Stooge

There's no break-in period prescribed. However, I'll drive it around "normally" til about 600 miles, change the oil and filter, and start running it harder. Change the oil and filter again at 3K and 5K - at which point I'll put in a "real" synthetic base-stock oil. You will have break-in up to about 10K, as shown by the increase and leveling of the the MPG as the motor completely "seats and seals."

MikeVistaBlue06

Here is how I break in all my new vehicles:

1. Always baby them until you reach normal operating temperature. Never gun one when it is cold--even after it is broken in!!!

2. Once it is warm, for the first 500 miles keep that tachometer moving. If you're on a highway or interstate, shift gears. Run in 3rd, run in 4th, run in OD, switch them around every 5 minutes or so.

3. Once it is warm, do some full throttle accelerations for the first 500 miles. This helps the rings seat and builds cylinder compression.

4. After 500 miles, drive it like you wish.

5. Change your oil at 3000 miles with a new filter. When it comes to choosing the oil for your car, I strongly believe in this: [sm=icon_rtfm.gif] and use what it says. I use Motorcraft 5W-20 semi synthetic oil and a Motorcraft FL-820S oil filter on mine. Both I get at Walmart for about $11 per oil change.

I have done that on all of the new vehicles I have purchased since 1986 and not a single one of them has ever used a drop of oil between 3000-4000 mile OCIs. BTW, since 2004, I have done 3 new ones (including Bluebonnet) that way, and all 3 of them use 5W-20 and still, no oil consumption between oil changes.

Hope this helps.

Mike