1500 miles!! You've got to be ****in kidding me!

[hognutz]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

There are probably 100 threads on here where so called "experts" will try to convince you the manufacturer is wrong about break in. Most all site racing engines or rebuilt engines as their examples. What they fail in is proper knowlege of how new car engines are designed and manufactured. They also fail because you are not only breaking in the engine but the entire drivetrain and brakes.
I feel like you, follow the manufacturers instructions and you cannot go wrong.

I just feel bad for the all the poeple have pre-2009 cars with the same engines. the same expert told me 500 miles was good enough.

now my car is proabably going to fall apart according to what you say.

[Fenderaddict2]

Originally Posted by hognutz

There would be no such thing as a sevice bulliten or airworthness directive if the manufacturer always got it right.

I am not saying not to trust GM. I would simply like to know what drove the 500-1500 mile change between 08-09.

Previous cars shorter break in resulted in an issue?

[Fenderaddict2]

Originally Posted by buzzy56

When my kids were VERY young they were always asking why.But as they grew up they learned to understand there were rules that needed to be followed.Once the rules were explained a few times , & they were shown (sometimes by example), they began to not ask so many questions.All part of it !

Once people stop asking why, we no longer live in a democracy. Examine your history for abuses of the unchecked attitude of " trust us, we know what we are doing."

[OldScoolCamaro]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

STOP IT!!!!!!!!!

OnStar is NOT watching you!

Originally Posted by fbodfather

.....sheeesh, paranoia....

Mr. Hognutz -- I love ya like a brother -- and I'm grateful that you have a Z06 and that you chose to purchase a new ZL1 -- but I give up.


I spend a lot of time on this site answering questions.....but sometimes I'm not going to answer questions for one or more of many reasons.

All I can tell you is this: our powertrain and Camaro engineers tell us (that's you and me) that we should break the cars in for 1,500 miles.

Now - I don't know what your decision will ultimately be - but I can tell you that if I were purchasing a ZL1 - you can bet that I'd break the car in as the engineering community asked me to.

I'll say it again: We didn't just come up with this so that we can sit in a meeting and giggle amongst ourselves with a "...HAHAHAA!!! THEY actually bought this line!!!......"

Trust me -

The choice is up to you........BUT-- if you decide not to follow the break-in procedure and you blow something up - don't come on this site and start complaining.

I don't mean to be harsh, but I don't know what else to say to you. You can listen to the experts....or you can ignore the experts.

.....guys, follow the break in, read the manual, watch the ZL1 tutorials, understand, get to know, and figure out the car....theres much....much more to it than most are used to relating to, or being able to handle, unless they have an extensive background on driving cars such as the ZL1 in true high performance situations. We already have pics of banged up cars, due to driver error. Go easy with this ride, I think the break in is a caveat more likely targeted to get us oriented and familiarized with the abilities of this car so that we don't get pushed out of shape and have a bad day. I've driven on the fringe before,.... but I have had a few surprises with the ZL1 that enhanced my learning curve with the car that has taken me a bit beyond my data base.

[OldScoolCamaro]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Mr. Hognutz -- I love ya like a brother -- and I'm grateful that you have a Z06 and that you chose to purchase a new ZL1 -- but I give up.


I spend a lot of time on this site answering questions.....but sometimes I'm not going to answer questions for one or more of many reasons.

All I can tell you is this: our powertrain and Camaro engineers tell us (that's you and me) that we should break the cars in for 1,500 miles.

Now - I don't know what your decision will ultimately be - but I can tell you that if I were purchasing a ZL1 - you can bet that I'd break the car in as the engineering community asked me to.

I'll say it again: We didn't just come up with this so that we can sit in a meeting and giggle amongst ourselves with a "...HAHAHAA!!! THEY actually bought this line!!!......"

Trust me -

The choice is up to you........BUT-- if you decide not to follow the break-in procedure and you blow something up - don't come on this site and start complaining.

I don't mean to be harsh, but I don't know what else to say to you. You can listen to the experts....or you can ignore the experts.

.....guys, follow the break in, read the manual, watch the ZL1 tutorials, understand, get to know, and figure out the car....theres much....much more to it than most are used to relating to, or being able to handle, unless they have an extensive background on driving cars such as the ZL1 in true high performance situations. We already have pics of banged up cars, due to driver error. Go easy with this ride, I think the break in is a caveat more likely targeted to get us oriented and familiarized with the abilities of this car so that we don't get pushed out of shape and have a bad day. I've driven on the fringe before,.... but I have had a few surprises with the ZL1 that enhanced my learning curve with the car that has taken me a bit beyond my data base.

[bandit38]

Originally Posted by Bobaloo

Bandit38: On a CD "Smokey And The Bandit" Bert does a side talk on how the movie made ballistic Tans-Am sales for Pontiac and how he got a letter from the GM CEO telling him how he was going to receive a free Trans-Am.............Bert complained that he never got the car.
Had a friend with one that had a 455 SD (Super Duty) that would smoke the rear tires. I tried to order a '73 Pontiac Grand-Am with the 455 SD but the factory would only install the regular 455 ci. That went pretty good with the first new radial tires.

That's a cool story...I'd complain too...lol...(although I bet he could have bought 200 of them)

Oh yeah those 455's (SD or not) were something else....I remember my Dad's 73 Grand Prix with the 455.....some kinda nice car !

[Angrybird 12]

When you read a service manual, and it says to torque the head bolts to 40 ftlbs do you want an engineer to explain why, or do you accept it and do what the manual says?

[rmyers]

Originally Posted by hognutz

so the same experst that put a 500 mile break in on a 2008 Z06. then chaged it the next year with no mechanical change to 1500 miles. same engine, diff, tranny to my knowledge. The poor bastered that broke in his 2008 for 500 miles is screwed if this is really that important. ha ha. All the guy with the 2008 car did was listen to the experts and read his manual. So which experts were more expert?

I am just messing with you though in that last paragraph ha ha.

I just like to learn if there is sound mechanical reason for 1500 miles I would like to understand it I love listening to experts but I prefer to actually understand what the expert is talking about help me deal with my lack of inteligence better.

Is it plausible that sometime in 2008 (prior to the release of the 2009), a decision was made to change the break-in period based on repairs that were occurring over a period of time on the Z06. So the engineers made a decision that perhaps some of those failures could be avoided if the break in period was extended. So the car didn't have to go through any mechanical design changes. Knowledge was gained as a result of having them on the road. Why redesign a components, to insure it can withstand a 500 mile break-in, all we need to do is expand the the break-in period.

When its all said and done, is it too much to ask...we are dealing with street legal race cars, not a Honda Civic.

[hognutz]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

When you read a service manual, and it says to torque the head bolts to 40 ftlbs do you want an engineer to explain why, or do you accept it and do what the manual says?

So if you had done an overhall and put 40lbs of torque on the head bolt and then the next time you did the same overhaul the new rev of the manual said 120lbs of torque you would just do it instead of asking why the tripled the torque?

if that is true then we think differnt. I may still triple the torque if there is a valid reason but would have to ask someone why before I did.

to you that makes me a know it all to me it just makes me want to under stand the issue so I know if is a problem for other cars a may have to deal with in the future.

[rmyers]

And I will just add this....I drove my car for 2000 miles before having it dynod. There were times, I am ashamed to admit that I did hit the rev limiter, once or twice. Never tried to launch it, and never took it over 80 mph. When I did get on it, it was for very short periods and never pressing it pass second gear.

My car's base dyno was 518hp and 493 lbs torque. I have also heard it to be common knowledge that the LS engines gain power with miles. Bottom line is I don't regret breaking it in. Its only driving time and gasoline being spent in what some people are saying is the best muscle car EVER built. Really do we have anything to complain about?

[OldScoolCamaro]

Originally Posted by rmyers

...Really do we have anything to complain about?

....I would say no without any hesitation.

[hairtrigger]

What is break-in?
It is moving parts that touch each other need to wear in to match shapes and sizes of each other.
A properly built race engine with roller cam and rockers needs only the rings to seat. This occurs very quickly with moly rings.
What needs breaking in for 27 hours in a production LSA engine?
The blower lobes!

[hognutz]

Originally Posted by hairtrigger

What is break-in?
It is moving parts that touch each other need to wear in to match shapes and sizes of each other.
A properly built race engine with roller cam and rockers needs only the rings to seat. This occurs very quickly with moly rings.
What needs breaking in for 27 hours in a production LSA engine?
The blower lobes!

Could be right. I will read on up that. the LS3 has no blower lobes though and it got raised to 1500 miles as well.

[fbodfather]

Originally Posted by Fenderaddict2

Once people stop asking why, we no longer live in a democracy. Examine your history for abuses of the unchecked attitude of " trust us, we know what we are doing."

Well - you drive a Mustang - so perhaps you should go ask a Ford engineer to explain stuff.

To a select few:

Here's the reason I'm asking you to follow the break-in period.

(....and I shall quote both my mother and my father)

"BECAUSE I SAID SO."


I'd love to know the codes that the President has in the oval office.......

I'd love to know what the recipe for Coca-cola is - or the recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken........

I'd love to know what causes people to watch the Kardashians.......(.....don't get me going on that one....)

I'd love to know why a certain young lady decided that I no longer "fit her picture" years ago ........

I'd love to know the secrets of life............

I'd love to know who REALLY "shot J.R." ( J.R. Ewing...for you young'uns...)


....shall I start haranguing the President and the CEOs of coca-cola and KFC -- and start to stalk the by-now middle aged woman?
Shall I curse the Good Lord because he won't 'enlighten me?'

Enough!

Either listen to us or DON'T listen to us.

If you choose not to listen to us -- that's your choice....just don't start complaining in the event that something does go wrong.