Break-in Period Question

[TheBard]

So according to what people have said, the manual says to take it easy for the first 500 miles, no cruising.

So does that mean no steady speeds? What about driving around town at a constant 30MPH? Is that considered cruising? What sort of things should I avoid doing? Just don't do all 500 miles in one long trip? No constant steady highway speeds of 70MPH?

[compcobra]

lol..... what ? buy a car and told you can only drive it a couple miles per day............. rediculous. Factories use special assembly lubes nowdays when they build a motor, this way you dont have to worry about the coatings getting dammaged in your first oil change interval. Just change your oil after the first 1000km and your golden. imo I ran my 04cobra at the track 2 days after I bought it brand new, and still have never had an issue.

[JSG]

we all have been waiting 2 long long for this. run it the way you want it yours

[Cuda340]

I originally planned to drive my SRT home from the dealer (about 500 miles). I was concerned about the break-in so I posed the question to the SRT engineers at one of the chat sessions. They advised me that the long interstate highway trip would be okay as long as I avoided wide open throttle.

[Hal H]

Originally Posted by TheBard

So according to what people have said, the manual says to take it easy for the first 500 miles, no cruising.

So does that mean no steady speeds? What about driving around town at a constant 30MPH? Is that considered cruising? What sort of things should I avoid doing? Just don't do all 500 miles in one long trip? No constant steady highway speeds of 70MPH?

Usually this implies don't set cruise control, don't shift (automatic) transmission manually during the break-in. You can open up the throttle for brief periods, don't go WOT from a stop.

Driving in town, you'll have stop and go driving - no issues there.

You want to vary the load on the piston rings (closed throttle, varying throttle) at highway speeds so that you will develop a consistent wear pattern around ring lands and get the cyl. bores wearing evenly.

WOT throttle on a new engine will cause more upper cylinder wear until everything wears in to one another.

[shodanusmc]

Thats funny as the manual says to assist in proper break-in, go WOT from a roll....Just not from a dig during the first 500 miles. The engines are run and tested at the factory. Follow the manual, vary your speed, go WOT under safe conditions, and you will be just fine.

[Venthos]

Yep. Like many, I will be following exactly what the manual says. Taking it easy for 500 miles while following the advised procedure. It's just not worth it to have a bit of 'fun' early on in a $40k+ car and potentially cause problems down the road. I can wait.... or at least that's what I am telling myself

[SF18C]

Originally Posted by Venthos

Yep. Like many, I will be following exactly what the manual says. Taking it easy for 500 miles while following the advised procedure. It's just not worth it to have a bit of 'fun' early on in a $40k+ car and potentially cause problems down the road. I can wait.... or at least that's what I am telling myself

Just wait Ventos...I am telling you it is hard to be disciplined!

[Someguy]

Originally Posted by Venthos

It's just not worth it to have a bit of 'fun' early on in a $40k+ car and potentially cause problems down the road.

but you are willing to subject the car to wintertime abuse?? some things i will never understand.

[djwhog]

I thought I read all new challengers are suppose to be sent to me for break in periods?

Well other than that yep take it easy for about 500 miles, i would change the oil and filter no later than 1000 if it was mine. Then drive bay drive should be fine.. I think some will go longer on the oil, but 500-1000 is good enough and then put new Mobil one in and a new filter. That will dump any fine metal(should be none) and any dirt etc.