Break in?

[Rasn1320]

Just turned 500 miles,think i got on it twice,when is the break in over,i wanna have some fun ? Lol

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[robwlf]

i only did 400 miles of stop and go to break my clutch in .. after that it was game on..changed my oil at 1500 miles been romping it ever since

 

[UAmach1]

I drive how ever I want from day 1. Then change oil at 1k.

 

[bluebeastsrt]

Just turned 500 miles,think i got on it twice,when is the break in over,i wanna have some fun ? Lol

Son you could have been having fun for the last 500 miles.

 

[ahl395]

Everybody will tell you a different opinion.

Personally I went by this video and changed oil at about 1500 miles.

[ame]

 

[5.0-50A]

I knew some builders that said they could break in an engine on a stand with their own oils. find some hills to do loaded + decompression runs and bed brakes same time, vary rpms, early oil change and go that's how I was told.

 

[Rash]

I’m at 700 miles currently. I have to drive to Richmond this weekend, deciding if I want to take the Mustang. Concerned that driving for a couple hundred miles at constant speed/load is not good during break-in as per owners manual. Would you do it? Or should I take the SUV and *gulp* let the wife drive the Mustang for the weekend?

 

[5.0-50A]

I bet the break in is just about done already. put in another couple hundred fun miles change the oil if you haven't already and take the trip you'll be running thru the gears anyways that's what I'd do but YMMV. where are the engine builders here.

 

[VooDooDaddy]

As soon as you pull the car off the dealer lot, and the fluids are fully warmed up (oil/coolant/transmission) HAMMER IT!! Don't bounce it off the limiter, but DO hammer it!

Take the car to a nearby empty stretch of straight road and do 5-10, full-throttle (approximate) 1/4 mile runs, then drive home at a moderate pace.

Let the car cool down some, and then change the oil and filter.

Your "break-in" is now DONE.

If you car's engine doesn't somehow survive this break-in procedure, it doesn't deserve to live! And that is what the warranty is for.

The break-in procedure spelled out in your owner's manual is FORD's way of doing CYA, because if everyone did their break-in as I do, there would be a shit-ton more "Mustang driver FAIL" videos on YouTube.

It has little/nothing to do with the mechanical longevity of the car.

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

 

[N9TMARE]

It’s just a ford. Drive it like you steal it.

 

[Rash]

My question isn’t so much about whether it’s okay to stomp on it and have fun - it’s more about would you maintain a constant highway speed for 2 hrs within the first 1000 miles - manual says not to.

 

[Fatguy]

You are not only breaking in the engine but breaking in the transmission, the driveshaft the diff, the axles and all the rest. There are hundreds of parts involved and it is all breaking in as these are cheap mass produced cars. Nobody is lovingly, painstakingly matching bearing surfaces or any of that. So the parts have to wear together still. But the engine determines how stressed the trany and everything to the rear wheels is treated. So do yourself a favour and take is real easy the first 500 miles and then under 4000 to maybe 1000 - 12000 and then at the end of 1500 try some rolling bursts to 5400 and if that feels right a couple of of redlines and that should be it. Pull the dipstick and pass it on a white sheet and move it around in the sunlight and see if anything sparkles. You may see some tiny bits that would be naked to the eye but show up reflecting in the sun. And that is why you change the oil now at 1,500.

Good to go after that.

My Corvette LT1 motor went 23 years and my 302 V8 (5.0) went 18 years and 375,000 kilometres broken in like this and I’m not about to change (I’m an old fart BTW). The boy racers here who redline it from the dealership are usually the sort that also sell the car after a year or two so they don’t really care about longevity like guys like me do. Someone else gets the decreased engine lifespan or whine from the diff or vibration in the drive shaft...


Just say’in....

 

[Bullitt]

My question isn’t so much about whether it’s okay to stomp on it and have fun - it’s more about would you maintain a constant highway speed for 2 hrs within the first 1000 miles - manual says not to.

As long as you don't use cruise control and vary your speed a little, you won't be sitting at a constant rpm. With traffic, slow drivers to go around, etc you should be varying your speed plenty. I'll be picking up my next Mustang from a dealer 4 hours away and road tripping home and this is what I plan to do. FWIW I'm also one of the gentle break-in believers after watching the EngineeringExplained video shared here. I'll definitely be getting on mine, but only up to about 4k or so for the first 1,000 miles.

 

[Fatguy]

Also:

While us old farts say baby the engine during break in, we also know that you will be egged into a drag race or two before 1500 miles. So if you tried to baby it one or two quick redlines is probably ok. Truth be told I never made it past break in without a foot to the floor impromptu drag race. Just being honest. So there’s always that. You always want to take it easy so you get to know how the car handles and bed in the brake pads. You younger guys will see things our way when you spend 18 years raising your kid and watch him buy that first muscle car and get a bit anxious. There’s always that also.

 

[5.0 435]

On my 17 corvette GS. The tachometer the red line stayed 4000 rpms during the first 500 miles. After that it returned to normal.
The hertz Shelby’s are broken in by the wot system don’t you think. Would not buy a 6 speed auto anyways. Had they waited for the new 10 speed then maybe. They are currently @ $47K. Down from $55K.

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