The manual says you should not break in the engine. Just don't drive at the same speed for prolonged periods for the first 1000 miles.
What is your opinion guys?
What is your opinion guys?
How to break in?
- Thread starter luxgt
- Start date
Why question the manual?
My own darn self, I conservatively, casually, ran the revs from off idle to 3,500...maybe 4,000...up and down constantly...varying the speed & gears all the while. But, I never even ATTEMPTED to FLOOR it.
The factory DOES install (as a part of the engine control software) a throttle limit program that overrides your FOOT for the 1st 50 miles or so & won't ALLOW rat crazy power rips during that time even if you wanted to. (That alone should tell you something. :wink)
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Luxgt,
I had my 2005 GT to 160 mph within the first two hours of ownership. It is a very happy car now with a bit over 12,000 miles on it. Two days later while driving across West Texas at about 90 mph I averaged 26 mpg for a tankful of fuel. Just an amazing vehicle.
Richard Hille
The GT School
I had my 2005 GT to 160 mph within the first two hours of ownership. It is a very happy car now with a bit over 12,000 miles on it. Two days later while driving across West Texas at about 90 mph I averaged 26 mpg for a tankful of fuel. Just an amazing vehicle.
Richard Hille
The GT School
This is one of those questions where if you ask 50 people, you will get 50 different answers - often in direct conflict with each other.
Having been a gear head my entire life and having an appetite to read what i can on this topic, my view is as follows:
The things to be avoided on a new engine are lugging as well as un-loaded high RPM. Also, a consistent RPM, same load condition should be avoided. These are probably the main elements of a good break-in (avoiding these conditions).
Pro-actively, my view is that brief, high load, mid-rpm loads are GOOD for break-in. With a manual trans and a SC, this is pretty easy to accomplish on a GT. I wouldn't advocate running it up to redline the first couple of hundred miles, but I would let it see full boost occasionally in 3rd gear, for example, from 2500-5000 rpm.
There, that's one of X number or responses that you will get.
Having been a gear head my entire life and having an appetite to read what i can on this topic, my view is as follows:
The things to be avoided on a new engine are lugging as well as un-loaded high RPM. Also, a consistent RPM, same load condition should be avoided. These are probably the main elements of a good break-in (avoiding these conditions).
Pro-actively, my view is that brief, high load, mid-rpm loads are GOOD for break-in. With a manual trans and a SC, this is pretty easy to accomplish on a GT. I wouldn't advocate running it up to redline the first couple of hundred miles, but I would let it see full boost occasionally in 3rd gear, for example, from 2500-5000 rpm.
There, that's one of X number or responses that you will get.
- Aug 25, 2006
- 4,436
Agreed
The only time we deviate is when building a race only motor which is placed into service for an extreme moment in time and then torn down to have the process repeated over and over again.
Shadowman
So is this achieved via the superchargers bypass valve? Since it is not a drive by wire car, it can't limit WOT. Or is there a temporary rev limiter?
PL510*Jeff
Well-known member
I tend to be pretty casual with the right foot to start out.
Keeping in mind, that the engine is not the only thing you are breaking in, with a new vehicle. The complete drive train, tires and braking system are being broken in at the same time.
And in the case of the GT - the driver is being broken in too.
Varying rpm & varying the vehicles speeds for a period of time, let's say 500 to 1000 miles, before really getting into to the GT will pay you back in spades for a long time.
The biggest no no in my book is stressing a motor, new or old, is to push it before the various fluids are up to operating temperature. In the Gt engine coolant heats up pretty quickly. An not so quickly for the engine oil or transmission fluids, due to some pretty big quantities and the distance they travel.
In a nut shell, treat her like a new girl friend before you try to reach that magical 200 mph home run.
Keeping in mind, that the engine is not the only thing you are breaking in, with a new vehicle. The complete drive train, tires and braking system are being broken in at the same time.
And in the case of the GT - the driver is being broken in too.
Varying rpm & varying the vehicles speeds for a period of time, let's say 500 to 1000 miles, before really getting into to the GT will pay you back in spades for a long time.
The biggest no no in my book is stressing a motor, new or old, is to push it before the various fluids are up to operating temperature. In the Gt engine coolant heats up pretty quickly. An not so quickly for the engine oil or transmission fluids, due to some pretty big quantities and the distance they travel.
In a nut shell, treat her like a new girl friend before you try to reach that magical 200 mph home run.
You may as well ask me to explain quantum physics (isn't that a type of laxative?). Bill or Kendall or Dennis or ? can give you all the techno babble! Pockets only knows the limiter is (was?) there...and that several people were convinced their GT was having 'technical difficulties' when it kicked in on 'em! :biggrin And Pockets only knows THOSE things because he read 'em HERE! :lol
Pockets heap good parrot, but, in tech world him know as "Walking Eagle" (if you know that story!).:biggrin
skyrex
FORD GT OWNER
I don't claim to be any expert and I always have someone who knows what the heck they are doing work on my cars.
However, here is a link http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm to an interesting article I read a couple years ago on breaking in a new engine when I rebuilt the engine in my NSX. At the bottom of the article he even shows a several pictures of pistons broken in his way versus the owners manual way. Personally I think owners manuals are way too conservative and a lot of what this guy says make sense.............that said I have never picked up a wrench and actually worked on any of my cars...........unless changing an air filter counts. :lol
However, here is a link http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm to an interesting article I read a couple years ago on breaking in a new engine when I rebuilt the engine in my NSX. At the bottom of the article he even shows a several pictures of pistons broken in his way versus the owners manual way. Personally I think owners manuals are way too conservative and a lot of what this guy says make sense.............that said I have never picked up a wrench and actually worked on any of my cars...........unless changing an air filter counts. :lol
BlackICE
GT Owner
EP is right about the reduced power until 50 miles. It is too bad EP never really felt the full output of the engine.
about the engine temp in the dash. Is that water or oil temperature?
In my other cars I have both and water goes faster than oil. Some guys told me that with a dry sump engine water and oil temp are pretty much the same because there is much less oil in the engine itself.
In my other cars I have both and water goes faster than oil. Some guys told me that with a dry sump engine water and oil temp are pretty much the same because there is much less oil in the engine itself.
fjpikul
GT Owner
Lux, that is water temp in the cooling system. If it hits 240 degrees F, you will go into limp mode until the car cools down.
fjpikul
GT Owner
On a hot day, at highway speeds (65-85 mph), your temp gauge should be around 180-220 degrees F. On a cool day, about 160-180. If you are in stop and go traffic, it will be 220 or higher. At the track, on a hot day, running in second gear will get you hotter, faster, than running in third gear. Each car is different. Your gauge is in degrees Farenheit. The point being, if you see the temp gauge climbing close to 240, pull over and stop the car, pop the clamshell, and let it cool off.