Howdy folks.

I've been a member here for a couple of years now and I am finally back and probably for good! I finally pulled the trigger on a 2007 6.0L F350 KING RANCH edition!

Too make a long story short, the truck has now 71 miles on it and I was wondering if I should really consider keeping it off the highway for the first 500 miles or so? It'll be somewhat difficult for me since highway is the most ideal way but I'll keep it off if I really have to. I've put thirty miles now on it all of which have been highway. 10 for the test drive and 20 for the home trip from the lot.

I'll make sure I cover all the bases as far as catching up to all the guidelines there are but for now, I'd like to fill my concern.

Thanks,
KING

 

I would not worry about staying off the highway for any certain number of miles, but as I recall the manual (and read on here) it's considered healthy for the new engine to vary RPM if "cruising" during this time. So, if on the highway don't set the cruise control, vary your speed slowly up and down while the initial break in is going on.

Congrats on the new purchase, I love the KR interiors - wish they made the Excursion in one...

 

KING: Welcome back. I too have a new King Ranch , I love it and so far the only mod I have is I installed a Navigation system... I just love this interior..........

 

I had to do my initial breakin mostly on the fwy too (bought the new truck 600 miles from home). Here's what I did:

First of all, I read up on the break-in process in the tech folder, which I don't think has been put back together yet (thinking humpty dumpty here), but I'll try to sommerize a few highlights:

For the 1st hundred miles I drove around locally, knowing I'd be doing a big freeway run right off the bat. In driving around, I tried to keep a "marshmellow" under my right foot. In the tech folder breakin notes, it said the first 50 to 100 are critical miles and to keep the engine at or near peak torque, so I drove a combo of city stop and go and highway and let it shift, etc. but tried to mostly be around 1800 rpms.

For the trip home, I broke it up into two drives with an overnight stop, so as to give the motor at least one complete cool down cycle. I also never used the cruise control and constantly varied the speed from 55 to 70 -- when you let off the go pedal, the trans often unlocks the torque converter, so you get a modest rpm change doing this -- I also pulled off the fwy a number of times to let it go thru the gears. Once at about 200 miles I lightly did the ring breakin procedure, which in a nutshell is to hold it in a low gear and run it under light throttle up to redline and release the throttle and allow it to engine brake down to idle. I only did this a couple of times, but then I did it again much more extensively at about 800 miles. I know, it sounds counter-intuitive, but there are a number of folks that swear this is one of the secrets to a healthy top end break-in. I also did some mountain driving in the 700 - 1000 mile range too (not loaded and no fwy).

At 1k miles I changed the oil and filter and then did a light tow for 150 miles (mixed fwy/city) with a 3500# trailer.

At about 1500 miles is when I started applying full loads to the truck and each time I give it a little more (load/throttle/hills, etc.) I get an ever decreasing burning smell of the cosmoline or whatever is on a new engine these days.

This is a personal choice for me, but I plan to do Oil and Filter changes again at 3k, 6k and 10k miles -- then every 5k. I'm using Chevron Delo 400 15w 40 API CI+ oil and will be using the new API CJ oil at the 3k change and after.

Congrats on that suweet KR you have, and LONG LIVE YOUR TRUCK!!

 

BINGO!

 

Killa: I just remember something in the tech folder break-in procedure about cooling down completely -- do you know why that is important? I was able to get 2 complete cool-downs in the 1st 100 miles as well...

I've always wondered if there's a correlation to break-in and fuel economy/engine life -- especially when I read about some folks that have just terrible MPG numbers and others that are great, or is it just luck-of-the-draw on how your engine is built...

Of course I hedged my bets with my own new truck break-in

 

I saw quite a few suv's that had the King Ranch package, now I can't remember if they were they Excursions or Explorers, but I'm wanting to saw that they were the Excursions.

 

My fealing is that breakin will have more effect on power than mileage. Mileage is a direct result of driving charactoristics and load. The problem most will have is that when they purchase a vehicle it could already have 100's of miles on it from delivery and test drives.

 

Tex 25025 The King Ranch came out in 2006 in the Expedition platform, they are nice, almost bought one for the wife.

 

Looks like I remember wrong all the way round on that one. I'm getting old, the ole brain cells aren't what they used to be.

 

Thanks to all.

I am enjoying and driving a dream. This is a milestone for me.

I hope the truck is not mad at me, however, as it has 230 miles already!

The break-in has been going good. Like said, the truck hasn't been of the freeway much. I've been implementing the varied speed the most for now and will begin to address what Dan highlighted.

I've been light on the pedal with slow take offs but interestingly enough, just keeping an eye at the four closest vehicles to me, making sure they're atleast twenty feet away in distance in each direction!

Aside from driving it, I've just been trying to get situated in it and become familiar with every button that's inside. I went from a simple old little Toyota to a 2007 KING RANCH - it's quite the step up! It's not the the first diesel I drive. Dad owns a 96 POWER STROKE.

Tomorrow, I'll be visiting the dealer for the warranty stuff and the detailing part of the truck, plus the free full tank they throw in.

I don't think I could have chosen anything better. Truck is a eye catcher!

I'll get some pics up.

 

it allows all the disimiler???(terrible speller) metals to fully expand and contract at the proper rates and clearance themselves to correct running tolerances. it has a curing effect of sorts on the entire engine.