The Break-in Religion...

[synclastica_86]

As stated clearly in the manual, the break-in period is for the first 1200-3000 miles. But which of you actually know what it's for? How is this suppose to make the drivetrain and enging better or worse? Does it affect your warrenty? And most importantly who actually follows it religiously?

[Davinhci]

you sure do love polls!

[Blake]

i must have missed the 3000 part

[synclastica_86]

Originally Posted by Davinhci

you sure do love polls!

hahaha...XD... they take the decisions off my hands... ThanX guys!

[Uli_HH]

Originally Posted by synclastica_86

... Does it affect your warrenty?...

Lol...really silly question!

BMW could make evident every r.p.m. over 5500 and every overspeeding wíthin the first 3000miles and what do you think is the answer when you have engine troubles - the reason is alike - after ignoring the right breakin and ask for warrenty?

NO CHANCE !!!

There are enaugh threads in this forum about breakin

Uli_HH

P.S. Breakin has nothing to do with religion only with good sense or knowing how costly an engine chance was without warranty.

[GT3 Tim]

Its a catch 22....

To properly break in the motor (ie: seat the rings), you need to exceed 5500 rpms by quite a bit as soon as possible, basically. However, if you have some issues down the road, they could read out your DME and see how you drove it, then blame it on you.

I aint going to debate breakin procedures with everybody. To each his own. I have broken in several new motors, and race-built motors, in my day. None of them ever had any internal issues and never burned any measurable oil. The only internal failure I had was my fault by doing a money shift on my E36 M3. It wasn't a major money shift as I caught it quick and only bent a couple valves! lol. coulda been much worse.

As far as break in, everybody is going to have to do what they think is best. I aint going to debate or judge anybody....its your car, do as you please.

[synclastica_86]

What is the theory behind breaking in? And how dhould it be done?

[booforty]

Second option - as close to the manual as possible

[sayemthree]

[Sticky]

Originally Posted by GT3 Tim

Its a catch 22....

To properly break in the motor (ie: seat the rings), you need to exceed 5500 rpms by quite a bit as soon as possible, basically. However, if you have some issues down the road, they could read out your DME and see how you drove it, then blame it on you.

I aint going to debate breakin procedures with everybody. To each his own. I have broken in several new motors, and race-built motors, in my day. None of them ever had any internal issues and never burned any measurable oil. The only internal failure I had was my fault by doing a money shift on my E36 M3. It wasn't a major money shift as I caught it quick and only bent a couple valves! lol. coulda been much worse.

As far as break in, everybody is going to have to do what they think is best. I aint going to debate or judge anybody....its your car, do as you please.

Best post, you need to vary the revs to break it in. Does not mean you have to go full throttle 24/7 once off the factory floor.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by GT3 Tim

Its a catch 22....

To properly break in the motor (ie: seat the rings), you need to exceed 5500 rpms by quite a bit as soon as possible, basically. However, if you have some issues down the road, they could read out your DME and see how you drove it, then blame it on you.

I aint going to debate breakin procedures with everybody. To each his own. I have broken in several new motors, and race-built motors, in my day. None of them ever had any internal issues and never burned any measurable oil. The only internal failure I had was my fault by doing a money shift on my E36 M3. It wasn't a major money shift as I caught it quick and only bent a couple valves! lol. coulda been much worse.

As far as break in, everybody is going to have to do what they think is best. I aint going to debate or judge anybody....its your car, do as you please.

GT3Tim is correct,but I will add 1 thing that a lot of people don't seem to care about and has much more effect on an engines life than the break-in procedure used.Maybe it was a previous life around large diesels & large piston engine aircraft is that I am very anal about proper oil temp before running an engine at 100% power.With all my engines I make sure the chill is off the motor and with the M3 at least 80c oil temp before I take it over 3000 rpm.Without proper oil temp the motor is not fully warmed up and is not at the engineered tolerances and could cause long term problems.Just because it is 35c outside does not mean that you do not need to warm it up before you push it.

[ersin]

I am familiar with the school of thought that you need to run the engine hard to properly seat the rings. I'm pretty sure the engine is mostly broken in in that respect before it ever gets to the dealer. But there is also the transmission, differential, brakes, tires, etc. that need to be broken in correctly. Bedding the brakes correctly come to mind as something that seems to be neglected. I doubt this is ever done before you take delivery of the car. (You can look up how to do this on the internet for more info.) Plus, the engine has a different type of oil before the 1200 mile service so I feel that it is best to just go with what BMW says. It doesn't mean you have to completely baby it.

When I got the E46 M3 in '02 I tried to follow the break-in procedures but there was a time or two, sometime during the first few drives that I inadvertently went over 5500 rpm but not by much. This shouldn't hurt anything and BMW never brought it up during any servicing. I did run it pretty hard while still within the BMW recommended procedure and did not baby it. But I varied the speed (and throttle) almost religiously, never went over 100 mph, and floored it (again inadvertently) only once that I can think of. I gradually increased max rpm until 3000 miles. I never had a problem with the engine. It seemed to just get stronger and stronger the older it got.

The bad was that I was subject to the engine bearing recall. I had to go through engine break-in all over again Hopefully, that sort of thing won't happen again.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by ersin

I am familiar with the school of thought that you need to run the engine hard to properly seat the rings. I'm pretty sure the engine is mostly broken in in that respect before it ever gets to the dealer. But there is also the transmission, differential, brakes, tires, etc. that need to be broken in correctly. Bedding the brakes correctly come to mind as something that seems to be neglected. I doubt this is ever done before you take delivery of the car. (You can look up how to do this on the internet for more info.)

That's how I look at it too. The engine is probably fine, its the rest of the drivetrain that concerns me.

The bad was that I was subject to the engine bearing recall. I had to go through engine break-in all over again Hopefully, that sort of thing won't happen again.

That did suck, but it was worth it for the 100k mi engine warranty

[TLud]

I've got a long drive on country roads to get home from my dealer. When I first pick up my car, before hitting the highway, I'm going to begin bedding in the brakes (15 minute process followed by taking it easy on the brakes for the first 600 miles). This will also allow the drivetrain and oil to warm up for the engine break-in.

1. Once warm, I'll get on the highway to head back home. I'm going to start by doing 3 half-throttle pulls up to the 5,500 rpm limit, each followed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will then pull over for about 15 minutes of cool down.

2. I will then do 3 more pulls at about 3/4 throttle up to about 6,800 rpm, each followed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will again pull over for 15 minutes of cool down.

3. I will do 3 final pulls at full throttle up to just below redline, each follwed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will again pull over for 15 minutes of cool down.

After this is done, I'm going to take it relatively easy on the car until the 1,200 mile service. I'll make sure to vary the engine load and rpms, and I'm sure I'll go over the 5,500 limit occasionally.

I used this procedure to break in my E46, and it held its oil like a champ, got noticeably stronger over time, and I never experienced any drivetrain issues. I don't see a good poll option for a calculated diversion from the recommended procedure, so I didn't vote.

[ihyln]

I've accidentally went past the 5500 limit a few times, even the day I drove it off the lot. But only briefly into 6500 territory but I think my engine is better off because of it. I'm still not quite pushing it even after my breakin and thus I don't go past 7000rpm usually.

[Laszlo]

Guess your feeling guilty?

[JEllis]

This topic has been discussed many times so I wont go into my thoughts too much...

I understand the philosophy that the auto maker knows best

I also understand the argument that modern engines dont need the same type of break-in the older engines did.

I also understand that the factory takes all engines up to redline before the car leaves the factory so why the restriction?

Personally, I would just go with the book because apparently the dealer will know if you have not and you could run into some issues if the car has any kinds of problems down the road.

Jason

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by TLud

I've got a long drive on country roads to get home from my dealer. When I first pick up my car, before hitting the highway, I'm going to begin bedding in the brakes (15 minute process followed by taking it easy on the brakes for the first 600 miles). This will also allow the drivetrain and oil to warm up for the engine break-in.

1. Once warm, I'll get on the highway to head back home. I'm going to start by doing 3 half-throttle pulls up to the 5,500 rpm limit, each followed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will then pull over for about 15 minutes of cool down.

2. I will then do 3 more pulls at about 3/4 throttle up to about 6,800 rpm, each followed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will again pull over for 15 minutes of cool down.

3. I will do 3 final pulls at full throttle up to just below redline, each follwed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will again pull over for 15 minutes of cool down.

After this is done, I'm going to take it relatively easy on the car until the 1,200 mile service. I'll make sure to vary the engine load and rpms, and I'm sure I'll go over the 5,500 limit occasionally.

I used this procedure to break in my E46, and it held its oil like a champ, got noticeably stronger over time, and I never experienced any drivetrain issues. I don't see a good poll option for a calculated diversion from the recommended procedure, so I didn't vote.

I personally would not bother with shutting it off for 15 minutes,driving it easy till the temps come back to normal would be a better thing to do.Shutting it off only allows it to heat soak which does nothing as far as the break-in is concerned.You do have the proper idea though to get the rings seated as fast as possible.

[TLud]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

I personally would not bother with shutting it off for 15 minutes,driving it easy till the temps come back to normal would be a better thing to do.Shutting it off only allows it to heat soak which does nothing as far as the break-in is concerned.You do have the proper idea though to get the rings seated as fast as possible.

You read my mind. I've been considering just dropping down to 6th gear and cruising for a few minutes until the temp dropped.

[ersin]

Originally Posted by TLud

I've got a long drive on country roads to get home from my dealer. When I first pick up my car, before hitting the highway, I'm going to begin bedding in the brakes (15 minute process followed by taking it easy on the brakes for the first 600 miles). This will also allow the drivetrain and oil to warm up for the engine break-in.

1. Once warm, I'll get on the highway to head back home. I'm going to start by doing 3 half-throttle pulls up to the 5,500 rpm limit, each followed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will then pull over for about 15 minutes of cool down.

2. I will then do 3 more pulls at about 3/4 throttle up to about 6,800 rpm, each followed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will again pull over for 15 minutes of cool down.

3. I will do 3 final pulls at full throttle up to just below redline, each follwed by engine braking down to about 3,000 rpm. I will again pull over for 15 minutes of cool down.

After this is done, I'm going to take it relatively easy on the car until the 1,200 mile service. I'll make sure to vary the engine load and rpms, and I'm sure I'll go over the 5,500 limit occasionally.

I used this procedure to break in my E46, and it held its oil like a champ, got noticeably stronger over time, and I never experienced any drivetrain issues. I don't see a good poll option for a calculated diversion from the recommended procedure, so I didn't vote.

I don't think you'll need to let the engine cool for 15 minutes after a 1/2 or 3/4 throttle to 5500. Just do say, 80% - 90% throttle up to 5500 rpm especially for the first few hundred miles and always keep varying the rpms within break in. Be sure to use lots engine braking during this time. Whether you go to 6800 rpm or redline, or use full throttle is your choice. But BMW recommends against this.

I'm glad to hear that you E46 M3 engine experience was like mine. I'm sure the E9x M3 engine will be just as good.

[FifthStreetz]

religiously for me.

[synclastica_86]

I think I'll follow TLud's recipe.