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Posts: 73
| I just brought a new Silverado. I know that engines all have break in periods, but I was wondering how long this actually takes. I have heard everything from 500 to 5000. I figured people on here would be knowledgable about this. |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | I would follow the owners manual or dealers advice. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | When I purchased a new Avalanche two years ago, I believe it was 500 miles. We also just this past week down-sized the wife's car to an Equinox. That is definitely 500 miles. We are doing it right now, as it doesn't have 500 miles on it yet. So we just went over it in the owner's manual two days ago.
So I would say that you should confirm it in the owner's manual, but I believe you'll find that it is indeed 500 miles.
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Posts: 2067
| really? I have a new Silverado. But I drive it like it was stolen from day one....that's what the 100,000 mile power-train warranty is for  |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Except when it burns oil and then you take it to the dealer to *use* that warranty. And they interrogate the computer in the thing, and see that you drove it like it was stolen! I'd just as soon follow the manual...
Big brother is watching!
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Posts: 173
Location: Green Bay, Titletown, WI | Break in an engine the way you plan on driving it. If you drive mainly hi-way, drive it on the hi-way. If you mainly do stop and go city driving, drive it in the city. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | The break-in instructions in the manual essentially specify:
1) Don't drive more than 55mph for the first 500 miles.
2) Vary the engine RPM frequently throughout that period.
That's basically it, as far as I recall.
So running it around town wouldn't really be a problem, as you will most certainly be varying the RPM frequently. In fact, that would take more effort on the highway--where a guy is tempted to simply set the cruise control and let it ride...
TB
Edited by tcbetka 5/3/2013 4:55 PM
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Posts: 52
| The only "thing" you are breaking in, is how well the piston rings seal to the cylinder walls. Honing technology has gotten so good, even that is at a minimum. Try to vary your engine RPM (don't set the cruise control at one certain RPM) for the 1st few hundred miles and you will be just fine |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | hambone - 5/3/2013 5:21 PM
The only "thing" you are breaking in, is how well the piston rings seal to the cylinder walls. Honing technology has gotten so good, even that is at a minimum. Try to vary your engine RPM (don't set the cruise control at one certain RPM) for the 1st few hundred miles and you will be just fine
Which is pretty much why I paraphrased the manufacturer's instructions in my last post, and basically said exactly what you just did. The only thing that I'm not entirely sure about, is just how much information the on-board computer stores, in terms of that break-in period. In other words, can they interrogate the system and determine that a person didn't follow the recommendations in the manual?
I guess we need Mr. Goodwrench (or someone like him) to enlighten us.
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Posts: 52
| You can not trick on-board computers, they record engine RPM, oil & water temp & pressure, G forces from starting, stopping, etc. and tons of other info. You are right, leave the hot rodding for the dragstrip |
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Posts: 58
| Do NOT break it in how you are going to drive it, that is not the correct way to break in an engine. Every single moving part in an internal combustion engine has to seat properly during the break-in process. This is obtained by varying the rpm range for short periods of time under normal load. low rpms are not bad, and neither are high rpms, just don't do either for extended periods of time. When the engine is new, it will actually deposit very small fragments of metal into the oil and the filter. Valves, valve seats, camshafts, crank bearings, rod bearings, pistons, piston rings, wrist pins, push rods, lifters, all have specific tolerances. Improper break-in will compromise those tolerances, and lead to poor performance, poor fuel mileage, possible oil consumption, and shorter engine life. I would, and do change oil and filter after the first 1,000 miles to purge the oil sump of any contaminants. I always use conventional oil during the first 10,000 miles, because synthetic oil doesn't allow proper seating for new engines. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Good tip, about changing the oil after the first 1000 miles. As I recall from the manual, even GM doesn't recommend that--but it certainly makes sense, for the reason you mentioned. As for the synthetic oil though, I think that is what came in our new engine. It's certainly what they recommended in the future when we picked up the car. I think they've gone to their dexos stuff for all their vehicles now, but I'm not sure if that's what they ship them with from the factory. I would hope that the oil life monitor in the vehicle would work on viscosity among other things--so if they did ship the vehicle with non-synthetic oil, the oil life indication would be reflected accordingly.
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | mine runs better now at 250k than it did new ... |
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Posts: 202
Location: Angola, IN | gordo2000 - 5/5/2013 7:01 AM
I always use conventional oil during the first 10,000 miles, because synthetic oil doesn't allow proper seating for new engines.
There is ALOT of misinformation in this thread. I doubt anyone on M1 has read more about oils and worked on more engines that I have.
Just drive the truck. Honestly, you are not gonna hurt it. If you want to follow the book and not go over 55mph for the first 500 miles, that's gonna be fine. If you want to take it to the drag strip and burn off 500 miles, a 1/4 mile at a time, that's gonna be fine too.
The factory fill (FF) on all new engines contain a high amount of anti-friction, anti-wear agents, and friction modifiers in them to help with break in. A few of these are ZDDP (Zinc) and Moly. It's a good idea to keep this oil in your engine for at least a 1000 miles, and I wouldn't go further than 3000 miles before I changed oil.
Remember, you'll need to run Dexos I certified oil in your Silverado. So make sure you use the correct oil. I highly recommend Mobil 1 0w30 AFE and Pennzoil Ultra 5w30. For the price, there isn't anything better.
The myth that you have to use conventional to break in an engine is hog-wash. I think nearly all Dexos I oils are synthetic now and EVERY car manufacturer is going to 0w-20 and 0w-30 weight oil....even Corvettes, Ferraris, and BMW's come with Mobil 1 0w-40 as their factory fill.
One thing I'd watch out for, is to kind of ignore the oil maintenance reminder on your dash/consol. It's been proven time and time again that these are misleading and can use real issues. If you run a good quality oil, like Mobil 1 or Pennzoil Ultra, I wouldn't go more than 6k miles in any V8 Chevy truck. And if you have active cylinder management (where it swtiches to 4 cylinder for fuel economy), this system is SUPER hard on engine oils. It cooks it. It causes excessive oil consumption and it causes oil to be baked into the ring lands causing stuck ring packs and all kinds of problems.
If your truck has active cylinder managment, the best thing you can run is an oil with the lowest NOACK % you can find....which is a measurement of the volitility of the oil (how much of the oil will "cook off" due to heat).....most synthetics are around 10-12%. Conventional oil is around 15%. But the lowest NOACK is Pennzoil Ultra. By far. 6%. This will help prevent all kinds of gunk from forming in your new engine. Pennzoil Ultra has such a huge advantage over the rest of the field because they use a new, special refining technique that's called GTL....and it's only found in one oil refinery on the planet and Shell/Pennzoil owns it.
There are other oils out there at 6%, like Red Line Oils (which is an awesome oil....one of the best you can buy, and is a true synthetic, a Group V, which is an ester-based oil), but Red Line won't cut GM a check for the Dexos I certification....so using it would void your warranty....even though Red Line's products far exceed any Dexos I requirements.
I know what I'm talking about. Believe me.
Edited by SteveHulbert 5/6/2013 8:17 AM
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Location: Des Moines IA | IAJustin - 5/3/2013 2:43 PM
really? I have a new Silverado. But I drive it like it was stolen from day one....that's what the 100,000 mile power-train warranty is for :)
Drove my Dodge like a Nascar since the test drive. Kickin' 130,000 and still strong? I did do a early oil change @ 500 miles though. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Wow Steve...great information there, THANKS! I use the oil reminder only to a degree, having come from the days of changing oil every 3000 miles So when it gets to 4000 miles and there is still 40-50% life on the monitor, I get pretty nervous quite honestly. So I rarely go much beyond the "50% remaining oil life" indication, but always wondered if I spending twice as much as I need to per year. You post was helpful in that sense.
I will have to ask which brand of oil our dealer uses though--as I always get it changed by their "quick-lube" shop there.
Thanks again for the information. It certainly gives us more information to research...
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Posts: 52
| As a Service Manager in a GM garage, I can tell you Steve Is spot on and knows what he's talking about. Well put and great info Steve! |
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