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Should i follow the mercedes break-in method or not?

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Old 07-25-2009, 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by DFW01E55
No, he was dead serious.


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Old 07-25-2009, 08:57 AM
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I've broken my last few cars in with the mototune process. It has resulted in a number of strong running cars with no noticeable oil burning (even in the oil sucking e46 M3).

If a hard but meticulous break in causes a better ring seal, then you could argue that its better for engine longevity.

I view it like this:

If its gonna break with higher load/revs, its gonna break at light load/low revs as well.

Keep in mind that the mototune model is not "beating the snot out of it" or "abusing it".

Its methodical, and it makes sense.

The race car argument is interesting, but ultimately lacks merit. A race car engine is rebuilt often because they use parts, tolerances, and fluids that are designed for maximum power for the length of the race. The break in has nothing to do with it.


Tell me this:

What problems do you think a hard break in would cause?

Last edited by Quadcammer; 07-25-2009 at 09:00 AM.
Old 07-25-2009, 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Oliverk
I've broken my last few cars in with the mototune process. It has resulted in a number of strong running cars with no noticeable oil burning (even in the oil sucking e46 M3).

If a hard but meticulous break in causes a better ring seal, then you could argue that its better for engine longevity.

I view it like this:

If its gonna break with higher load/revs, its gonna break at light load/low revs as well.

Keep in mind that the mototune model is not "beating the snot out of it" or "abusing it".

Its methodical, and it makes sense.

The race car argument is interesting, but ultimately lacks merit. A race car engine is rebuilt often because they use parts, tolerances, and fluids that are designed for maximum power for the length of the race. The break in has nothing to do with it.


Tell me this:

What problems do you think a hard break in would cause?
And what is the problem with doing what the official factory procedure says, so important that they put a sticker in the line of sight of the driver? They engineered and built the engine, they probably know it better than some internet hearsay.
Old 07-25-2009, 01:11 PM
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nothing...if you want more blowby and less power.
Old 07-25-2009, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Oliverk
nothing...if you want more blowby and less power.
Prove it with hard data, not internet mumbo jumbo. You can't.
Old 07-25-2009, 03:20 PM
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This will add to the debate, from the Corvette world. This guy should know what he's talking about...

OK, so it runs--good work! But your big-cube engine isn't quite ready to impress your buddies on joy rides, much less hit the local drag strip--and we're not just talking about making sure the tune is dialed-in (more on that momentarily). Anyone who knows the least bit about automobiles has heard the shpiel that new engines need to be "broken in." Going through this procedure ensures optimum power output and long component life, but what exactly is going on here, and what's important to know for the Gen III?

During the first several hundred miles of operation, the metal parts of the engine "mate" to each other. While advances in technology mean that engine parts are manufactured to more exacting tolerances than ever before, the microscopic uniqueness of any one piece of metal that comes off of the assembly line or out of a machinist's cylinder honing machine continues to endure. Think of this mating like the last step in machining: all surfaces that contact one another "wear" or "finish" each other to the point they'll operate at for the rest of the life of the engine. We want this initial wear-in to occur, but if we try to get it to happen too fast, the engine parts will instead wear out prematurely.As far as GM small-block engines go, allowing flat-tappet lifters to properly mate with the camshaft lobes was a huge concern back in the day. This necessitated special lubricants, and also required the engine to be spun above a minimum rpm for the moments following initial start up. Happily, those days are ancient history, and thanks in part to this advance, no elaborate, "ceremonial" break-in is required for an LS1-based engine. But our beloved V-8s still have important parts like bearings--and most significantly, piston rings--that require a wear-in period to operate properly.

So, how to go about this? We spoke to Mark Chacon, Lunati's East Coast Regional Rep., about his thoughts on this issue. "As motors are breaking in, and in regards to piston ring seal, they want a constantly changing engine rpm environment. This is why city driving is generally the optimal condition for any motor break-in. The worst thing that you can do with a new engine is to put it together, fire it up, and then head down the interstate with the cruise control on. While a little bit of freeway driving is OK, certainly for the first 500 to 1,000 miles I would try to avoid long trips or periods where you're operating at a constant engine speed," says Chacon.

OK, so staying at any one engine speed is bad, but this isn't to say you can go take your new engine to six grand the first time out. On the contrary, restraint must be used to keep engine speeds and loads reasonably in check. "Don't go out there and just hammer through the gears all the time; you need to be a little more conservative about how you drive the vehicle. A varied range of rpm usage, combined with keeping it easy on the motor, allows the face on the ring to do a better job of seating to the cylinder wall," says Chacon.

The type of fluid used during break-in is also important. You may have heard that synthetics are "too good" to use during the first miles on a new engine, and this is true. The main reason for this is the piston rings, which as we have said need time to seat to the cylinder walls properly; if they don't, horsepower and efficiency will be left on the table thanks to reduced cylinder pressures. Mark Chacon elaborates: "The ring face must have ample time to break in to the cylinder wall finish, and running a conventional oil for the first 1,500 miles or so will aid this. Ring seal needs to be firmly established before synthetic is introduced into the motor, and one of the reasons the factory LS1 has such a heck of a time with ring seal to begin with, in my view, is that many come from the factory with synthetic oil in them. Once you put synthetic in, what you've got is what you've got, and the rings may never really wear to the cylinder walls. Of course, feel free to eventually switch to synthetic because of its better properties, but make sure the rings have seated fully first; short of using a cylinder leakdown tester, mileage accumulation is the only way to tell whether this has occurred."

As engine parts wear in, more small metal particles are being cast off into the engine oil than would usually be expected. Therefore, keeping the engine oil clean during the break-in period is essential. In furtherance of this, be sure to use a high quality, high capacity filter that can capture very fine particles. As to fluid change intervals, a good rule of thumb from Lunati is to drop the oil after 100 miles to get the initial bearing cast-off material out of the system. Then, change the oil after 500 miles, and again after 1,500 miles have accumulated, from which point forward you can follow manufacturer-recommended change intervals and swap to synthetic oil if desired.Stick to these simple driving and engine oil maintenance tips during the break-in period, and you will help your stroked LS1 live a long, happy life under your GM performance car's hood.
Old 07-25-2009, 03:41 PM
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This should be made into a sticky.

How about it, Mods?

Originally Posted by Even Money
This will add to the debate, from the Corvette world. This guy should know what he's talking about...

OK, so it runs--good work! But your big-cube engine isn't quite ready to impress your buddies on joy rides, much less hit the local drag strip--and we're not just talking about making sure the tune is dialed-in (more on that momentarily). Anyone who knows the least bit about automobiles has heard the shpiel that new engines need to be "broken in." Going through this procedure ensures optimum power output and long component life, but what exactly is going on here, and what's important to know for the Gen III?

During the first several hundred miles of operation, the metal parts of the engine "mate" to each other. While advances in technology mean that engine parts are manufactured to more exacting tolerances than ever before, the microscopic uniqueness of any one piece of metal that comes off of the assembly line or out of a machinist's cylinder honing machine continues to endure. Think of this mating like the last step in machining: all surfaces that contact one another "wear" or "finish" each other to the point they'll operate at for the rest of the life of the engine. We want this initial wear-in to occur, but if we try to get it to happen too fast, the engine parts will instead wear out prematurely.As far as GM small-block engines go, allowing flat-tappet lifters to properly mate with the camshaft lobes was a huge concern back in the day. This necessitated special lubricants, and also required the engine to be spun above a minimum rpm for the moments following initial start up. Happily, those days are ancient history, and thanks in part to this advance, no elaborate, "ceremonial" break-in is required for an LS1-based engine. But our beloved V-8s still have important parts like bearings--and most significantly, piston rings--that require a wear-in period to operate properly.

So, how to go about this? We spoke to Mark Chacon, Lunati's East Coast Regional Rep., about his thoughts on this issue. "As motors are breaking in, and in regards to piston ring seal, they want a constantly changing engine rpm environment. This is why city driving is generally the optimal condition for any motor break-in. The worst thing that you can do with a new engine is to put it together, fire it up, and then head down the interstate with the cruise control on. While a little bit of freeway driving is OK, certainly for the first 500 to 1,000 miles I would try to avoid long trips or periods where you're operating at a constant engine speed," says Chacon.

OK, so staying at any one engine speed is bad, but this isn't to say you can go take your new engine to six grand the first time out. On the contrary, restraint must be used to keep engine speeds and loads reasonably in check. "Don't go out there and just hammer through the gears all the time; you need to be a little more conservative about how you drive the vehicle. A varied range of rpm usage, combined with keeping it easy on the motor, allows the face on the ring to do a better job of seating to the cylinder wall," says Chacon.

The type of fluid used during break-in is also important. You may have heard that synthetics are "too good" to use during the first miles on a new engine, and this is true. The main reason for this is the piston rings, which as we have said need time to seat to the cylinder walls properly; if they don't, horsepower and efficiency will be left on the table thanks to reduced cylinder pressures. Mark Chacon elaborates: "The ring face must have ample time to break in to the cylinder wall finish, and running a conventional oil for the first 1,500 miles or so will aid this. Ring seal needs to be firmly established before synthetic is introduced into the motor, and one of the reasons the factory LS1 has such a heck of a time with ring seal to begin with, in my view, is that many come from the factory with synthetic oil in them. Once you put synthetic in, what you've got is what you've got, and the rings may never really wear to the cylinder walls. Of course, feel free to eventually switch to synthetic because of its better properties, but make sure the rings have seated fully first; short of using a cylinder leakdown tester, mileage accumulation is the only way to tell whether this has occurred."

As engine parts wear in, more small metal particles are being cast off into the engine oil than would usually be expected. Therefore, keeping the engine oil clean during the break-in period is essential. In furtherance of this, be sure to use a high quality, high capacity filter that can capture very fine particles. As to fluid change intervals, a good rule of thumb from Lunati is to drop the oil after 100 miles to get the initial bearing cast-off material out of the system. Then, change the oil after 500 miles, and again after 1,500 miles have accumulated, from which point forward you can follow manufacturer-recommended change intervals and swap to synthetic oil if desired.Stick to these simple driving and engine oil maintenance tips during the break-in period, and you will help your stroked LS1 live a long, happy life under your GM performance car's hood.
Old 07-25-2009, 03:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Even Money
A varied range of rpm usage, combined with keeping it easy on the motor, allows the face on the ring to do a better job of seating to the cylinder wall," says Chacon.
gee, not even a hint of a reason why.
Old 07-25-2009, 03:53 PM
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Originally Posted by norb
Prove it with hard data, not internet mumbo jumbo. You can't.
What kind of proof would you like? A study from MIT? Obviously internet mumbo jumbo won't count. Then again, whose to decide whats mumbo jumbo? You choose to ignore the information provided by the mototune website.
Old 07-25-2009, 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Oliverk
What kind of proof would you like? A study from MIT? Obviously internet mumbo jumbo won't count. Then again, whose to decide whats mumbo jumbo? You choose to ignore the information provided by the mototune website.
Internet mumbo jumbo as opposed to the WRITTEN manual you get when you buy your car. Duh. And the mototune website, is not from AMG, is it? Then how does it relate to our hand built AMG engines? Thus its mumbo jumbo.
Old 07-25-2009, 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Oliverk
What kind of proof would you like? A study from MIT? Obviously internet mumbo jumbo won't count. Then again, whose to decide whats mumbo jumbo? You choose to ignore the information provided by the mototune website.
Your kidding right? The bottom of the site has a link to Budweiser Beer and has a banner ad for mototune with a girl in a bikini......

The site screams credibility to me!
Old 07-25-2009, 05:36 PM
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He's an independent guy not in the pocket of any manufacturer. He's not a corporation, and he doesn't make money from the information on the site.

If you don't think he has any credibility, fine, but there is a reason why his website is known around the web.
Old 07-25-2009, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by norb
Internet mumbo jumbo as opposed to the WRITTEN manual you get when you buy your car. Duh. And the mototune website, is not from AMG, is it? Then how does it relate to our hand built AMG engines? Thus its mumbo jumbo.
what the hell do you think happens in the AMG factory? Hand built? who cares. AMG motor? who cares. Its an internal combustion V8. There is nothing special about it or its assembly.

Tell me this: how do you know that section of the manual was written by an engineer and not a lawyer?
Old 07-25-2009, 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by norb
And what is the problem with doing what the official factory procedure says, so important that they put a sticker in the line of sight of the driver? They engineered and built the engine, they probably know it better than some internet hearsay.

X2


Its pure speculation by people like Oliverk vs the advice of people who actually hand built the engine. Take your pick on who's advice to follow.
Old 07-25-2009, 06:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Oliverk
What kind of proof would you like? A study from MIT? Obviously internet mumbo jumbo won't count. Then again, whose to decide whats mumbo jumbo? You choose to ignore the information provided by the mototune website.


Just cut it... you know you can't provide the slightest proof. What is your opinion other than PURE speculation?
Old 07-25-2009, 06:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Oliverk
what the hell do you think happens in the AMG factory? Hand built? who cares. AMG motor? who cares. Its an internal combustion V8. There is nothing special about it or its assembly.

Tell me this: how do you know that section of the manual was written by an engineer and not a lawyer?

It matters what AMG recommends because they have MUCH MORE knowledge about this engine/motor/break-in process than some wanabe internet mechanical engineering genius like yourself.

I highly doubt that section of the manual was written by a lawyer and if you suggest stupid points like this, thats all the more reason nobody should listen to your advice.
Old 07-25-2009, 06:38 PM
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Engine break in: it's serious business.
Old 07-25-2009, 07:01 PM
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Wow!!! Its been over a year since this topic was thrashed about on MBWorld.

Topic really has been beaten to death on this forum....

Re post from last year....;

Just my two cents, but my first MOD on my C55 and C63 was to remove that "Break-in" window sticker!!

Mercedes and AMG program the ECU to be very forgiving with high tolerence for average drivers. ie: a non enthusiast that might not follow service schedules, might use low grade fuel and otherwise not take good care of the vehicle. This is why companies like Kleemann and Renntech can squeeze extra HP by chipping alone.

This also relates to the easy break-in outlined in the user manual. this breaks in the motor in a way that if the service schedule is not followed, poor grade fuel used or general abuse, there are pre existing tolerences in place to protect the motor.

"Spare the rod and spoil the child"

If you are an enthusiast, drive as you would normally right from the start. The first 40 Klm are the most important. Hard, steady acceleration in second and third gears to a high rev (5 to 6K RPM repeatedly) is critical to seat the piston rings solidly.

It is VERY important to let the engine warm to full operating temp and then run the first few minutes at moderate loads as to let the tranny fluid temp to catch up as well. The tranny needs to seat and seal over the first 1000 miles/1600 km. This will produce a smooth, responsive and very tight engine that will stay that way. Still follow the recommended scheduled first oil/filter change and away you go.....

I'm not saying to go racing the first weekend but if you drive hard and smoothly through the gears right out of the gate you can expect to maintain top torque and HP numbers for the life of the engine. Follow the "recommended" break in and expect a 10 to 15 HP drop and for sure, lots of "cylinder blow by" in the years to come.

I have been breaking in engines (both high performance and stock) this way for years and its never let me down.
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Old 07-25-2009, 07:02 PM
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Old 07-25-2009, 08:54 PM
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I think the solution to this argument is very simple...lets fined 20 stock C63 owners, 10 of us which have done the normal breakin, and 10 which have done the "hard" breakin. Each of us goes to a dyno and the 10 scores on each side is averaged. The side with the bigger number wins.

I volunteer for normal break in side ...will be done with my break-in in about a week and will go to a dyno right after it.
Old 07-25-2009, 10:17 PM
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Originally Posted by jstefanop
I think the solution to this argument is very simple...lets fined 20 stock C63 owners, 10 of us which have done the normal breakin, and 10 which have done the "hard" breakin. Each of us goes to a dyno and the 10 scores on each side is averaged. The side with the bigger number wins.

I volunteer for normal break in side ...will be done with my break-in in about a week and will go to a dyno right after it.
We don't need to, because Mercedes /AMG already did it for us.
Old 07-26-2009, 09:06 AM
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Originally Posted by lyotomachida
Just cut it... you know you can't provide the slightest proof. What is your opinion other than PURE speculation?
break your vehicle in however you want.

If you read the mototune website, he provides pictures of actual pistons. If you think thats all a hoax, fine.

You tell me this: Where is the proof that a hard but methodical break in causes damage?


Guess what, the owners manual says that any modifications to the vehicle may cause damage. Sure hasn't stopped anyone on here.
Old 07-26-2009, 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by norb
We don't need to, because Mercedes /AMG already did it for us.
really, can I see that results from that study?

The manual is to avoid liability, period.
Old 07-26-2009, 09:36 AM
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Oliverk has a point about mods and the manual..After I get mine in a month, I'll follow the following break in to the T and then pop the car on a dyno. That's probably about the only thing that will settle this. I think part of the reason MB and all manufacturers have a "baby it" break in policy is that most people simply don't know how to drive properly. They don't allow the motor/tranny and all fluids to warm up properly before hammering it. Also, a proper break-in procedure can be a PITA to follow, hence the broad stroke of "take it easy" for the first thousand miles.

From what I've been able to discern, this is what I plan to do:

1. For the first 100 miles, in the same day, after allowing for a full warm up period, smoothly vary the RPMs across the entire range in as many gears as possible, no hard starts or kickdowns. Then change the oil.

2. Pop the car on a dyno then get the other gears worked like above that coudn't get due to risk of a speeding ticket. Change oil again.

3. Same as number 1 but up to 500 miles. Change oil.

4. Back on dyno for a few more pulls, then should be good to go, change oil at 1000.

After passing 1000 miles, then all shift modes are OK.

Even after a proper break-in, the car still needs ample time to warm up. Then just be smooth with the throttle and shifting..

Thoughts?? Should I put my fire suit on??
Old 07-26-2009, 09:56 AM
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even money has the right idea IMHO. The most important thing is not to cause an overheating issue, and stay off the redline for a bit. I am amazed at the passion this thread brought out of some.


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