At 04:02 PM 5/15/2001 -0500, knuckledragger@kcweb.net wrote:
>Jim Crider, or anyone else who works at Chrysler or any other small car
>manufacturer, I've got a request of you.
>
>Could you find out for me how the factory breaks-in brand new engines,
>especially small ones like is in my Neon. I know you're supposed to take it
>easy on them for the first 500 or so miles while the rings seat and
>everything "mates" to the next part but I'm assuming that the factory
>has
>already run the engines for a while after assembly to break them in.
Easy? You're supposed to take it easy? After our Miata suffered
catastrophic crankshaft failure in 1999 I put in a new long block from
Mazda Competition Parts and told the wife:"Don't drive it below 3,000 rpm
and try to keep it around 4 to 5K." Now it has 5,000 mostly street driven
miles on it and has had Mobil 1 since 100 miles. Rob Ebersol, who has been
racing MIatas for years says that street driving is the best way to break
in a new engine. The thing to avoid is running at high rpm for extended
lengths of time so don't use the cruise control on the way back to KC.
>Since my new, again, engine is almost ready for me out in Salina, some 195
>miles away from my home, I'd like to make sure it's properly broken in
>somewhat before I drive it home so I don't get stranded at about the 100
>mile mark. :^\
>
>I already asked the service manager to drive it around Salina a bit to break
>it in some, but............
Uh, oh........
________________
Gary Spray
Topeka, Kansas
White 1990 Mazda Miata
Kansas Region SCCA - Solo 2
#16 CS (or 19, or 61, or 91, or 1, or 6, or 9; only got two numbers)
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