Engine Break in

[0002s]

Do what ever makes you not questions every engine noise you hear.

[1ForAll]

do the engines not come "broken-in" from the factory?(what the hell is this smily for)
I beat the hell out of my zhp after 300mi and the car runs fine. I burned a crap load of oil during the first 2000mi but now I burn the average amount.

[Papethova]

Originally Posted by eunosracr

+1 i have broken in many of my cars by beating the snot out of them from day 1 and they have ultimately performed better on dynos and on the street than their babied counterparts. Thats just me.

And how was oil consumption?

[WhiteOne]

If you don't seat the rings won't the engine always burn oil ? I think you have to give them some gas. I'm not sure I would "beat on it" though. YOMV

[Drawarms]

The BMW break in system they got is fine, dont go over 5000 rpms untill 1200 miles and dont go over 80 mph I think??

[larryn]

Originally Posted by Drawarms

The BMW break in system they got is fine, dont go over 5000 rpms untill 1200 miles and dont go over 80 mph I think??

I think it's over 100mph...

I threw that last part away when I did my ED. I found that you can go purty dang fast on the Autobahn in 6th gear and still stay under 4500 RPMs. :smile:

That all changed when I hit this milestone (taken on my ED on an Autobahn)

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by larryn

I think it's over 100mph...

I threw that last part away when I did my ED. I found that you can go purty dang fast on the Autobahn in 6th gear and still stay under 4500 RPMs. :smile:

That all changed when I hit this milestone (taken on my ED on an Autobahn)

Why do they give a speed? Shouldn't they only be concerned with RPM?

(or is the RPM's at 100 in 6th right at the max?)

[larryn]

Iirc, I went 125mph in 6th at 4500rpm. I think it's to break in the tranny and rear end too (just a guess, but makes sense to me).

When I hit 1200 miles, I stretched it's legs a bit more though. Mind you, this is in a sedan with a family and luggage for 4 in it. It travels well at 140-145mph too. :smile: I got passed by a few Lotus Sevens while going that fast too.

[slipkmaggot]

how do you guys break in your brakes(lol)

[Drawarms]

Originally Posted by larryn

I think it's over 100mph...

I threw that last part away when I did my ED. I found that you can go purty dang fast on the Autobahn in 6th gear and still stay under 4500 RPMs. :smile:

That all changed when I hit this milestone (taken on my ED on an Autobahn)

Hahaha sick.

[Rearro]

Originally Posted by larryn

I think it's over 100mph...

I threw that last part away when I did my ED. I found that you can go purty dang fast on the Autobahn in 6th gear and still stay under 4500 RPMs. :smile:

That all changed when I hit this milestone (taken on my ED on an Autobahn)

I like your disclaimer!! " taken on my ED on an Autobahn"

You just don't want to say it was last week on interstate 495:thumbup:

I'm just kidding you I though it was funny!!

[Mpulse]

When we picked up our X3 on a ED, we took a factory tour. Seems that every car comes straight off the line ant into a dyno room. It's then hooked up to the computer and a tech runs it up to 100 mph then back to 0 then to some some speed in reverse. This is all done when the car is cold, or plant ambient temperature. The M cars warm up a bit before they put them on the dyno. The acceleration is controlled by the computer which is moderate.

[TazioNYC]

Isn't the best method to follow the instuctions, but not baby it? Some hard acceleration, especially during the first 20 miles, is good.

[Mpulse]

I was always told in the past from engine builders that to remember, it's a new engine but it's not made out of paper. That was long ago.

For todays engines, I would say the proper method is to follow the manufacturers instructions to the tee. They have forgotten more about their engines than we will ever know.

[xlifelessdaysx]

seeing as this is the first new car ill ever have, i have no idea what to do, so baby it for 200 mi then drive it harder when warm but not above 5k till probably 500mi haha lets hope that works.

[E82tt6]

I always keep RPMs consistantly varied up to 500 miles, between 0 and 4500 RPMs. I try to always keep the RPMs going up or down. I don't go full throttle. I'm very gentle starting, stopping, and shifting. After 500 miles, I change to a motor oil of my choice, and drive gently for another 700 miles, without worrying about varying the RPMs too much. At 1200 miles, I change the oil again, and start driving normally, without worrying about how hard I hit the throttle, or at what RPM I shift. I tend to avoid hard starts or shifts until 2000 miles. Just what seems right to me.

[imported_Bimmer]

Run it Hard !

Why ??
Nowadays, the piston ring seal is really what the break in process is all about. Contrary to popular belief, piston rings don't seal the combustion pressure by spring tension. Ring tension is necessary only to "scrape" the oil to prevent it from entering the combustion chamber.

If you think about it, the ring exerts maybe 5-10 lbs of spring tension against the cylinder wall ...
How can such a small amount of spring tension seal against thousands of
PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) of combustion pressure ??
Of course it can't.
How Do Rings Seal Against Tremendous Combustion Pressure ??

From the actual gas pressure itself !! It passes over the top of the ring, and gets behind it to force it outward against the cylinder wall. The problem is that new rings are far from perfect and they must be worn in quite a bit in order to completely seal all the way around the bore. If the gas pressure is strong enough during the engine's first miles of operation (open that throttle !!!), then the entire ring will wear into
the cylinder surface, to seal the combustion pressure as well as possible. The Problem With "Easy Break In" ...
The honed crosshatch pattern in the cylinder bore acts like a file to allow the rings to wear. The rings quickly wear down the "peaks" of this roughness, regardless of how hard the engine is run.

There's a very small window of opportunity to get the rings to seal really well ... the first 20 miles !!

If the rings aren't forced against the walls soon enough, they'll use up the roughness before they fully seat. Once that happens there is no solution but to re hone the cylinders, install new rings and start over again.

Yeah - But ... the owner's manual says to break it in easy ...

Notice that this technique isn't "beating" on the engine, but rather taking a purposeful, methodical approach to sealing the rings. The logic to this method is sound. However, some will have a hard time with this approach, since it seems to "go against the grain".

The argument for an easy break-in is usually: "that's what the manual says" ....

Or more specifically: "there are tight parts in the engine and you might do damage or even seize it if you run it hard."

Consider this:
Due to the vastly improved metal casting and machining technologies which are now used, tight parts in new engines are not normal. A manufacturing mistake causing a tight clearance is an extremely rare occurrence these days. But, if there is something wrong with the engine clearances from the factory, no amount of gentle running will fix the problem.

The real reason ???
So why do all the owner's manuals say to take it easy for the first
thousand miles ???

SAFETY...

Q: What is the most common cause of engine problems ???
A: Failure to:
Warm the engine up completely before running it hard !!!

Q: What is the second most common cause of engine problems ???
A: An easy break in !!!

Because, when the rings don't seal well, the blow-by gasses contaminate the oil with acids and other harmful combustion by-products !!

Ironically, an "easy break in" is not at all what it seems. By trying to "protect" the engine, the exact opposite happens, as leaky rings continue to contaminate your engine oil for the rest of the life of your engine !!


3 more words on break- in:
NO SYNTHETIC OIL !!


Because while about 80% of the ring sealing takes place in the first hour of running the engine,
the last 20% of the process takes a longer time. Street riding isn't a controlled environment, so most of the mileage may
not be in "ring loading mode". Synthetic oil is so slippery that it actually "arrests" the break in process before the rings can seal completely. I've had a few customers who switched to synthetic oil too soon, and the rings never sealed properly no matter how hard they rode. Taking a new engine apart to re - ring it is the last thing anyone wants to do, so I recommend a lot
of mileage before switching to synthetic. It's really a "better safe than sorry" situation.





CAR ENGINES , BIKE ENGINES, EVEN A SNOWMOBILE! . When I bought my 350z I DROVE IT LIKE I STOLE IT, AND NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER

[imported_Bimmer]

NOW!!!! DONT OVER REV OR REDLINE IT ALL THE TIME AND DONT KEEP CONSTANT SPEEDS! Besides that, your engine should perform flawless!




From a Porsche forum:
Many engine builders share the philosophy that the proper break-in for a new motor is driving the car like an idiot (within reason of course), meaning hard on the throttle to various rpm (in this case 5000 rpm max for the first 1,000 miles) and then letting the motor decelerate on its own in gear, which creates vacuum and helps properly seal the piston rings.



Ive talked to different people they say the same thing, i've researched and the same answer. Done it on my prior car, same results. AS long as you don't CLEARLY OVER EXCEED IT AND REDLINE OR OVER REV IT!!!!! you'll be fine. I think manufacturers are not going to tell everyone to "go out and drive your car balls to the wall for a safety concern. An engine even though new, its a mechanical device, not a piece of fine jewelry you don't have to baby it. Just use common sense, which with our new 135i 's WILL SURELY BE THE HARDEST PART!!!

[imported_Bimmer]

I KNOW this is a very CONTROVERSIAL topic and who ever started it opened a MJOR can of WORMS! so, hey be kind to me, this is just my opinion and my $.02! In the End do whats right to you, besides Your still under warranty!!!!! Beat it!

[imported_Bimmer]

And yet another one. We should ask the guys at Mwerks to see the results they get and how they did it no????


I got no idea of how im gonna do it!!!! HA

From one of the moderators at bimmeboard.com, he spoke witha BMW tech:


Break-in Procedure

To ensure that your vehicle provides maximum economy throughout a long service life, we request that you comply with the following:

Engine and differential
Up to 1,200 miles (2,000 km):
Drive at varying engine speeds and road speeds, but do not exceed 4500 rpm and/or 105 mph (170 km/h) during this initial period. Comply with the legal speed limit at all times. Refrain from using full throttle and avoid pressing the accelerator beyond the kickdown point.

Once 1,200 miles (2,000 km) have elapsed, engine speeds and road speeds can gradually be increased. You should also comply with these break-in procedures if the engine or differential is replaced later in the course of the vehicle service life.

Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their manufacture, tires do not achieve their full traction potential until an initial break-in period has elapsed. Thus drive with extra care during the initial 200 miles (300 km). When the vehicle is operated on wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water may form between the tire and the road surface. This phenomenon is referred to as aquaplaning, or hydroplaning, and can lead to partial or complete loss of traction, vehicle control and braking effectiveness. Reduce your speed on wet roads.

Brake system
Approximately 300 miles (500 km) must elapse before the brake pads and rotors achieve the optimal pad-surface and wear patterns required for trouble-free operation and long service life later on. To break-in the separate parking brake drums, apply the parking brake lightly when coasting to a standstill (at a traffic signal, for instance), provided that traffic conditions allow you to do so. To avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure from time to time. The brake lamps do not come on when the parking brake is applied. Vacuum for the brake system servo unit on your BMW is available only when the engine is running. When you move the car with the engine shut off – when towing, for instance – substantially higher levels of pedal force will be required to brake the vehicle.

[Thud]

Originally Posted by Bimmer

NOW!!!! DONT OVER REV OR REDLINE IT ALL THE TIME AND DONT KEEP CONSTANT SPEEDS! Besides that, your engine should perform flawless!

By the time the car arrives, fresh off the boat, the engine has already seen redline at WOT on a dyno.

[Thud]

Originally Posted by larryn

Iirc, I went 125mph in 6th at 4500rpm. I think it's to break in the tranny and rear end too (just a guess, but makes sense to me).

Not so much the rear end, because the rear end doesn't care what RPM your engine is running. But the rear end is why they want you to limit your top speed.