zinner

I realize only one person on the forums so far has an SS, but has anyone heard anything regarding engine break in. I don't think I have every actually done anything specail for my last cars.

Is it not really required anymore with more advanced machining/manufacturing techniques?

CoolCobalt_NY

OOhhh yeah there is.... A break in period...!!!! Need to let the rings and what not settle in.... You end up with veryyyyyy smalllll metal shavings from the cylinder wall that fall into the oil... IN this period... Along with breaking in the clutch (( if you have 5sp. ))

500
1000
1500 Miles is the rule of thumb..... (( something like that.. )) TO brake it in.

Tooleman

for the first few miles, just warm up the car and then floor the hell out of it.. when driving this will seat the rings the best..

cvenom2122

LAMO! i think i went that root this car is to fun to drive slow! im always over 60 mph But i have redline same car thoe !!!!!!!

Eddie

yeah theres typically a 5000 mile break in period with new cars, and this being a high performance motor i'd expect a minimum of 5000 miles. like cool said above 500,1000,1500,, do incremental oil changes at those times, go 500 miles oil change drive another 1000 miles so total on the OD will be 1500 oil change, then 1500 OD reading 3000 and you should be good to go. but i'd be safe and wait for 5000.

osmose

Most people say NOT to drive it hard for the 1st 5K, but I've never seen actual data or anything on cars that have been broken in vs those that have not. It also dosn't say anything about a break-in period in the manufactures guide (to the best of my knowledge).
I would change oil very frequently as stated above due to the minute metalk particles.

b-spot

All I've ever been told is don't stay at a constant speed for a long time (ie avoid highway driving).

How am I going to resist redlining this beast?!?!

Tooleman

people that say dont go hard on it for 1000 miles, are the same people that have car problems..

if you want to rings to seal you run it hard.. but make sure its warmed up..

wesmanw02

As the others said, it is best to break in a car properly, in order to avoid issues in the future. However, that does not mean run the car hard. Beating on the car will not give it a good break-in, hence the reason that GM has the factory-set rev limit that goes away after a certain amount of miles.

The proper way to break in a performance car is to let it warm up completely, and then run it aggresively and variably. Aggresively doesn't mean bouncing-off-the-rev-limiter powershifts and hole shots, that will result in problems. Aggressively means easy launches, shifting at about 4-5K, no powershifting or other clutch abuse, and avoiding WOT if at all possible.

Also try to vary the engine speed as you are breaking the car in - don't stay at a certain RPM for too long, so if you are on the highway fluctuate speed and gear ratios as much as possible. Also try not to "lug" the engine too much, if it starts to bog down, downshift immediately to keep it in comfortable operating range.

Break in a car like that, and you should have many more problem-free miles to come

johnkb8

change oil that much, even on mobil 1, damn a lot of $$ to do that a few times or more, still should do it?????? 500, 1000, 1500

CoolCobalt_NY

I have never heard that!... Also.. like I said in my first post.. IF you have a 5spd.. You NEED to let the clutch dist ware/break in EVENLY or else it slip and a whole bunch of other things!.....

and I AGREE with everyone that is saying... LET THE CAR WARM UP BEFORE YOU GO ANYWAY.. even if its 100 degrees outside... Let the fluids get to where the have to get to in your engine!

Cordasco

You do not have to use mobil 1 the first 3000 miles

ss xtreme

so how long will it take to warm up time be. i never done this before because i never had a supercharger engine before. the time i pick up the cobaltss/sc isgoing to be two hours away where i live. so the miles going to be free way miles the first time i pick the cobalt ss/sc up i for get the hours of bakersfiled to visalia is ithink its two or one dunno lol what should i do when i get the car?

BlueVillain

You don't have to, but it's already in the SS/SC from the factory, and you really don't need to change the oil until the DIC tells you to, even on the first cycle.

GM tells us dealerships something similar. Just don't run it constantly for the first couple of days. i.e. don't drive on the highway at the same speed for a prolonged amount of time on your way home from the dealership.

After that, they really don't expect too much else. Most of the seals are 'pre-treated' to seal up pretty good for the 3 miles before the get to the dealerships.

But I would agree with the "warming up" part on any vehicle, period. It's probably the only downside to fuel injected engines, you don't have to wait for them to warm up to go on those cold mornings.

Villain

BlueVillain

My suggestion would be to take the scenic tour home. Don't be afraid to get it out on the highway, just not the whole way home.

My personal opinion is that it's probably not going to mess it up that much, much like going over on the oil changes by a few hundred miles. It's not going to fall apart on you that day, but it will put more wear and tear on the car down the line.

Villain

ss xtreme

we dont have scenic tour we do but its nothing but cows on the side and smell like cowshits

b-spot

Actually its bad to let your car sit and idle. On cold days you should plug it in, and when you start it wait about 3 seconds to get the oil up to the valves, then start drivin er.

BlueVillain

I'm not the smartest guy in the world when it comes to the intricacies of engine wear and tear, but I don't see how idleing would be bad for an engine. I didn't mean for it to idle for hours, rather minutes before you leave for your destination, especially on colder mornings like we had today.

I can't speak for everybody in Canada, but most of us here in the Southern US don't get the engine heater option, so plugging it in isn't going to work for everybody.

Besides, the point was for the "break-in" stage when you first purchase your Cobalt, not for daily use.

And I'd still say to go visit the cows.

Villain

zinner

I lived in upstate NY for most of my life and we get lots of snow and cold. I have seen plenty of mornings where it's sub-zero fahrenheit and I have never needed a block heater either. It's has got to be pretty darn cold where you live to warrent one of those suckers.


b-spot how cold is it where you live that it requires the use of a electric block heater?

ss xtreme

i would rather have something else then electric block heater i live in california so i don't need it the coldest it gets here where i live is in the 40's. but its to low to snow and in the summer time it gets to about 105 sometimes on hot summers 110 thats hot lol

sharky_9901

Lease the car and beat the crap out of it. three years later you get a new one

b-spot

You never really need a block heater to get a newer car started. (My alero with the 2.2 ECOTEC started up in -30 C with a block heater no problem).

The whole point of a block heater is to keep the oil warm so that it can reach the top of your engine faster. If your oil is cold, then it takes it alot longer to reach the top of the engine and your cams/valves/etc are all moving for a long time with no lubrication which causes unneeded wear and tear.

EDIT: Oh yeah, the reason idling too long is certain parts (tranny) don't get any lubrication until your vehicle is in motion.

DKGW

On cold days give your car maybe 10 minutes at Idle (This also gives you time to Scrape the windows if you need to and lets your heater get to tempurature so the car is nice and toasty when you're finished clearing your windows.

Most times in warm weather you can let it go for 2 minutes (Enough time to check your mirrors and get buckled in... Always wear your seat belt )

Skiboarder311

I'm wondering about the oil changing part of the break in process


because when i was leavin the dealer today, i asked them about a break in and they said

"Nope, nothing special, change the oil after 3000 miles, and Have fun "


Now is this whole 500-1000-1500 all just hearsay, or do any of you know this for a FACT

because mobil 1 is expensive **** yah know

BlueVillain

There is no "Fact" regarding break in procedure because every engine is slightly different. There's also no way to verify that the seals are fully lubricated other than opening the block and pulling them out. Doing that would mean that you have to lubricate them all over again.

"Break In" oil was used back in the 60's and 70's when things like piston sleeves and cylinder valves weren't perfectly smooth and the little itty bitty imperfections would wear down over the first couple of weeks driving the vehicle. Problem is that those little imperfections that came off then resided in the oil and/or oil filter. So you had to change the oil after a short while.

Nowadays things are a little more precise from the factory, but there's still no guaranteeing anything. No sense in being "too careful" when it comes to a $23,000 investment.

Villain