Do you really need to break the car in?
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From: your friendly neighborhood hairpin
Car Info: '03 PSM Sedan
yes, you do need to break in the engine. i don't know what the STi manual reccomends, but my WRX manual reccomended 1,000 miles.
the purpose of a break in period is to allow the engine internals to mate to each other, and wear in microscopic grooves on their opposing faces -- i.e. pistons and cylinder walls, as well as to expand and contract with heat cycles. if you don't put the engine through enough heat cycles, and enough rotations before you 'light it up' you'll end up with poorer sealing than someone who broke in their engine properly. the other risk, is that when engines are brand new, they shed deposits of metal as they're run in. running the motor hard right out of the gate increases the risk of these pieces being sucked into somplace that they don't belong (like the cylinder). that's why lots of people will change their oil after the first 1000 miles, before they run the car hard.
the purpose of a break in period is to allow the engine internals to mate to each other, and wear in microscopic grooves on their opposing faces -- i.e. pistons and cylinder walls, as well as to expand and contract with heat cycles. if you don't put the engine through enough heat cycles, and enough rotations before you 'light it up' you'll end up with poorer sealing than someone who broke in their engine properly. the other risk, is that when engines are brand new, they shed deposits of metal as they're run in. running the motor hard right out of the gate increases the risk of these pieces being sucked into somplace that they don't belong (like the cylinder). that's why lots of people will change their oil after the first 1000 miles, before they run the car hard.
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That's a good question. Back when I used to be an engineer, we were designing what-nots with tolerances up to 0.001"...that's pretty damn tight. Now our pieces were pretty static, they weren't twirling about at 7,500 rpm, so I would have to say that the fellas at Fuji are controlling their fit even tighter. And don't they run the engine before it leaves the shop (I know the boys at Craftsman started my chipper shreader up before I got it). Still, as the earlier post mentioned, you're dropping how much coin down on a car? And you want to do what with it and when? I'd at least wait until you got onto the freeway ô¿ô. My WRX manual mentions a break-in period, which I didn't follow; and yes I'm still driving it. I also change my oil every 7,500 miles (my dad almost blew up when I told him that but come on, that 3,000 mile rule still applies to my '88 F-150 but I'm not so sure about my '02 WRX. Just my two cents.
Doug
Doug
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Yeah, I mean they do run every engine before it's delivered. I will break it in too but I think many people are perhaps a little paranoid. Being absolutely paranoid about reving above 4000 RPMs is a little conservative. I think it would do the engine well to see 6000 RPMs very infrequently over the 1000 mile break in.
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Of course, it's not just the engine that you're breaking in. It;s the car in toto.
Another point: isn't the ECU "learning" during this break-in period? If so, then it thinks there's a grandma behind the wheel (no offense to grand-ma) and will thus have to relearn what to do when you get on it after the break-in period. Of course you could always reset the ECU after break-in.
DOug
Another point: isn't the ECU "learning" during this break-in period? If so, then it thinks there's a grandma behind the wheel (no offense to grand-ma) and will thus have to relearn what to do when you get on it after the break-in period. Of course you could always reset the ECU after break-in.
DOug
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You must run it in for the first 1000 miles - the engine oil used is supposed to be thinner than usual to facilitate the running in period. I have run my My 02 Sti for a year now - oh and by the way the engine has just run the bearings and is waiting for a new motor after all of 8000 miles!
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10
Depends on what "break-in" means
It depends on what your defintion of a "break-in" is I suppose. This link talks about motorcycle engines (which run at much higher rpms) but also says that it works with 4-cyl motors too. Check it out and see what you'd rather do with your brand new car.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
this link is rather old so some of you may have come across it before. but it should be worth a second glance.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
this link is rather old so some of you may have come across it before. but it should be worth a second glance.
NASIOC Slut
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From: Roseville, CA
Car Info: 1995 Subaru Impreza 1.8 L
This topic has been covered many a times for new folks, and the same goes for STI's...
Keep it below 4000 the first 1000 miles and your engine will love you for life.
Also try to keep the speeds varried without to many long exposures to freeway driving or using the cruise control until after the break in period.
Keep it below 4000 the first 1000 miles and your engine will love you for life.
Also try to keep the speeds varried without to many long exposures to freeway driving or using the cruise control until after the break in period.
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So far I have been real good about keeping the car under 4000 rpms. I even set the rev waring light and alarm for 4000 rpms.
Given this, would it really hurt the car to run it to the red line a few times just to see what it will do? I'm not talking about 6000 rpm drop-clutch starts. Just a quick run through say 2-5th just to feel how much go you purchased.
Any experienced opinions/thoughts on this?
Given this, would it really hurt the car to run it to the red line a few times just to see what it will do? I'm not talking about 6000 rpm drop-clutch starts. Just a quick run through say 2-5th just to feel how much go you purchased.
Any experienced opinions/thoughts on this?
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Does the owner's manual actually recommend a break in period? If it doesn't I don't see any reason not to light it up right out of the dealer's lot.
CX
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From: Roseville, CA
Car Info: 1995 Subaru Impreza 1.8 L
Originally posted by FlyingDutchman
So far I have been real good about keeping the car under 4000 rpms. I even set the rev waring light and alarm for 4000 rpms.
Given this, would it really hurt the car to run it to the red line a few times just to see what it will do? I'm not talking about 6000 rpm drop-clutch starts. Just a quick run through say 2-5th just to feel how much go you purchased.
Any experienced opinions/thoughts on this?
So far I have been real good about keeping the car under 4000 rpms. I even set the rev waring light and alarm for 4000 rpms.
Given this, would it really hurt the car to run it to the red line a few times just to see what it will do? I'm not talking about 6000 rpm drop-clutch starts. Just a quick run through say 2-5th just to feel how much go you purchased.
Any experienced opinions/thoughts on this?
