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

[tradosaurus]

Originally Posted by Darin Morgan

No danger at all. Doesn't hurt a thing. I wait until the car has dropped to below the speed limit in the area I am at before I shift back into drive.

Thanks for the information. As a mechanical engineer the break in information makes a lot of sense.

I mean, if new engines on race cars are broken in hard why shouldn't passenger vehicles?

[stangvert]

Originally Posted by tradosaurus

Thanks for the information. As a mechanical engineer the break in information makes a lot of sense.

I mean, if new engines on race cars are broken in hard why shouldn't passenger vehicles?

Have to be a devils advocate here but after the race they tore the engine apart.

[tradosaurus]

Originally Posted by stangvert

Have to be a devils advocate here but after the race they tore the engine apart.

that is why we have 3yr/ 36,000 bumper to bumper warranties!

[Darin Morgan]

Originally Posted by stangvert

Have to be a devils advocate here but after the race they tore the engine apart.

Actually, that's the not the case at all.



Jumping to conclusions, making false assumptions and trying to make a distinction between the break in of racing engines and street engines is false logic and totally laughable on so many levels! An engine is an engine is an engine.

They are built differently for specific purposes but they are ALL broke in the same way. ALL OF THEM!

Nextel cup engines are broke in with LOAD and HARD
Drag race engines are broke in with LOAD and HARD.
Street engines are broke in with LOAD and HARD.

Trying to justify ones position on break in by saying a Drag race engine makes only 200-400 runs and this situation has some bearing on the break in method is wrong and totally absurd. The reason the life span is so short for a drag engine is due to piston speed and kinetic energy over time. Something I really cant go into on this forum.

A Nextel cup engine is designed to go 1000 race miles. Its piston speeds are designed to be in a certain range. lower than a drag engine.

A street engine is designed to go 100000 miles and its piston speeds are design to stay in a specific range. Much lower than either nextel cup or Drag race engines.

In my induction system design class I go in depth into the piston speed/ kinetic energy scenario and how it relates to potential volumetric efficiency and CFM power potential. The engines intended purpose and or the energy out put and kinetic energy of the internal components has NO bearing what so ever on the method of break in. Break in is very simple yet people who have no engineering expertise or engine building experience seem to want to over complicate it into absurdity.

Just load the engine. Its really that simple.

[tradosaurus]

Hey Darin,

Looks like I'm getting almost the exact car you have except mine will be a 2LT.

I would like to say that great minds think alike but you have more experience with cars than I do.

[Darin Morgan]

Originally Posted by tradosaurus

Hey Darin,

Looks like I'm getting almost the exact car you have except mine will be a 2LT.

I would like to say that great minds think alike but you have more experience with cars than I do.

like minded individuals seldom disagree. LOL

[rebelliondog206]

Darin,

Seems as though you did the "break in" before doing any modifications.....CAI, plan to tune, porting, etc.

Is it your recommendation to do the break in first or go straight to the mod's.......or does it really matter?

[Darin Morgan]

Originally Posted by rebelliondog206

Darin,

Seems as though you did the "break in" before doing any modifications.....CAI, plan to tune, porting, etc.

Is it your recommendation to do the break in first or go straight to the mod's.......or does it really matter?

I would break it in first before messing with the fuel and timing curves if your just learning how to tune. A cold air intake is not going to effect a break in. Headers, superchargers and other high end mods should be done by a pro. An experienced tuner who knows exactly what he is doing can just go for it. More power is more load and heat so the engine will probably just come around a little faster. I know of three people who have put a tune on there new Camaros with less than 50 miles on them. They where also professional tuners who knew EXACTLY what they where doing and how far they could push it.

[EdRedCamaro2]

Originally Posted by Darin Morgan

like minded individuals seldom disagree. LOL

Darin, thanks for this information. I will take delivery in the next two weeks or so and my dealer is 50-60 highway miles from me. Needless to say, after reading your information, and the questions generated by the other posts, I am completely sold on your method. You can bet I will drive it home using a totally different method than any other new car I have owned!

One question: In other hard break-in discussions, I have read that the engine has to be fully warmed up to normal operating temperature before doing any of this. Correct?

To the mod for this board: I would like to suggest you make a sticky out of this discussion.

[Darin Morgan]

Originally Posted by EdRedCamaro2

Darin, thanks for this information. I will take delivery in the next two weeks or so and my dealer is 50-60 highway miles from me. Needless to say, after reading your information, and the questions generated by the other posts, I am completely sold on your method. You can bet I will drive it home using a totally different method than any other new car I have owned!

One question: In other hard break-in discussions, I have read that the engine has to be fully warmed up to normal operating temperature before doing any of this. Correct?

To the mod for this board: I would like to suggest you make a sticky out of this discussion.

Drive it around for 20 minutes to get the trans, rear end and engine temps up then break it in.

[Q-ship]

Everything Darin told you is how piston aircraft engines are broken in......load them up and firewall them on take off. Think about it, do the engine builders baby an engine on a dyno for a equvilant of 500 to 1000 miles or do they do a 30 minute run to seat the rings and set a wear pattern in the cam, after that they beat the living piss out of them. If the manufactures get you to baby it for 1000 miles that is 1000 miles of not really hard driving, and how many of us after the break in drive a car hard? It is all about saving money on warrenty costs.

[khislop007]

Darin, thanks for the info! I will definitely use this procedure during my break-in. Although my break-in procedure will be difficult because I live in Grand Cayman (which is kinda small) and our highest speed limit is 50mph.

Question: I have my ARH LTs, Borla and the New ERA intake (no tune yet).....I was planning on installing these on my LS3 just as I get my car home in the garage. Do you think this is a good idea or should I wait until after the break in period?

Thx.

[Darin Morgan]

Originally Posted by khislop007

Darin, thanks for the info! I will definitely use this procedure during my break-in. Although my break-in procedure will be difficult because I live in Grand Cayman (which is kinda small) and our highest speed limit is 50mph.

Question: I have my ARH LTs, Borla and the New ERA intake (no tune yet).....I was planning on installing these on my LS3 just as I get my car home in the garage. Do you think this is a good idea or should I wait until after the break in period?

Thx.

Should you install all that stuff. Heck yea! The engine will acclimate (learn) that those parts are making more VE and will tune itself (in small increments) accordingly. The cold air will help lower detonation sensitivity as well.

[Darin Morgan]

Originally Posted by Q-ship

Everything Darin told you is how piston aircraft engines are broken in......load them up and firewall them on take off. Think about it, do the engine builders baby an engine on a dyno for a equvilant of 500 to 1000 miles or do they do a 30 minute run to seat the rings and set a wear pattern in the cam, after that they beat the living piss out of them. If the manufactures get you to baby it for 1000 miles that is 1000 miles of not really hard driving, and how many of us after the break in drive a car hard? It is all about saving money on warrenty costs.

Excellent points and scenario where a normal hard-load break in is the norm. I did the jugs on my Dads A0550 in his Bonanza. We put in a cam and some other intake work. That thing climbs out like a rocket ship and cruises at 205mph. It was also broke in by fire walling it and climbing out under full load. Aircraft engine really need LOAD due to the massive ring surface area and ring/cylinder wall metallurgy. You dont break those in HARD and you have an engine that uses a massive amount of oil due to the fat that the rings will never seat.