How long did you baby your brand new car?

[BluSkyeXR]

Greetings everyone! I just got my new Matrix this week (2005 XR 4wd) and am looooving it! It's so sweet...

This is my first brand new car ever... I'm trying to baby it (break it in easy), as I've read in the manual and on forums that the new engine needs to get warmed up a bit. What do you consider a good break-in period? 1000 miles, 500, 1500? I'm not driving it above 75mph (mostly btwn 60-70 on hwy), and varying speeds constantly (and definitely not using cruise control yet - though that's a pain as I drive 60 miles to work). Anything else you'd suggest? I really want to take good care of her [I call her "Skye" ] !

BluSkyeXR

[mistamatrix]

Congrats on the new ride!
1000 miles is the general consensus for break-in. A lot of people also decide to get an oil change at 1000 miles to get rid of the break-in oil.

[BluSkyeXR]

Thanks for the tip! Sounds like I'm on par then.

[greywolf]

I asked that question when I bought my car. I was told the Matrix doesn't use break in oil.
Given that, an early oil change is a good idea to clear out debris common in a new engine. Engines designed to use break in oil should not get an early oil change. They need more time with the break in oil so follow the manual for change times. I got that info when my wife bought a Honda CRV which does use break in oil.

[coquelicot]

I used the first 1000 miles as my breaking-in period. However, I didn't go over 60 mph on the interstate at that time, which is fun in the areas where the speed limit is 70. DH didn't want me going even over 55, but I felt like I was going to be a victim of road rage if I didn't step it up just a bit.

We didn't change the oil until the 3300-mile point, at which point the oil was already pretty dirty. Interesting that the manufacturer recommends the first oil change at 5K!

[Bazirker]

The guy at the dealer said I didn't need to break it in. The manual that comes with the car says 1000 miles. I'd say don't make a big deal of breaking the car in, just don't go hammering the gas or breaks for a little while.

[trike]

same here. i think as long as the car is properly warmed up, drive it as you please.

[Tercel GTS]

Pfffft, break it in like a racer, WFO and bang the gears when the fuel cut kicks in.







j/k
or am I?

[ksbrace]

One important thing about break-in: Don't baby it too long! I babied my 93 Saturn SW1, never revving high, and at 10,000 miles the engine was smooth up to 3500 RPM, but above those revs it really ROARED. My wife said it sounded like I was tearing up my engine when I hit higher revs. Then I read about the "proper" way to break an engine in, which is to gently show the engine progressively higher revs each time you drive it. Let it warm up fully, then under light throttle in a low gear let the revs creap up just a little bit higher than the last time. By the time you get to 1000 miles you should be up to redline once per trip, but always under light throttle. Well, my car had 10,000 miles on it already, but I decided to start showing it gradually higher revs anyway, and pretty soon the ROAR started to smooth out. Each time I drove it I would let it warm up, and then at the next stop just leave it in 1st gear until I got the revs up a bit higher than last time, and by the time I got to 11,000 miles the roar was gone! The engine was smooth all the way to red-line! The engine was still going strong at 176,000 miles when I sold the car.
Here is the theory: The pistons connect to the main crank shaft in the engine, and although the crank shaft is very stiff (cast iron typically), it does flex a tiny bit, thus at higher revs the pistons actually travel a tiny bit further up the cylinder walls. If you always drive below, say, 3500 revs, then the piston rings never get up higher than a certain point on the cylinder walls. Piston rings are made of a VERY hard metal, and they wear the cylinder walls smooth to fit themselves, which is one of the things that is supposed to happen during break-in. But just ABOVE that point on the cylinder wall will be a ridge where the cylinder wall has remained untouched. If you often take the engine to 3500, but never over, that ridge will be very distinct, and taking the engine to 3700 will force the rings over that ridge with a ROAR. The solution is to never let that ridge form in the first place, and you do that by gradually increasing your max revs, and not spending too much time at any particular rev (which is why they say no cruise control during break-in).
In short, during break-in you should show the engine the whole range of revs you hope to use during its lifetime, just do it gradually, and gently, under light throttle. After 1000 or so miles you should find that the engine feels smooth over its whole range and then you can start punching it even at high revs.

[mistamatrix]

Sorry, I meant to say "break-in oil".

[nodrogkam]

Originally Posted by BluSkyeXR

Greetings everyone! I just got my new Matrix this week (2005 XR 4wd) and am looooving it! It's so sweet...

This is my first brand new car ever... I'm trying to baby it (break it in easy), as I've read in the manual and on forums that the new engine needs to get warmed up a bit. What do you consider a good break-in period? 1000 miles, 500, 1500? I'm not driving it above 75mph (mostly btwn 60-70 on hwy), and varying speeds constantly (and definitely not using cruise control yet - though that's a pain as I drive 60 miles to work). Anything else you'd suggest? I really want to take good care of her [I call her "Skye" ] !

BluSkyeXR

I just got a new highlander, and unlike a lot of the cars in the past, dont worry about changing your oil at 1000 miles, change it at the recommended interval of 5000 miles. (unless your oil just looks disgusting).

Also, breakin period is about 1000 miles. U'll know when the car is broken in when one day you can pull up the handbrake/footbrake higher/lower than you could ever before. that tells you the brakes have settled in and the rest of the car should have followed if you babied it all together.

I would however, suggest you do gradually get the car used to a high rpms. Not all the time but every now and then. Its like letting little kids try all different sports etc, to broaden their view of the world etc.

Good luck and congrats on an excellent buy!

[BluSkyeXR]

Originally Posted by ksbrace

In short, during break-in you should show the engine the whole range of revs you hope to use during its lifetime, just do it gradually, and gently, under light throttle. After 1000 or so miles you should find that the engine feels smooth over its whole range and then you can start punching it even at high revs.

This makes a lot of sense. Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I have a couple of follow-up questions:

1) My Matrix is an automatic transmission, so what should I consider a "light throttle" when revving at high speeds?

2) What exactly is "break-in oil"? Oil specifically designed for the break-in period (or to be used past)? What do they use in new Toyota's (Matrix's specifically) or how can I tell?

3) And so, when I'm testing the whole range of revs (rpms), am I correct in thinking that I'm not necessarily trying to race the car in terms of speed, just pushing the engine's acceleration power? In other words, I don't necessarily need the speedometer to go over 75 mph to get the RPMs over 3500 or 4000 or whatever?

I totally understand what you mean about smoothing out the engine. I can tell that sometimes it sounds kind of throaty and harsh, and other times seems to accelerate rather smoothly. So if I push it a little more, a little at a time, the smoothness will expand to a larger range... reminds me of exercising one's vocal cords...

Thanks again!

[greywolf]

Break in oil is non detergent. There are no deposits in a new engine so it isn't really needed. It's less likely to froth or to hold particulates in suspension. My dealer told me the My 2005 Matrix didn't use it. I get the impression that engines that don't use break in oil get a short break in in the factory and get their oil changed to detergent type before they leave. That may or may not be accurate. My wife's 2002 Honda CRV , on the other hand, was supposed to be run 3000mi before an oil change to allow the break in oil to do its job.

[matrixmanvvtl_i]

if i knew i was gonna get the one that i test drove at the time of the test drive, i would have never tried to race that damn honda

[Bazirker]

ksbrace, that's a very interesting theory. I'm not sure it holds though, since while the metal does flex under load, it will, like most materials, flex at a slower rate once you near yield strength. You'd probably have to measure the expansion of the pistons in microns, and I don't know if that's enough to really create a significant effect like the one you're suggesting. I imagine heat expansion would probably have a greater effect...although perhaps the combination of heat expansion and increased load under higher rpms could be signficant? Hmmm....I'm an engineering student, but in a biomedical discipline with a little background in mechanical, but I have next to 0 automotive engineering knowledge. I'll look into it and let y'all know if I find anything conclusive.