break in procedure for new engine
 

So I'll hopefully have a new engine in my car before the 4th of July weekend (keeping fingers crossed).
As this will be my first new engine ever, I was wondering if anyone knows the correct break in procedure for a new/exchange engine. After how many miles will it be safe again to go back Auto-X and on the track?

Thanks

Do you still have your owner's manual? I believe the procedure is listed there.

No RPM's above 4,200 for the first 2,000 miles
Don't lug the engine
Don't cruise in the same gear for long periods of time, upshift and down shift
Change the oil at about the 1,000 mile mark.

This is what I would do, and exactly how I did the break in with my new car. You still have to do a break in with a new motor.

I just love the germans. Why not say 4200 instead of 4000 :cool:

Not sure, but it may have something to do with the VarioCam on the 987 engine, for example.

If this is a warrantied engine, break it in as stated in your manual. If it's on your dime and has no warranty there is a lot of debate in the high performance engine world as to how you should properly break in an engine.

One camp says to rev the piss out of it under load within the first 50 miles to get the rings to seal properly and claim less oil consumption, better sealing of the rings and less wear.

Others stick to the old don't methods of low RPM's, vary RPM's, no lugging for 2000 miles before opening it up. This method is still recommended for forged pistons, as they have a high rate of thermal expansion and you will score the cylinder walls with a hard break in.

Modern engines with tight tolerances, small ring gaps and cast pistons break in very fast and it is even thought that no matter which way you break them in, it is broken in within the first 100 miles.

I just came from a moderately modified Subaru STI. They are know to drink oil. Against the manufactures recommendations I did a hard break in. I experienced almost no oil loss at all, compared with a quart per 1000 miles in most of the 2.5l turbo Subaru engines I know of. All of the STI and LGT guys I autocrossed and did track days with were using oil on track to the tune of a quart for 3 20 minute sessions. I used non.

A Subaru short block was $1500 from the dealer. A Porsche engine is $$$$$$$$. If I killed the Subaru, it was no big deal. You might want to think twice with the Porsche.

:cheers: