Break In

[mel0629]

So I picked up my New 2012 1LT/RS last week and I asked my salesman whats the deal with the break in period he responded there is none just dont go over 70mph, but i've read on here that there is a break in period some say 1000mi some say 2500 or 3000 just curious as to whats right?
Thanks for the feedback in advance.

[Bumblebee2012]

It's broke in. Have fun and drive safe.

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[fielderLS3]

Come back in a day, and you'll find 20 different answers to your question. I'd say just drive normally, and don't do any full throttle stuff (though a few 1/2 to 3/4 throttle jabs to about 4-5000 RPM might be helpful), and try to vary your speed somewhat at least for a little while. There really is no set number of miles, and even when one is listed, the number is still somewhat arbitrary.

That's my opinion. Others will tell you to drive hard to break in. Others will say something else. With today's cars, it probably doesn't matter all that much anyway.

[mel0629]

Thanks I will be gentle on it, i'm sure there will be plenty of advice.thanks

[thespymaster]

I'm stIcking to the suggested 1500 mile break-in and then going to have some fun!

At 565 miles now

[mel0629]

I have a ways to go i'm only @ 250miles...I've 1500miles from several people.

[BlackedOutZL1]

like my motor man says "do you have to break in your race motor? what do you do run part way for 3 weeks?" Hell no. No break in for me. Full throttle leaving the lot.
When I picked up my Vette I banged second and spun the tires leaving the dealer. No problem ever 22k miles later.

[Mr.R]

Originally Posted by BlackedOutZL1

like my motor man says "do you have to break in your race motor? what do you do run part way for 3 weeks?" Hell no. No break in for me. Full throttle leaving the lot.
When I picked up my Vette I banged second and spun the tires leaving the dealer. No problem ever 22k miles later.

A race motor only lasts 2-3 races usually, before it's rebuilt. that's why it doesn't matter...

I'm at 1300 miles and I've kept it below 4000rpm. At about 500miles it started to loosen up. You have plenty of power up to 4000rpm so it's not that hard to do. I'll put mobil1 at 1500 miles and also change the rear diff fluid. Then it' time to play with it. I needed 1500miles to get used to the car anyways...It's a lot of power!

[SC2150]

Originally Posted by Mr.R

A race motor only lasts 2-3 races usually, before it's rebuilt. that's why it doesn't matter...

I'm at 1300 miles and I've kept it below 4000rpm. At about 500miles it started to loosen up. You have plenty of power up to 4000rpm so it's not that hard to do. I'll put mobil1 at 1500 miles and also change the rear diff fluid. Then it' time to play with it. I needed 1500miles to get used to the car anyways...It's a lot of power!

The motor only has a brief window to properly seat the rings to the cylinder bore...app 500 on average before the cylinder glaze is to establised to allow the rings to "wear in" or seat properly.

This is made even more difficult as the V8's come with M1 from the factory and the lubricating and protection properties are so far superior to a conventional oil.

I fyou do not get the rings seated properly in theat 500 mile window, odds are they never will and the result is excess oil consumption & blow-by causing oil ingestion into the intake air charge.

The only way to properly break the motor in is to run it relatively hard from day one (safely withing the law!!) but do not over rev (hit rev limiter) or decelerate from high RPM's. Just spirited acceleration into the 5k rpm range occasionally.

The only race motors not lasting are Top fuel or Top alky as they are pushed to failure every run. Our 1000 plus HP alky motors run the entire season not neededing a rebuild, and other than valve springs and lifters ay mid season that we replace to avoid failures, they usually look like new at season end when we tear down to freshen. And that is with 200-400 runs a season.

Now, this is just from my experiance....over 38 years of building race & performance engines and building the LS motors is done here constantly so we see the results upclose and personally.

[Bumblebee2012]

Originally Posted by Mr.R

A race motor only lasts 2-3 races usually, before it's rebuilt. that's why it doesn't matter...

Not all of them. Our sled pullet ran an SVO 460 block at 521ci. It made right at 1000 HP on a single Pro systems Dominator setting on a cast aluminum intake.

Naturally aspirated, no drugs, on VP racing fuel. Held it at 8,800 RPM with the MSD.

These were right around $30,000 to put together top to bottom. It got a warm up on the dyno, a few hard pulls to 9,000 to verify it was tuned and it went under the hood. Then it went to the track and had a chain thrown over the rear... And it was taken immediately to 8,800 RPM and it stayed there for about 40 seconds when it dug holes and stopped moving.

It would typically see this about 40 times in a summer, and each fall it came apart for inspection and bearings, then would do it again next year. The only real rebuild was if it blew itself apart, normally resulting in loss of heads, cam, rods, pistons, crank, block and more. Then you spend $20,000 to start over and reuse what you could from on top. Break it in on the dyno for an hour or so total and go get you some more!


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[DangerZL1]

That's an amazing amount of power and money for a naturally aspirated motor.

[strych9]

Just drive it like you want to. The time people spend worrying about the petty things amazes me. Changing fluids @ 1500 miles is an absolute waste of money.

Yes, I'm an ASE Master Certified professional. Not some guy that read something on a forum and took the information as accurate. Enjoy your ride!

[Mr.R]

Originally Posted by SC2150

The motor only has a brief window to properly seat the rings to the cylinder bore...app 500 on average before the cylinder glaze is to establised to allow the rings to "wear in" or seat properly.

This is made even more difficult as the V8's come with M1 from the factory and the lubricating and protection properties are so far superior to a conventional oil.

I fyou do not get the rings seated properly in theat 500 mile window, odds are they never will and the result is excess oil consumption & blow-by causing oil ingestion into the intake air charge.

The only way to properly break the motor in is to run it relatively hard from day one (safely withing the law!!) but do not over rev (hit rev limiter) or decelerate from high RPM's. Just spirited acceleration into the 5k rpm range occasionally.

The only race motors not lasting are Top fuel or Top alky as they are pushed to failure every run. Our 1000 plus HP alky motors run the entire season not neededing a rebuild, and other than valve springs and lifters ay mid season that we replace to avoid failures, they usually look like new at season end when we tear down to freshen. And that is with 200-400 runs a season.

Now, this is just from my experiance....over 38 years of building race & performance engines and building the LS motors is done here constantly so we see the results upclose and personally.

Thanks for the clarification. I just knew about Word Rally Championship cars and Formula 1 engines that don't last, but then they are abused like crazy...