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i bought my lady with 25 miles on it last friday not even a week ago... she has 1240 miles on hr already (had to make a roadtrip to fla the weekend i got her) i was wondering when you started to drive the car like it was supposed to be driven? ive heard 1400 miles just wonderin. cheers mates
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Originally posted by Graphic Designer@May 20 2004, 11:42 AM i really hoped you varied your speed, didnt rev past 4500, take it over 100mph, ah you get the point.
1500 miles til i punched it and ran it on the track.
Could anyone give me some (somewhat) technical information, point me to a faq/website, etc about why you should wait a certain period before riding the car hard? Ive heard people say this before but never knew the reason.
Also, ive been told to wait with puttin in synthetic until second/thrid oil change, etc. Any basis/info on this?
Has something to do with the engine bores and pistons being smoothed out and broken in, I'm not much of a gear head. I followed the break in period on my 350Z and it purred like a kitten. Same should hold true for my ZHP which is up to 500 miles.
Here's the technical information as I know it. I don't have any references I can state, but this is pretty much standard for all engines across the board (car, remote control, basic utilities, etc).
When a new engine is created, the pistons are incredibly tight and have high compression. In addition, they are not necessarily 100% perfect and potentially have small flaws or variations in them.
When you run your engine for the first 1-2k miles, you will notice it is just slightly warmer than a engine that is broken in. This is due to the extra stress due to the tight pistons. Friction increases your engine temperature. Slowly through the 1-2k break-in process, your pistons smooth out and start to flow more cleanly.
The RPM/speed restriction is mostly due to stress. With the increased compression and tightness of a new engine, high speeds or RPM's create unnecessary additional strain and heat on the engine. This can harm the engine and potentially shorten the life span.
This is just what I've read and heard over the years. I've raced nitro RC cars for a while, and we have the exact same type of break-in due to the same issues.
Originally posted by cakman2@May 20 2004, 03:20 PM Has something to do with the engine bores and pistons being smoothed out and broken in, I'm not much of a gear head. I followed the break in period on my 350Z and it purred like a kitten. Same should hold true for my ZHP which is up to 500 miles.
My manual says 1200 miles. Guess there is a difference between the new 5's and 3's. Is 500 what your manual says?
It's also the transmission, suspension, rear end, etc, etc. that need to break in, not just the motor. Repress your impulses for a few weeks so you can enjoy your ride for many years.
Grrrrrr. I asked that very question to the dealer I picked up my car from. Ya konw she told me? It is a BMW no break-in required. And worse yet...I listened to her. ghead
I only really revved it once in the first 1200, but still I am planning on being the only owner my car ever sees. Grrrrrr.
Wait till I find the women (Ihave since moved)>
__________________ 2003 330Ci Midnight Sapphire Black
The moral of the story is to always read every piece of paper the dealer gives, including studying the manual. I know we all don't take the time to do this but I've found some very good info in mine.
The knowledge comes in handy when I have to talk to the service rep when I'm in for maint/warranty work.
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Has something to do with the engine bores and pistons being smoothed out and broken in, I'm not much of a gear head. I followed the break in period on my 350Z and it purred like a kitten. Same should hold true for my ZHP which is up to 500 miles. 
ghead 
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