Just got my truck back with a new V10 installed. Looking for tips on how to break-in the motor. Should I take a long drive on the highway or just do normal driving in city and highway combined. How many miles should I go before I change the oil? How many miles should I put on the motor before I tow the toy hauler?

Thanks for your feedback!!

 

What was the cost for the new V10?

Did you install it yourself?
Michael

 

I was just reading about this the other day, and now I can't find the article. Basically, the point of break in is to seat the piston rings with the cylinder wall so they form a nice tight seal. You want to vary your speed, avoid heavy towing for the first 500 or so miles, don't spend a long time idling, but let your truck cool back down a bit after running it under load before you shut it off.

For the break in period, you should allow your truck to cool all the way before starting it, and warm up all the way before shutting it off. Don't run up the street to 7-11 and shut it off. Don't let it sit for 10-20 mins then come back out and start it up again.

Basically, you want even smooth heat cycles that heat the truck all the way up and cool them down cyclically, without overheating it, which can glaze the walls and without underheating, which can cause something similar to glazing, but the name escapes me at the moment, which also results in blow by, oil contamination, loss of potential power, reduction in oil life, and overall reduction in engine life. Hope that helps some.

In short, you don't want just a nice long highway, or just city driving. You want to mix it up, load it, but don't over load it, and be kind on the heat up and cool down cycles for the first few thousand miles. The longer you can go doing that, the more power and life you'll get out of the motor. And you'll use less oil.

 

rikosintie - I had it installed at a Ford Truck Center. Total cost was 6800.00 that included oil, coolant, belt, and some hoses. As a side note I chose the new motor over a rebuild because of the warranty which is 3 years - 100,000 miles. I felt the extra cost of a new motor was worth the warranty.

CraigOutdoors - Thanks for the information this is some thing I've been looking for but was unable to find.

Thank you!!!

 

Curious, what would the difference be breaking in a new engine (not rebuilt) as opposed to buying a new vehicle with no miles on it?

I don't know the answer, that's why I'm asking.

S

 

The formula that I have used for many years and vehicles is to run them normally in city driving for the first 500 miles under 60 mph using petroleum oil, change the oil to a good grade synthetic, I like Mobil 1, and then drive normal for the next 1500 miles at no more than 70 mph and change the oil again and of course always using a good oil filter. I have never had a problem with high oil consumption between changes or an engine problem that was not self induced due to racing and over revving the engine.

 

CraigOutdoors nailed it!

LOTS of variation, avoid constant throttle settings. Avoid sustained high rpms. Avoid heavy throttle at high rpms. Long highway trips are the worst thing. Well, that and bouncing it off the rev limiter in neutral....

My other favorite tip to help guarantee a low oil consuming engine: Every now and then, make her grunt. Give it about half throttle - just enough to make her work hard but not quite enough to downshift and rev out. If you can get her to accelerate "briskly" while revving from 1500 to 4000 rpms and then just roll off gently and then drive easy for 5 mins after that (for cooling), perfect.
The goal is to build up some very good cylinder pressures to force the rings against the cylinder walls and form a good seal. I believe the root cause for most "oil burners" was being babied too much when breaking in and the rings never sealed correctly.

 

In practice, none. When breaking in a new vehicle, you're breaking in a lot of other parts as well, but the engine is the most sensitive.

 

No problem. Happy to help. Congrats on the new engine.

What he said. And what he said earlier about pushing it a little bit then going easy throttle for a bit too. I was trying to say that earlier, but he said it better. Thanks for the clarification.

 

Hi All,
Wow this thread is old. But never to late to add information to help people out. I have actually rebuilt a V10 engine that came out of a Excursion 4wd. When I completed the rebuild I hopped on the net to find out how I should break this engine in. So many variations it left me with to many question. Between the Racing guys, high performance guys and street application guys. Now a days it does not look like there is a standard anymore. So that led me to believe it does not even matter how you break it in. I'm a guy that likes to test things out and either proof them right or proof them wrong. So, here is what I did breaking in my V10 6.8l rebuilt engine. I got in and drove it! I didn't worry about throttle control, Breaking speed. Long drives, short drives, I didn't give it one damn thought. Whether I succeeded or failed I did not care because I'd rebuild it, fix it again. I drove it off road, I drove it 4 hours straight with two stops signs. I gunned it. Floored it. I drove it exactly the way I would if I wasn't breaking it in. I did use Royal Purple Break in oil. I did change the oil at 500 miles and at 1000 miles. I will say this. At 1000 miles the truck has a lot more power then when I was starting out. And I am pleaseeeeeeeeeeed.

I live in a rural area. not much traffic or stop and go traffic. long stretches. Freeway driving etc. So, that would mean I did more long drives then stop and go or a mixture.

That is what I did.Also, I was searching for coolant type and came across the owners manual for the truck. I downloaded it. Did you know that it has the procedures for breaking in the engine? It reads - there are no procedures. No not really. Procedures are down below. Just a Recommendation really.


oil pressure!!

The oil pressure. Something I wanted to know and couldn't get a straight answer really. I did install a gauge so that I can keep an eye on the oil pressure. At first start it shot up to 80 psi and it held for a good long while. Days!. I was worried because if you have to much oil pressure it could prevent it from reaching all the places it needs to. Kind of starve the engine of oil. But I kept going because I'm crazy like that. After awhile of driving it started to go down, especially after warming up. Even after a 1000 miles on the engine when starting it from cold it still shoots up to 80 psi and as it warms it settles between 35 psi and 40 psi and that is where it pretty much sits at. I would assume it all depended on your oil clearances. Mine are on the tighter side.

I will warn you of this. If you rebuilt any engine. I would prime the engine completely prior to initial start up. Especially the V10. Prime it right through the oil pressure sensor port located on the oil adapter cooler. Pump oil until you see it oozing out of the camshaft caps and hydraulic lifters. Do not I repeat , Do not skip this procedure. My buddy did it even after telling him he should and it's better to be safe then sorry. Can you say Knock knock knock. Who's there?

btw the oil pressure spec is 18 psi. at idle. don't quote me on that

Hope this helps someone out there! Truck still going strong!

I am no mechanic or engine builder. Just a guy who wanted to tackle a project to see if I could do it.

One more thing. Oil consumption. There was none.