Miata Mailing List: May 1996, Message #448
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   From: dans@dmscomp.com (Dan Scolnick)
Subject: Re: Bwah Ha ha Haaaaa!!!
   Date: Mon, 6 May 1996 22:40:45 -0400

I don't know what the MCA break-in regimen is but I deduce that I don't
agree with it.  EVERY VEHICLE I'VE OWNED and broken in has gone more than
197,000 miles WITHOUT bottom or top end engine work and has been driven hard
(and often raced) all their lives.  

Dans Humble Break-In regimen:

1.  Change the oil.  (if you can get the dealer oil out of the car within
the first hour of ownership, I figure that's worth at LEAST 50k miles of
life).  I changed the oil in my 94 'R at 32 miles, then again at 350 miles,
then again at 1000 miles.  After that it's every 3k miles.

2.  There are 2 positions for the gas pedal.  Up or Down (the floor).  It is
important in the first 300 -1200 miles to make the highest cylinder
pressures possible in order to correctly seat the rings.  High cylinder
pressures = low revs (but not lugging), high gears and fully opened or fully
closed throttle.  It is very important to not run the car at a steady speed.  

3.  Try to keep the revs well under redline for the first 300 miles.  Quick
Blips in the lower gears to about 5500 rpm are desirable.  300-1200 miles an
occasional run up to redline is a good thing.

4.  With the exception of extended runs into the redline region you should
drive the car how you want to drive it (or harder) for the rest of it's
life.  Break in the motor gently with tender loving care and you'll never
seat the rings fully.  I believe the break in period is what ends up giving
you a very sweet revving high power output engine, or a grandma car (that
never see's WOT) that will break it's top rings the first time it's revved
over 5krpm (at 60k miles)  Although there is that song about the little old
lady from pasadena with the super-stock dodge.



5.  MAINTENANCE:

warm up the engine before revving the engine
rev it to redline at least once every time you take it out.






>Dwayne Jacques Fontenot wrote:
>> 
>> Since I am following the MCA break-in regimen, I am not yet having as
>> much fun as I *could* be  ;-) I have taken it over 4000 RPM exactly
>> twice now (a little over 200 miles on it). I have also avoided hard
>> braking - the brakes were rather soft when I got it (8 miles) but
>> seem to be improving with use.
>> 
>> I don't know how I will be able to go 1500 miles and only go over 4000 RPM
>> once per 100 miles. The car really *wants* to go higher. :-)
>> 
>
>I know the feeling. Even with the best of intentions, I only made it to 
>1100 miles with mine before the first autocross of the season came 
>along. Of couse I was going to baby it and only use about 2/3 throttle 
>and keep it under 6000 RPM. Yeh, right! That lasted until the first 
>corner!
>
>-- 
>Tim Harmon
>Miata CS #51
>Arkansas City, KS
>
>
>
>
>
/^\dan
'94 'R'ed (being modified) - HERETIC (wish I was blue)
'81 Volvo "From Hell" 337,000 miles, catch me if you can (with dirty wheels)
'70 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 SixPack (power steering, brakes & power power)
1984 Hobie 33 - 'The Vicar Is...'
1991 Hobie Miracle 20' - 'Hazardous (when wet)'
1996 Hobie Magic 25' - HOLD ON . . .'

Writing to you from the capital of the world-
New York City, New York (so dangerous we warn you twice)