Best Way to Break In?

[jonnydoe48]

Especially since it is a turbo car, i am wondering what the best way to break in the MSP is.

i kno there is always the traditional 1000 miles then drive hard- is this enough? do i need to start gradually increasing the RPMs? I really want the best for the car, so i really dont care..just gimme the best method =p

 

[gjmoreo]

Ok, well you do it 2Fast & 2Furious style of course, take off your shirt, wrap it around your fist and blast the driver side window out to gain access.

Go ahead, all the kewl kids are doing it!

J/k ..... IMO .... The best way to break in a new car is to "take it easy" dont race it too much and let all the parts of the car get a little use to the road and going. After that LET HER RIP!

 

[so-cal msp]

break it in hard, if you want a fast car drive it like a fast car. If you blow it up, so what it is under warranty. If you want a everyday driver, then break it in easy. Just make sure you change the oil to synthetic at about 500 miles. I broke mine in hard, and it is fine.

 

[blynzoo]

break it in hard, if you want a fast car drive it like a fast car. If you blow it up, so what it is under warranty. If you want a everyday driver, then break it in easy. Just make sure you change the oil to synthetic at about 500 miles. I broke mine in hard, and it is fine.

YIKES! Running hard before your first oil change just took about 10K off your car, but so what?

The purpose of the early oil change is to remove micro (and not so micro) particles in your engine left over from manufacture/assembly. You are also, if the car was assembled recently, allowing the lubricant to work its way into the metal (and it DOES work its way into the metal, as any chef will tell you) to prolong life.
For folks who just throw away their cars at 60K and get new ones, this is of no relevance. For those who like to keep their cars, or put miles on, it makes a difference. My first change at 1K was dino juice (traditional oil) because it holds the microparticles in stasis better than the synthetics, meaning more come out with the pour. After that it's been syn all the way.

If the warranty says no break-in is required (which it does), then dont break it in if you dont want to. But do vary your speed the first 1K miles, and For the first 500 above 65 (I kept it below 60) is a no-no.

 

[duMb KeoLa]

to break in my motor i went 133mph with only 233 miles on the engine!!! woohoooo, thats how to do it!

 

[blynzoo]

to break in my motor i went 133mph with only 233 miles on the engine!!! woohoooo, thats how to do it!

lol, you're a nut.....

Oh, and dont brake hard in the first 200 or so miles.

 

[so-cal msp]

so you are telling me that running my car hard took 10,000 miles off my car? I sorry but i just don't buy it. My sister got a Ford focus (piece of s*** car) a couple years back and we beat the hell out of that car from day one. we have never had any problems with the engine and its milege is preatty high. Her moron friend also has a focus but she took it easy during the break in period and that car has had all kinds of problems. Plus we have raced the two of them and my sisters is noticable faster. I hear stories simalar to this one all the time. I have driven the crap out of every car i have ever had and they have never given me any problems. I have even kept in contact with the people I have sold my cars to and the damn things are still running strong to this day. You are telling the truth about the microparticles though. But i am not so sure about the traditional oil holding it in better stasis. Castrol syntec was designed to cling to foregin particles in your engine and keep them from doing damage. Personaly my vote goes to syntec.

 

[so-cal msp]

to break in my motor i went 133mph with only 233 miles on the engine!!! woohoooo, thats how to do it!

Yeah show that engine who is boss

 

[so-cal msp]

almost forgot, make sure you run your car for two minutes while parked before and after you drive it to help the life of the turbo, and also rememeber to leave the garage door open while doing this!

 

[blynzoo]

so you are telling me that running my car hard took 10,000 miles off my car? I sorry but i just don't buy it. My sister got a Ford focus (piece of s*** car) a couple years back and we beat the hell out of that car from day one. we have never had any problems with the engine and its milege is preatty high. Her moron friend also has a focus but she took it easy during the break in period and that car has had all kinds of problems. Plus we have raced the two of them and my sisters is noticable faster. I hear stories simalar to this one all the time. I have driven the crap out of every car i have ever had and they have never given me any problems. I have even kept in contact with the people I have sold my cars to and the damn things are still running strong to this day. You are telling the truth about the microparticles though. But i am not so sure about the traditional oil holding it in better stasis. Castrol syntec was designed to cling to foregin particles in your engine and keep them from doing damage. Personaly my vote goes to syntec.

I'm exaggerating about the 10k. There's no empirical way to measure what effect it has.
All the syns grab particles so they can be carried to the filter and taken out of the oil. And indeed some cars come factory with syn. I will have to ask exactly what the reasoning is on staying dino.

I think that regular maintenance will offset a lot of "racy" driving habits. I to whip the crap out of the cars that I drive, they spend more time at redline than they do turned off. I have always done the break-in, though.
I am sure that as technology improves (and it already has) that break-in period will be totally uneccesary.
One thing I have noticed is that broken in cars idle smoother than whipped cars. On average, not all the time.

Hell, who cares. I got 23K on mine and I whip that thing around every corner I see!!!!

 

[Fakhelek]

Especially since it is a turbo car, i am wondering what the best way to break in the MSP is.

i kno there is always the traditional 1000 miles then drive hard- is this enough? do i need to start gradually increasing the RPMs? I really want the best for the car, so i really dont care..just gimme the best method =p

The best method is to read the Manual. Our cars do not require a break-in, but the Manual (written by the people that built our cars) recommends taking it easy for the first 500-600 miles. I don't remember exactly what it says and I am at work so you will have to read it to find out.

By the way, be careful not to take advice from just anybody that makes up an answer to your question. There are some pretty knowledgable people on this forum. After awile you will recognize them. There are also some people that will tell you to beat the hell out of your car, void your warranty, and keep adding mods for more power till you blow the engine. In most cases these are people who didn't have to pay for their own car.

I broke my car in the way the Manual says and it runs like a beast. You want to vary your rpms, but I wouldn't run to redline during break-in. Be patient.

Oh, one more thing. You don't have to beat your car to make it run better after break-in. If the ECU (computer) 'learns' to drive conservatively because of how you broke it in, it will eventually un-learn it. Of course you can always disconnect the battery to clear the ECU.

Good-luck and enjoy

 

[so-cal msp]

Yeah! all corners must beware. I got my ass handed to me by a new infinity yesterday. The only thing that made me feel the least bit manly was at the corner when I caught up to him and gunned it around his sorry v-8 ass. Granted he did catch up again and passed me again. But I was still impressed how well the MSP held in the staight with the infinity, Old man river who was driving it didn't beat me by much. I wonder if he is at home wondering why a four banger almost beat him.
Sorry a little off topic

 

[p2-e2]

First off, what's going on everyone. This is my first post. I just racked on about 600 miles on my MSP driving it like a granny. And from what I've read in the manual and from what everyone else has been saying. Once I hit that 1,000 mile mark. I can go nuts, rights?

Does that mean, I can start redlining it to see what this baby can do? Just wondering, cause I've been dying to push it and see what it can do.

 

[Fakhelek]

Yes, you can redline it now. I would start out doing so every once in a while. Later, you should be able to redline whenever you want. I actually started to around 600 miles. People say you should vary your rpms during break-in. I did but never went over 4,000.

Thing is, you could probably get away with pushing it more than you are, but why take chances when you just shelled out 20 grand? What's 1000 miles when you will put 50k or more on it if you really like it? I don't see any reason not to be patient.

 

[CRDMS1]

I followed the manual-recommended 600 mile break-in period driving like a granny around town and on the freeway (very rarely above 4k RPM or so, no hard acceleration). I changed the oil/filter at 1k miles, and went to my first AutoX yesterday at 1500 miles. The car performed beautifully (stock) all throughout the band, and I couldn't be happier. FWIW, I think the 600 mile recommended break-in is adequate and gives me more confidence that the car can run harder after everything is settled.

Peace...(hippy)

 

[p2-e2]

Thanks for the tip!

I was posting this on a different thread but I figure I'll ask you guys too.

I was looking into getting a turbo timer and someone recommended the hks type 1 turbo timer. I'm assuming I'll need to get the harness with it.

I did a search and found this website:

http://www.gruppe-s.com/Specials/ttimers.htm

Turbo Timer Type 1 HKS-4101-RA011 FREE SHIPPING + HARNESS Silver $120.00

I'm not sure if that's a good price for it but it's the best one I could find.

Do you guys have a turbo timer and if so, is this one a decent one to get?