5thGenRams Forums

Sure, no problem. I mentioned it briefly in one of my threads but I like sharing info whenever and wherever I can. I split it into 3 phases and got this method from racing engine builders. The phases are split up between rpm ranges. Low, low medium and a slightly higher medium. Never ever red line or anywhere near it. First of all, I begin this as soon as I get the vehicle from mile 1 if possible.

Just a nit pick thing but I don't like any driving done on my new engine until I get it myself. I make my way to a long straight road away from everyone and everything avoiding stop signs and anything that could interrupt me. Away from everyone just doing my thing for a while. It's peaceful. For the first phase I hold the throttle at about 25% or so keeping the rpm around 1100 or 1200.

You can go up or down with it a little but basically I want to let that constant rpm build up heat. A little over idle but not high enough that the engine is trying to build power yet. Just a slow smooth cruising rpm at a very low speed. These trucks have a really nice digital temp gauge that helps a lot.

After several minutes of this if required the heat will be constant and you might even notice it's a little warmer than usual. Maybe. Every engine is different. Then I'll get off the gas and just let the engine slowly slow down. If you stay in 2nd or 3rd gear it'll keep those rooms smooth and slowly dropping. Never use higher gears just stay in low ones to do this nice and slow and control the rpms.

It's really more about the time you spend heating and cooling not the distance. So take your time and just enjoy the slow drive. Maybe have your favorite band playing on your new stereo. Anyway getting off the gas and coasting is when it's cooling the Piston rings and cylinders. No fuel goes in the engine but lots of cool fresh air does.

This is all about the heat cycle so the rings can seat and seal up with the cylinders better. Rapidly heating and cooling metal helps to form it and make it stronger. That's what seating and sealing the rings is. Heating and cooling them so they mate with the cylinder better. People don't know that and think they're already sealed perfectly but they aren't sealed at all.

Anyway, I do this for the first 200 to 300 miles maybe a little less completing all 3 phases on at a time. Again just spending the time going nice and slow long enough making sure it heats up and cools down enough.

The most important thing is to heat up and cool down the cylinders enough times to actually cause them to seat. Several several cycles holding the throttle long enough for the heat to rise. It'll only get so hot and just sit there but once you notice the temp as high as it'll get just hold it there each time for a couple minutes.

Once you get off the gas and start coasting the temp will drop by the time your back to idle. Don't hit the brake just coast and keep rolling. Let the rpm go down and watch the gauge cool off. You'll see it go down every time with a good enough gauge. And it'll go up when you get back to the heating portion again. I know engine builders who spend 8 hours doing this to break in the engine.

The last racing engine I had built they took that long. It was a whole day of this, luckily they didn't charge me extra for labor or time because break in was part of the engine build. Anyway, I'll spend up to a half hour in each phase just to heat and cool over and over and over.

Phase 2 is the same but slightly higher rpm. I'll use almost half throttle if required and again in 2nd or 3rd gear around 2000 or 2200 rpm. You can do it in 1st too if you want to just go a little slower. Again it's about time spent not distance. 2100 is about where the engine starts making a bit more torque and normally you'd feel some extra power as you accelerate driving normal.

Do this just like phase 1 and make sure you watch the temp. It'll help and let you know it's working. Finally, you can step up to 3300 or so for the last phase. Around 3300 the engine is starting to make peak torque or at least has the most load on it in the case of hard accelerating or towing.

Of course you don't want a load on the engine which is why I do this slow and steady never hitting the gas too hard and never ever flooring it. Also if you're in too high a gear and get on the gas too much it'll bog down and increase load. That's where lower gears help and always go easy on the throttle.

A lot of people say driving hard and getting on the throttle to make power is a good break in method but even though it does cause heating and cooling it's no where near as effective. And they drive that way for over 1000 miles to fulfill break in. A couple hours in my brand new vehicle enjoying it's beautiful interior and ride is a very nice way to do a full heat cycle break in before the first couple hundred miles

I did this with my last new truck with a friend. We grabbed a few favorite beverages went down a county road out of town and just enjoyed the ride. After all 3 phases heat cycling in those different rpm ranges I'll finally drive home or too the shop and drain that oil. Get rid of it and the nasty filter.

And yes, it'll be nasty already and your engine will want new oil. Newer engines like these should be clean and efficient enough to be ok at this point but I have seen some engines after this break in method leave metal particles in the oil because as the rings are seating they are leaving debris on the cylinder walls.

Again that was older engines but the principle is the same and after break in I'm ready to upgrade to my choice of synthetic oil anyway. Some engine builders even say to change the oil first then break in the engine then change it again. Sometimes this is good if the engine still has preservative oil in it.

But usually it should have a good driving oil already... hopefully. Definitely ask people at your dealership about that. Anyway, that's what I do everytime. Following this 3 phase heat cycling method to seat the rings faster and more effectively.

And it's a great way to spend some extra time enjoying my new truck nice and slow. At least in the beginning.

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I love this, thank you!

I like the idea of slow and easy. I never understood the "drive it like you stole" theory.

I'm hoping the truck has under 20 miles, but am more than a little concerned they drove it from the dealer they trade for it. If so, it'll likely have 90 miles or so already. Fingers are crossed!