Hey all,

I just picked up my new f-350 XLT cc srw V-10 4.30diff last friday. Thank you thank you. The sales guy, who won his first sales award before I was born, told me that now a days the internal computer handles everything to do with the break-in period. Apparantly the mileage will improve and so will the power. These are general beliefs, fact or fiction?

You know a few years ago when you bought a new vehicle you were supposed to not go over 60mph (or 110kph for my northern friends), you were supposed to vary the speeds, and do the first oil change early. These rules or beliefs seem to no longer apply. Fact or fiction? Any thoughts on this? Does anyone think that getting a few miles (or kilometers) on the vehicle is a good idea before loading it to capacity?

My last 2 trucks were leases, so I just did what the manual said (mostly) because I didn't really care. I didn't abuse anything, but if you are not going to keep it why put in extra effort or cost? The new truck I plan to keep for 8-10 years and wish to do everything I can to take care of it. Any thoughts out there on which oil might be best bang for the buck? Is always running a full synthetic better? Obviously not exceeding any weight rating is important and not driving it rediculous.

Any tips or beliefs would be appreciated.

Oh ya, weighed in straight from showroom floor with 3/4 tank of fuel and me, it was 7400lbs. (me = 260ish)

 

Fiction. Even if the engine is already broken in (as it is with most diesels), the REST of the drivetrain still needs gentle handling for a few hundred miles. Gears need time to properly polish the contact faces so they work against each other as smoothly as possible. Friction surfaces need time to bed-in properly. New owners need time to acclimate themselves to the new vehicle, especially if it's an entirely new vehicle, not just a model-year upgrade on the same model.

A 500-mile oil change will remove any excess assembly lube and "break in" shavings in a new engine. And it certainly can't HURT.

-blaine

 

I would definitely agree with Frankenbiker. An oil change at 500 miles may be a bit early, but as he stated, "...it certainly can't HURT."

In addition to the things that he called out, your brakes also need to seat themselves.

Everyone has their own opinions on lubrication. Without taking a side, the best piece of advise that I can provide is to ensure that whatever you choose adheres to any/all standards outlined in your vehicle's Owners Guide.

I think that synthetics have proven (and improved on) themselves over the last decade. I would consider swapping any non-synthetic fluids after about 5,000 miles. That should provide more than enough "break-in" mileage to ensure everything is seated/mated.

 

+1 on what Frankinbiker and Deluxe said. Also, the mileage on my 5.4L improved alot over the the first 5000kms (3000miles).

 

The fact is there is a break in period. depends on the motor and the manufacter. I think Ford calls for up 1K break in period now. My 08 was 500 miles, no towing, vary speeds and no WOT.

I changed my oil early too.

 

I wouldn't tow, at least nothing heavy (5K or more) for the first 1K miles, other than that drive it like you are going to drive it.

 

I think you should follow the manufacturers break-in recommendations. They don't put that stuff in the manual just for the fun of it. Just the opposite, it would be to their advantage to NOT require a break-in period unless actually needed.

I personally think it has more to do with the gear train than the motor.

 

I sold Ford trucks for over 10 years and what you are hearing is good, valid information. I'm in total agreement!

Want to take out a ring gear? Put a real heavy load on it for an extended period of time "right out of the box". Want to shorten an engines life? Put a real heavy load on it for an extended period of time "right out of the box" with lots of WOT and DON'T change the oil until you see at least 7K on the odometer.

Follow the info you've received, don't do any synthetics until the engine,driveline,etc. is well broken in and "work hardened" and you'll be much happier in the long haul.

The mileage increase is true also. I used to tell customers if they kept records anywhere from 7-15K miles, depending on many different aspects, they would see sort of "an overnight" mileage increase.

Enjoy your new truck!

 

Here is what I was told, by a Ford service employee/friend.

Dont tow until after 1000 miles.

The tranny learnes your driving style. So the truck will learn the driver.
( I took mine back because my tranny shifted at 3000 rpm's and I didnt want to turn teh engine that fast, but even at a constant 25 mph, it would hold 2600 or so rpms) The dealer calmed it down for me.

The oil has been in the engine, since the engine was made, and that was before the MFG sticker of the trucks date. That will tell you how old the oil is, or give you an Idea. I drained mine when I got it home, changed it every 500 miles until 2500 with Castrol; GTX. At 2500 miles I switched to Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 filter, and do it every 5000 miles with a tire rotation. If I tow in hot weather, it gets dumped right after.

Here is the question I had. The dealer uses 1 new plow truck a year to clean its lot, then sells it for a discount. It plows with less then 1000 miles on it, I asked whats the difference, pushing heavy slushy snow, or towing 2500 lbs. All I got was a shoulder shrug. Go figure.

If you have the Torque shift tranny, have it and the inline filter done every 35000 miles. That has synthetic from the factory, and so does the axles, and if you have one trannsfer case

 

Why can't you use, or why SHOULDN'T you use synthetics until 2500-5000 miles?

 

Ford said it didnt matter, I just didnt because of my engine building, drag racing mentality. You might be able to.

 

The theory is, that synthetics lubricate better and that the rings may not seat to the bores properly.

I'm not convinced that this is true, but we know conventional oil works fine so why not err on the side of caution and hold off on the synth?

 

That's not true. The trans does NOT learn a driving style. What is does learn is how long a shift takes from when the computer commands it until the ratio change is complete. It adds or subtracts pressure for the next shift at that throttle and speed to make the shift as close to ideal as possible.

If you always drive 1/2 throttle and more you will fill in a part of the memory table for those shifts. If someone else gets in your truck and always drives at less than 1/2 throttle they will fill in that portion of the memory table without affecting the part that you filled in. So when you get back in the truck and go back to heavy throttle shifts the trans has already learned that and did not "unlearn" it when the other person drove the truck.

I was never a service guy at Ford, but I was the person that made this learning stuff work on the TorqShift.

 

in that case, couldn't all of the learning be done before the truck rolls off of the line?

or even before the engine & transmission are placed on the frame? All you need is a computer simulating different throttles and an artificial load on the output shaft...

 

That is why I took mine back to the dealer. What I say is true, They had to hook it up, to the computer. The tranny tech says they ussually do that, when the truck gets to the dealer, but some slip by.

Also my son drove my truck (I had a weak moment) The next day, It was hangin in the gears a bit longer then normal, but calmed down. Well I also got pulled over by the cops, to tell me I was doing big smokey burnouts at the High school. I told him I was not, my truck was described because of my mud flaps. (very distinctive) The the cops showed me the rubber metled in my wheels wells. (We laughed whe I told him my son had the truck) Then I remeebred what the dealer said, and after a little while, shifting went baqck to normal.

Things change to as mileage climbs. I am not a computer tech , but it sure was weird geting used to this tranny, and the way it picks and chooses gears.

I agree with post 12