Hi Everybody, I'm new to this forum(been looking for long time, but never posted anything on it), and I really need your help!

I bought a Si 5 months ago and I had a problem with it..
Now Honda is replacing its Motor.. so I need some advice.. I read a lot of sites (most about bikes), about breaking-in the engine..
And most of them told me : drive it like you stole it..

But on the other hand, friends/manual tells me : noo, noo, take it easy.. go slow..
And thats what I did, with my original Engine And the car went fast, But i wasn't getting enought mpg.. like 20mpg..
So here we go:
I would like to see your opnions, and if its based in any/kind of study, or experience

So, SHOULD I DRIVE IT LIKE I STOLE IT?
or, TAKE IT EASY.. FOR THE FIRST 600 MILES?

ps: THE car has 4.500 miles on it!! Only the engine that is NEW!

 

drive it like you stole it after about 500 miles

 

I know this might sound like a complete revelation but perhaps reading the manual will answer your question. Honda has engineers and tech writers that write that manual so it's safe to say the information is somewhat true. This forum has honda mechanics not engineers, and a bunch of other people...

I'd tend to trust the manual...

 

personally... i tell everyone to break in properly....

HOWEVER...

all my personal vehicles get pushed from day 1

 

This is what I did on my civic and it runs perfectly. For the first 50 miles or so I put on it, I ran that baby hard. It helps the piston rings set properly, and once they set, you better hope they seated well. If you drive it carefully like the manual says it isnt bad for it, but the seal wont be tight and you lose some power.

After the 50miles or so, take it easy on it, let the engine break in like it should.

 

Why did you need your motor replaced?

 

what was wrong with the engine!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Type X &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">personally... i tell everyone to break in properly....

HOWEVER...

all my personal vehicles get pushed from day 1 </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hell yea. I popped the VTEC cherry leaving the dealership.

 

http://www.itrspec.com/EngineBreakIn.html

 

manual suggests 600 miles for a break in period on the motor.

what exactly did u do that would warrant a new motor with 150+- days?!?!?! u really did drive it like it was stolen. something. i mean ****, thats quick. well damn, enlighten us so we dont do it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 92TypeR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">http://www.itrspec.com/EngineBreakIn.html</TD></TR></TABLE>

I understand some of this, but not all of it.

Can someone restate what I'm supposed to do with my fresh-off-the-line '07 si, in Layman's terms? What parts of this are actually practical to the non-mechanic?

 

i didnt click on that link so i dont know what it said, but here is my .02... take it easy for the first 500 miles at least. that is the recommended time for breaking in a clutch that u put on in ur driveway right? same principle. take it easy on the motor so everything seals properly. take it to the dealer for ur first oil change when it is supposed to. its free anyway, so expletive it... let them deal with the oil filter. people will say drive it like a bat outta hell, but its all up to u. follow the manual, or follow other drivers' advice. both are right it just depends on the situation. gl with the 07 and take some pics. what color did u go with

 

Do whatever you want, but to cover your *** warranty-wise, read and follow the damn owner's manual. Why in the heck would anyone think some complete stranger, who might be clueless about evrything, would have better advice than the engineers at Honda?

Still waiting for the reason why your engine is being replaced....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Perfectionist &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do whatever you want, but to cover your *** warranty-wise, read and follow the damn owner's manual. Why in the heck would anyone think some complete stranger, who might be clueless about evrything, would have better advice than the engineers at Honda?

Still waiting for the reason why your engine is being replaced....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Roger that, and I'm still waiting for a translation of the above link for the "average guy..."

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by L-Dawg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">and I'm still waiting for a translation of the above link for the "average guy..."</TD></TR></TABLE>

Vary your RPM's (ie: if you're cruising, constantly accelerate/deccelerate)
Load the engine by staying in high gears at low speed
Keep RPM's below ~5000
Change your oil often

If that isn't straight forward enough, follow the manual

 

I've read the manual and it says break in period should be approx. 600 miles. On the other hand, I've heard from other people telling me to break in until 1000 miles. Is it necessary to do so? How many miles did it take you guys to break in the motor?

 

Just do a little bit of everything highway,city,VTEC here VTEC there just enjoy it but don't redline each gear all day until after 600 i guess.

 

i drove pretty calm and didn't go past 5k on the rpm's until mile 596... i couldn't wait the 4 miles to hit vtec for the first time.

 

i drove it pretty easy up until 500 miles. i vtec'd here and there...not much though. but imo i think you should drive it like how your gonna drive it in the long run. if you guys get what im saying haha.

 

i waited till 1000 miles till i pushed mine. and i think my gas mileage is very good, if it had anything to do with that.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 92TypeR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Vary your RPM's (ie: if you're cruising, constantly accelerate/deccelerate)
Load the engine by staying in high gears at low speed
Keep RPM's below ~5000


</TD></TR></TABLE>

ive done all these plus shifting at 3k rpm

 

Well i couldn't really tell when my motor was actually "broken in" but i would say wait about 1000 miles just to be safe.

 

The dealer told me that cars these days don't require you too keep the RPMs under a certain point. All he said was for the first 100 miles or so vary your speed. If you have to use cruise control, just keep changing it up - something about the "computer."

 

wow.. :D back from the grave.. :D
thanks
I'm driving the car like I stole it.. and its 100%..

 

...I literally saw a guy red line the crap out of his brand new Si.... 3 miles on it from the factory, driving it off the lot...... kaboom. Drive it like you stole it from yourself for a while, then maybe like your running from the cops.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 92TypeR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Vary your RPM's (ie: if you're cruising, constantly accelerate/deccelerate)
Load the engine by staying in high gears at low speed
Keep RPM's below ~5000
Change your oil often

If that isn't straight forward enough, follow the manual </TD></TR></TABLE>

Does this help break-in the clutch also? Breaking in a brand new car (or a rebuilt engine and replaced clutch) by ripping it from day one would shorten the life of the clutch, and possibly transmission and brakes right?