New Engine Question

[Grasshopper]

I just got my new MM yesterday, and I am so happy. I have a question for you all about new engines. I know that you are not supposed to maintain a constant speed for long distances with a brand new engine. But what would constitute a long distance? I have to drive about 20 miles each way this Sunday (with 16 of the 20 miles on the highway). Should I drive my old car, and leave my new baby in the garage? :( Thanks!

[RF Overlord]

grasshopper:

welcome!

It's fine to take your car...just don't set the cruise control for long periods of time...vary the speed; go the legal speed limit for a while, then a little faster, then back to the posted speed (or whatever you can manage safely)...

That rule of thumb really applies to LONG trips, like hundreds of miles...going 15 or 20 miles is nothing...just add some stop-and-go driving in between highway runs...don't be afraid to get on it a bit, just don't floor it from every stop sign...

Some here say "Drive it like you stole it"...I was told to drive a new car as it's going to be driven all its life...if you drive hard, drive it hard...just be reasonable the first 500 miles or so...

[MAD-3R]

Take the Marauder, just don't use cruise control. And very your rpms. A good way to do this is to engage and disingage the OD button from time to time.

[drobin]

Grasshopper, just vary your speed in order for the rings to seat properly, etc. don't push it too hard but don't baby her either. Prolong idling isn't good since all parts are trying to wear in together.. take her out and enjoy the moment...


Donald

[jgc61sr2002]

Grasshopper - Welcome to the MM site. I think you got some good advice, go out and enjoy your new ride. John:up:

[cyled]

ahhhh grasshopper!!! You come to right place. You must wemember to have patient. Be gentle, like bull in china shop and wemeber, Wax On... Wax Off....

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by cyled
wemeber, Wax On... Wax Off....


Sorry, that's incorrect. That should read "Wax on... Wax on"

:D

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by RF Overlord

Some here say "Drive it like you stole it"...I was told to drive a new car as it's going to be driven all its life...if you drive hard, drive it hard...just be reasonable the first 500 miles or so...


You know, there is probably some amount of truth in that old saying...

Even though I haven't seen this in person, I have heard that old engines driven gently for LONG periods of time (decades, etc.) by little old ladies, etc. can all of a sudden fail miserably within the first few high power applications when grandson takes it out for a 'spin'.

It's no secret that high mileage engines develop that ridge along the top of the cylinder bore, where the worn area of the cylinder bore meets the new untouched area (unsc***** by the piston rings). It's been suggested that the first time a high mileage easy-driven engine is 'pushed' especially at high RPM, the piston rings might actually touch the edge of the ridge and possibly get hammered to bits over time. Probably due to minute elongations of the connecting rods or perhaps some clearances being taken up in the wrist pins or rod/main bearings. In any case, this banging of the ring edges on the ridge leads to ring failure and loss of compression and a rough engine, eventually needing a rebuild (rehone, new rings, etc.).

Keeping in mind that I haven't seen this ridge on any newer (say, within 15 years) engine with high mileage and driven fairly sedately, I'm wondering if this whole 'drive it as you always drove it' thing only applied to old tech engines. It's not uncommon to hear of old musclecar engines necessitating a rebuild at silly mileages like 30000 miles, etc. But I do keep hearing of modern high performance engines being torn down and the cylinder hone pattern being VERY visible and not looking worn at all. If the hone pattern is still there, not much has been worn off the cylinder walls and hence this top-of-cylinder ridge might not be much of a factor anymore.

My own personal MM driving style consists of mostly operating in the idle-to-2500 RPM range with most in-town acceleration keeping the RPM at 2000 RPM max for good economy. When I'm alone, though, the tach might visit 4000-5000 RPM or so, but it's tough to find a stretch of urban pavement that would give me the opportunity for a full-tilt foot-to-the-floor run. I'm not terribly worried about engine failure sticking to this routine.

[Paul T. Casey]

It's now Monday, betcha didn't drive just 20 miles each way, the MM will do that to you.

[jerrym3]

In 1989, I bought an original 1958 TBird off a little old lady that had the car sitting in her garage for at least three years. Original mileage was 49,000. She had been the original owner. But the car had sat on four flats and had not been started for years.

From day 1, the car suffered from blowby (no PCV on the 58). Car runs fine around town, but after a highway trip, the smoke/smell coming from under the hood is downright nasty.

Car now has 60,800, and it may be time to start thinking about restoring it or offer it for sale.

Today's motors are amazing compared to "the good old days". My other two cars have 103,000 (1994 Ford 4.6) and 135,000 (1989 Ford 302) and they still sound and run like brand new.

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by jerrym3
Original mileage was 49,000. She had been the original owner. But the car had sat on four flats and had not been started for years.


Wow, amazing story. My '78 T/A has about 110,000 miles on it and doesn't consume much if any oil. Hard to say for sure because ALL engines consume some oil... they just replace what they've consumed with combustion by-products, except in high-oil-consumption cases of course. If I had more time and $$, I'd speed up the rejuvenation somewhat, but this year it looks like I can only devote 2 months or so to it, and I'll probably do the interior and front suspension (of course, if it's anything like last year, I'll end up keeping it at home an extra 2 months and doing so much more to it).

Long-term storage issues...
I bought my GTA in 1993 with 18000 miles on it. The car had run barely 4000 miles between 1990 and 1993. Original owner's wife hated it, he only used it on weekends to go golfing and cruising about, and by the early 90s had been laid off and couldn't afford to keep it on the road. His loss, my gain... but the long term storage (outdoor car port beside his house) took its toll.

Within the first year I had to deal with:
[list=1]
totally dead passenger rear shock
one thin line of rust sliced around the intermediate pipe at the muffler, rest of pipe was immaculate though.
loose or worn front wheel bearings
intake manifold coolant leak (common on TPI engines with aluminum intake and cast iron heads)
corroded cap and rotor
dry-rotted original tires... at only 18000 miles!!!
dead alternator within a year
[/list=1]

... and several other things over the years. The car remained bone stock only because I could hardly afford to keep up with wear and tear, much less upgrades!!!! Just goes to show you how cars are meant to be driven... low miles does not equate to good maintenance.

Footnote: the car runs better with each passing year. Every year the engine feels looser and freer-running, and I'm not afraid to lop on the miles (rain-free miles, though, since 1995).

[Grasshopper]

Well, the trip went fine. There were even some construction zones with 50mph speed limits, so I got to mix it up a bit. The car REALLY likes to run, and such a smooth ride. Let me say to all those people on this site who don't own a MM (but are thinking about it), I can't say enough good thing about it. I havn't had this much fun driving a car since...well...never. Thanks for all the above advice on the thread! :up:

[Heavy D.]

Great question. I have to agree with the "Drive it like you stole it" advice. When I got my '97 Tracer, a mechanic friend whom I trust told me to rev the engine as high as possible, frequently, during the first 10,000 miles, until broken in. The car has a 5 speed so this was no problem, and fun even with a 2.0 sohc. I still have the car, I still tach it out to 5,000 rpms, and I have over 191,000 miles on it with no burning, leaks or consumption between changes. I get top mileage (37 mpg on the highway), and change the oil every 8-10k with Mobil1 5w-30 with a long life oil filter. Needless to say this is how I drive the MM. You don't even have to speed - just let it wind out in first gear a couple times a week. I wouldn't recommend a long oil change interval with this engine, though...