How did you break in your gt350

[Voodooo]

With a reported 5 engine replacements on just this forum alone I'd like to know how you the owner have driven your car since taking ownership.
It seems that most owners that had their engines replaced had less than 5000 miles.

1) How many miles before first oil change? 200
2) How many miles before racing? Haven't reached 1000 yet
3) How many miles before dyno? 170
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 170
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ No
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? 93 first 170 miles 100 octane Sunoco 260GT since
7) Stock or modified? Ford performance dual oil catch cams. ARH & catless x pipe at 170 miles, Lund tune 180 miles
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? Original
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Amsoil 5w50 motorcraft filter
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? No oil added, right on the dot
11) If engine failure, please note cause.

After my first oil change I opened up the oil filter and seen a lot of red/orange/blue sealant but no metal by the naked eye.

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[firestarter2]

1) How many miles before first oil change? 1000
2) How many miles before racing? 1000 autox 1500 track
3) How many miles before dyno? never
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 600
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ NO
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? NO
7) Stock or modified? Stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? NA
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Motorcraft
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? I added a quart after a track weekend

 

[Paul@PKAUTODESIGN]

1) How many miles before first oil change? 3400
2) How many miles before racing? Racing on the Streets of Mexico count ?
3) How many miles before dyno? No dyno just yet waiting for the TT kit
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 1500
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ ? Yes unfortunately ( it was for the kids though)
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? Hell no
7) Stock or modified? driver mod other then that stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? not yet
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Motorcraft, but im switching everything to Motul.
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? everyday ( havent added oil yet)

 

[crazymayhem]

1) How many miles before first oil change? At 1150 will be done within the next 50 miles
2) How many miles before racing? never
3) How many miles before dyno? never
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 109.6
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ no. I stay <4K until 160ish, <5k until 180ish
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No
7) Stock or modified? Stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? -
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Ill let the dealer do it at 1200ish miles
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? Every 2-3 fillups, not added anything yet, though it is at the min mark now.

 

[TheDeadCow]

1) How many miles before first oil change? 1100mi

2) How many miles before racing?No Track Yet but plan to since 1000mi

3) How many miles before dyno? No Dyno plans

4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 600-800mi

5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ I never rev my motor, highest driving rpm before 200F oil temp = 5-6K rpm

6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No

7) Stock or modified? Engine is bone stock

8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? N/A

9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Amsoil 5w-50

10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? Approx every 500 mi, haven't needed to add oil yet

 

[nastang87xx]

1) How many miles before first oil change? - 3500
2) How many miles before racing? - 200, autocross. 13 runs during the weekend, 2nd gear courses, mainly traversed between 3500 - 7500 RPM, max RPM was fuel cutoff
3) How many miles before dyno? - No dyno testing as of now
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? - 100'ish
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ - No
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? - No
7) Stock or modified? - JLT passenger side catch can
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? - No replacement
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? - Mobil 1 Full Synthetic
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? - Every other week, no oil needed in 4800 miles

My car is currently hibernating.

 

[Spacebird]

1) How many miles before first oil change? 720
2) How many miles before racing? 1100
3) How many miles before dyno? N/A
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 1100
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ Never
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? 93 only
7) Stock or modified? Stock with Ford Performance AOS
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? N/A
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Motorcraft 5W-50
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? I check it every few hundred miles and during and after track days. No oil added. I pulled ~15ml out of the passenger side AOS after 9 ~30 minute track sessions and ~300 street miles.

My break in procedure in was to minimize idling and coasting for the first ~500 miles. I broke it in during the Texas summer (100F+) so it got to operating temperature very quickly. Once at operating temperature (above 200F) I would go from ~45 to ~80 to ~45 in 3rd, then 4th, then 5th, over and over again; always on throttle or engine braking. I didn't go anywhere without varying the RPM from ~2000 to ~6500 over and over. From 500-1100 miles I just drove it normally, but stayed under ~7500 RPM.

I was surprised at how little metal came out of my engine at the 720 mile oil change; barely any shiny bits at all. I'm going to change the oil again around 2000 miles (1300 miles on the oil, plus two track days).

 

[Offboost]

1) How many miles before first oil change? 450
2) How many miles before racing? 1500 about and still have not lost any race from a roll! Lol
3) How many miles before dyno? never dynoed
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? after 600 miles started to take the rpms higher and higher for short bursts until 1000 miles then changed the oil again after that I have been driving it like I stole it.
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ nope most is usually around 4500
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No but I do add a few gallons 100 octane during the summer months
7) Stock or modified? Bone stock except for both Ford Performance oil catch cans.
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? Not yet hopefully never.
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? I change my own oil and use only Motorcraft 5/50
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? With every fill up I check it and add maybe 1/2 quart about every 4th fill up or about 800 miles.

I also drive the piss out of it once fully warmed up, never let it idle for long periods of time when cold.

 

[honeybadger]

1) How many miles before first oil change? - 6300
2) How many miles before racing? - no track or auto x yet. Plenty of WOT pulls tho
3) How many miles before dyno? - No dyno testing as of now
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? - As soon as the engine temp hit 180 degrees
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ - Sort of. Not before 160ish tho
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? - No
7) Stock or modified? - stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? - n/a
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? - Motorcraft
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? - Every fuel fill up

 

[cosmo]

1) How many miles before first oil change? 1200
2) How many miles before racing? N/A not track raced or dragged
3) How many miles before dyno? N/A not dynod
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 50
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ Not past 5000
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No
7) Stock or modified? Stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? N/A not replaced
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Mobil 1 5W50
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? Once every two weeks, half a quart "low" at 1200 miles

Driven harder early once up to operating temps. Lots of engine braking and gradual progression up to redline (6000RPM then engine brake, 7000 RPM then engine brake, 8250 RPM then engine brake) attempted at least a few times per week.

 

[buggy whip]

1) How many miles before first oil change? 2500
2) How many miles before racing? N/A
3) How many miles before dyno? N/A
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? 2000
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ Never
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No
7) Stock or modified? Catch Cans - Resonator Delete
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? N/A
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? Motor Craft 5-50
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? Checked oil level every 500 mi. till I got to 1K mi. I check it every fill up now.

First 1000 miles varied rpm 1K - 5K through out every gear.

 

[stanglife]

Scott - you going to post yours, too?

I think this type of thread happened before - there were some concerns that if we did what we thought best for the car, that it might not match Fords recommendations 100% and that Ford could use that against?

I think what you really want to do is ask the people who had engines fail.

Here's mine.
1) How many miles before first oil change? 500
2) How many miles before racing? N/A
3) How many miles before dyno? N/A
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? Not saying ;)
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ Nope
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No
7) Stock or modified? Stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? N/A
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? OEM
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? When I wash it. Consumed 1/2qt in 2500 miles.

 

[Voodooo]

Scott - you going to post yours, too?

I think this type of thread happened before - there were some concerns that if we did what we thought best for the car, that it might not match Fords recommendations 100% and that Ford could use that against?

I think what you really want to do is ask the people who had engines fail.

Here's mine.
1) How many miles before first oil change? 500
2) How many miles before racing? N/A
3) How many miles before dyno? N/A
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? Not saying ;)
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ Nope
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No
7) Stock or modified? Stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? N/A
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? OEM
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? When I wash it. Consumed 1/2qt in 2500 miles.

Mines posted.
Nobody is obligated to post.
I hope ones with failed engines post also.
This is good news so far!
12 of us posted so far. Hopefully the others will also.

 

[TheDeadCow]

Scott - you going to post yours, too?

I think this type of thread happened before - there were some concerns that if we did what we thought best for the car, that it might not match Fords recommendations 100% and that Ford could use that against?

I think what you really want to do is ask the people who had engines fail.

Here's mine.
1) How many miles before first oil change? 500
2) How many miles before racing? N/A
3) How many miles before dyno? N/A
4) How many miles before taking the RPM to 8250? Not saying ;)
5) Have you ever reved the engine before reaching operating temps? 180+ Nope
6) Have you used less than 91-93 octane fuel? No
7) Stock or modified? Stock
8) If your engine was replaced, at how many miles were on the original engine? N/A
9) If you changed or had the oil changed, what oil did you use? OEM
10) How often did you monitor your oil level or added oil? When I wash it. Consumed 1/2qt in 2500 miles.

I don't think this type of evidence would hold up in court. If it did, I'd LOL when they try to call me to the stand by the name "the dead cow"


This exercise can/will be useful if and only if:

A) People who have had a motor let go answer the questions
B) People who haven't had a motor let go answer the questions
C) There exists a correlation between blown up motors and answers to the questions. (i.e. If no correlation is found; does that mean there is no correlation? OR Did we not ask the correct questions to find a correlation between the two)

Basically, is something during the break-in process the culprit for motor failures.

 

[stanglife]

I do troubleshooting for a living - so I would point out that you shouldn't ignore the human factor. We all don't really know each other and it's easy to imagine someone with a blown motor not admitting to revving it cold or some other practice that we would otherwise see as a consistency.

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