New truck and break-in OUCH?

[DuramaxDicko]

Ok, I've looked thru the board and could not find anyone talking about this.
2 guys at work agree that with a new truck/car.. whatever.
Should not take a long trip.. say 500 miles one way.
I said with a break-in of 500 miles or more, should not be a problem after having those miles, you can get away from the 55 mile limit and away you go.
I could not get a straight answer of how many miles would have to be on the engine before a long trip could take place, no answer... ;hogwash?

The reason I ask, I will be getting my truck mid month (june) and will be taking a trip about 1000 miles round trip and plan on putting on 500 mile break -in before I hit the road on the trip.

what say you, am I correct or is there something I am missing?
(no towing... just a long drive)

thanks

[56Nomad]

Dr. Lee wrote:

"Only the piston rings need a break-in regimen. They need
to be forced against the cylinder walls with some
full-power acceleration, like three 20 mph to 70 mph
full power runs, followed by 10 minutes of easy cruising
to cool things off. Repeat twice a day for two weeks.

Then change the oil, and you are good to go."

[White Knight]

I have no comments on the piston ring seating method recommended, but there has been a lot of information posted on the importance of properly breaking in the rear differential on the D/A. I would recommend following the owner's manual for the first 500 miles and then change engine oil and rear differential fluid.

I bought mine and immediately left Kentucky for Florida, but I followed the break-in recommendation for a least the first 500 miles.

[56Nomad]

I picked up my truck in Texas...... with 6 miles on it
and drove it straight back to the West Coast.

I followed Dr. Lee's advice and also followed
the owners manual ..... with the exception
that I did not keep it at 55 mph for the 500
miles. Varied my speeds for an hour at a time
fast, slower.....faster. My average speed for
the entire trip was probably at 72-75 mph on the
interstates.

I think a long trip is a great break in. My engine
is tight. I use less than a 1/2 quart of oil every
5000 miles.

[Burner]

The chunck is about all you need to worry about. However, it is a diesel and should be 30% on stress and 70% off stress for the first 500 or 1,000 miles. When you first get the truck, try and say away from the "dead stop" runs. Do change the gear oil before you go but do not change the oil. Run the factory engin oil for 3k at least. While driving on your trip set the cruise around 67 MPH. Drive for 5 minutes with OD locked out and then 30 minutes normal. Try 10 minutes and 40 minutes down the raod. That should give you the "slick" on your engine. Once you have hit 1,000 miles "forget about it" and drive. After your first oil change, don't forget your Allison filter, drive the guts out of it! Let it heat sink, let it run. Just remember that it's a turbo diesel that needs a gental wake-up when cold and just a minute to cool off when it's hot. ;)


Burner--------> :D

My 02' nor my 03' have
burned more than 2 extra
quarts between them.

[TBC]

I have been amazed over the years at all the BS old wives tales about breakin of any vehicle. I have owned a lot of new vehicles in 50 years of driving. The best way to break one in is get in the vehicle turn on the ignition, put it in gear and drive the thing like you will always drive. One caution about towing in all this is don't tow the first 500 miles. Read the owners manual about breakin if this doesn't satisfy you. That is why they print them. Never had an engine or drive train go bad in any vehicle. Take care of the maintenance and drive sensibly and you won't have problems.

Tom

[Tsckey]

I used the 56Nomad method. My wife and I picked up the truck in Idaho and drove it home. We stayed around 55 for awhile, then didn't. I did my first oil change at 2200 miles and every 5k since. Never had to add between changes and get great fuel mileage. 16+k miles now on the clock. I may have done it wrong, but it seems to have turned out alright.

TC

[Jelisfc]

On the 35 mile drive home from the dealer I ran it through the gears hard a few times to see what she'd do. Other than that I drive my truck the same whether it has 10 miles or 100,000 miles on it.

I used to love watching the road and roll test at the Janesville, WI plant. If you think your truck was babied off the line you're wrong. Those guys had fun but not too much.

[HD-Nate]

--------------------------------------------------
I used to love watching the road and roll test at the Janesville, WI plant. If you think your truck was babied off the line you're wrong. Those guys had fun but not too much.
-------------------------------------------------

:D I remember watching them "test drive" the cars on the rollers. The tires would be smoking and WOT was the rule. Then they would drive them over a series of speed bumps to see if anything falls out or off.

This is true for Corvettes at the Bowling Green plant, F*rd trucks at the local F*rd Plant, as it is for Motorcyles at the local Harley Davidson plant here in KC. This is their initial shakedown blow'em up procedure.

[mtomac]

A week after I picked up the truck I put a little over 500 miles on it then I loaded up the tractors in the trailer (23000 combined) and made a trip from MI to MO and back. 54000 miles later: the truck gets good mileage and uses no oil or other fluids. A diesel engine needs cylinder pressure (boost) to seat the rings. Towing is the best way to do this.

The only things that should not be abused during the first 500 miles are the brake pads and the rear end (ring and pinion)

[WillowCreekStable]

I didn

[Diesel Brad]

Regarding engine break-in...

Most people agree that several max power runs are needed to generate enough heat and friction to properly seat the piston rings.

The owners manual recommends varying vehicle speeds during the first 500 miles. Supposedly, this prevents irregular wear on the camshaft and differential gears.

I'm pretty sure DMAX does an inital break-in at the factory. If I'm not mistaken, they run each engine on a dynomometer before it leaves the factory. Can anyone confirm whether or not this is still the case?

Brad

[sdaver]

500 miles and a good dose of juice :D :D :D :D dave

[DuramaxDicko]

smile.gif thanks guys, just as I thought.
I would think that as long as I am not trying to break any speed records or see how much rubber I can leave on the road with each take off... looks like we agree, just drive it.

thanks
(note: changed handle from dicko to duramaxdicko)

[CleviteKid]

As many of you know, my truck chassis is 19 years old, and I was writing about breaking in a replacement ENGINE.

I have changed the ring-and-pinion twice, and each time broke it in by driving no more than 25 miles, parking (at Moe's Tavern) for 1/2 an hour to let it cool down, then driving unloaded and with a conservative right foot for the next 500 miles, then changing the axle lube. The gears need to get to know each other intimately in that bit of time.

Dr. Lee :cool: