Engine break in? What's your take on it.

Stephey

Stephey

Well-Known Member
66
109
Vehicle Model
civic
Body Style
coupe
I firmly believe is driving a new engine fairly hard, but not extreme and only for short bursts to ensure the rings seat. 3/4 throttle, 3/4 redline and then decelerate hard (engine brake) after. Give it a few miles for the internal temps to normalize and then do this again. I broke my LX in the way over a few hundred miles (and every other car/bike I have owned) and none use any oil between changes. I think following the "baby a new engine" advice is about the worst thing you can do short of running it with no oil in it. Clearly I'm not talking about drag strip runs or the "drive it like you stole it", but driving a new engine like a granny is not good for it either.
 
I've never babied a new engine myself. I drove it similar to what you've described. I didn't abuse it during break-in, but I didn't avoid going over 3k rpms (or insert any other rpm).
 
WHORE the living SH!T out of it for the break it, ensure a proper piston ring seal. Not sure if i can find it but there was a study done with a K20Z3 stock vs stock same block lettering as well AAAA 1 coupe 1 sedan. In the study one was babied and one was not, both dyno'd same day same dyno same tires etc tire PSI all factors that could be controlled were, and were identical. The one that was whored put out about 5wtq over the babied and about 7 whp difference, this was averaged out between 3 pulls compared between the two cars. Also the babied was getting worse mpg over the one that was whored-in for break-in.
 
Agree with Stephey........
Vary the rpm's/take'er up 1/2 to 3/4 to start, let'er down easy/ repeat going with higher rpm's/ use lower gears if the speed limit is a problem.
 
I ran through the whole rpm range during break in. Accel and decel. My car has yet to use oil. I am at almost 140k miles on my FA5, and go 7500 between synthetic changes.
 
It's not too late to dog it some to get things seated IMHO.
 
Car has around 650 miles right now. I mostly drive it how i would drive any sports car, i don't hit vtec on every gear but usually go to 3.5-4 then shift. Once i reach cruising speed i shift to either 5th or 6th... 5th if 45 and lower put 6th in around 50 mph when cruising.
Sometimes i also drive it slower and start on 2nd gear and shift at 2.5 or so, all depends on traffic really
 
momo said:
so when do you change the oil? i have 760 miles on my 2012 Si. My oil life is at 90%
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I think it's 5000 for Hondas not sure what your Si interval is. I've been changing my oil at about 3000 W/filter forever (early 60's), up until I got my '08 MC Honda and they say every 8000 miles, so I went to 4000, and now I'm doing 5000 on the MC (44,000 miles on that so far).
With my coupe they said don't change the oil until I bring it in for the 5000 service. I can see that on a car, but MC's also run their oil though gears and clutch plates, I have a hard time going 8000 on the MC. but I just go with the look of the oil by putting a drop on my finger from the dip-stick. I know TMI :)
 
Monk said:
I think it's 5000 for Hondas not sure what your Si interval is. I've been changing my oil at about 3000 W/filter forever (early 60's), up until I got my '08 MC Honda and they say every 8000 miles, so I went to 4000, and now I'm doing 5000 on the MC (44,000 miles on that so far).
With my coupe they said don't change the oil until I bring it in for the 5000 service. I can see that on a car, but MC's also run their oil though gears and clutch plates, I have a hard time going 8000 on the MC. but I just go with the look of the oil by putting a drop on my finger from the dip-stick. I know TMI :)
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Lol u said tmi (;


Turbo'd since 04/2011
 
that's up to you. I was purely stating what the manual says
 
I wish I could remember where I saw this, but it said that the oil that is put in the Hondas coming from the manufacturer is a blend for the purpose of seating in the rings and should not be changed until the manuals 1st recommended change milage.

Which is new to me as well.
 
in 2006 there was a bulletin that they released saying they put nothing special in the factory oil despite endless rumors that they did. Supposedly there is moly in the assembly lube which shows up on oil analysis.


Honda does not use a special "break-in" oil loaded with moly. What they do is slather engine parts with an assembly lube to prevent scuffing during manufacture. This is what accounts for the high moly content in UOAs of first-change Honda oils.

Typically, the assembly lube is nothing more than a regular motor oil mixed with some molybdenum disulfide paste (yes, that's really all it is). Pro Honda Moly 60 paste is actually recommended in OEM Honda service manuals as the special ingredient to use when creating their recommended assembly lube.
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