The BEST Break for a new car. "very long"

[deibelsan]

I'm no expert, but I checked out this advice with a friend who is a mechanic and has much experience building engines. He said (sheepishly) "bring it up to operating temperature and drive the heck out of it" while making a motion with his hand as if flooring the pedal.

Not saying to do what this thread says. OM says don't get over 4k RPM and that might be plenty of load to get the effect the OP was talking about. But while I wouldn't call you an idiot for following this the advice in this thread, I would say do some research and make sure you understand the pros and cons.

Then "drive the heck out of it"

[Hercules778]

Noob question, I have an auto. Picked up my car yesterday and drove her 60 miles back in bumper to bumper traffic fastest I ever went was 40mph, for a minute.

Will I have a successful engine break-in if I take her to the freeway where traffic flows at 80mph in the left lane and I just vary my mph in a 4 hour trip in freezing condition tempature? - Will take a 2hr break once I reach the casino

Or do auto's HAVE to paddle shift

[Camaro_hx]

Originally Posted by brAnd7onX

So is downshifting instead of letting the foot off the gas engine breaking?

SURE IS

[MikeW]

Originally Posted by Iron Lung Jimmy

Disclaimer: I haven’t bothered to read this whole thread so if this has already been addressed, oh well…


IMO, anybody who ignores the owner’s manual and breaks in their Camaro based solely on what some guy on the internet writes is an idiot. Harsh? Maybe… but true.

The OP’s claimed credentials are that he has been building engines for 25 years. So what… things change. How many LS3’s has he built?

Then he states that the method described in the owner’s manual is written as legal cover… which is absurd. If the proper method of breaking in your engine was to do a bunch of hard acceleration runs, sure, GM would not want to print that. But neither would they print the exact opposite… they just wouldn’t print anything. Since the Mustang debacle of a few years ago manufacturers are very aware that their engines have to produce the advertised power. There is no way in hell GM would recommend a procedure that would compromise their engines ability to produce the advertised power.

If GM tells you to go easy for the first 1,500 miles… when if it was necessary to cover themselves legally they would be better off saying nothing… there really must be a reason. Who are you going to believe, the people who designed and built the car or some guy on the internet?

The piston to bore clearance in LS3’s is a negative number. That means the piston is slightly larger than the bore (we’re talking microns). As the engine breaks in, material is worn off the piston… the end result being a very tight tolerance. Armed with that knowledge alone, I am going to postulate that it either doesn’t matter how you break in the engine or that breaking it in slowly would be better. Since GM recommends slowly I am going with that since I see no downside. In my mind’s eye I would kind of like to see the piston material worn off slowly so the piston and bore get to know each other gradually and form a nice fit.

And even if it doesn’t matter to the engine, at least my transmission and differential will get a chance to wear in better.

I would love to hear from a GM engineer on this subject.

This is a high performance engine for sure. But it is designed and built to go 100k+miles. Unlike a NASCAR engine or an NHRA engine.

[bumblebeecamaro]

Hi Darin,

I've been following your advice on engine break in since you posted your thread in this forum. I have a 2010 Camaro SS with an automatic which s far runs very nice. I went with the New Era CAI after reading your write up earlier in your thread.

I have a question though. did u have to change or alter your tune on your car or is it completely stock?

Thanks for any info.

[samsumon]

Good stuff.

[chappy48]

Originally Posted by Hercules778

Noob question, I have an auto. Picked up my car yesterday and drove her 60 miles back in bumper to bumper traffic fastest I ever went was 40mph, for a minute.

Will I have a successful engine break-in if I take her to the freeway where traffic flows at 80mph in the left lane and I just vary my mph in a 4 hour trip in freezing condition tempature? - Will take a 2hr break once I reach the casino

Or do auto's HAVE to paddle shift

Just keep it in drive and do some 60-80 runs. If you use the paddles you won't be able to help the engine slowing the car down when you let off, which is a no-no during break in.

[Angrybird 12]

One problem with taking advice from people that say they have been building engines for 25 years... have they been building entire cars for over 100 years? You are breaking in more than a rebuilt engine, or a new engine put in a older car here.. just think about it... 25 years experience with building racing engines that will barely last 500 miles for a stock car or even less for a drag car, or 100+ years building entire cars? Who would you trust?

Sorry, but GM's break in instructions have never failed me in 40 years, I am not going to go against them now...

Anyone that says GM Engineers don't know what they are talking about, remember who designed the Camaro? I think it was GM Engineers...You bought the car designed by a bunch of engineers you don't trust, so who here is the dummy?

[Camaro_hx]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

One problem with taking advice from people that say they have been building engines for 25 years... have they been building entire cars for over 100 years? You are breaking in more than a rebuilt engine, or a new engine put in a older car here.. just think about it... 25 years experience with building racing engines that will barely last 500 miles for a stock car or even less for a drag car, or 100+ years building entire cars? Who would you trust?

Sorry, but GM's break in instructions have never failed me in 40 years, I am not going to go against them now...

Anyone that says GM Engineers don't know what they are talking about, remember who designed the Camaro? I think it was GM Engineers...You bought the car designed by a bunch of engineers you don't trust, so who here is the dummy?

+1
With you all the way, im an automotive engineer myself and GM break-in instructions are 100% correct.

Darin and the rest of the C5 crew have their opinions and trials, which im not saying its incorrect but notice that engine oil intervals are changed earlier and more frequently than the GM Manual instructions. This is their own way in maintaining their engines.

Be safe, go GM manual.

[Angrybird 12]

I found this bit on the Mobil 1 Website

Is it true that new engines need a break-in period using conventional motor oil?


That is a myth. In the past, engine break-in was necessary to remove any metal flashing (called swarf) or abrasive material left inside the engine after machining, as well as to allow the valves and rings to ‘seat’ properly. Today’s engines are built with much tighter tolerances, much improved machining and under much cleaner conditions compared to the engines of 10 or 20 years ago. Current engine-manufacturing technology does not require a break-in period using petroleum-based motor oils.

In fact, Mobil 1 has shown excellent results in industry-standard ASTM tests, most of which use completely rebuilt engines for each new test run. Mobil 1’s outstanding results in these tests demonstrate that proper break-in using Mobil 1 is not a concern. Mobil 1 can be used in an engine from the day you drive off the showroom floor.

Trust the engineers that specify Mobil 1 as original equipment (‘factory fill’) in some of the world’s finest automobiles!

[tradosaurus]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

One problem with taking advice from people that say they have been building engines for 25 years... have they been building entire cars for over 100 years? You are breaking in more than a rebuilt engine, or a new engine put in a older car here.. just think about it... 25 years experience with building racing engines that will barely last 500 miles for a stock car or even less for a drag car, or 100+ years building entire cars? Who would you trust?

Sorry, but GM's break in instructions have never failed me in 40 years, I am not going to go against them now...

Anyone that says GM Engineers don't know what they are talking about, remember who designed the Camaro? I think it was GM Engineers...You bought the car designed by a bunch of engineers you don't trust, so who here is the dummy?

The GM Engineers design the car but the lawyers wrote the break-in instructions.

Drive it hard! As a mechanical engineer who slept in a Holiday Inn Express I will trust the race car engine mechanics.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by tradosaurus

The GM Engineers design the car but the lawyers wrote the break-in instructions.

Drive it hard! As a mechanical engineer who slept in a Holiday Inn Express I will trust the race car engine mechanics.

What ever... Like I said I have been following the GM break in schedule for 40 years and have never been let down..
Good luck down the road.... I KNOW my break in will last, do you know if yours will?

[tradosaurus]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

What ever... Like I said I have been following the GM break in schedule for 40 years and have never been let down..
Good luck down the road.... I KNOW my break in will last, do you know if yours will?

Yes. Yours will too!

I GUARANTEE IT! (this offer voidable in all 50 states)

But have some fun in your life. Do you want to be on your deathbed knowing you could have put the pedal to the medal and didn't?

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by tradosaurus

Yes. Yours will too!

I GUARANTEE IT! (this offer voidable in all 50 states)

But have some fun in your life. Do you want to be on your deathbed knowing you could have put the pedal to the medal and didn't?

I have and I will, I just don't feel a need to rush anything... Things will come in due time, I just don't understand what all the rush is about Breaking one in hard and fast.. Believe me it will come around before you realize it...