[therealm3]

Well, seeing my 335 will be here in about 2 weeks , I have been doing a bit of research on break in methods. The reason for this is I have a few friends who are in motorsports professionally or as amateur racers and according to them there is a lot of opinions that a "hard" break in is much better for the motor both short term and long term. I was hoping to get some opinions here as well. Shiv?

Check out this link as well:

http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Thanks!

[Ninjaneer]

Not to be rude but this topic has been brought up sooooo many times and it's one where everyone has an opinion. My opinion: stick to the BMW break-in guide.

Do a search on "break in" or "hard break in" maybe add a hyphen for break-in too!

[RiXst3r]

I went hard... but not to the redline more than 5-6 times so far(after a week), and never unless the engine is fully warmed up... I will also be doing an after break-in oil change...

My first tank of gas only got me 260 miles! (ya, i pushed it a tad )

[Josh49]

Search FTW!!!

[canucklion]

Josh you're too nice, it's supposed to be

WTF? Search

Originally Posted by Josh49

Search FTW!!!

[canucklion]

http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break
http://e90post.com/forums/showthread...ighlight=break

and so on

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by canucklion

Josh you're too nice, it's supposed to be

WTF? Search

Search For the Win

What the Fvck Search


LMAO!!! Looks like I got it backwards...

[therealm3]

Thanks for all the search Nazis!

I had read a lot here and the overwhelming majority seems to be people saying search or just follow the manual cause BMW knows what they are doing.

I was hoping for some more info from people who work on cars or build motors. Like that web link I pasted.

For those who care - I am planning to do a hard break in and change the oil at 75-100miles and then again at 1200. 5-6k interval after that.

Hard break in all the way, hell if its going to break its going to break no need p%$$y the thing around, hell they are dyno tested and chassis dyno tested at the factory. So why the hell would wait around for 1200 miles to let it rip. I did this same break in method on my 05 gto and the thing was fine many miles later and she dyno'd higher than most stock gto's.

[Ninjaneer]

hehe sorry Well as you seemed to know, vishnu pushed their's hard and it worked fine for them but hey they're into tuning and that isn't the typical joe schmoe scenario (wow that rhymes!). Maybe one of the older posts have comments by ///Matt too, he's a BMW tech if I'm not mistaken, so maybe his comments can shed some light on it.

Good luck.

[PMP]

I think you should just jam your car into first gear and redline it all day. I don't know if that would actually help or hurt but I would be interested in knowing what actually happens when somebody does that.

I used the factory break in recommendations. I figure if they designed and built the car there must be a good reason why they recommend it, FWIW.

[kuthair]

Originally Posted by PMP

I used the factory break in recommendations. I figure if they designed and built the car there must be a good reason why they recommend it, FWIW.

Hi, no-offence PMP, but this is usually the reason givin by everybody who says to do soft break-in. I haven't seen a stitch of scientific evidence suggesting a soft break-in. Hard break-in methods, however, are usually followed by actual reasons and an explanation of what's going on internally.

[therealm3]

Originally Posted by PMP

I think you should just jam your car into first gear and redline it all day. I don't know if that would actually help or hurt but I would be interested in knowing what actually happens when somebody does that.

hahah. someone else can be the test bitch for this.

Originally Posted by PMP

I used the factory break in recommendations. I figure if they designed and built the car there must be a good reason why they recommend it, FWIW.

Well, I agree with you to a certain extent, but the reality is that BMW is much more about marketing and total cost of ownership now than what is best for longevity of the motor. (People don’t keep cars as long anymore and expensive dealer oil changes every 5-7k miles scare away perspective buyers) Hence the extended intervals on oil changes and "lifetime" fluids in the diff and tranny. The irony of that is I have read in other countries BMW still has recommended intervals for the "lifetime" fluids we have in the US. Same oils, same cars. Why two different recommendations? .... marketing. This is why I am questioning their "recommended" break in. Is that best for the motor or best for BMW liability?

[Ninjaneer]

Originally Posted by therealm3

This is why I am questioning their "recommended" break in. Is that best for the motor or best for BMW liability?

Interesting... *cue X-Files theme*

[therealm3]

exactly...

Originally Posted by kuthair

I haven't seen a stitch of scientific evidence suggesting a soft break-in. Hard break-in methods, however, are usually followed by actual reasons and an explanation of what's going on internally.

That is why I brought it up again. From what I hear at the track or talking to my mechanic friend, hard break in seems to win and they have evidence.

[therealm3]

hahahah. Yep another conspiracy unearthed. Where is smoking man....

Originally Posted by Ninjaneer

Interesting... *cue X-Files theme*

[kuthair]

I dropped off my car in Frankfurt with 1073 miles. I had ZERO problems. I'll do my first oil change as soon as I get the car delivered to me in the states.

[PMP]

I hear what you guys are saying, and I've read all the threads about alternative break in periods. But I always end up back convinced that the BMW engineers know their business. I doubt that they intentionally advise a relatively easy break in as a way to shorten the life of the engine or reduce some kind of cost to BMW.

For sure, the first few hundred miles are partly for safety. New tires, brakes, etc, may need time to settle in or build up scuff for traction. Driving a brand new car really hard and fast could be dangerous. I'm not saying WILL be dangerous, but the odds are that new tires and brakes need some testing in real-world conditions.

Beyond that, I have no idea why they recommend the lower RPM and overall speed limitations. Probably just a case of "over engineering" but since they test every engine in the factory and set the rings during that process it just made sense to me to follow their path. To each his or her own. I'm confident that following their advice will not hurt the car - I'm less convinced about redlining a brand-new engine in defiance of factory recommendations. Are you willing to bet your car that it won't cause long-term problems? There's your test.

[therealm3]

Originally Posted by PMP

I hear what you guys are saying, and I've read all the threads about alternative break in periods. But I always end up back convinced that the BMW engineers know their business. I doubt that they intentionally advise a relatively easy break in as a way to shorten the life of the engine or reduce some kind of cost to BMW.

I am not implying this is what they are doing, rather that by having an easy break in period, they are less likely to have to shell out money for somethgin that went wrong. Or are less likely to be blamed. It's a CYA.

Originally Posted by PMP

For sure, the first few hundred miles are partly for safety. New tires, brakes, etc, may need time to settle in or build up scuff for traction. Driving a brand new car really hard and fast could be dangerous. I'm not saying WILL be dangerous, but the odds are that new tires and brakes need some testing in real-world conditions.

Agreed, but "hard" does not mean unsafe. If you check out the link I have in the original post I made, the guy actually talks about finding some less traveled roads so you don't get your self into any incidents or affect other drivers. Also accelerating with more load on the car and decelerating with engine braking is hardly redlining or driving like a mad man.

Originally Posted by PMP

Are you willing to bet your car that it won't cause long-term problems? There's your test.

Again check out that link. The guy has pictures of pistons from motors done both ways. That’s a lot more evidence than hearsay or speculation. You know?

[PMP]

I hear you. I've read a few different break in threads that made some sense. After the first few hundred miles it makes sense that you can start letting the engine run faster over time. So, I'm not trying to imply that you are recommending a crazed Mr. Toad's wild ride through the terrorized city streets! Just pointing out that the factory guys say "Do it Zis way" so I "did it Zat way."

FYI - I seriously doubt that anybody actually follows the break in 100%. I got my car up to around 5k a couple of times late at night on the way home on the long bridge near my office once or twice when I had around 1k miles on the car.

Oddly, I have not had an opportunity to red-line the car. There is so much traffic in Tampa that it is completely impractical. You can go over the speed limit in second gear w/out redlining it -- and odds are you will be flying up some slow driver's tailpipes long before you get to that point. I actually feel bad for some of the M drivers - they must go nuts trying to drive slow enough to avoid other drivers at times. I've been tempted to take the car out at 5 am just to let it run one time. Of course, I'd be the only car, and therefore the only target, for the cops. So, maybe not.

[PMP]

"Again check out that link. The guy has pictures of pistons from motors done both ways. That’s a lot more evidence than hearsay or speculation. You know?"

I did a while back. The operative word was "after a season of racing." I'm never going to race my car. It wasn't clear that he had performed any type of analysis of the benefits of his break in on a car that was to be driven daily for 100K + miles. I understand from his site that his technique can result in more hp for your car. That might be something others are interested in. I'm really not. Plenty of power for me as is.

It is also noteworthy that his system is designed to "set the rings" on the pistons. However, BMW does that with your engine using a hard break in and special lubricants before they deliver it to you.

Again, to each his own. I'm not saying I'm right just expressing my opinion and sharing what I learned when I researched this question myself two months ago.

[therealm3]

Originally Posted by PMP

I hear you. I've read a few different break in threads that made some sense. After the first few hundred miles it makes sense that you can start letting the engine run faster over time. So, I'm not trying to imply that you are recommending a crazed Mr. Toad's wild ride through the terrorized city streets! Just pointing out that the factory guys say "Do it Zis way" so I "did it Zat way."

FYI - I seriously doubt that anybody actually follows the break in 100%. I got my car up to around 5k a couple of times late at night on the way home on the long bridge near my office once or twice when I had around 1k miles on the car.

Oddly, I have not had an opportunity to red-line the car. There is so much traffic in Tampa that it is completely impractical. You can go over the speed limit in second gear w/out redlining it -- and odds are you will be flying up some slow driver's tailpipes long before you get to that point. I actually feel bad for some of the M drivers - they must go nuts trying to drive slow enough to avoid other drivers at times. I've been tempted to take the car out at 5 am just to let it run one time. Of course, I'd be the only car, and therefore the only target, for the cops. So, maybe not.

I hear ya. No Mr Toad here.