Break in period
06-05-2015, 09:20 PM
#32
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: tx
Posts: 28
Mr D: I went to ITT's Auto Diesel school back in the early 70's in St Louis. It was a 1 year tech school, with 5 hrs of classroom & hands on shop instruction 5 nights a week. I went there after I worked an 8 hr day. I was really glad to graduate. I don't think engines have changed that much altho we did have push rods, 1 cam & 2 valves per cylinder. Granted, this one has 4 valves per cylinder & 4 camshafts (no push rods) so correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt cylinders & pistons have changed that much as far as break in. I don't see anything wrong w/changing the oil & filter after 1000 miles. During our classroom discussions we were told lots of little metal filings can get in the oil on a new engine during the break in period. I remember buying an oil drain bolt/plug that was magnetic to pickup any filings that may come loose during the break in. I put one of these on my new 1974 Malibu 350 when I changed the oil after around 700 miles or so & installed the magnetic drain bolt/plug. There were still some tiny fine little filings attached to it when I changed the oil at 2000 miles. Back then I was changing every 2000 miles. I'll probably change my oil at 1000 miles as well once I get my 2015 unless it voids a warranty or Ford tells me not to do it. Another good point you made that was made in school as well...Warming up the vehicle, esp in cold temps will also extend the life of an engine. Starting an engine when it's cold out & stepping on the gas & putting a load on the cold engine immediately thereafter doesn't do it any good whatsoever. Synthetic oils are great nowadays, of course ALL IMHO. Dennis
06-06-2015, 06:00 AM
#33
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: state of confusion
Posts: 7,635
The design hasn't changed but the manufacturing of today does not compare with anything 40 years ago. A mechanics class will not talk about metallurgy and the industrial process. The kind of aluminum that is used today did not exist 40 years ago. The technique of design and cutting is far more advanced. THATS why the break in is not needed. Parts are more balanced and geometry is improved.
The length of the break in period may not need to be as extensive as it used to be, but that doesn't eliminate it altogether. If it matters, I used to get paid pretty good money to understand heat flow (in things far more critical than gasoline engines), and I've done a little of most things associated with modifying and putting engines together except the actual machining operations (milling, boring) and balancing. File fit stuff, not slapped together from an engine kit in a box and called done.
Norm
Last edited by Norm Peterson; 06-06-2015 at 06:08 AM.
06-06-2015, 09:11 AM
#34
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 106
I asked the salesman about break-in and he said nope. So yeah he's a salesman... Thought I would take a look in the manual and see. Nothing there, either. Ford uses an idiot light to tell us when to change oil, and it may be anywhere from 3k to 10k miles depending on driving conditions. From Jurassic Park, "God help us, we're in the hands of engineers". Nothing in the manual about break-in. Kind of surprised me.
I think one evidence of how precise engines are built today is the lighter viscosity of oil spec'd for cars vs days of old. It used to be 10w30, 10w40, etc. now you see 5w20 and even 5w0 in some cars. A lighter oil flows easier into smaller spaces. Closer tolerances is why engines last hundreds of thousands of miles now. Years ago, 100k miles on a car meant it was pretty much worn out. My daily driver Accord has 253k. No smoking, tapping, knocking, etc. Who knows how long that thing will go!
Technology in cutting tools has improved as well, yielding better tool life. When a CNC machine cutting tool wears, dimensions can drift a bit. Better tools yield better repeatability. We also have better measuring tools now with ridiculous accuracy. Things such as coordinate measuring machines (CMM) are commonly used. I would wager that an engine built 30 years ago is a hack job compared to what we can build now.
I think one evidence of how precise engines are built today is the lighter viscosity of oil spec'd for cars vs days of old. It used to be 10w30, 10w40, etc. now you see 5w20 and even 5w0 in some cars. A lighter oil flows easier into smaller spaces. Closer tolerances is why engines last hundreds of thousands of miles now. Years ago, 100k miles on a car meant it was pretty much worn out. My daily driver Accord has 253k. No smoking, tapping, knocking, etc. Who knows how long that thing will go!
Technology in cutting tools has improved as well, yielding better tool life. When a CNC machine cutting tool wears, dimensions can drift a bit. Better tools yield better repeatability. We also have better measuring tools now with ridiculous accuracy. Things such as coordinate measuring machines (CMM) are commonly used. I would wager that an engine built 30 years ago is a hack job compared to what we can build now.
06-06-2015, 05:05 PM
#35
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Anchorage, AK
Posts: 987
I asked the salesman about break-in and he said nope. So yeah he's a salesman... Thought I would take a look in the manual and see. Nothing there, either. Ford uses an idiot light to tell us when to change oil, and it may be anywhere from 3k to 10k miles depending on driving conditions. From Jurassic Park, "God help us, we're in the hands of engineers". Nothing in the manual about break-in. Kind of surprised me.
I think one evidence of how precise engines are built today is the lighter viscosity of oil spec'd for cars vs days of old. It used to be 10w30, 10w40, etc. now you see 5w20 and even 5w0 in some cars. A lighter oil flows easier into smaller spaces. Closer tolerances is why engines last hundreds of thousands of miles now. Years ago, 100k miles on a car meant it was pretty much worn out. My daily driver Accord has 253k. No smoking, tapping, knocking, etc. Who knows how long that thing will go!
Technology in cutting tools has improved as well, yielding better tool life. When a CNC machine cutting tool wears, dimensions can drift a bit. Better tools yield better repeatability. We also have better measuring tools now with ridiculous accuracy. Things such as coordinate measuring machines (CMM) are commonly used. I would wager that an engine built 30 years ago is a hack job compared to what we can build now.
I think one evidence of how precise engines are built today is the lighter viscosity of oil spec'd for cars vs days of old. It used to be 10w30, 10w40, etc. now you see 5w20 and even 5w0 in some cars. A lighter oil flows easier into smaller spaces. Closer tolerances is why engines last hundreds of thousands of miles now. Years ago, 100k miles on a car meant it was pretty much worn out. My daily driver Accord has 253k. No smoking, tapping, knocking, etc. Who knows how long that thing will go!
Technology in cutting tools has improved as well, yielding better tool life. When a CNC machine cutting tool wears, dimensions can drift a bit. Better tools yield better repeatability. We also have better measuring tools now with ridiculous accuracy. Things such as coordinate measuring machines (CMM) are commonly used. I would wager that an engine built 30 years ago is a hack job compared to what we can build now.
And you did not look very hard in that manual, for even though they don't go into much detail, it is there on page 188.
"BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480
kilometers). During this time, your vehicle
may exhibit some unusual driving
characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000
miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the
gears early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers)."
It would be nice if they did go into more specifics, but since most people don't even bother with the manual, I can't really fault Ford for giving lazy people what they want.
06-06-2015, 09:49 PM
#36
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: tx
Posts: 28
Improved I'll give you, but it still isn't perfect. And as the tooling gradually wears, the results will deviate a bit from that. The fact that all parts have tolerances is blatant admission that although parts from individual boxes may be freely interchanged, they won't 'fit' with the exact same precision. Think microscopic level here, not just what you can measure with 0.0001" micrometers, dial indicators, and depth gauges (although those are enough to pick up many small deviations among supposedly "identical" parts). Think about the phenomenon of 'core shift' in castings, and about localized overheating (which is mostly what varying the rpm is intended to keep from happening). Basically, if you do get a "perfect" engine, it's entirely accidental (and perhaps you should be playing the lottery as your primary occupation).
The length of the break in period may not need to be as extensive as it used to be, but that doesn't eliminate it altogether. If it matters, I used to get paid pretty good money to understand heat flow (in things far more critical than gasoline engines), and I've done a little of most things associated with modifying and putting engines together except the actual machining operations (milling, boring) and balancing. File fit stuff, not slapped together from an engine kit in a box and called done.
Norm
The length of the break in period may not need to be as extensive as it used to be, but that doesn't eliminate it altogether. If it matters, I used to get paid pretty good money to understand heat flow (in things far more critical than gasoline engines), and I've done a little of most things associated with modifying and putting engines together except the actual machining operations (milling, boring) and balancing. File fit stuff, not slapped together from an engine kit in a box and called done.
Norm
I know my post totally changes people's mind. Once you read my points you'll be like, "i gotta do what that guy says! forget everything I knew/heard before!!"
06-07-2015, 03:51 PM
#37
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 106
Ok first the only thing you ever ask a salesman about, is if there are any sales incentives you don't already know about, they know less than nothing about the mechanicals of the cars they sell.
And you did not look very hard in that manual, for even though they don't go into much detail, it is there on page 188.
"BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480
kilometers). During this time, your vehicle
may exhibit some unusual driving
characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000
miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the
gears early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers)."
It would be nice if they did go into more specifics, but since most people don't even bother with the manual, I can't really fault Ford for giving lazy people what they want.
And you did not look very hard in that manual, for even though they don't go into much detail, it is there on page 188.
"BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480
kilometers). During this time, your vehicle
may exhibit some unusual driving
characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000
miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the
gears early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers)."
It would be nice if they did go into more specifics, but since most people don't even bother with the manual, I can't really fault Ford for giving lazy people what they want.
06-07-2015, 05:00 PM
#38
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: California
Posts: 33
Just curious how many miles you guys put on before really getting on it. Mine has 60 miles now and I so very badly wanna unleash its potential. I got the RPM's around 5k a few times, simply being unable to help myself. Now I am feeling like I've been bad and need to stand in a corner.
So, 300 - 1000 miles. What are everyone's thoughts? Any particular driving exercises to make the process more effective? I've owned many cars, but this is my first brand new one.
So, 300 - 1000 miles. What are everyone's thoughts? Any particular driving exercises to make the process more effective? I've owned many cars, but this is my first brand new one.
06-08-2015, 07:44 AM
#39
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 106
I've made a few pulls in 2nd to try her out but nowhere near redline. Most of the time I'm just driving normally. I'm probably babying the trans more than the engine, carefully engaging each gear. I want to let that break in easy.
I don't know how much anyone else does this but I love having all the gages to monitor oil press, cyl head temp, oil temp, etc and have been keeping an eye on them. It's great piece of mind having some idea what's going on.
I don't know how much anyone else does this but I love having all the gages to monitor oil press, cyl head temp, oil temp, etc and have been keeping an eye on them. It's great piece of mind having some idea what's going on.
