The manual says that I should not drive the car at a constant speed for too long during the break-in period. The problem is, my commute is about 60% highway driving where it is almost impossible to vary the speed too much. The maximum that I can do is vary the speed between 50-70, but I don't even want to go too fast in the break-in period. Any advice? My highway time is about 30-35 minutes each way. Any other tricks I can do to avoid being at a constant speed?

 

Go 50, but switch between 4th and 5th gear from time to time. 30 minutes is not "too long". Hours and hours at constant RPMs is "too long".

 

Why would the manual say not to drive at a constant Speed. Which i assume is more importantly not at a constant RPM. But my question is what is wrong with running the motor at the same RPM for too long? Especially if you are not reaching the higher RPM then what kind of damage could it do to drive it at a constant RPM?

 

with a new engine you are wanting to "train" the computers and tranny, changing the RPMs and speeds will give it more flexibility. It really isn't so tough. If you are on the highway a long time, just slow a bit and speed up a bit from time to time. You just want the RPMs moving around instead of fixed for the first 1000 miles.

 

The computers can be reset any time just by disconnecting the battery anyways right? As far as the tranny goes perhaps you're right. I was just wondering cause when i first got my car the first 600 miles were city so its not that big a deal but then i drove it up to seattle and that was like 1200 miles and i didn't really vary with the RPMs. I just tried to keep them low while maintaining a decent speed.

 

its not for the computer, at least not ONLY. its so the engine/gears/etc works through the entire RPM range, not just a small portion of it. imagine you walk through a field of grass everytday, and you take the same path everytime, that same path will eventually wear away. thats the best analogy i can make.

but do what zoltiz said. you can even go to 3rd if you'd like. just make sure you dont hold your rpms constant. during break-in, its rpms that are more important, not speed. (then one can get into a huge debate whether break ins are needed anymore, which is a whole other debate in itself).

 

Ok, so what would happen if you didn't break it in properly? Like you stayed at the same rpm for the first 1k miles or more. Just a question because I don't know what would happen Oh and I didn't do that, I switched it up so no worries.

 

That remark reminds me of the time my parents let me stay home from school because I was sick. It almost worked, too, until I asked my dad what would happen if someone took aspirin when they really weren't sick....

 

It's a weekend - take a long trip on country roads and put some miles on it before the work week starts again. They really want you to vary the throttle more than anything else so don't set the cruise control on - work the throttle and the VVTi a little or else it may lock up. Do some long steep hills with engine braking too and don't use too much throttle or rev it up too much for the first 600-1000 miles. It you break it in properly the engine will use less oil and give better gas mileage.

 

I've been doing 4th and 5th gear intermittently for the highway stretch. It's hard to be in the 4th gear without getting the revs too high. Doing 3rd on NJ Turnpike would be crazy -- the SUVs would just eat me alive.

I hope I can get out over the weekend and play around with the car a little.