RNS-11Z

Hi Guys

Im a new c63 owner.

How did you guys run in your c63? did you all actually not floor it so it doesnt kick down, not go over 4500rpm for 1000miles and not go over 85mph?

thanks

h

GMW

Welcome and congrats on one of the greatest vehicle purchases of the decade!

People on here have all kinds of beliefs but I'm really trying to follow the break-in procedure, so that the engine, gearbox, brakes and rear axle can bond in long lasting harmony.

I've noticed that in the C transmission mode, if you keep your foot down (though not past kickdown) it will shift around 5000rpm+. Now if I'm overtaking some cars on a 2 lane road there's no way I will let go early until I finish the overtaking maneuver. So that's my main deviation from the break-in guideline, though I rarely do that.

One friendly piece of advice, stay away from S-mode on the transmission till you finish your break-in......it's like a drug

mthis

Do what ever u want. You GANNA treat it bad one day anyway so heck with it y wait



That's just me

Merc63

Drive it like you stole it. You got warranty.

Danny_Boy

My tech told me to drive it hard, not to worry about it but on the freeway no to ride the rpm's constant while going over 70; his example was don't go 80 in 4th at 3500 rpm, for 30 min (obviously in M mode). Slow down, speed up, change gears.

Untertürkheim

Follow the procedure and be gentile on the car. Also, the break-in period does not just end at whatever number of miles or kilometers. The best way is at the end of the break in, slowly begin pushing the car harder and harder for the same period of time (500 mile break in, next 500 miles gradually increasing output).

All the parts are too new to be driven hard in the beginning, once everything breaks in and meshes, the car will be able to handle much more.

RNS-11Z

thanks for your input guys. A few different views. So far i havent taken it over 4500rpm. I havent been over 85miles either yet. Ive only done 300kms. I have been driving it in all modes and trying to make the revs move as much as possible

norb

Follow the Factory Supplied Owner's Manual.

Quadcammer

'

Please explain what "breaks in"?

Please explain how things will be more liable to break at higher revs (under rev limiter) and larger throttle openings?

do you think the guy who took the car off the truck followed these instructions?

not a chance. he was wot in reverse off that truck.

This is not 1963, these engines can go WOT at redline from mile one.

While I would treat the transmission more gently (i.e. don't nail it from a stop), I would give NO thought to engine break in whatsoever.

Quadcammer

some food for thought
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

tyanger

How do you break in the rear tires properly? I think I didn't do it right - they're bald at 2900 miles. I'm getting a new pair tomorrow - any suggestions? (j/k although I do need new rears already)

Merc63

Exactly, the specs on engines these days are so tight and bang on. They are pretty much broken in within the first couple hours of running. The factory is gonna run them in to see if the bearings are set, etc. Just drive the damn thing.

If anything run it for 50miles and change the oil would be the best thing for it.

norb

Or you could follow MERCEDES BENZ'S OFFICIALLY ENDORSED procedure.

Untertürkheim

Things that break in/seat/mesh/seal are not only a result of running over milage and time, but also temperature. It takes many heating and cooling cycles to have all the parts reach their proper tolerances within the engine, transmision, drivetrain, steering, and chassis. Internal engine seals are still soft and surfaces (i.e. gaskets) need to mate properly under the lightest possible loads.

There are so many different components that have very different thermal properties, not to mention the many seals and chassis parts that need time to "cure" for lack of a better word.

This may not be 1963, but thermodynamics have not changes.

Quadcammer

break in is essentially limited to the piston rings. Everything else is machine prior to running the engine. Seat? like what? Mesh? again, like what? While some parts may get some additional deburring, that will happen very quickly, and will occur at no throttle opening or max load. Seal? like what.

Heat cycling is not going to alter any tolerances, or else they would be screwed from day one. No race team goes out and does 500 miles for break in, yet their engines don't seem to have tolerance issues.

Internal engine seals are made from a variety of materials, but most do not require time or mileage to seal properly. If you were talking about cork gaskets or something, I could buy it, but if you've ever seen seals/gaskets on MB engines, you know that they are very sturdy. That said, if you change valve seals, you aren't going to "re break in" the engine.

Transmission I can agree due to the friction material.
drivetrain, less so.
steering, can't say I agree there
Chassis? I hope not. If things are moving around there I would be upset.

Quadcammer

we've been through this, and you were not able to show any evidence that a hard break in is in any way damaging.

Engines that are loaded up hard from day one generally have lower leakdown figures, and more power.

Why give up free horsepower?

Hans Delbruck

Race teams also rebuild their engines often. They log time in hours, not miles covered. F1 engines can barely make 2 races without blowing. I have a "race car" in the family and its engine is rebuilt every 45 hours. Race teams do not visit the dealer for warranty service either. We're talking about two completely different scenarios so anytime someone says "race engines aren't broken in, they just go...." well, LOL, don't kid yourself. This is still a street car with a warranty and the expectations that go along with it.

Keep in mind you have an ECU that records everything. If you have serious issues with your car, MB can plug in and find out whether you were redlining constantly during the first 1000 miles. In my OPINION, just stay within the RPM guidelines as much as you can. Make sure the engine experiences a variety of conditions. When you have open road, run it through each gear up to 4500rpm and back off the gas and let the rpm's fall on their own, down to 2000rpm or so and repeat. You may have to use the paddles to do this. You should put a few miles on the car before you start doing this... be gentle for at least the first 150 miles.

Above all, just make sure the engine is warm (the oil temp stops flashing) before you drive hard. And if you run into an M3, make a mistake and floor it and exceed 4500 rpm, it's not going to ruin the car. I certainly exceeded 4500 rpm a few times during break-in. My car is running great and I feel it's getting stronger as the miles go on. Enjoy your new car.

RNS-11Z

what does it mean when the dash flashes red??

Hans Delbruck

Sounds like you are in manual mode. That is the "upshift" light. The gauge flashes red just before you hit redline. LOL. How many miles on your car?

LZH

LOL - c'mon dude...regarding break in. One question. Did you lease it or buy it? The answer should be apparent. Personally, I took my 63 to the track with 800 miles on it.

RNS-11Z

I own the vehicle??

norb

BS! Can you prove that? Did you do some scientific dyno of a baseline HP? You're so full of crap, that's great that you have an opinion but you yourself can't back any of it up so.

Eurosport

yawn

Merc63

I love this topic.

Speaking from a point of view of someone who actually worked in an engine shop taking apart stock engines, race engines, boat engines, diesel etc. Break in for any engine was done in the first few hours of running, then changing the oil. You want to put load on the engine to seat the rings against the cylinder wall.

The only time we got engines back because of failure was because the crank bearings spun.

LZH

Ugh...I knew it was gonna go there...

rings in these motors are not fully seated for thousandes of miles. Shet, the rings in my 993 turbo were not seated at 8k miles. Drive the **** out of it and check the oil once a week for the first 1k miles. I like to change the oil on a new motor every 500 miles until 1500 miles. FWII, the factory break in procedure for most of the 63 cars is for drivetrain, specifically the rear end etc...