Recommendations on how the break-in a new engine

houkouonchi

I generally kept the rpm under 4k for the first 2k miles except that I completed the break-in period much quicker (2 weeks?). I got an oil change right at 2k and since then have had 2 more and just now (closing in on 14k miles) i am burning oil for the first time. I am only a few hundred miles from my next oil change and my oil level has gradually gone down from about the 80% mark on the dip stick (right after the oil change) to the 60% mark.

I am glad mine is not burning much oil. My dad's 350Z burned oil from the day he got it and his engine died at 120k. My previous car (subaru impreza) burned oil from the day I got it and engine died at 50k miles due to it suddenly burning oil much faster and it burned through all the oil ruining the engine...

IDZRVIT

Then breaking it in in accordance with your OM is your best bet.

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WICKED_GRIN

I bought a new 2009 370Z coupe and followed the “drive it like I stole it” philosophy and ended up burning a quart of oil every thousand miles! I traded my coupe for a new 2010 370ZR and followed the OM recommendations and now I burning a quart every 3 thousand miles……….just my .02!!

jazz

2011 wont be shipped until enf of april...im on the list and am told might even be mid may!

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1Sweet Z

Hey jazz,

I ordered my 11' on late October as soon as the pricing was available. I am to speculate that I have one the first 11's in Canada. It took 12 weeks to come from Japan.

what colour are you getting? I got Gun Metallic which I think is the Platinum Graphite in the US. First year it has been offered in Canada to replace the carbon silver.

It's worth the wait.

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1Sweet Z

The consumer guides or road n' track write-ups never mentioned the whole burning oil issue. I will follow the OEM recommendations and keep'r under 4K for the first 2000 kms
I'm already smelling the burning oil, I will watch the levels more closely.

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samb03

new engines are dynoed and rings seated in the factory.then they chasis dyno every car to check the trans. It isn't like the old days. I can't say i would bounce it off the limiter and just hold high revs just for the sake of it.

My childhood friend's father was a shade tree mechanic and a good one. When he built a motor he would break in the cam per the manufacture instructions. drain the water and run it for a couple minutes to get the block hot and seat the rings. Let the engine cool down add coolant (the block could crack if you cool it down fast). then "test drive" it. burn outs, 10 mile high speed run, doughnuts, basicly burn 5 gallons of gas as fast as possible. His motors last for a very long time. the 454 had 300K on it when his wife took it in the divorce. I feel sorry for whoever bought cause he poured 3 pounds of sugar in the oil

I think the real secret is frequent oil changes in the beginning. On motors from scratch I break in the cam, change oil, 100-500 miles, change oil, 1000-1500, change oil,3000 mi change oil, then every 3K after than. On a new on def change around 1500. then 3000 after that.

1Sweet Z

What's your thoughts on an oil cooler. I'll be doing mostly DD with a few spirited drives. I might not get the oil temp that high?
It seems to be a very common topic, but alot of guys have stilled them.

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odie99

I agree with the hard break-in. I've done the hard break-in with my truck and my bike. Just so you know, the tech at the dealership beat the crap out of your car during the PDI.

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samb03

I haven't ever been to ontario so I don't know what kind of summers you have. Most recommend an oil cooler for track days or if live in a climate the hits triple digit temps. Mountain terrains because of the elevation changes put heavy load (most of them are curvy and may inspire more spirited driving) will get the oil temp up. Most of all it seems to be driver characteristics. If you drive it hard keep the revs up you will see more heat in the oil and would justify the cost of an oil cooler. I bought mine in Nov. so I haven't had in warmer weather to see how it does personally. We I live I have seen it break 100 for over a month. But so far even at 70 it don't break 200 of the drive to work. I don't really beat on. My friend set the cruise at 90 for a hour in a used one and said the temp did climb to 220 on a 50-60 degree day.

Nitrouz

drive it before 1000 miles like how you will drive it after 1000 miles. regular 3-4k upshifts, occasional redline runs, etc. 1, your ecu will adjust to your habits. 2, I've followed that method with every car I've owned. Still no oil consumption from any of my VQ's no matter what year (knock on wood).

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RockStarKick

I also have a 2011 and am up to about 700 miles now, I did notice that smell
that you are talking about, it's not burning oil. The salesperson said that the
car will smell like that for about 500 miles and it's the undercoating and remnants of any factory cleaners or de-greasers. The smell has since gone and I am pretty sure yours will too..

The break in method I'm personally using is,

babied 400 miles not over 4K rpms
@ 500 miles take it to 5K
@ 600 miles take it to 6K
@ 700 miles drive it like you stole it..

I am also considering the power train break in, not just the motor. Just my

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1Sweet Z

We will peak out at 100 a couple days in the summer. The humidity levels are typcially higher in the summer, but the air temp will stay between 85 - 95 most days. Ontario has a little bit of elevation, but nothing over 1500 ft I'd say. So I won't really have to worry about it that much.

I will break the car in to 2000k, change the oil and go from there. If I am noticing the oil temp climb on a continual basis I will install one.

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Mt Tam I am

RE: an oil cooler. You will know if you need one. Going uphill spiritedly, in one mile I went from 220-245 and in another mile to 260*. This is my daily drive home too. I got an oil cooler and oil temp is just like water temp now, constant.

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Rooskey

I really dont feel the break in procedure. I have noticed my Z with only 3,000 miles is a half quart low. I changed the oil at 1,500 miles so maybe I didnt put enough in. Ill double check next time it comes around. Anyways I have a 06 chevrolet truck with 110,000 miles on it. I bought it new and have always changed the oil every 4,000 miles, starting at 4,000 miles. The truck has never burnt a drop of oil and I use castrol 10w 30 standard not synthetic. Maybe I should use this in my Z too.