Breaking -in: the real story

1655 Views 14 Replies 10 Participants Last post by jkues, Feb 6, 2002

wmarci2000

Discussion Starter · Feb 2, 2002

I'm sorry if this topic is repetitive. I've looked through the search menu and have, frankly, been a little confused. Some have said that you should just drive no problem, others have said go highway, and still others have said to do stop-and-go city driving. I've even read the posts that have said that Honda has 2,000 miles on the engine prior to your purchase (hmmm...). We're buying our Odyessy 3 hours away, highway driving. I had no thought of driving it home until I talked to my brother who said I should be careful about how we drive the car during "the break in period." I am not a car expert, but is this a real issue or just something made up that you can blame yourself for in the future if anything goes wrong?

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jkues

· #6 · Feb 2, 2002

I can't quote anyone authoritative, but it is my understanding that steady speeds during break in are not going to get the piston rings seated properly and lead to oil consumption, thus the recommendation to vary the speed. It is hard to do but not using the speed control would probably be a good idea.

Years ago, driving a 77 Volare, I got stopped for speeding by a Ohio State Patrolman who was driving a Plymouth. I explained that the engine was burning oil and I was trying to vary the speeds, and we began exchanging sad stories about Chrysler engines. I did not get a ticket!

John

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jkues

· #7 · Feb 2, 2002

I also agree with Fred, who is supplying a dose of general common sense. Sometimes we tend to obsess a bit trying to follow recommendations. Which spending $30k tends to make us a little obsessive.

John

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jkues

· #15 · Feb 6, 2002

Fred -

You have that right! Concerning the 77 Volare, all I heard was how good the slant 6 was. What a dog. And the car began rusting at 6 months. I traded the car in at 47000 miles, the earliest I have ever gotten rid of a car. It stalled on the lot when I traded it in and they couldn't get it started to get it out of the way so I could drive off in our new 79 Volvo 245! Had to push it out of the way. I vowed I would never get another Chrysler product. Was I wrong. My wife saw a PT Cruiser on the road and said she had to have one! It also burns oil!!! The last two vehicles I've gotten, the PT and the Odyssey both went for MSRP!

It seems that none of the other cars I've purchased have ever burned oil from the beginning. Usually they may start when they get over 100,000 miles on them, and it seems it may get gradually worse, but I think that is expected.

John

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