I need advice/help.....please

"F40LM" (mclarenf1gtr) 04/26/2015 at 23:55 • Filed to: None

2

31

So I’ve gone ahead and decided to pick up a brand new BRZ. YIPEEEE. Manual, sport tech in white for those interested.

Anyways...break in period:

I’ve got her for a week before I have to leave her for another week before I have to drive her 7 hours on the highway. I’ve read the constant highway speeds are bad during the break in period because the seals will be worse.

What the heck do I do?

Leadbull > F40LM 04/26/2015 at 23:59

4

Buy an S63 coupe.

It’s the perfect road trip car.

Nibby > F40LM 04/26/2015 at 23:59

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In 2011, my sister got a new Forester... and I forgot how, but I managed to do almost 1,000 miles in 6 days to break it in for her.

Baeromez > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 00:03

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Congrats! I’ve always been told to break an engine in under the same conditions you intend to run it, but that’s old school advice from old car guys, so IDK if I’d apply that to a new Subaru. I’d guess your best bet would be to put as many miles on it as possible before the road trip. I’m no expert on flat boxer engines but honestly I don’t see how running for extended time periods at constant, low RPM would negatively affect the engine.

cabarne4 > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 00:04

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Take that first week off work, and drive.

boxrocket > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 00:05

5

Read the manual concerning "break-in periods". Not all cars need them nowadays, as factory tolerances and computer-aided design offsets a lot of issues in the past.

If the car does need one, follow the manual's instructions, or call the dealer or manufacturer's customer service line to see what they recommend. If there isn't anything conclusive, then I recommend as much higher-speed (35-50mph) in-town driving (with stop lights/signs) with a mix of highway (several exits' worth) until you rack up 500 miles or so before your trip, then when on your trip don't use the cruise control: Stay in the right lane and alternate between near the speed limit and about 5-10mph under it every few miles. Should be random enough to minimize constant speed issues, but not so chaotic as to induce road rage in other drivers.

JDIGGS > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 00:09

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Break up your trip and stop for awhile maybe 3 times. Mainly don’t drive at the same rpm and speed continually, vary it.

AthomSfere > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 00:17

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BRZ/ FR-s break in is 1000 miles. Can you baby it around town (variable speeds) for 1000 miles in that time?

Also, congrats! Just broke 1000 miles on my FR-s last week.

1111111111111111111111 > boxrocket 04/27/2015 at 00:18

2

Listen to this guy. Then get the oil changed Before you go tripping.

Fred von Halem > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 00:32

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You have a week! Start driving. This isn’t a problem.

NonDriftingS13 > boxrocket 04/27/2015 at 00:43

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Good advice here

F40LM > boxrocket 04/27/2015 at 00:49

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I’m getting my information from Subaru forums, some reference the manual.

Break in period is 1600 km. I can maybe get 250 km in the city before the road trip. The trip back is about 730 km. If I follow your advice as well as JDIGGS who said to take a couple of stops, do you suspect I should be fine? After the road trip I do not need to be on the highway with it until after the break in period.

F40LM > 1111111111111111111111 04/27/2015 at 00:49

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Why would I need to get the oil changed so soon?

Montalvo > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 01:15

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The first few oil changes are VERY important, while the engine really shouldn’t machine itself there could still be a few things deposited in the oil since it is so new. To ensure that everything is ok it is recommended that you take a look a lot earlier. Small bits of metal can cause an entire life cycle of headaches and the oil change will tell you what its actual health is.

Frank Grimes > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 02:19

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dude you could buy like 10 crappy miatas like mine.

Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 02:31

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For my BRZ I kept it at a max of about 4k rpm and never kept a constant RPM for more than about a minute or two for the first 1000 miles then when it hit 1000 I changed the oil. So far at 30000 miles a couple track days and a healthy dose of hooning later it hasn’t had a single issue but its still probably too early to tell .

Yossarian > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 03:01

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I picked up my BRZ new and immediately drove it 900 miles back home. Just don’t use cruise control and keep the revs as low as you can and you’ll be fine. I have almost 20,000 miles on it now and it’s all good. If you want just do an oil change after you finish the drive, or right after the break in period.

F40LM > Montalvo 04/27/2015 at 03:03

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So I should do an oil change after how long?

I can do it around 120-250KM and then again around 850-950KM.

F40LM > Yossarian 04/27/2015 at 03:04

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I thought low revs were the enemy, no?

Yossarian > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 03:13

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I followed the manual, which said something around under 4500rpm. I don’t know if that’s bad for sealing the rings or not but the car is fine now.

Montalvo > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 03:32

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It really depends on the manufacturer, they all have their own rule of thumb they like to stick by so your best bet is to find out from someone educated at your dealership. You might be able to get away without doing an oil change until you get back. As long as you don’t go crazy you probably will still be fine even if you go over, I would just make sure you get it changed as soon as possible after.

F40LM > Yossarian 04/27/2015 at 03:33

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right right right, my mistake.

I’m starting to feel better about this whole thing, thank you.

pip bip - choose Corrour > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 04:05

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drive it like you stole it!

F40LM > pip bip - choose Corrour 04/27/2015 at 04:06

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Well, you’ve got an F1 logo so in the words of Clarkson: POOOOOOOWWWWEEER!

F40LM > Montalvo 04/27/2015 at 08:38

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Even dumber question while I have you. Would the filter need to be changed too, since it’s such an early change?

boxrocket > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 09:26

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Ok, so 1600km is roughly 994mi, (let's call it 1000mi), and 250km roughly 155mi.

Do as much of that 250km/155 miles beforehand as possible, and in multiple legs, that is, if you have, say, 2 days to do it, do about 75 miles, stop, take a lunch break, maybe some window shopping. Do another 75km back home. The next day, do the same thing in a different direction. Ta-da, 300km. As long as you avoid short trips where the powertrain and its fluids don't even get to a good operating temperature, you should be ok.

Around where I live (Saint Louis, MO), it's easy to rack up miles on rural back roads and just driving around the suburbs. I haven't personally bought a new car, but if I did I'd take the next few days off, and drive to some destinations outside the metropolitan area along the two-lane highways with lots of curves and hills, like out to our local wine countries to the west/northwest (Augusta, Hermann, etc.) and south (Ste. Genevieve), or go visit friends and/or family around the state but being in no hurry to get there. In essence, finding excuses for driving and enjoying the new purchase, and perhaps a smidgen of wanting to show it off. Find something like that nearby, if you can and you have the time-off luxury.

alwaysmiata > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 09:54

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I would change the filter as well, its cheap all things considered. Also you could also consider dropping it down to 5th for some 5min periods while cruising on the highway just so you don’t sit at the same rpm the whole time.

Ryan A. > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 10:59

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To summarize the manual of my FR-S: vary speeds and keep it under 4,000 RPM for the first 1,000 miles. If you’re doing that much highway driving, I’d try to see if you can find some state highways where the speed would vary. It’ll be more fun, anyways.

What does “sport tech” mean? Is that a trim level that’s similar to the FR-S?

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > F40LM 04/27/2015 at 12:52

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I followed the break in period in the manual for my FRS. Don’t use cruise control so you have some engine variation. We have magnetic drain plugs so you don’t need to change the oil asap. Probably better to change it on schedule so everything wears together

F40LM > Ryan A. 04/27/2015 at 16:06

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sport-tech is the limited edition of the brz in the states i believe

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Yossarian 04/29/2015 at 23:29

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Just out of curiosity, why avoid cruise control???

Yossarian > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/30/2015 at 04:57

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You don't want to be doing constant speeds during the break in period. Avoiding cruise control at least gives you a little bit of leeway when needing to go long distances during break in.