Break In Advice....Please

[Maz]

I'll be picking up a new leftover 2009 Runner is a couple of days here. I have a question regarding the best results for breaking in the engine / transmission, and also the operational parts for the 4X4. This forum has many people who've broken in not just one, even multiple 4Runners. Of course I'll check what the manual says on this subject, but frankly I'm more interested in hearing what your experiences are on the subject.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Uneek]

I kept my revs around 2000-2500 for the first 500 or so miles, occassional 3000 RPMs thereafter until 1200 miles. Easy acceleration and braking, no towing. The majority of the time it was just me in the car.

I did an oil change at 1200 miles but left the original filter until 3000 miles. The filter should be a 90915-20004, which is a superior OEM (Denso from Japan) filter. That filter is harder to find here in the States and most of the time it's a special order from the dealer. The more common filter sold by dealers here is the 90915-YZZD3.

For 4WD, if it's a V6, you're suppose to drive it in 4WD for 10 miles every month. What the manual doesn't tell you and most have discovered for both the V6 and V8, cycle it to 4lo (4L on the dial) as well to keep the actuator from seizing up.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

I kept my revs around 2000-2500 for the first 500 or so miles, occassional 3000 RPMs thereafter until 1200 miles. Easy acceleration and braking, no towing. The majority of the time it was just me in the car.

I did an oil change at 1200 miles but left the original filter until 3000 miles. The filter should be a 90915-20004, which is a superior OEM (Denso from Japan) filter. That filter is harder to find here in the States and most of the time it's a special order from the dealer. The more common filter sold by dealers here is the 90915-YZZD3.

For 4WD, if it's a V6, you're suppose to drive it in 4WD for 10 miles every month. What the manual doesn't tell you and most have discovered for both the V6 and V8, cycle it to 4lo (4L on the dial) as well to keep the actuator from seizing up.

:iagree:

I use 1500miles then 5000miles for the 1st two oil changes. Then you end up changing the oil early 2x on the new engine and you stay on the regular Toyota 5k schedule. If you are a synthetic oil guy I'd wait until 10k. Many 4.0L owners report improving power and mpg through as high as 8000miles. To me that means it's still 'breaking in'. I prefer pure dino oil for break in, that's just me. (Yes, I know, many vehicles factory fill Mobil1 and other synthetics.)

I also like to avoid towing prior to 5000 miles (or at least 3k). Finally I like to do the first axle fluid change, especially the rear axle, at 5k or 10k and then normal intervals after that.

 

[Falls]

I would follow what CJ said as far as oil changes.

As for the rest of it drive it the way you normally would , just be smart and logical. Break in periods are not in the old days .

I was off roading the first day , putting bigger tires on the second day and off roading again , left for a short road trip a few days later. .... no worries .

 

[MikesToy]

They still have 2009s left around? Hope it wasn't parked in the dealership all year. I had my first oil change @ 1000 miles. Then @ 5K (4K later). Then every 5K. First 1K, never went over 50mph. Stayed away as much i could from short trips. Next 4K (after my first oil change), i went up 55, 60, 65, and 70mph 'til i hit 5K freeway miles. After my 2d oil change (@5k), I'm like "Bring it on". :cheers:

 

[Maz]

Thanks to everyone for your responses....it seems we have a somewhat varying group of opinions. It going to be very, very hard, but I am going to at least try and keep the speed down for the first few hundred miles. Alternating the RPM's will be easy.

I have a couple of questions, with apologies for probably sounding rather uninformed. What is the purpose for doing the different speeds and driving easy in the beginning? My brother said something about helping seat the valves, but I really don't know what that means. Secondly for CJ, can you expand a little on synthetic oil, what are the advantages?

Uneek thanks for the tip on the 4Lo / 4 Hi use once a month, and especially the advice on the oil filter #90915-20004. What exactly makes it superior? Mike this was a very late manufacture vehicle. It was only delivered to the Toyota dealer less than four months ago.

 

[MikesToy]

What is the purpose for doing the different speeds and driving easy in the beginning?

I put it this way. It's like having brand new shoes on.

 

[RIrunner]

I drove my cars no different the day I got them as the day I got rid of them.

4 new cars 0 issues.

IMO dont get to worked up over it.

An 01 S4 BiTurbo V6 is about as fragile as they come. I picked mine up with 16 miles on it and hit 90 MPH on the way home. Had it chipped/exhaust around 3k miles. Car currently has well over 100k miles runs like new.

Same could be said about the 1.8t GTI and 99 TDI Jetta my wife owned as well as the 02 WRX I had.

 

[KB084RUNNER]

My break in for all SUV 4x4 vehicles: First 5000 miles:

1. Drive easy for first 500 miles/(no towing) to break in differentials. Allowing diffs to cool down in between 30 minute runs is best
2. Bed in brake pads by doing 20-30 long slow downs from 40mph to 5 mph with 1 mile of driving in between to cool rotors.
3. Cycle 4hi and 4 lo on tcase and use locker in 4hi 10-20 times in first 500 miles.
4. Change engine oil & filter at 1,000 miles ( I use Pennzoil Platinum 5w30)
5 Change diff oils & tcase oils at 3,000 miles (I use mobil1 75w90LS in all 3)
6. Change engine oil & filter at 5,000 miles

You are ready to go.

 

[KB084RUNNER]

I drove my cars no different the day I got them as the day I got rid of them.

4 new cars 0 issues.

IMO dont get to worked up over it.

An 01 S4 BiTurbo V6 is about as fragile as they come. I picked mine up with 16 miles on it and hit 90 MPH on the way home. Had it chipped/exhaust around 3k miles. Car currently has well over 100k miles runs like new.

Same could be said about the 1.8t GTI and 99 TDI Jetta my wife owned as well as the 02 WRX I had.

Are those AWD or 4WD?

 

[RIrunner]

Are those AWD or 4WD?

The S4? awd.

 

[Uneek]

I have a couple of questions, with apologies for probably sounding rather uninformed. What is the purpose for doing the different speeds and driving easy in the beginning? My brother said something about helping seat the valves, but I really don't know what that means. Secondly for CJ, can you expand a little on synthetic oil, what are the advantages?

Uneek thanks for the tip on the 4Lo / 4 Hi use once a month, and especially the advice on the oil filter #90915-20004. What exactly makes it superior?

The cylinder bore wall honings--basically a very fine filing, which has microscopic peaks and valleys. The objective is to get the piston rings to wear and seat properly with the honings, for the two surfaces to "mate". Hard pulls, high RPMs, etc. can cause gouging in the honing resulting in improper seating of the rings. I do an oil early on to get rid of the metal shavings in the oil.

There are some as well as a high performance (IIRC motorcycle) engine builder that says to hit redline as much as possible for the first few minutes because there is a very small window to seat the piston rings with the honing.

My argument against that and support going easy on the engine is if running hard is better, then Toyota would recommend driving it like you stole it rather than go easy for break-in procedures right?

The 90915-20004 filter has a much more dense filtering element than the 90915-YZZD3 and it's varients. Here's a link that shows the disection of a 20004 filter. Notice how the element is different. http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/parts/toyota_filter/

 

[RIrunner]

My argument against that and support going easy on the engine is if running hard is better, then Toyota would recommend driving it like you stole it rather than go easy for break-in procedures right?

I dont think a car company can recomend you break the law in order to break you car in.

However why wouldnt Toyota recommend changing the oil at 1k miles and other fluids early if it was necessary?

Unless there is something in the actual manuals?

Toyota Parts and Service

 

[scottm]

Break-in used to be much more important for new shoes and new cars. Engines today are built more precisely than the first space shuttles. There are very few rough spots on any wear surfaces, and cylinder walls and piston rings are very consistent and precise. Many parts are so precise they're tighter than usual, and they'll wear a little more than normal, creating a bit more fine particulate in the oil and a bit more heat. I'd drive conservatively for the first 100 miles or so, and do extra oil and filter changes, but I'm excessive about stuff like that.

 

[Uneek]

I dont think a car company can recomend you break the law in order to break you car in.

However why wouldnt Toyota recommend changing the oil at 1k miles and other fluids early if it was necessary?

Unless there is something in the actual manuals?

Toyota Parts and Service

You misterpreted what I wrote.

Driving it like you stole it, doesn't mean doing a 100mph in a residential neighborhood, or violating/breaking any laws, etc. I can beat the snot of a car without breaking the law, i.e. hard launches from a stand still, hard braking setting off the ABS, etc. I never said, suggested or remotely hinted that a manufacturer will recommend its customer, user of its products to break the law. And for the record, just about all manufacturers asks users and owners to follow the law and regulations when using their products.

This the break-in procedure that some swear by, Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power. What I'm saying is if URL is the preferred way to break in an engine, then wouldn't the engine manufacturer recommend that procedure.

Changing the fluids early is personal preference to flush out any contaminants. Some manufactures, IIRC, like Honda does not recommend early fluid changes because they use a special break-in agent/additive in their engines and want that kept in the engine for the first few thousand miles. Toyota does not recommend against an early oil change.

The bottom line is: Toyota does recommend going easy on the engine for break-in and that's outlined in the manual.

Another member says he or she doesn't do the whole breaking in thing and they drive the vehicle the same way they do off the dealer lot as the day they part with it. So, I brought up that there are some (in the URL above) suggest other break in methods.

What else you choose to do is extra and if it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling then go for it. The manual doesn't say anything about going to synthetic oil either, yet a lot of owners use synthetic. The OP asked for recommendations, I stated what I did and why along with presenting the other side of the coin.

 

[G.I.G.]

Break-in used to be much more important for new shoes and new cars. Engines today are built more precisely than the first space shuttles....

Exactly. I think a lot of people over think new car and engine break in. Everyone hears different ways to break in cars and engines from their old high school auto shop teachers, dad's, neighbors, grandpa's, etc. and really most of it is old fashioned advice that doesn't apply anymore. New cars, especially their engines and drive lines, are manufactured under very precise specifications. The need to jump through all the hoops that people tell you that you have to do are not only unnecessary, but probably put premature wear and tear on the vehicle. Just follow the owner's manual which basically says to drive it normal, don't take any extended trips at the same RPM for the first 500 miles, don't tow for the first 500 miles, and go easy on the breaks for the first couple hundred miles. The owner's manual does NOT call for an oil change before 5k miles so save your money. I did my first oil change at 5k and the oil hardly looked used. No metalic build up on the drail plug either. I now have over 40k miles on my '07 4R and it drives like they day I drove it off the lot. Just take 'er easy for the first few hundred miles and enjoy!

 

[Merle]

Personally, I drive it nicely for the first 500. RPM's stay below 4000 and I don't pay attention to that link on how to break in motorcycle engines.

I did the following...

At 500, change the oil (dino) and filter and drive it normally. Change the oil again at 2500 miles (dino again) and continue to drive it normally).

At 5000, change the oil (synthetic), filter (Wal-Mart), 4WD transaxle & diff fluids to synthetic.

Lube the yokes and everything's been fine since.

 

[RIrunner]

When I worked for VW the 2.0 4cyl motors were consuming a lot of oil. So much so that VW started replacing them.

After we installed the new motors we basically took the cars out held them in 3rd gear and beat the crap out of them. We never saw those cars again for engine problems. I mean electrical problems sure because hey its a VW. But no engine issues. No extra oil consumption.

I guess what I am going for is actual evidence. I have an open mind and if another way works better I am all for it.

Has anyone who ever did an oil change at 1k miles or 2500 miles sent it out and had it analyzed? Is it really full of "metal shaving" or anything that would be cause for concern?

 

[Uneek]

Has anyone who ever did an oil change at 1k miles or 2500 miles sent it out and had it analyzed? Is it really full of "metal shaving" or anything that would be cause for concern?

I didn't send my oil out. But there was a decent amount of metal shavings at the first OCI at 1200 miles, a lot less with the second at 3000 miles. By the third and subsequent OCI's, they look more or less the same with very little to no shavings.

 

[Vanuatoo]

In my country there is only one toyota certified dealership and their policy is to change first oil on 1000km (~600 miles) and it's free and then after every 5000km (~3100 miles). They use imported oil from Japan.