[Hoghunter]

Got a new Scat and really trying hard to follow the real in rules. Coming up on 300 miles and it says:

Exercise the full engine rpm range, shifting manually (paddles or gear shift) at higher rpms when possible. Do not perform sustained operation with the accelerator pedal at wide open throttle. Maintain vehicle speed below 85 mph (136 km/h) and observe local speed limits.

Sounds to me like they want you to get the blood flowing through the Scat if it says to exercise the full RPMs and use the paddle shifters at high RPM. I had paddles on my old 5 speed RT but the 8 speed should be fun. Anyone have a recommendation on the best way to handle this 300-500 break in?

 

[19johned53]

Welcome.

Follow the mph recommended and shift manually to vary the rpms recommended.

Worked for mine.

36k miles, pulls like an ape, no oil usage, and zero issues.

Follow the factory maintenance schedule for oil changes etc.

Enjoy your new ride.

 

[Cuda340]

The Dodge engineers know best. Just follow these instructions in your owner's manual:

For vehicles equipped with the 6.4L use the following engine break-in recommendations:
Despite modern technology and world class manufacturing methods, the moving parts of
the vehicle must still wear in with each other. This wearing in occurs mainly during the first
500 miles (805 km) and continues through the first oil change interval.
It is recommended for the operator to observe the following driving behaviors during the
new vehicle break-in period:

0 to 100 miles (0 to 161 km):
• Do not allow the engine to operate at idle for an extended period of time.
• Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than halfway to avoid rapid
acceleration.
• Avoid aggressive braking.
• Drive with the engine speed less than 3,500RPM.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 55mph (88km/h) and observe local speed limits.

100 to 300 miles (161 to 483 km):
• Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than halfway to avoid rapid
acceleration in lower gears (1st to 3rd gears).
• Avoid aggressive braking.
• Drive with the engine speed less than 5,000RPM.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 70mph (112km/h) and observe local speed limits.

300 to 500 miles (483 to 805 km):
• Exercise the full engine rpm range, shifting manually (paddles or gear shift) at higher
rpms when possible.
• Do not perform sustained operation with the accelerator pedal at wide open throttle.
• Maintain vehicle speed below 85mph (136km/h) and observe local speed limits.

For the first 1500 mi (2414 km):
• Do not participate in track events, sport driving schools, or similar activities during the
first 1500 mi (2414 km).

 

[GNBRETT]

Personally, I think its all a bunch of BS. Motor and trans is ready to go right from the factory just like any high performnace motor/trans are these days.

Warming it up properly before u smash it is more important than anything ull ever do imo.

 

[Rockster]

Got a new Scat and really trying hard to follow the real in rules. Coming up on 300 miles and it says:

Exercise the full engine rpm range, shifting manually (paddles or gear shift) at higher rpms when possible. Do not perform sustained operation with the accelerator pedal at wide open throttle. Maintain vehicle speed below 85 mph (136 km/h) and observe local speed limits.

Sounds to me like they want you to get the blood flowing through the Scat if it says to exercise the full RPMs and use the paddle shifters at high RPM. I had paddles on my old 5 speed RT but the 8 speed should be fun. Anyone have a recommendation on the best way to handle this 300-500 break in?

Have bought new cars -- from a VW Golf TDi to a Hellcat -- since 1988 and broken them in like the owners manual recommends. Not that hard.

It is normal to increase the load and RPMs as the engine accumulates run time. This should be done when the engine is up to temperature and the time at high RPMs limited. A new engine has more internal friction. Prolonged high speed usage from new or nearly new can result in oil break down with scoring or worse the result.

An engine broken in gradually will take longer to make max power but will be able to deliver this max power level for longer than one broken in aggressively. An aggressively broken in engine will develop max power sooner but this max power level will drop off faster as the engine is used.

It is my SOP to at least change the oil/filter at the end of break in. I cringe at the thought of once break in miles are behind the car hammering on the engine with that dirty old oil in the engine. But I only change the oil/filter early if the manual does not caution against this. So far I have not found any auto maker that prohibits an early oil/filter service.

 

[Slidd]

Personally, I think its all a bunch of BS. Motor and trans is ready to go right from the factory just like any high performnace motor/trans are these days.

Warming it up properly before u smash it is more important than anything ull ever do imo.

Agree. And sticking to maximum 55 mph means you can't even test drive the car on the highway for vibration which normally starts at around 70 mph. So you follow your breakin then find out you've got a vibration the dealer can't fix. Seen that happen on several forums including one here where Dodge had to buy the car back.

So drive the car reasonably and don't abuse it but absolutely take it out on the highway and get it up to speed to see how it performs before you sign for it, heck they ran the car faster than 55 mph on the rollers at Brampton before shipping so do what you have to do.


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[StepheK]

The other thing that helps the rings seat is deceleration/engine braking. Any vehicle I've had with a new engine that needed breaking in, vary the RPM, steady load is not good. Mild to brisk accel and decel pushes the rings against the cylinder walls seating them. Worst thing is to baby it too much and have the initial hone pattern smooth out before the rings seat. Especially for the first 100 miles, avoid a long trip, within reason heat cycles are your friend. As someone else said, no matter what age of the engine, take it easy while the oil is coming up to temp. I also do the first oil/filter change at 1500-2000 miles to get the break in gunk out of the sump and always use OEM oil filters.

 

[Hoghunter]

Thanks guys. I did end up having to go 72 mph within the first 100 miles for a bit as I had no choice but get on the highway and would have gotten run over at 55 mph. My question was more about that 300-500 period. Basically it wants you to work the car manually with the paddles or shifter at higher RPM not to exceed 85 mph- but it says to “exercise the full engine RPM range”. So I read that as giving it good workout at all RPMs.

 

[StepheK]

Thanks guys. I did end up having to go 72 mph within the first 100 miles for a bit as I had no choice but get on the highway and would have gotten run over at 55 mph. My question was more about that 300-500 period. Basically it wants you to work the car manually with the paddles or shifter at higher RPM not to exceed 85 mph- but it says to “exercise the full engine RPM range”. So I read that as giving it good workout at all RPMs.

Yes and like I said, make sure you use the paddles to give it some engine braking too. That really helps seat the rings, which IMHO is the main part that needs breaking in on a modern car. Well seated rings = no oil use + more power.

 

[Slowpoke392]

Hellcat engines are broken in at the factory. 42 mins on a dyno. Hellcat break in is mostly for drive train. No idea about possible factory engine break in on the 392.

 

[Slidd]

Don't believe there is any breakin for other engines but they should be test fired and run at least briefly before being loaded on the next train out of Mexico.

And then at Brampton the completed car is run on the rollers but not as any breakin or power test, just mainly to make sure it runs and the transmission shifts properly.


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[A Guy]

I picked up my new car, proceeded to take it on the freeway home for about 40 miles at 65-70 Drove it normally on city streets from then. No real break in, just nothing outrageous

A Guy

 

[Slowpoke392]

I picked up my new car, proceeded to take it on the freeway home for about 40 miles at 65-70 Drove it normally on city streets from then. No real break in, just nothing outrageous

A Guy

Same with me. Three different Challengers. Just avoided shocking the drive train with sudden downshifts and tried not to drone along at the same rpm’s for too long. First two were five hr rides home from the dealer. No issues.

 

[Rockster]

Hellcat engines are broken in at the factory. 42 mins on a dyno. Hellcat break in is mostly for drive train. No idea about possible factory engine break in on the 392.

Even if each new Hellcat engine spends 42 minutes on the dyno -- and I have my doubts that's the case for every new Hellcat engine -- that's not a full break in. At an average speed of 30mph that's only 21 miles of "driving". The engine needs run time in the vehicle to complete its break in.

Furthermore, the break in section -- from my 2020 Scat Pack owners manual pasted below and which covers both the 6.2l and 6.4l engines -- looks to have guidelines for both engine and drive train break in:

The following tips will be helpful in obtaining optimum performance and maximum durability for your new vehicle.

Despite modern technology and World Class manufacturing methods, the moving parts of the vehicle must still wear in with each other. This wearing in occurs mainly during the first 500 miles (805 km) and continues through the first oil change interval.

It is recommended for the operator to observe the following driving behaviors during the new vehicle break-in period:

0 to 100 miles (0 to 161 km)

Do not allow the engine to operate at idle for an extended period of time.
Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than halfway to avoid rapid acceleration.
Avoid aggressive braking.
Drive with the engine speed less than 3,500 RPM.
Maintain vehicle speed below 55 mph (88 km/h) and observe local speed limits.

STARTING AND OPERATING 153
100 to 300 miles (161 to 483 km):
Depress the accelerator pedal slowly and not more than halfway to avoid rapid acceleration in lower gears (FIRST to THIRD gears).
Avoid aggressive braking.
Drive with the engine speed less than 5,000 RPM.
Maintain vehicle speed below 70 mph (112 km/h) and observe local speed limits.

300 to 500 miles (483 to 805 km):
Exercise the full engine RPM range, shifting manually at higher RPM when possible.
Do not perform sustained operation with the accelerator pedal at wide open throttle.
Maintain vehicle speed below 85 mph (136 km/h) and observe local speed limits.

For the first 1,500 miles (2,414 km):
Do not participate in track events, sport driving schools, or similar activities during the first 1,500 miles (2,414 km).

 

[Zodiac]

I bought mine. Hopped in the car and drove 140 miles home on the highway. Same thing I did with my last scat pack.

 

[Camberman]

I bought mine. Hopped in the car and drove 140 miles home on the highway. Same thing I did with my last scat pack.

Yep, the dealer drove mine the first 250 highway miles to deliver it to my house and pick up my 2018 for the return trip (on his wedding anniversary, no less). I did normal break-in after that, according to the manual.

 

[Poncherello]

Personally, I think its all a bunch of BS. Motor and trans is ready to go right from the factory just like any high performnace motor/trans are these days.

Warming it up properly before u smash it is more important than anything ull ever do imo.

I tend to agree..... I have never "broken in" in a motor on a new car in 35 years of driving.....shockingly, I never had a problem

 

[BlackHemi41]

I don't have a chassis dyno, millions of dollars of R&D money, and the time/know-how to conduct my own longevity tests in order to try to arrive at a different conclusion. For that reason, I chose to follow the manufacturer's recommendation for break-in.

If anyone cares, my engine runs perfect and doesn't burn a drop of oil after 100,000 km of a wide variety of conditions. Including road course, autocross, drag racing, and some extreme cold weather.

But by all means, do whatever you want, it's your drivetrain. If you know something about engine break-in that the engineers don't, feel free to share. We're here to learn.

 

[GNBRETT]

The motor in ur car is not like the motor u have build privately bro. The motors are run at the factory before they even make it to the customer.

They are ready to go as soon as u drive it off the showroom floor...... Bro the engine is run at the factory for like 45 minutes before u even get it (THAT is the break-in procedure).

My cars runs perfect to bro and drops or leaks no oil ever and I race all of them and two of them are 8 second cars. I have never gone thru any break-in procedure from a factory car I have bought and my last Charger had 267k miles on it and there was no break-in procedure.

When I have motors built they are broken in on the Dyno where the oil is changed JUST like the factory!

I dont break them in on the dyno then break them in on the street. That makes me lol literally that ppl still believe thats what ur supposed to do smh.

The alsolute WORST thing u can do when getting the rings to bed is baby it and let it idle for extended periods of time as that will not help bed the rings at all. Once that is done which is done at the fortory before u get it thats it nothing else to do but change ur oil now. These LONG extended break-in procedure that dudes go thru is a complete waste of time and absolute non-sense!

I don't have a chassis dyno, millions of dollars of R&D money, and the time/know-how to conduct my own longevity tests in order to try to arrive at a different conclusion. For that reason, I chose to follow the manufacturer's recommendation for break-in.

If anyone cares, my engine runs perfect and doesn't burn a drop of oil after 100,000 km of a wide variety of conditions. Including road course, autocross, drag racing, and some extreme cold weather.

But by all means, do whatever you want, it's your drivetrain. If you know something about engine break-in that the engineers don't, feel free to share. We're here to learn.

 

[BlackHemi41]

The motor in ur car is not like the motor u have build privately bro. The motors are run at the factory before they even make it to the customer.

They are ready to go as soon as u drive it off the showroom floor...... Bro the engine is run at the factory for like 45 minutes before u even get it (THAT is the break-in procedure).

My cars runs perfect to bro and drops or leaks no oil ever and I race all of them and two of them are 8 second cars. I have never gone thru any break-in procedure from a factory car I have bought and my last Charger had 267k miles on it and there was no break-in procedure.

When I have motors built they are broken in on the Dyno where the oil is changed JUST like the factory!

I dont break them in on the dyno then break them in on the street. That makes me lol literally that ppl still believe thats what ur supposed to do smh.

The alsolute WORST thing u can do when getting the rings to bed is baby it and let it idle for extended periods of time as that will not help bed the rings at all. Once that is done which is done at the fortory before u get it thats it nothing else to do but change ur oil now. These LONG extended break-in procedure that dudes go thru is a complete waste of time and absolute non-sense!

Ok bro that's some great info. Have you sent that to Chrysler so that they can update the owner's manual? They might want to know that. They probably want to avoid unhappy customers and premature drivetrain failures/warranty claims.