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2 Mile trips sounds to me like the absolute worst thing you can do for a break in.
Cold starts, warm ups and short drives are not good for any engine.
Take that thing out on the highway and let it breathe.
Run it up to 80 then down to 50, drive for at least an hour.
I didn't floor mine for the first 1000 miles, kept it below 4000, that is how I take it easy.
We left the dealer and were on the interstate for an hour.
Stopped for coffee, and drove another 4 hours on highway to our hotel. No city miles.
That is my idea of an easy break in.
Thank you for this, I had no idea short drives aren't good for an engine. Since I work from home the majority of my trips are the gym drive 5-6 days a week, about 2 miles each way, and I don't go many other places. Do you think since I'm at 360 miles and I have an opportunity to drive it today about 100 miles each way (which will be almost all highway) I should do that and do the best I can to vary the rpms by speeding up and slowing down? I thought I was doing it better by not driving on the highway during the break in period but now I'm starting to rethink that.
FWIW, the worse thing for a car and engine oil is cold starts. Particularly an issues for "garage queens" that mostly get used by driving less than ~4 miles. For the C8 the OLM will take into consideration your driving and may reduce the oil change requirement from minimum ever 12 months. It monitors the oil temp after cold starts along with other inputs, like total engine revolutions to define when you must change engine oil.
In fact may be interested in my '93 Vette Owner's Manual requirement for oil change if most drives are short trips. That was before the OLM.
Yep if engine oil does not get hot enough, long enough after a cold start to evaporate much of the water of combustion that passes the cold pistons, it will form things like sulfuric acid in he oil. That eats metal when the car is parked! Pic from my 1993 Vette Owner's Manual before the OLM.
Thank you, this is eye opening. Here I'm thinking driving it the way I've been driving it was good for the break in period, but even after the break in period my driving habits would be the same. Now I'm thinking I should do a 100 mile highway trip each way today which will finish the 500 mile break in period. If after the break in period I continue to do those short daily gym trips, but then take a 2nd trip about 7 miles each way, which I could take either by highway or city roads, would that be better for the engine? Or is it better to try to leave those gym trips out entirely since they would be separate trips?
Thank you for this, I had no idea short drives aren't good for an engine. Since I work from home the majority of my trips are the gym drive 5-6 days a week, about 2 miles each way, and I don't go many other places. Do you think since I'm at 360 miles and I have an opportunity to drive it today about 100 miles each way (which will be almost all highway) I should do that and do the best I can to vary the rpms by speeding up and slowing down? I thought I was doing it better by not driving on the highway during the break in period but now I'm starting to rethink that.
Yep, I try hard not to take my Street Rod out of the garage If I'm not driving >25 miles. That includes when I move it to get something, like a ladder off of the wall next to it!
Been retired 23 years and only have an part time internet business. Only go the ~30 miles into town a few days a week. But exercise 7 days a week. Been doing that for almost 40 years. (At 81 still do 3 sets of 10 pull-ups as part of the "back day" routine.) Includes 35 minutes on treadmill when my dog does not want to walk the 2 1/2 miles around the Lake we live on, which I hope he will today!
Got hooked and no excuse of "no time" to go to the gym. Have my own in my Man Cave/Office!
Try hard NOT to start my street rod's 8.2 Liter BB (that mostly goes to shows) unless I drive ~25 miles to get oil hot. If I heed to get my large ladder (not often) have to move the car. Can get the two others without moving! Pic from when installing side skirts.
Thank you for this, I had no idea short drives aren't good for an engine. Since I work from home the majority of my trips are the gym drive 5-6 days a week, about 2 miles each way, and I don't go many other places. Do you think since I'm at 360 miles and I have an opportunity to drive it today about 100 miles each way (which will be almost all highway) I should do that and do the best I can to vary the rpms by speeding up and slowing down? I thought I was doing it better by not driving on the highway during the break in period but now I'm starting to rethink that.
I noticed the same thing when I topped off the tank after driving it down about a third. The result was 8.7 miles per gallon on the first 85 miles. Motor ran very hot during those first 3-4 heat cycles so this was to be expected. I now have 140 miles on it and topped the tank off again to about the same result. All of my miles have been in town and about 12-20 miles each time that takes about and hour or more of running. Don't over think this process. If you want to get more miles on it quickly then do a road trip as you have suggested. They just don't want your break in miles to be only in the high gears and at a steady speed. Your mixing it up is good, just try to figure out how get more "run time" on those short jaunts. Don't even think about it, just drive it and vary your speed . Trust me, the MPG will get much better....
I've found that if you can hold a steady 70 mph on a flat road you can get ~30 mpg. And that would be in V4. I think that's the best it can do. Seems to me the C6 and C7 were a little better in fuel economy.
I've found that if you can hold a steady 70 mph on a flat road you can get ~30 mpg. And that would be in V4. I think that's the best it can do. Seems to me the C6 and C7 were a little better in fuel economy.
Actually, it depends on whether you have a non-Z51, Z51, or Z51 with lot's of aero. They will get about 30+ mpg, 23+ mpg, and 21 mpg respectively at 70+ mph using V4.
Actually, it depends on whether you have a non-Z51, Z51, or Z51 with lot's of aero. They will get about 30+ mpg, 23+ mpg, and 21 mpg respectively at 70+ mph using V4.
I have a Z51 with the low-profile spoiler option....I average between 27~28 mpg on the hwy (ACN 91 Octane)...
I would mix some highway miles into your drive during break in. I broke in my car in with a mix of highway & city driving. When I was on the highway I put it in manual mode and used 5th - 8th gears to alter rpm range. My 50 mile average drops to around 16 around town and goes back up to 26 after a 30 highway drive to work @ 75mph. 27.7 is my best 50 mile average.
100 mile trips would be excellent. If you are only doing short trips, your motor has never been completely warmed up with oil temp 200 or over.
The aluminum engine block expands as it warms up. It is important for break in to have it fully warm, not just half.
Also, when the oil temp is 200 or above, it burns all of the moisture and condensation out of the engine.
I built a racing motor and took it to a pro engine builder to dyno test it.
He insisted that we start the new motor, bring it to 2000-3000 and let it run for 30 minutes un-interrupted, to break in the rings.
His theory was that the rings need that constant heat and pressure to break in properly.
This guy has built hundreds of successful racing engines and verified his methods, so I had to believe him.
You are way past that initial 30 minutes, but the same idea still applies. Short warm ups - not good. Long runs - the best.
You must be driving too slow OP. The faster I go the better it gets, really. Driving the car home 200 miles when new, I averaged 23.5 (all highway). Now overall it is 21.5 lifetime. I do not drive it easy.
Agreed, when I baby it I get worse gas mileage. This car just wants to run so let it loose and the faster you get into the higher gears the better your gas mileage.
Driving it for only 2 miles never gets the car warmed up, so the fuel trim is always running rich. That's also the worst kind of driving for the car. The oil never gets hot, condensation collects in it which puts water in the oil when it cools down. Water and combustion byproducts create acid, which eats away at your motor. You really need to get out and warm that car up if you care about it lasting.
Yes, get it out on the highway and vary speeds and gears (shifting manually). Break in isn't just for the engine, it's for the entire drivetrain.
Even better, get it out on some more rural roads on a weekend, or during the holidays, when you're not working.
