Sounds like this WOT break-in method is suited for engines made under 'loose tolerances' to put it nicely.

 

I always do a mixture of hard driving and soft driving. Don't keep anything steady and vary everything.

Of course though the X5 was broken in with a drive from Dallas to Houston and the transmission went out at 20k miles. Food for thought?

 

I wouldn't call a new Ford 427 side oiler crate motor as one that has "loose tolerances".

 

I've always been under the impression that for the first 1000 km you don't go on long trips, keep the revs low, vary engine speed and basically don't push the car hard.

Maybe WOT does fine to break in a car, but I wouldn't do it. If I were to do it, I would make sure the engine is completely warm, and go WOT gradually, not peeling out off the line. I find it easiest to understand that you shouldn't keep the engine speed constant when breaking in a car, and WOT certainly doesn't do that, so who knows...

 

Link #1

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Link #2.....hmmmmm....works on air cooled engines??

http://www.aircooled.net/gnrlsite/re...s/engnbrkn.htm

Link #3.....motorcycles too???

http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm

Link #4............now Miata's?????
I'm sensing a pattern here!
http://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/breakin.php

Link #5
They just keep on a comin'
http://home.pacbell.net/bigiron/Articles/break-in.html

 

Sorry mmarshall - I'm with Mark on this one.

While someone probably shouldn't run a new engine at red line (holding a gear) for extended periods, getting up in the revs, even not long after getting the car is fine these days IMHO.

My MX-5 which is obviously a 'revver' - but I didn't shift over 5K for the first 50 miles maybe just to get used to the car, but then I occasionally did 5500-6K. Not longer after that 'screw it - enjoy it'.

Almost all engines these days are just about indestructible. The only engines I see burning oil besides school buses and semis are OLD ones.

 

Rev That Foth Mucker?
what does RTFM mean?

how about for the ES330s with the oil sludge issues?
with such a tight tolerance, what sort of break-in methods are they suitable for?

 

Read the -f-ing manual!

BUT BITKAHUNA! I CANNOT FIND MAN PAGES FOR "ENGINE BREAK IN"

 

damit, my brother drove my car from Los Angeles to San Francisco for break in... what's going to happen to my car? I drive it hard now but I don't think he drove it hard on the way up. =\

 

If its a Piston engine then say rev it but take it easy for the first 100 miles, well don't rev hard all the time but maybe a coule with in the first 100 or so, after that, drive it like you stole it.
If its a rotary, its gonna blow at 40k-60k miles no matter what, LOL. Drive it like a grandma the first 500-750 miles then start picking up the revs after that. At around 1000-1200 miles you should be driving it as you like too.

 

The rules for the WOT break in procedure are basically that you have to do it from the get go - I seem to remember that at something after like 50 miles - maybe 100, it is too late.

Either way, I'm torn on the subject. Both sides have merit and unfortunately I'm a follow the manual type guy so......

 

I've broken in several cars with my method (easy break in, oil change at 1k miles) and none of them have been oil burners or performance dogs (unless from the factory). My SC is running fine after 14 years. To each their own. I'm glad to hear mmarshall is in agreement with me, though.

 

OK, bit.....you may not agree with me or the generally accepted methods completely, but at least you showed SOME common sense and restraint for the break-in. Some people don't even do THAT.

 

I only passed along what the engineers who design mass-production engines said, T0Ked....I am not an engineer myself. In each case, you obviously did a good job, and that's why your engines have held up well.

 

We'll see how my mom's Civic turns out. I disliked it from day one and thus ignored break-in. And in the rare instance I have to drive it, I still don't treat it well at all.

Interestingly though, the drivetrain hasn't been unreliable. But there's some water leak from where the rubber seals around the doors don't line up (between front and rear doors). And there's some unusual wind noise from the driver's side. The wipers had a mind of their own over the winter. But we'll see how "reliable" this Honda turns out to be.