Looks like there will be quite a few FTE members (besides me), driving home new trucks from VanBortel Ford this spring. Generally, highway miles are not considered the best avenue for proper engine break-in. Does anyone have any strategy's or advice for dealing with this situation?

 

The only thing I can think of is to not let it sit at the same RPM for to long. Kick it in and out of OD as you drive. Enjoy the new truck!

 

do as jeff tells you. enjoy your new ride

 

When I bought my 2000 SRW my dealer found one 650 miles away that I wanted, it had 12 miles on it when I picked it up and I ran it 65 and 75 all the way home, its burned a quart every 2k from new. My 2000 DRW I bought with 26 miles on it and I drove it 470 miles around town and then hocked on to my 5ver and drove 1750 miles home, its burns almost no oil, (I was out west when I bought the truck). Weather the first 500 miles made the difference I not sure, but I know how I'm going to break in my nest one and it won't be on the interstate.

Denny

 

Differn't rpms all the time, no WOT, no bogging, no idling, I like to drive a little harder then normal, but not hard. The best thing you can do is drive it around town, really breaks the motor, tranny, and gears in, the trucks always at differ't rpms and in differn't gears as well as alowing the front and rear end to warm up and cool down. Also starting and shuting the motor off is good for heat cycles. You also should change the oil to get the metal and assembly lube out of it.

 

Just as SMiller advises. I believe in many heat cool heat cycles. Varing rpms first couple of hundred miles. No hard high revs and no prolonged cruise or lugging at low rpm under load. I change out oil and filter at 250 and 500 miles. Every one I open the filter and there is noticable metal crap. Don't let this spook you I said it was in the filter, just where it belongs!

Don't be afraid to get a little heavy on the start from stop up to speed, but try to keem rpms from getting over 3500 for the first 2-3 hundred miles. A long highway ride home is not the ideal breakin process because I believe many, many, many, hot, cold, hot, cold cycles is better.

Enjoy the scenery, take your time, stop often, and do NOT set the cruise control. It will not hurt any to drop out of OD down one gear and run 10 miles at 2800rpm then back to OD for a while, when ever you see a small town on the route drop off the super slab and check out the town, find a small cafe and see how many calendars are on the wall. More that 5 years worth of local calendars usually suggest a great place to get local version of daily "special". Take a back road to next town on the highway then climb back on the long ribbon. Enjoy the trip and the new truck!

 

[QUOTE=Fredvon4
Enjoy the scenery, take your time, stop often, and do NOT set the cruise control. [/QUOTE]

I just recently saw someone post that Ford recommends not using CC for the first 500 miles- my arthritic legs are not gonna be happy with that! I'm also not pleased that the newer CC's don't allow settings below 30mph, the old ones went down to 25mph and were great for those long 25mph avenues (speedtraps).