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Engine Break In Procedure?

steveale

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I’ve changed oil in my avalanche every 2500 miles and I have 336k miles on it and still purring like new. I read a study that the more frequently you change oil the longer the avg engine life. It’s all economics. Over the life of 336k miles I’ve probably bought a new engine in the oil change delta. It’s sure nice bragging on a 336k mike motor though. I think the study indicated that if you changed the oil every 1k miles the engine would virtually last forever (from a wear perspective).
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futzin'

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So I was planning on buying mine in Idaho, then driving it 800 miles back home. How would i go about breaking i the engine properly in that scenario?
We took our Durango on vacay shortly after taking delivery. We got off, and back on again, at a lot of exits in order to vary the speed and work through the gears and revs. Gives you the chance to stop at a lot of Stuckeys and Biscuit Worlds! (or whatever they have in your part of the country) ;)
 

Ole Cowboy

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Debatable that actual special break in oil is installed at the factory. Never seen a general consensus on this claim or factual proof that any special oil other than normal bulk API and whatever manufacturer spec oil is provided to the factory and factory filled. A lot of the oil analysis of factory filled oil and higher molybdenum, zinc and other tradition anti-wear additives present can easily be explained to the assembly lubes used in manufacturing for first startup protection and not necessarily from the bulk factory fill oil itself.

I do agree that the factory fill is suitable to the first scheduled oil change and early replacement is just a placebo affect warm fuzzy feeling situation for most users.
As I understand the factory oils actually have less of 'good stuff'. That said historically you first oil is alow detergent low additives for the purposes of breaking the engine in quickly and smoothly.

Todays have offer a paradox break-in. Today's engines take both a long as in + 5000 mi to break in but at the same time, they are broken in within about the first tank of fuel. It's tolerances. Our tolerances are far tighter than at any time in the past. This allows a more robust break-in vs the former years at the same time our superior metallurgy makes for harder and more resilient metals, this means the break-in actually takes place over thousands of miles. In fact, many high-performance engines take as much as 2 oil changes to achieve final break-in and it's normal to see a gradual increase in mpg over that time.

Take away: As an old engine builder long and slow is better than fast and furious. Your best break in procedure comes from those with a manual trans. To get great results you want to climb thru your gears getting close to your read line. Auto trans left to their own are going to keep you in a tight rpm band, if you looking for performance then you want to EXERCISE all the engines muscles just like you do at the gym. This requires that you break in by going up and down thru the rpm range.

City dwellers face the biggest challenge if your drive to work rarely lets you cross the 45 +/- speed, then summer vaca to the coast for some beach time provides poor performance and mpg since its almost the first time the engine has driven at highway speeds in the almost year you have owned it. Word to the auto folks, don't be gentle on the go pedal but rather long pulls thru the gears getting into the upper end of the rpm band. Purpose of the break-in is to EXERCISE the engine...

At your first oil change WHEN the magic oil light comes on or at recommendation whichever comes first, switch to a full Synthetic. I STRONGLY recommend you FOLLOW the times for the oil changes. Days are LONG GONE folks that changing oil every 1000 or 3000 mi are needed. That came as a result of the days when an engine if it burned a quart of oil every 1000 mi was a GOOD engine, some engine would burn a quart ever 500 mi as a new car. The gas contaminates the oil and if you are burning oil you are getting blow-by into the crankcase.

Suggest you rotate and balance your tires at the first oil change, you will get more life out of them.

NO NEED to change oil early, this comes from the days of sand casting the engines and a LOT of sand was left behind. How much enough that it was visible and gritty. It was recommended first oil change at 500 mi and you would have a hand full of sand. It was common to use an engine flush right before you changed oil. Add 1 Qt to the engine that is at operating temp, and let fast idle and rev the engine to <2000 rpm every min for 5 min, shut down and do a long drain, letting the engine set for at least 10 min before you added fresh oil, turn the engine over a couple of times without starting it, the releases about a half or more quart of oil...yea the old days are gone and we are better for it.
 
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RedTRex

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I do 1st change @ 1K miles, then direct to Mobil1 and every 8K thereafter. I normally buy the 15K oil/filter. It's black (dirty) at 8k can't imagine it actually having good life to 15k.
 

Ole Cowboy

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I do 1st change @ 1K miles, then direct to Mobil1 and every 8K thereafter. I normally buy the 15K oil/filter. It's black (dirty) at 8k can't imagine it actually having good life to 15k.
here is the deal on oil:

What we pour in our engines is 2 things: oil or a syn oil and additives that is just about it. The additives get consumed as time goes and this is what they base oil life on, it is the additives are expected to last x miles.

Oil does not wear out it lasts forever unless it is burned or destroyed somehow that leads to BREAKING the Chain Molecules that are what give the oil lubricity when they get broken the oil no longer does its job. This is the reason why if your engine overheats to the point it shuts down then change oil along with getting the problem fixed. I had a relationship with a gal that came from a long time oil family and she had a Masters in Petro Engineering from UT/UTAM and my brother in law was a Petro Engineer. Think if I had it to do over again I might have been a Petro engineer.

There is no justification to change oil at the first 1000 mi, but if YOU want to then it's your Jeep, your wallet and go for it!
 

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RedTRex

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....breaks down or gathers enough contaminates to impair performance or increase wear. Anyway I do 1k to eliminate the initial metal from break-in, albeit as you mentioned, it is less of an issue today than it was 30 years ago.
 

Ole Cowboy

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....breaks down or gathers enough contaminates to impair performance or increase wear. Anyway I do 1k to eliminate the initial metal from break-in, albeit as you mentioned, it is less of an issue today than it was 30 years ago.
I owned a gas station with another guy, I was more than mech and he kept books and pumped gas, Folks would come in with a new car for that first oil change and what was left in the bottom of the change pan was a LOT of loose change, to say the least. Metal filing, grit, sands, and enough metal grindings to make a Damascus knife out of.
 

2004blackwrx

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Good info here but I see nothing about the clutch break in procedure. I know this is an engine break in post but we cant forget the transmission.5 I read about revving the engine out to break it in but typically thats a bad idea for a clutch when new.
 

Ole Cowboy

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Good info here but I see nothing about the clutch break in procedure. I know this is an engine break in post but we cant forget the transmission.5 I read about revving the engine out to break it in but typically thats a bad idea for a clutch when new.
There is no break in procedure for the clutch. It's more in how you apply the clutch. Women and a lot of men simply do not know how to use a clutch. I can see 80k+ miles on a clutch, some men and women can barely get 10k miles.

Friend of mine bought his first Ferarri and about 10k miles later he shucked out $10k for a clutch job. Many people drive with their left foot on the clutch, just as many people drive with the left foot on the brake in automatic trans cars. Many people cannot get 10k miles out of a set of brakes.
 

2004blackwrx

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All my clutches have lasted long as well even in cars where the clutch was the weak link. After replacement the new clutch always had directions to keep rpms low for the first 500 miles or so.
 

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2004blackwrx

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From exedy clutch faq
Do I need to break in the clutch after replacing it?
Always perform the break in of the clutch.
Only about 30% of the friction surface of the new clutch is in contact. The performance of clutch is exercised only when 100% of the friction surface is in contact.
It depends on the condition it is used, but drive for about 500 km in the urban condition to break in the clutch.
Repeat the starting with under 3000 RPM to break in the clutch.
Frequency of the clutch operation and load is too low in the highway driving or changing the gears, and break in of the clutch will not take place.
The point to make the clutch last is to break it in properly.
 

Ole Cowboy

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From exedy clutch faq
Do I need to break in the clutch after replacing it?
Always perform the break in of the clutch.
Only about 30% of the friction surface of the new clutch is in contact. The performance of clutch is exercised only when 100% of the friction surface is in contact.
It depends on the condition it is used, but drive for about 500 km in the urban condition to break in the clutch.
Repeat the starting with under 3000 RPM to break in the clutch.
Frequency of the clutch operation and load is too low in the highway driving or changing the gears, and break in of the clutch will not take place.
The point to make the clutch last is to break it in properly.
LOL what the hell is that?

Repeat the starting UNDER 3000 RPM...if you are LAUNCHING your car over 3000 rpm then I guess its time drop down below 3000 rpm???

Get in the car and drive it, there is no break in, what there is: DON'T stupid things like launching above 3000 rpm, don't ride the clutch by keeping your left foot on the clutch.

Sorry guys, been driving clutch vehicles since the early 60's and in all that time I have never had a clutch fail, I have a throwout bearing fail and when you replace the throwout bearing you always replace the clutch.
 

2004blackwrx

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Bringing up an old thread because my truck is finally in KZ and will hopefully arrive soon. I read the recommended break in procedure and it is somewhat confusing. It says after 60 mph speeds up to 50 to 55 mph are desirable. It never says not to go above these speeds during the first 300 mph. Second it says occasional full open throttle is good but not in low gear. I take this as in fourth fifth and sixth occasionaly go to red line. Am i miss reading the manual.
As far as oil changes I know it varies with each change when the change oil light comes on. I assume there is some sort of opacity or filter delta pressure sensor that lets the car know oil is dirty. If thats the case I would just change the oil when the car tells you to.
 

Ole Cowboy

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Bringing up an old thread because my truck is finally in KZ and will hopefully arrive soon. I read the recommended break in procedure and it is somewhat confusing. It says after 60 mph speeds up to 50 to 55 mph are desirable. It never says not to go above these speeds during the first 300 mph. Second it says occasional full open throttle is good but not in low gear. I take this as in fourth fifth and sixth occasionaly go to red line. Am i miss reading the manual.
As far as oil changes I know it varies with each change when the change oil light comes on. I assume there is some sort of opacity or filter delta pressure sensor that lets the car know oil is dirty. If thats the case I would just change the oil when the car tells you to.
here is the KEY: Its all about exercise. You work out or have or gone to the gym etc. So what do you do. You exercise your Arms, legs, stomach, your whole body, RIGHT, if not you are wasting your time...arms like Popeye do no good on top of legs like a hummingbird!

Then same same applies to your new engine and now its 0- max rpm. WHY?

Seen folks jump in a new car and drive at 60 mph @2400 rpm for hours, breaking in a that speed and rpm means Popeye arms and Hummingbird legs.

Begin slowly going upand down thru the gears, shifting at higher and higher rpms as time and miles go by.

Today's modern engine need very little time to break in due to CNC and tolerances a 100x tighter than they were back in the 50-80's. Exercise your engine just by going up and down thru the gears and moderately accelerating. Key being to not drive for long times at the same rpm. Drop down a gear to pick up more rpm at the same speed.

Give a break-in of 250 mi and you are good to go
 

SleepyJeep

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here is the deal on oil:

I had a relationship with a gal that came from a long time oil family and she had a Masters in Petro Engineering from UT/UTAM and my brother in law was a Petro Engineer. Think if I had it to do over again I might have been a Petro engineer.
C'mon, who cares about oil changes, give us the real juicy info. What if you had to do over again - would you still be with that "gal"? Was she the ONE that got away? :giggle:
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