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

[OnTheReel]

Depends on the engine and driving habits. 3,000 highway miles are nothing. 3,000 miles of short trips, extended idling or heavy towing is suicide.

In the broader picture, we’re actually regressing in many ways. Oil has been slowly getting worse for years. Gradually reducing zinc while slapping the term “synthetic” on just about everything. Automakers continue to extend drain intervals, while things like DI dilute the oil worse than a carb could dream of.

The GM 2.4 is a great example of everything wrong with modern oil, long intervals, and the low tension rings found in many modern engines. Bad design, sure. But bad maintenance first. Obviously has nothing to do with our engines. Just an interesting case study on what happens if you blindly put too much faith into an oil life monitor, or “modern” anything.

 

[Two]

Depends on the engine and driving habits. 3,000 highway miles are nothing. 3,000 miles of short trips, extended idling or heavy towing is suicide.

Idling? My '17 Ram 3500 has 11 idle hours on it.

Short trips? Yes, with the 1500 sometimes they are no more than 20 miles.

And thankfully any driving I do is highway, except for slowing down in small towns along the way.
I think I'm safe not changing the oil every six months, but once a year or before reaching the stipulated miles.

 

[OnTheReel]

Idling? My '17 Ram 3500 has 11 idle hours on it.

Short trips? Yes, with the 1500 sometimes they are no more than 20 miles.

And thankfully any driving I do is highway, except for slowing down in small towns along the way.
I think I'm safe not changing the oil every six months, but once a year or before reaching the stipulated miles.

Sounds like you’re doing it just right. Lots of people just don’t get enough heat in the oil regularly to get rid of the moisture (and fuel to a lesser extent). I suspect that’s the reasoning behind the “mandatory” 6 month rule.

 

[Two]

Lots of people just don’t get enough heat in the oil regularly to get rid of the moisture (and fuel to a lesser extent). I suspect that’s the reasoning behind the “mandatory” 6 month rule.

I'm almost sure that numerous cold starts and short trips are the reason for the 6-month rule.

Then again, it's also a great way to get people into a dealer's service department, which is a place I avoid if at all possible.

And that leads us right back to the original subject; by doing the break-in as well as I can it lessens the odds that I'll have to visit a dealership to have whatever repaired.

 

[Frankenswat]

 

[myramtrx]

Hey guys! I am about 300 miles into my break-in process for this truck but there’s an issue. I got this thing with 24 miles on the dash yesterday 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. He never told me what Ram suggests on the break-in of a hellcat engine though. I just found out there’s a sheet to follow for the first few hundred miles and what you should/shouldn’t do. I have been flooring this truck pretty often to just see what 500 hp will do and i’ve been kinda showing off to family, so i’ve been hammering it then too. I asked my dealer if giving it full throttle in the break-in would hurt it, he said no. Still though, i’m a little concerned since there is a sheet telling you not to floor it within the first 500 miles.

Do any of you think I could have caused any damage to this vehicle or engine due to doing this? I have about 200 miles left of the break-in and I promise you all I’m not hammering it down then haha


EDIT** Hey guys, I just wanted to say thank you for all of the replies! It seems like many people are pretty much saying allow it to warm up a bit before hammering it down, which I do. I don’t automatically hit it from starting it up so that’s good. Still though, i’m going to drive it easier for the rest of the mileage! Feel free to put any more input you want! Thanks again!

I did exactley the same break in and the motor fell out going through down town Atlanta. I swear to god.

 

[Two]

Bad motor mounts and break-in are completely different things.

 

[PegLeg]