Quote:
Originally Posted by nbryant
Really?
Owners manual, page 207, first of 5 recommendations:
"Avoid full throttle starts and abrupt stops."
Not sure what you were reading.
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You are isolating an single statement and implying it means something that it doesn't. If you read all of the material available from GM on break in procedure it fills in the blanks.
There's a break in manual specifically for the LT1 engine.
It does not contradict that text from the camaro manual.
You will note that the camaro manual says avoid full throttle starts and abrupt stops, it does not say to avoid full throttle at all times.
It seems some people can't understand plain English. They assume "avoid full throttle starts" means "baby the throttle", but it doesn't.
The engine needs load to bed in correctly, the LT1 engine break in manual is very explicit in requiring part and full throttle runs (up to 4000rpm and with in gear rundown) as being the correct procedure.
If you drive the whole of the first 1500 miles with less than 50% throttle then you'll end up with a motor thats not sealed as good as it could be and down on power.
Given the hundreds of dollars people seem to be willing to spend to gain 5 to 10hp, taking the 5 minutes to find and read the engine break in manual doesnt seem too difficult.
Credit to Matt for posting these, please note that these do NOT contradict the chevrolet camaro manual instructions, they are just more detailed. The youtuber in the video has made the same mistake and assumed the wrong thing about what the Corvette/Camaro instructions actually mean.;
Quote:
Originally Posted by MattDinOC
I went with a sort of hybrid approach when I got my SS. I didn't like the vague instructions that Chevy includes in the owner's manual, but seeing as how I'm planning to keep this car for a very long time, I also am not going to go out and thrash it just because someone on the internet said that's the right way to do it. Someone here once posted an image of the break-in instructions that Chevy provides with its crate engines. So I went and found the instructions for our engine and followed those guidelines. Here's the PDF of the full instruction book.
The break-in instructions that are relevant to us as buyers of a new LT1-powered Camaro:
7. The engine should be driven at varying loads and conditions for the first 30 miles or one hour without wide open throttle (WOT) or sustained high RPM accelerations.
8. Run five or six medium throttle (50%) accelerations to about 4000 RPM and back to idle (0% throttle) in gear.
9. Run two or three hard throttle (WOT 100%) accelerations to about 4000 RPM and back to idle (0% throttle) in gear.
10. Change the oil and filter. Replace the oil per the specification in step 1, and replace the filter with a new PF64 AC Delco oil filter. Inspect the oil and the oil filter for any foreign particles to ensure that the engine is functioning properly.
11. Drive the next 500 miles (12 to 15 engine hours) under normal conditions. Do not run the engine at its maximum rated engine speed. Also, do not expose the engine to extended periods of high load.
12. Change the oil and filter. Again, inspect the oil and oil filter for any foreign particles to ensure that the engine is functioning properly.
I skipped the oil-and-filter change in step 10, but did the one in step 12. I was at 700 miles when I did that one. Next oil change will be a the normal interval.
To break in the rest of the drivetrain properly, I am avoiding redlining and smoky burnouts until after I hit 1500 miles. Running it hard from time to time, not babying it, but also not ignoring the instructions in the vehicle owners manual.
Matt |