Whats Recommended Way to Break in Engine

[guc32]

What is the best way to break in my engine? Will have 8.5:1 compression in my car. Its a 99 M3.

Street driving or highway miles is best?

Thx, Yih-Woei

[SilverStreak]

Here's an anal guideline to breaking in a new motor:

All Engines - Break-in Guidelines:

Phase One:
Drive very easy in the first 500 miles, but do not lug the engine. Try to rev it between 1800 RPM and 3500 RPM while
driving. Do not rev the engine faster than 3500 RPM or so. Drive it in different gears and in as many different engine speeds
as possible. Try to avoid driving the car in stop and go traffic or in very long trips while breaking in. Avoid prolonged idling
and full throttle operation.

Do not brake hard or take turns fast for the first 200 miles.

Change oil, oil filter, lubricate (if applicable) at 500 miles. Use oil viscosity recommended by owner’s manual.

Phase Two:
You may now allow the engine to reach higher RPM. Do this transition slowly and gently. Redline may be approached, but
not reached. Continue to drive it in different gears and in as many different engine speeds as possible. Try to keep the RPM
above 1500 while driving.

Change oil, oil filter, lubricate (if applicable) at 1000 miles. Use oil viscosity recommended by owner’s manual.

Phase Three:
At this point, the car is broken in. You may begin to drive the car normal. You may use the full RPM range. Give
it a few hard runs through the RPM range. Make sure to change the oil at 2000 miles and then every 2000 to 3000 miles.
The use of synthetic oil (Mobil 1) is encouraged for the highest engine durability.

[umnitza]

I would double or triple the mileage on what SS has stated from my personal experience. But everything stated is dead on.

[PECivil]

since I dont know: I am asking

what does doing these things help with or do to make things better in the engine

and **horror** what happens if you DONT do this stuff

**gulp** give it to me straight

[UD///M]

Actually long trips are better for breaking in. It helps the rings to seat faster. Probably has to do with heat up and cool down. And I guess you could also say that the constant oil pressure as well.

Definitely avoid the extremes of engine speed. Low RPM should be kept up to keep oil circulation up (2k). High rpm (>3500) is not good since the parts have not had time to "seat".

I would perform the first oil change at 500 miles though. And the first oil fill should be a premium mineral oil. After that synthetics can be used.

Make sure that ALL PARTS have been assembled with a healthy dose of assembly lube.

EDIT
Oh, one more thing. When the engine is started for the first time after assembly, immediately run the RPM up to 2500-3000. This is to get the oil flowing. Otherwise you could ruin your engine. Allow it to run in this range for about 20-30 minutes. Closely observe everything about the engine. Smells, temperature, sound, leaks etc. AND before the engine is started, make sure that the crank will spin freely. There will be some resistance involved just due to the sliding parts of the engine. But it should not bind. Do this with the sparkplugs removed.

[SilverStreak]

A car that is broken in properly has less chance of having problems down the line, will perform better, be more efficient, get better gas mileage, age better with less issues, etc...

[Lopaka]

Originally posted by guc32
What is the best way to break in my engine? Will have 8.5:1 compression in my car. Its a 99 M3.

Street driving or highway miles is best?

Thx, Yih-Woei

why do you have a 8.5:1 compression??? Turbo in the works?

[guc32]

Wow, thx guys. I try to do all that.

[umnitza]

ye ask, and ye receive.

[guc32]

So conventional oil like Castrol GTX then synthetic after the engine is broken in?

[SilverStreak]

Sure. Also, I think you'd be fine with synthetic from the first oil change on....

[Bernanke]

when i broke my engine in these past few months i followed the "Anal guide" and im glad i really did b/c this engine is alot more powerful than my other one. If you dont break in properly you will lose power in the long run. anyways just my 2 cents

[guc32]

That is true supa. One of my friends dad who races told me the same.

[325bimmer]

All this advice sounds good but I am confused. I am getting my 2002 325CI in the next couple of days and want to make sure it gets broken in properly. I was under the impression that the first oil change BMW schedules is at something like 15K miles. Should I be anal and have them change the oil at 500 miles. Also I thought that new cars don't need oil changes as frequently. In my current car a Mustang I change the synthetic oil religiously at 2500-3000 Miles.

BTW What does a BMW dealership charge ballpark for an oilchange. On my mustang it cost about $55 for a synthetic change.

Also is it hard to do the oil on a bimmer? It is fairly easy to do on my mustang.

[guc32]

Oil is very easy to change on a BMW, i think. Cuase the oil filter is right there on top with the engine which you just take out the filter and drop in a new one. Then its the same with all cars with draining the oil.

[JasonJ75]

Originally posted by 325bimmer
All this advice sounds good but I am confused. I am getting my 2002 325CI in the next couple of days and want to make sure it gets broken in properly. I was under the impression that the first oil change BMW schedules is at something like 15K miles. Should I be anal and have them change the oil at 500 miles.

Go with what they suggest. They want nothing more than your engine to last forever. Makes them look good. Look what that rep has done for Honda.

Also I thought that new cars don't need oil changes as frequently. In my current car a Mustang I change the synthetic oil religiously at 2500-3000 Miles.

This is actually an old wives tale. Its not that new cars don't need oil changes its that new synthetic oil doesn't need changing. Changing oil at 3k is a myth propegated by old dino oils that couldn't hold up, and greedy oil companies that just want the extra income. If you change synth oil at 3k, you're flushing $$ down the drain.
I changed my oil at 7.7k, had it tested and it was good for another 8k.

BTW What does a BMW dealership charge ballpark for an oilchange. On my mustang it cost about $55 for a synthetic change.

Varies dealer to dealer, but for the first 36k you get free oil changes anyway.....

Also is it hard to do the oil on a bimmer? It is fairly easy to do on my mustang.

Its the easiest oil change you will ever do in your life. Doesn't get any easier that an oil filter on the top of the engine.

[SilverStreak]

Also, keep something in mind, it won't possibly hurt anything to change your oil more often than needed, it's only money...

[JasonJ75]

Originally posted by SilverStreak
it's only money...

Mod money....

[kitM3]

Originally posted by guc32
What is the best way to break in my engine? Will have 8.5:1 compression in my car. Its a 99 M3.

Street driving or highway miles is best?

Thx, Yih-Woei

Let me break it in for you

[Kyle K.]

What are you guys talkin about changing the oil from the top of the car? Do you have one of those pressure oil changer thingies? I've always done my dads from underneath by pullin the little plug...

EDIT: Alright, I get it... oil FILTER on the top gotcha:

[guc32]

Kit, aight sounds good. When do you want to do it.

Aight to be fair, who else wants to?

[JasonJ75]

'till you get some F/I that is going to be a dog of a car to drive around...Don't get in any races w/ Accords..

[SilverStreak]

Mod money, crunch all you want, we'll make more...

[JasonJ75]

Originally posted by SilverStreak
Mod money, crunch all you want, we'll make more...

I accept Pay Pal or Certified Checks.....

[guc32]

JasonJ75: are you talkin to me? If you are i do have F/I. Mechtech kit.

If your not talkin to me then forget what i said.