Engine Break-In tips

[maniac1181]

Hey All,

I'm not sure this is the right place to post this but I'm guessing it is! I'm picking up my new Genesis Sedan 3.8 this Friday at the dealership and I am trying to get tips on the break-in procedure for the engine. I have seen a lot of contradicting info so far and I'd like to have a better idea before I get my new baby!

 

[Mark_888]

Maybe it would be easier if you tell us what information you find to be contradictory.

 

[mikec]

Basic guidelines:
1: don't maintain steady RPMs for more than a few minutes at a time. Either change tranny gears or speed up/slow down or take a detour off the freeway.

2: don't full-throttle accel... actually, try not to load the engine really hard for the first 1000 miles or so. Also try to avoid heavy engine deceleration. With an auto tranny car, just leaving the tranny in full AUTO mode accomplishes this. Using the "manual shift" mode it's much easier to accidentally command heavy engine braking.

3: whenever the engine is started, make sure it is run long enough to fully warm up before shutting it off. Repeated very short trips allow moisture to build up in the crankcase. When starting the engine stone-cold, let it idle for half a minute or so before driving. If you hear valve "clatter" or other sounds that go away as oil pressure builds up (as some of the Genesis V6 owners report - the auto-lash adjusters pumping up) wait until that sound is nearly gone before driving off.

4: For a brand-spanking-new engine, or one just out of the rebuild shop: for the first startup (which is normally done at the factory) ideally you let the engine run at 2000 RPMs or so for about 20 minutes to "bed" in the camshaft. Then a few hard accels & decels in 2nd gear to "seat" the piston rings. By the time a buyer gets a typical new car from a dealer though it's past time to do these steps: they should have been done at the factory. Since then, the vehicle has been driven from the factory to a parking lot, onto a transporter truck, onto a ship, to another parking lot at the seaport, to another transporter, and finally to the dealer's lot. So the first buyer should generally not try to bed the cam nor seat the rings.

Hyundai does not call for a "break in oil change" at 500 or 1000 miles like car manufacturers used to do. This was necessary to clean out the piston ring particles, cylinder wall particles, and bearing bits from the "break in" process. Also, some manufacturers used "break-in oil" which had properties that helped the break-in process but this oil didn't include the additives that give oil a long service life. With modern engine materials, better/tighter construction/machining tolerances, etc. there is much less of these wear particles so you don't need an early oil change to flush it out. Hyundai doesn't use "break-in oil" either - at least according to my dealership's service adviser. Ergo, there is no short-lift-span oil in the Genesis - it's regular life oil. Some folks still like to err on the conservative side though and do an early oil change.

mike c.

 

[Sayantsi]

Just drive the car around town, avoid long steady state cruising or idling, and don't slam on the accelerator from stops. The car will be fine.

Also, you can read page 15 of the owner's manual:

VEHICLE BREAK-IN PROCESS
A030000AUN
No special break-in period is needed.
By following a few simple precautions for the first 600 miles (1,000 km) you may add to the performance, economy and life of your vehicle.
• Do not race the engine.
• While driving, keep your engine speed (rpm, or revolutions per minute) between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
• Do not maintain a single speed for long periods of time, either fast or slow. Varying engine speed is needed to
properly break-in the engine.
• Avoid hard stops, except in emergen- cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop-
erly.
• Don't let the engine idle longer than 3 minutes at one time.
• Don't tow a trailer during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) of operation.

Congrats on getting a Genesis!

 

[ctrcbob]

Just drive the car around town, avoid long steady state cruising or idling, and don't slam on the accelerator from stops. The car will be fine.

Also, you can read page 15 of the owner's manual:



Congrats on getting a Genesis!

Ditto Ditto DITTO. Nothing special needs to be done. (Cars for the past twenty years have not needed anything special). Just drive it the way you normally drive it.

 

[maniac1181]

2: don't full-throttle accel... actually, try not to load the engine really hard for the first 1000 miles or so. Also try to avoid heavy engine deceleration. With an auto tranny car, just leaving the tranny in full AUTO mode accomplishes this. Using the "manual shift" mode it's much easier to accidentally command heavy engine braking.

That't the part where I've gotten contradictory info! I've read and heard that although I didn't want to beat the engine, I didn't want to baby it either! A few sources have told me to always always make sure the engine was warm before using the car during the break in process but to also make sure to load the engine! I've seen some impressive dyno differences between the two techniques as well as physical differences in opened up engines!

 

[Mark_888]

That't the part where I've gotten contradictory info! I've read and heard that although I didn't want to beat the engine, I didn't want to baby it either! A few sources have told me to always always make sure the engine was warm before using the car during the break in process but to also make sure to load the engine! I've seen some impressive dyno differences between the two techniques as well as physical differences in opened up engines!

Hyundai has specified "load the engine" as 2000 - 4000 rpm. That means don't let it sit in idle for a long period of time during break in (unless the engine is still cold), and do put the pedal to the floor. I didn't go too much past 2500 for the majority of the time because the is car pretty fast already at that RPM.

When you saw the difference you mentioned, which technique produced the best results?

 

[maniac1181]

Loading the engine seemed to produce better results with more power and "cleaner" engines

 

[nearwater]

Engine break-in debate is an endless, on-going debate just like the engine oil debate.
But personally, I'd rather follow those directions from the manufacturer, who actually developed the engine, than listen to online resources.

Dan

 

[mikec]

What are your goals for the "break in" operation? Long engine life or maximum power? Some of those "break it in by driving it HARD" techniques do produce some horsepower increases (dyno results) but they achieve that (most of it anyway) by wearing away more of the rings/piston walls/etc. resulting in larger than intended clearances and less tension ==> less internal friction. But the engine then begins life with above-average levels of wear so how long will it last before it starts consuming oil, loosing compression, etc?

Many folks like to look at race car engines, race engine rebuilding techniques, race engine break-in techniques, etc. as "that's what I want for my car too" thinking race engines are "the edge of technology and durability." Except race car engines are EXPECTED to have a short life - they'll get rebuilt after every race or two, or at least after every race season. A "durable" race engine lasts for 600 miles at full power... but not 10 years/100,000 miles. Race car engines have HUGE clearances in many parts to minimize friction, race engines use the bare minimum of oil flow & oil pressure to minimize oil pump horsepower extraction, etc. Exactly opposite what is necessary for an engine to last hundreds of thousands of miles. Oh, race engines are expected to consume oil... most street car owners get upset if they have to add oil regularly.

mike c.

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[maniac1181]

Well, thanks for all the tips and insight! Friday morning is the break-in start time! Can't wait!

 

[nearwater]

Well, thanks for all the tips and insight! Friday morning is the break-in start time! Can't wait!

Congrats! Excited to pick up your new car?
Let us know how you like it. Enjoy!

Dan

 

[muisui]

well.... this topic can be found in most reputable car forums such as AudiWorld, Bimmerfest and etc....

And I personally am buying this guy's method. And I have difference experience with different cars in the last 8 years....

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

 

[maniac1181]

Congrats! Excited to pick up your new car?
Let us know how you like it. Enjoy!

Dan

Very excited! Can't wait 'till friday!

 

[nearwater]

Very excited! Can't wait 'till friday!

One more night. Yay!

Dan

 

[maniac1181]

Well... I've received my Genesis with great excitement on Friday morning! With the excitement of the moment, I did a tour of the car on the outside but not the inside at the dealership.

I was driving around this week-end and I noticed a small hissing noise. I also noticed a tear on one of the rear seats. I brought the vehicle in on monday and I should receive it tomorrow...

Turns out they tore the seat while treating the leather... and the hissing noise is due to a bend in one of the front mouldings most likely because of problems during preparation of the car... Now they said they fixed the leather (I haven't seen it yet...) and they have people coming in tomorrow morning to fix the mouldings...

This upsets me quite a lot as I have bought a new car but feel as though I'm getting a used one because of dealer mistakes... and as good as fixes can be, they can never be as good as factory installs.

What would be your take on this issue?

 

[mcginnpm]

Well... I've received my Genesis with great excitement on Friday morning! With the excitement of the moment, I did a tour of the car on the outside but not the inside at the dealership.

My first "take" would be to say "Huh?? You bought 'your baby', a new 3.8L Genesis Sedan, which runs $30K+, and all you did was 'tour the outside?" I think you are lucky the dealer is taking care of issues like torn seat leather after you took delivery. Lot's of those "dealer mistakes" would have been found with a thorough exterior and interior inspection AND a test drive. I never would have taken delivery of the car, or I would have asked for a discount on the price. I can only hope that on future purchases of this magnitude that you'll let common sense guide your decisions and not "the excitement of the moment".

 

[maniac1181]

Well thanks a lot, very helpful...

 

[Aquineas]

I'd be a little peeved too, but wait until you see the fixes; they may be good enough that they're undetectable. The good news is dealers are good at this kinda thing, especially if they have a used car lot on the premises.

And as much as we'd like to preserve our cars, it's only a matter of time before some old lady driving an Excursion smashes the side of your car with her door. :-(

 

[dg_moore]

And as much as we'd like to preserve our cars, it's only a matter of time before some old lady driving an Excursion smashes the side of your car with her door. :-(

Alas, I got my first parking lot ding yesterday. Somebody with a high white door - prolly a hulking SUV - whacked my passenger side front door and left paint and a dent. I think my dent guy can fix it without repainting anything, but it's pissifying when somebody does that and just takes off.