An engine break-in story

habanero07sdn · 07-22-2007, 09:45 PM

I have read many threads about this so thought I would post my personal experience. I picked up my car with 3 miles on it, total test drive virgin. Right from the beginning, I did all the "wrong" things to it, i.e. full throttle shifts until redline and long highway trips with cruise on. (Note, no WOT in first gear until 600 mi, only in second and up. After 600 miles, then WOT redline in all gears) I was down 1/2 quart at 1500 miles so I topped it up. Now at 3200 miles, the oil has not dropped any more and it runs perfect. Conclusion: Drive it hard from day 1 (basically like you will always drive it) and it will be fine, if oil consumption is any indication of break-in quality. Just my experience.

***DeePStr33tzOfTn*** · 07-22-2007, 11:29 PM

same here.. mine has like 2600 miles on it and i drove it hard from about 400 miles, hit vtec a lil before that too.. and i had to add a quart a week or so ago

Jardiniboy · 07-23-2007, 04:04 AM

I drove my car hard from Day 1. No problems. I'm almost at 4k miles

robinsonda1 · 07-23-2007, 04:16 AM

I wouldn't recommend doing this but that's just me. There are no telling what the long term affects could be. I'm sure there is a break in period for a reason. I will admit that it sucked having to wait that long to bring the Si to it's full potential.

dextor · 07-23-2007, 04:27 AM

I would advise people to weigh the OP's recommendations versus that of the owner's manual.

habanero07sdn · 07-23-2007, 08:25 AM

Well I will be a good guinea pig on this one. I will probably put about 100K miles on the car in 2 years, so I will periodically post updates. I am interested in oil consumption down the road. I will be using synthetic oil from the first change and changing at 5%.

Honda_Si · 07-23-2007, 10:33 AM

I was all worried about the break in period at first.....and then I got over it!

***Freq18hz*** · 07-23-2007, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habanero07sdn

I have read many threads about this so thought I would post my personal experience. I picked up my car with 3 miles on it, total test drive virgin. Right from the beginning, I did all the "wrong" things to it, i.e. full throttle shifts until redline and long highway trips with cruise on. (Note, no WOT in first gear until 600 mi, only in second and up. After 600 miles, then WOT redline in all gears) I was down 1/2 quart at 1500 miles so I topped it up. Now at 3200 miles, the oil has not dropped any more and it runs perfect. Conclusion: Drive it hard from day 1 (basically like you will always drive it) and it will be fine, if oil consumption is any indication of break-in quality. Just my experience.

I think thats probably bad advice. 3200 miles is nothing. See how your car runs after 50k, or 75k miles. That's where you'll see the difference.

-Freq

si_civic · 07-23-2007, 03:02 PM

What got me mad, is that the initial test drive was my salesperson driving off the lot (according to the dealership, it's required), like a bat out of hell. With me in it......

This urked the living fecal tissue out of me.

I mean, 2.5 km on the car, and he guns it like he robbed a bank.

SiCiViC

Tastycakes · 07-23-2007, 03:29 PM

Yea theres strong evidence that suggests the piston rings seat better when taking it up in the high RPM's w/ very low miles (< 50 or something) when the car is fully warmed up. I'm glad i beat mine on the test drive.

Capt Canuck · 07-23-2007, 03:39 PM

FFS. Yet ANOTHER breakin thread adding nothing to the beat to death topic.

rmfa · 07-23-2007, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freq18hz

I think thats probably bad advice. 3200 miles is nothing. See how your car runs after 50k, or 75k miles. That's where you'll see the difference.

-Freq

Thank you.

To the OP: Please, for the love of god, no more break-in threads. This has been discussed ad nauseum.

bangmonsta · 07-23-2007, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Canuck

FFS. Yet ANOTHER breakin thread adding nothing to the beat to death topic.

People will do what they will do... the long term effects are probably negligable, and most of us won't be keeping our cars til it dies anyways

spoofy · 07-29-2007, 10:58 PM

i think everyone's gonna have a different opinion.. might as well do what you want to do

glennhl · 07-29-2007, 11:27 PM

Running easy for the first 500 miles is mainly for breaking in the clutch and final drive gears more than for the engine.

av911 · 07-30-2007, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Canuck

FFS. Yet ANOTHER breakin thread adding nothing to the beat to death topic.

+1!!

habanero07sdn · 08-01-2007, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Canuck

FFS. Yet ANOTHER breakin thread adding nothing to the beat to death topic.

Hey if these message boards aren't for free speech, then what good are they? If you've read it before and it doesn't help or benefit *you*, then SKIP it! I just remembered why I hate these message boards, because people are always rude to others for no good reason. If reading it was a waste of your time, then replying to it was certainly MORE of a waste of your time!

dextor · 08-01-2007, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habanero07sdn

Hey if these message boards aren't for free speech, then what good are they? If you've read it before and it doesn't help or benefit *you*, then SKIP it! I just remembered why I hate these message boards, because people are always rude to others for no good reason. If reading it was a waste of your time, then replying to it was certainly MORE of a waste of your time!

I don't know how clean is your file cabinet but I like to keep mine nice and neat, without extra, redundant copies lying all over the place, it makes finding stuff much easier that way.

rmfa · 08-01-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habanero07sdn

Hey if these message boards aren't for free speech, then what good are they? If you've read it before and it doesn't help or benefit *you*, then SKIP it! I just remembered why I hate these message boards, because people are always rude to others for no good reason. If reading it was a waste of your time, then replying to it was certainly MORE of a waste of your time!

I think you took that the wrong way. Most people don't know how to convey their message in text form. I think that person meant to search and post in the appropriate thread instead of starting multiple threads on the same issue. Honestly, the mods should merge these threads.

FB Si · 08-01-2007, 12:43 PM

You guys that drive them hard from day one usually don't end up driving the same car for years. Obeying the break-in period is for LONG TERM DURABILITY !!! There is a reason Honda has a break-in period.

07-22-2007, 09:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
habanero07sdn Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wheeling WV Posts: 6 Jeff iTrader: 0 / 0%	An engine break-in story I have read many threads about this so thought I would post my personal experience. I picked up my car with 3 miles on it, total test drive virgin. Right from the beginning, I did all the "wrong" things to it, i.e. full throttle shifts until redline and long highway trips with cruise on. (Note, no WOT in first gear until 600 mi, only in second and up. After 600 miles, then WOT redline in all gears) I was down 1/2 quart at 1500 miles so I topped it up. Now at 3200 miles, the oil has not dropped any more and it runs perfect. Conclusion: Drive it hard from day 1 (basically like you will always drive it) and it will be fine, if oil consumption is any indication of break-in quality. Just my experience.

07-22-2007, 11:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
*DeePStr33tzOfTn* VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Crossville, TN Posts: 1,114 Joey iTrader: 3 / 100%	same here.. mine has like 2600 miles on it and i drove it hard from about 400 miles, hit vtec a lil before that too.. and i had to add a quart a week or so ago __________________

07-23-2007, 04:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
robinsonda1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Germany/ San Antonio Posts: 393 David iTrader: 0 / 0%	I wouldn't recommend doing this but that's just me. There are no telling what the long term affects could be. I'm sure there is a break in period for a reason. I will admit that it sucked having to wait that long to bring the Si to it's full potential. Last edited by robinsonda1; 07-23-2007 at 05:08 AM.

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07-23-2007, 04:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Jardiniboy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Waipahu, Hawaii Posts: 3,744 Jasten iTrader: 2 / 100%	I drove my car hard from Day 1. No problems. I'm almost at 4k miles

07-23-2007, 04:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
dextor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 439 iTrader: 0 / 0%	I would advise people to weigh the OP's recommendations versus that of the owner's manual.

07-23-2007, 08:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
habanero07sdn Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wheeling WV Posts: 6 Jeff iTrader: 0 / 0%	Well I will be a good guinea pig on this one. I will probably put about 100K miles on the car in 2 years, so I will periodically post updates. I am interested in oil consumption down the road. I will be using synthetic oil from the first change and changing at 5%.

07-23-2007, 10:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
Honda_Si Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: BFE Age: 27 Posts: 105 D Rock iTrader: 0 / 0%	I was all worried about the break in period at first.....and then I got over it!

07-23-2007, 03:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
si_civic Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: B.C. ,Canada Age: 30 Posts: 4,608 A/Cst.D.F.Abate iTrader: 10 / 100%	What got me mad, is that the initial test drive was my salesperson driving off the lot (according to the dealership, it's required), like a bat out of hell. With me in it...... This urked the living fecal tissue out of me. I mean, 2.5 km on the car, and he guns it like he robbed a bank. SiCiViC

07-23-2007, 03:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tastycakes Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Suburbs of Chicago Age: 24 Posts: 2,541 Mike iTrader: 0 / 0%	Yea theres strong evidence that suggests the piston rings seat better when taking it up in the high RPM's w/ very low miles (< 50 or something) when the car is fully warmed up. I'm glad i beat mine on the test drive.

07-23-2007, 03:39 PM	#11 (permalink)
Capt Canuck Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ingurlend Posts: 1,168 Geezer Squad #67 iTrader: 0 / 0%	FFS. Yet ANOTHER breakin thread adding nothing to the beat to death topic.

07-29-2007, 10:58 PM	#14 (permalink)
spoofy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: socal Posts: 119 iTrader: 2 / 100%	i think everyone's gonna have a different opinion.. might as well do what you want to do

07-29-2007, 11:27 PM	#15 (permalink)
glennhl Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 40 Glenn iTrader: 1 / 100%	Running easy for the first 500 miles is mainly for breaking in the clutch and final drive gears more than for the engine.

08-01-2007, 12:43 PM	#20 (permalink)
FB Si Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Flowery Branch, GA Age: 35 Posts: 99 iTrader: 3 / 100%	You guys that drive them hard from day one usually don't end up driving the same car for years. Obeying the break-in period is for LONG TERM DURABILITY !!! There is a reason Honda has a break-in period.