Is hammering this thing down while it is within the 500 mile break-in period going to decrease the life of the motor?

[TRXFAM]

This is an age old argument. Like someone above said, I believe that letting the oil come up to temp before hammering it is the key. I also believe in breaking it in the way you want it to run. But, that's just my two cents.

agreed! I was WOT driving like a dingus with 20 miles on it now 14k on the odometer no issues.

 

[Steiger]

Nothing special happens at 500 miles except the launch control can now be used. There is no red key.

 

[SNIPE]

agreed! I was WOT driving like a dingus with 20 miles on it now 14k on the odometer no issues.

Haha that makes me feel better! I mean, I understood I could goose it right out the gate but I guess that wasn’t what the engineers wanted :/

 

[SNIPE]

Nothing special happens at 500 miles except the launch control can now be used. There is no red key.

Thank you, I appreciate you commenting!

 

[tripleB]

Is that true? Only 500 hp until 500 miles?

No it is not, full power is available from day one. The only thing that is limited until the 500 miles is reached is use of the Launch Control button.

 

[SNIPE]

No it is not, full power is available from day one. The only thing that is limited until the 500 miles is reached is use of the Launch Control button.

Got it, thank you sir!

 

[LrdDrkHelmet]

I can’t even find my valet mode I’ve been wanting to use it when I have it in for maintenance service or anytime someone else might be in the seat without me

I tried using mine before dropping off to Valet, but the dam thing kept booting me out and saying no active

 

[LrdDrkHelmet]

That makes me feel better and that’s kind of what I did haha. How many miles do you have now?

2600. Waiting for the new one from Chapman. So will tear around in this one a bit more

 

[OnTheReel]

Not something I would do, but would beating on it right away decrease the life of the engine? Since these are “run-in” at the plant, seems unlikely.

Now, the rest of the drivetrain? Maybe. The break-in is for everything. Read into why the C8 does limit break-in torque. It’s primarily because a bunch of dummies would wang on the C7s right off the lot and then come back with howling diffs. Unless you think a Ram pickup is built of more advanced materials than a Corvette, you probably should use some common sense during it’s break-in too.

 

[ScottSad]

It was difficult, but I played it by the book for the first 500 miles. I hit 500 on the way to work this morning. I thought Launch Control didn't work until 500, but I tried it a couple days ago, and it looked like it activated. I didn't follow through though, because I wasn't in a location for it, and I was waiting until I actually hit 500 - it was more curiosity than anything. I am wondering if it would have worked if I tried it.

Now that I am at 500, I want to try launch, but I have to find a road near me good for it, and this nasty weather has to let up. Constantly wet around here lately.

Personally, I wasn't worried too much about something bad happening if I laid on the throttle, but I did worry about Ram saying something if I did, because I worry that this truck tracks how I drive it. So, if it was going to be recorded, I wanted it to be as close to right as possible. I honestly wonder if the break-in is just to get new drivers accustomed to the truck so they don't floor it in the first 50 miles and wipe out.

 

[Two]

I honestly wonder if the break-in is just to get new drivers accustomed to the truck so they don't floor it in the first 50 miles and wipe out.

A metallurgist wouldn't care if you wiped out, but could explain (although maybe not in simple terms) why metal on metal surfaces benefit from break-in.

 

[os1r1s]

You want the rings to seat properly, which requires the appropriate temps and pressures. If you don’t do it properly, the cylinders will glaze. And once that has happened, they are almost impossible to correct. It will cause extra heat, a reduction in power, and likely a shortened lifespan. To note, this is more likely to happen at low power settings/idling. But You also don’t want it to get too hot or the heat will cause the rings to become brittle and fail. And the friction of the rings on new cylinder walls will cause additional heat. So basically you are trying to balance all of that until the cylinders and rings are fully broken in. The break-in is usually in the first 10 or so hours. This corresponds well with the first 500 miles. I can’t speak for the transmission or differentials.

 

[Murfman]

i dont think the truck is that smart... i mean they can barely keep the Uconnect screen workin!!

Launch mode doesn’t become active until 500 miles

 

[Russ103]

and my dealer told me that the truck is limited to 500 ish horsepower until 500 miles, when then the full amount of horsepower is unleashed.

I asked my dealer if giving it full throttle in the break-in would hurt it, he said no.

Apart from asking your dealer where the bathroom is while in the showroom, or which way to the parts dept, you should at best take whatever you hear (especially regarding a performance vehicle) with a dump truck’s worth of salt.

 

[ZR2orTRX]

Break in is mainly for the gears, transmission and transfer case. The Gears in the axle need heat cycles for the teeth and no long drives for 500 miles ideally. The right thing to do is change the oil at 500 to 1,500 miles, and hardly anyone thinks to change the oil in the differentials and transfer case. After you do the first oil changes then you can follow the book. From 4 wheeling the differential & transfer case get oil changes more often then needed do to the mud, dust, water and keeping the oil as fresh as you can. Remember oil changes is cheap insurance. If you are not going to keep the truck for a long time, then oil changes you may not care about except for the engine.

Is this broad consensus? What kind of annual maintenance are we talking on recommended oils here?

 

[Fifty]

^^^ the transfer case and transmission maybe. But the front and rear diff no longer need it.
I didn’t believe it on the first advantek axle I had. And I beat that from day 1. But the gears are made for no break in.

As for the engine the tune has a black key and red key section in it. But it’s turned off.

Unless you have access to the bcm, then you only have the one tune.

 

[HighHP]

You want the rings to seat properly, which requires the appropriate temps and pressures. If you don’t do it properly, the cylinders will glaze. And once that has happened, they are almost impossible to correct. It will cause extra heat, a reduction in power, and likely a shortened lifespan. To note, this is more likely to happen at low power settings/idling. But You also don’t want it to get too hot or the heat will cause the rings to become brittle and fail. And the friction of the rings on new cylinder walls will cause additional heat. So basically you are trying to balance all of that until the cylinders and rings are fully broken in. The break-in is usually in the first 10 or so hours. This corresponds well with the first 500 miles. I can’t speak for the transmission or differentials.

Break in is mainly for the gears, transmission and transfer case. The Gears in the axle need heat cycles for the teeth and no long drives for 500 miles ideally. The right thing to do is change the oil at 500 to 1,500 miles, and hardly anyone thinks to change the oil in the differentials and transfer case. After you do the first oil changes then you can follow the book. From 4 wheeling the differential & transfer case get oil changes more often then needed do to the mud, dust, water and keeping the oil as fresh as you can. Remember oil changes is cheap insurance. If you are not going to keep the truck for a long time, then oil changes you may not care about except for the engine.

Pretty much agree with the above. Key to engine break-in is the ring to cylinder honing, which happens as mentioned above. Best is hard short burst of acceleration, back off, repeat. The cylinder pressure fills behind the ring to force it tight to the cylinder and cut the rings, which creates heat. Back off to cool the rings and let the oil flush the micro cuttings. Aircraft mechanics will do this on the ground to new piston aircraft engines. Of course, they run full power for an extended period on the first take off. Seems to be fine on aircraft engines. Key engine break-in is in the first few minutes, then tapering off into hours of run time.
I understand the 500 mile requirement is mainly for ring and pinion break-in. Truck manuals generally require no towing for the first 500 miles.

 

[HRO]

Was automotive tech for many years and built many years,after warm up the cars were to the floor right away.my many new cars were to the floor right away,was told by old mechanics if you break a car in slow you will have a slow car.first oil change around 500 miles,3000 after that.oil is cheap change it.

 

[Two]

was told by old mechanics if you break a car in slow you will have a slow car.first oil change around 500 miles,3000 after that.oil is cheap change it.

Thankfully, despite being broken in correctly, my modern vehicles are both quick and fast. At least when compared to official numbers and other vehicles like them.

Also, while I do an initial oil change at 500 miles, there's no way I'll change synthetic oil at 3,000 miles.
Times have changed quite a bit since those old mechanics worked on old vehicles.

 

[HighHP]

Thankfully, despite being broken in correctly, my modern vehicles are both quick and fast. At least when compared to official numbers and other vehicles like them.

Also, while I do an initial oil change at 500 miles, there's no way I'll change synthetic oil at 3,000 miles.
Times have changed quite a bit since those old mechanics worked on old vehicles.

Yeah, many eons ago I used to change oil at 3000 miles and it was black, mostly due to carbon blowing past the piston rings. The carbon was from carbureted engines which always needed a slightly rich mixture. Since the advent of electronic fuel control, no carbon. The oil now stays clean, even up to the recommended oil change interval. So, now I change at the recommended interval.
No carbon is why engines now get 200,000 miles and still go strong. The rings and cylinders just don't wear out. Carbureted engines were good for 100,000 miles. Their cylinders were worn and well tapered at 100,000.