Thinking/Dreaming about ordering a Mustang

[WD Pro]

From another thread, but here is what I posted on my running in procedure :

I also posted this info on the MOCGB forum after an owner on there has got big oil consumption issues after a ‘gentle’ running in procedure – seeing as how this thread is my car journal I might as well add the info in here :

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Hhmmm, that’s very interesting and a dilemma that I was also faced with.

I did a lot of reading and came to the conclusion that the spray in bore lining of the gen 3 engines is very hard and needs a reasonably tough break in period.

I use the Mustang as a second car so I got the choice of when and where I drove it (and who I had in the car with me i.e. no kids), I guess that helped a lot.

I applied these rules :

• I am mechanically sympathetic (letting it warm up properly etc).
• No letting the engine labour (no driving under 2k – other than the first gear 0.5 mile run to get me off the estate / over the speed humps).
• No cruise control (other than checking it worked).
• No 5th or 6th (other than checking Ford remembered to fit them in the box).
• 4th only occasionally (only when road speed was quite high).
• No constant throttle (I was pretty much either on the gas or letting it overrun).
• I used full throttle as often as possible (once ‘properly’ warm), but I limited the revs as per :

Off the forecourt = 4k​

100 to 250 = 4.5k​

250 to 400 = 5k​

400 to 550 = 5.5k​

550 to 700 = 6k​

700 to 850 = 6.5k​

850 to 1000 = 7k​

1000+ = still experimenting with the best place for the shift light so I don’t buzz the factory limiter.​

• I used the factory shift light set to the above schedule to remind me when to change, I might have ignored it on the odd occasion …

About 90% of my running in was done at night on quiet roads and maybe approaching 30% of that was done on either a local dual carriageway that has traffic lights approximately every 0.7 miles or another section of dual carriageway that’s 0.4 mile long with a roundabout at each end. Both roads have a good surface and no residential or business properties on them and no side roads, junctions or bridges i.e. perfect fun roads for repeat cycles of acceleration and overrun ;-) (side note – the diff warms up very quickly on the 0.4 mile roundabout road).

After 500 miles I started to use the brakes with a bit more anger (pulled a 1.04g after a gauge reset and a high to low speed brake i.e. not just a sharp jab of the pedal).

I only really started to rush the gearbox / clutch after about 750 miles.

I think my oil consumption and what my breather caught is pretty low, especially for the first 1000 miles and also considering how I ran it in – can’t say the same for my MPG though … lol. That’s hovered between 12 and 14 (UK gallon for any of our stateside friends reading this), but that’s not really what we bought these cars for is it …

Time will tell how it all worked out but as this cars bought outright and is a keeper, it will be me that has to live with my decisions.

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Maybe the nut and running in info will be useful / interesting for some, maybe it won’t …

WD

WD

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[GT 550]

I thought western australia was as barren of life and vegetation as the steppes of Mongolia. You don't have to go over 80mph to use the full RPM sweep of the engine.

The steppes are lush and densely populated compared to WA, and WA has more sand. Than anywhere in the known universe.

 

[bfets]

This info I lifted from the Service Guide booklet -

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...lia-Supplement-version-1_su_EN-US_11_2020.pdf

Scheduled Service Intervals -

The following chart details the service requirements for 15,000 km intervals.

-Peace of Mind Inspection 3,000 km or 2 months after delivery, whichever occurs first.

(The Peace of Mind Inspection expires after 5,000 km or 4 months after delivery)


-A Service - Every 15,000 km or 12 months, whichever occurs first, or as indicated by the information display.


-C Service - Every 7,500 km or 6 months after previous service, whichever occurs first, for vehicles driven under severe conditions.

Awesome. Thanks for this. Do you perhaps have a link to a PDF version of the owners manual? I would love to study that before getting the car.

 

[Stevefreestyle]

Western Australia - Home to the "Gun Barrel" Highway & Authoritarian Closed State Borders (to other Australian States).

 

[bfets]

The steppes are lush and densely populated compared to WA, and WA has more sand. Than anywhere in the known universe.

Very true and the sand gets into everything. It has a special ability to saturate floor mats. Seems like no amount of vacuuming or beating can extract it all from the floor mats ever again.

 

[Stevefreestyle]

Awesome. Thanks for this. Do you perhaps have a link to a PDF version of the owners manual? I would love to study that before getting the car.

Unfortunately Ford Au do not have an Owners Manual PDF on their site (very annoying !!), just an On-Line version here:
Mustang Owner's Manual (fordservicecontent.com)
The US version is available, however you have to interpret it for our spec cars - here
Untitled (fordservicecontent.com)

 

[bfets]

Unfortunately Ford Au do not have an Owners Manual PDF on their site (very annoying !!), just an On-Line version here:
Mustang Owner's Manual (fordservicecontent.com)
The US version is available, however you have to interpret it for our spec cars - here
Untitled (fordservicecontent.com)

Thanks! Yeah that is very annoying. They also still have the 2021 brochures and car builder on their site. You'd think it would be updated to the 22's by now but no.

 

[GT 550]

@bfets have you searched M6G to see what else is out there re break-in? IIRC there's a bottomless pit somewhere on this very thing. Might be worth a read.

 

[bfets]

@bfets have you searched M6G to see what else is out there re break-in? IIRC there's a bottomless pit somewhere on this very thing. Might be worth a read.

Yeah, I have read many threads about it. Was just wondering what my fellow Aussies think about the subject, and how to deal with it on our heavily policed roads in case you do want to increase the revs a little. Of course you can do that on public roads without breaking the speed limit, but its fairly easy to get carried away. I might just look to find some quiet back roads to spend some time on. Not so much wanting to break the speed limit, just don't want to be a nuisance on the road by varying my speed all the time.

 

[GT 550]

Yes break in can be awkward. FWIW I don't think break in is anywhere a critical as it once was and lots of folks have simply driven it like a rental from day dot and had no problem. My 2c would be don't change the oil until after 3000km and don't worry too much about it. I picked mine up in Melbourne and drove it through traffic back to just north of the ACT border without paying too much attention to any particular process and it's now got 30k km with no issue.

It's always a good question. Trust in the Coyote and just work it a bit without lugging and IMHO you'll be just fine.

 

[BruceTheQuail]

I wouldnt be too concerned about overreving the car, within reason. it takes a long time for revs to build, with the manual it will quite happily sit at 60kph in first without going anywhere near redline. You could virtually drive the car all day long in first to third, if you didnt mind the fuel bills.

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