other high end manufacturers do.
Last edited by brokenparts; Dec 7, 2013 at 05:15 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 511
Likes: 12
From: Parkville Maryland
To completely ignore the specific advice of the designers, builders, assemblers and go out and "beat the hell out of it" has got to rank with the most stupid advice ever typed into the internet!
When asked by the GM rep why you spun a brand new engine when told not to, are you gonna say..."some guy on the internet told me to"?
Stupidity of breathtaking magnitude.
When asked by the GM rep why you spun a brand new engine when told not to, are you gonna say..."some guy on the internet told me to"?
Stupidity of breathtaking magnitude.
Or how about you call a few supporting vendors here and ask them about their LT1s?Im sure youll just blindly follow what General Motors says though... Came straight from the top, it MUST be true
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
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St. Jude Donor '14
Last edited by BeaZt; Dec 7, 2013 at 07:57 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
The several owners of C7's with blown engines are all at the same dealership, maybe they aren't on the forum nor do they know anyone on the forum and the op just happened to see these several C7's with blown engines at this dealership and then warn us all to break our engines in correctly...
Somehow that face looks familiar to me
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
I'm going to drop a bomb, and then not back it up with anything meaninful.
Again...der.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Your dealer is remaining anonymous? What did they do...take down their sign and shut off their phones b/c a new GM car (supposedly) had a problem?? WHY would your dealer feel a need for anonymity here? Only reason I can think of is b/c they mis-diagnosed a "blowed up motor".
Yeah, because metal, bearings, oil, coolant...all those things work SO differently in the "brand new design", than they did previously. "rolleyes"
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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
And to the OP. This is not necessarily directed at you but rather the fact that too many times, posts like this have appeared and turned out to be nothing. Until you back your post up with facts, evidence, dealer name etc., many of us are going to say "Troll".
Scraping the splitter.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,111
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St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
OP...just tell everybody where all of these blown up C7's are residing.
S.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 329
Likes: 134
From: FL
To completely ignore the specific advice of the designers, builders, assemblers and go out and "beat the hell out of it" has got to rank with the most stupid advice ever typed into the internet!
When asked by the GM rep why you spun a brand new engine when told not to, are you gonna say..."some guy on the internet told me to"?
Stupidity of breathtaking magnitude.
When asked by the GM rep why you spun a brand new engine when told not to, are you gonna say..."some guy on the internet told me to"?
Stupidity of breathtaking magnitude.
Obviously you shouldn't be terrorizing a brand new machine, but come on, all we are saying is break-in is not what it used to be. Also, the definition of what it is to 'beat' on a car varies from individual to individual. Your engine will not explode if you redline it before the recommended break-in period. If engines were really that fragile they would tear themselves apart before 10k miles regardless of which break-in procedure was applied.
Last edited by Over-Rev; Dec 9, 2013 at 02:51 AM.
Madison Wisconsin
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 504
Likes: 32
From: Madison Area WI
Ahhh Okay. Have a great time at it.
All I can tell you as an old (65) petroleum chemist, who has spent a lot of time with engines, metal surfaces take time to seat, even newly machined surfaces. This time is needed even with the newer oils, such as Mobil 1, which keep engine parts away from each other more with a 400% increase in shear-strength. If someone thinks this occurs in a few hundred miles, then I think it will be hard for my personal experience to replicate that thinking. When you look at these mating surfaces under an electron microscope, as I have, after various mileage, you clearly see why engines need time to break in. So for me, I will stick with my oil changes at 1,000 or less miles with a new engine, and at 3,000 miles with a new engine, and at 6,000 miles with a new engine. Then, and only then, will I go to the extended ranges refereed in the owners manual. And, my break in speeds will not be at speeds above highway speed limits and I will shift in the lower RPM ranges. Others can do what they want, and believe what they want, but for me, being involved in over 40 years of this stuff, buying engines from people like John Lingenfelter and building engines myself, I will follow the old school route. I was even talking with a guy last week who said to not prelude a new cam because the new oils do not require it. Huh? Really? Oh well, I like letting the "new" thinkers peal the dollars from their wallets instead of mine. I will stay old school. No offense, but I like the insurance of the old ways. But then I baby ever Vette I have ever owned... because that is the kind of guy I like to be.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 431
Likes: 54
From: Rivesville West Virginia
I am with Nick Hall.
But I have only been a mechanic for 50 years.
You "Young Bucks" run them the way you want to.
It is your Corvette!
Us "Old Timers" will stick with what we know.
That is the kind of guy I am.
But I have only been a mechanic for 50 years.
You "Young Bucks" run them the way you want to.
It is your Corvette!
Us "Old Timers" will stick with what we know.
That is the kind of guy I am.
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I follow the manufacturer's recommendations on break-in for a new car and have never had any problems. It would be interesting to hear from the OP some definitive answers as to why several C7s at one dealership have had blown engines in them.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 71
People are still living in the 1960's when it comes to engine break-in and maintenance. "500-1,000 miles break in" or "change oil every 3,000 miles". Look up how NASCAR engines are built and broken-in. They start at 2,000 RPM for 7 min, then push it under load for 45 min at over 8,000 RPM to break them in. This is before they are sent to the teams to throw in their race cars.
I just saw a "How It's Made show on the assembly of the new GTR. After every one is built, they have a certified driver beat the heck out of it for 10 miles. They bring it to redline over and over. This is as soon as the car is built. I guess they are all going to have blown engines?
Porsches and other high end cars are broken-in with similar fashion. The idea that you will destroy your engine by not staying under 3K RPM or my favorite, under 60MPH (you can be at 70MPH and still be at less average rpm than cruising around town accelerating to 40), is ridiculous. Like Power said, if your engine blows at an early mileage, it was not due to improper break-in.
Best advice I was ever given as to break-in was when I was in tech school. The instructor for my engine class rebuilt engines for a local Ford dealership for over 20 years. When I asked him about break-in he replied, "how are you going to do most of your driving? If it's on the highway cruising at 60MPH, then break it in as such. If it's on the drag strip running passes all day, then break it in at the drag strip running passes". That's the way I've been breaking in my new cars ever since, exactly the way I would drive it on a normal basis. Never had a single problem doing it that way.
I'm definitely curious though as to the real cause of these engines failing, if it is indeed true on a large scale.
I just saw a "How It's Made show on the assembly of the new GTR. After every one is built, they have a certified driver beat the heck out of it for 10 miles. They bring it to redline over and over. This is as soon as the car is built. I guess they are all going to have blown engines?
Porsches and other high end cars are broken-in with similar fashion. The idea that you will destroy your engine by not staying under 3K RPM or my favorite, under 60MPH (you can be at 70MPH and still be at less average rpm than cruising around town accelerating to 40), is ridiculous. Like Power said, if your engine blows at an early mileage, it was not due to improper break-in.
Best advice I was ever given as to break-in was when I was in tech school. The instructor for my engine class rebuilt engines for a local Ford dealership for over 20 years. When I asked him about break-in he replied, "how are you going to do most of your driving? If it's on the highway cruising at 60MPH, then break it in as such. If it's on the drag strip running passes all day, then break it in at the drag strip running passes". That's the way I've been breaking in my new cars ever since, exactly the way I would drive it on a normal basis. Never had a single problem doing it that way.
I'm definitely curious though as to the real cause of these engines failing, if it is indeed true on a large scale.
if it blows, its junk. start over.......
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
As for the bold part; do you still pump the gas 3x when you start it? 'Cause that's how to do it the old way. You warm up your car for 10 minutes before you drive it? 'Cause that's another "old way". Of course neither of these things are necessary anymore...because manufacturing, technology and features have changed to make it easier for the lay-person.
When I bought my C6, I drove it out of the dealer showroom, straight
2000' vertical rise over 5.1 miles...and look at the curves! That was my car's "break in". Car dyno'ed the highest I've seen a stock C6 dyno, and also was the fastest C6 I ever saw at our local track.
I'm not sharing this to say "Beat it to break it in". What I AM saying, is that break-in methods of yore, aren't necessary anymore.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; Dec 15, 2013 at 06:48 PM.
Madison Wisconsin
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 504
Likes: 32
From: Madison Area WI
Ha ha ha...so you DID "break it in like you're going to drive it", then! Lol.
As for the bold part; do you still pump the gas 3x when you start it? 'Cause that's how to do it the old way. You warm up your car for 10 minutes before you drive it? 'Cause that's another "old way". Of course neither of these things are necessary anymore...because manufacturing, technology and features have changed to make it easier for the lay-person.
When I bought my C6, I drove it out of the dealer showroom, straight HERE...
2000' vertical rise over 5.1 miles...and look at the curves! That was my car's "break in". Car dyno'ed the highest I've seen a stock C6 dyno, and also was the fastest C6 I ever saw at our local track.
I'm not sharing this to say "Beat it to break it in". What I AM saying, is that break-in methods of yore, aren't necessary anymore.
As for the bold part; do you still pump the gas 3x when you start it? 'Cause that's how to do it the old way. You warm up your car for 10 minutes before you drive it? 'Cause that's another "old way". Of course neither of these things are necessary anymore...because manufacturing, technology and features have changed to make it easier for the lay-person.
When I bought my C6, I drove it out of the dealer showroom, straight HERE...
2000' vertical rise over 5.1 miles...and look at the curves! That was my car's "break in". Car dyno'ed the highest I've seen a stock C6 dyno, and also was the fastest C6 I ever saw at our local track.
I'm not sharing this to say "Beat it to break it in". What I AM saying, is that break-in methods of yore, aren't necessary anymore.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,016
Likes: 73
From: Texas
As for the bold part; do you still pump the gas 3x when you start it? 'Cause that's how to do it the old way. You warm up your car for 10 minutes before you drive it? 'Cause that's another "old way". Of course neither of these things are necessary anymore...because manufacturing, technology and features have changed to make it easier for the lay-person.
Your experience is a sample size of one which is meaningless statistically. Maybe your engine had a lucky set of clearances that made it a very “happy” product.
I’m on the conservative side and all I would say is that people who adhere to the owner’s manual recommendations and do frequent oil changes will most likely be rewarded with better engine performance and durability than those who flagrantly disregard the recommendations. Don