Break in Period
08-31-2003, 07:28 PM
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Calgary
Posts: 42
Car Info: 01 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS
Break in Period
Okay this I don't understand or believe. I was talking to my dealer and he was saying there was NO break in period. I was like that does not make any sense at all! But with the performance car that it is, I did not question it. Thought I would ask the rest of you guys what your thoughts were on that and if any of you have heard the same? I know there is another discussion on the break in period but I wanted to get to the bottom of this from scratch!
Personally even with him sayin that, I would still break in my engine... But it will be soo hard not to drive the STI hard.. I guess I will just have to compose myself
Anyway..Let me know what your thought are!
Personally even with him sayin that, I would still break in my engine... But it will be soo hard not to drive the STI hard.. I guess I will just have to compose myself
Anyway..Let me know what your thought are!
08-31-2003, 07:56 PM
#2
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RTFM
Read The Fine Manual. Your STi should be driven easy for the first 1000 miles. That means keep your RPMs below 4000 and avoid steady speeds or prolonged idling. I personally change my oil after the first 1000 miles. It is very hard to keep from testing the limits of your new toy but trust me your car will better for it if you don't.
Just my .02
Just my .02
09-01-2003, 01:13 PM
#3
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I wonder if that dealer was trying to sell you an STI with more than 10 miles on it. Some dealers are letting their STIs out on the road for abuse and thus have to justify themselves by saying that hard driving does no damage. Don't buy one unless you trust it has been broken in properly or buy one with less than 10 miles.
09-04-2003, 02:25 AM
#4
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Location: Honolulu
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Car Info: Black/Gold STI
I thought it would be hard keeping my STI under 4K during the break-in, but it hasn't been bad at all. There is enough torque down low that it feels quick enough, and is definitely fun even during break-in. The miles have been rolling fast (700 miles in 10 days) because I seem to be driving all over just to drive. So, I'd difinitely break it in, keep it below 4K for the first 1K miles and easy on the breaks (No testing out the ABS...) I'll change the oil at 1K with synthetic, and then WOT fun fun fun!
09-04-2003, 08:55 AM
#5
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It wasn't too bad for me either. I just set the shift light to 4k. It's pretty hard to ignore the glaring red dot in your vision. With all the low end torque, this car is a blast to drive at any speed. I'm at about 1200 miles and I have my first oil change (to synthetic) coming up next week.
09-05-2003, 06:09 PM
#6
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Yeah set the shift indicator to 3800 and just upshift when you need to go faster. Hell I got to 110mph staying under 4K.
09-08-2003, 03:51 PM
#7
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Originally posted by Kbi
I thought it would be hard keeping my STI under 4K during the break-in, but it hasn't been bad at all. There is enough torque down low that it feels quick enough, and is definitely fun even during break-in. The miles have been rolling fast (700 miles in 10 days) because I seem to be driving all over just to drive. So, I'd difinitely break it in, keep it below 4K for the first 1K miles and easy on the breaks (No testing out the ABS...) I'll change the oil at 1K with synthetic, and then WOT fun fun fun!
I thought it would be hard keeping my STI under 4K during the break-in, but it hasn't been bad at all. There is enough torque down low that it feels quick enough, and is definitely fun even during break-in. The miles have been rolling fast (700 miles in 10 days) because I seem to be driving all over just to drive. So, I'd difinitely break it in, keep it below 4K for the first 1K miles and easy on the breaks (No testing out the ABS...) I'll change the oil at 1K with synthetic, and then WOT fun fun fun!
Trust me I made this mistake once with my old wrx. Right before a trip to SoCal I took it to a Jiffy-Lube and the guy pitched me synthetic I crumbled because I thought it's the most expensive so it has to be the best, right? He also tried to convince me what I had in the rear diff was bad because it was black (turns out it was just the anti-sieze the guy was either dumb or just plain trying to scam me)
When I got back to SoCal first thing I did was take it to an authorized Subaru service department. The guy there told me to stay away from synthetic for at least 5k and recommended to stay away for 10k. Said he'd seen lots of people come in with engine problems because they switched too soon to synthetic.
He explained that if the engine is too tight then it starts to burn up the synthetic oil. What you end up getting is a car that has to have the oil changed every 1k miles!
Sorry if this is a bit long winded, and definately get a second opinion from authorized Subaru mechanics but I've heard this over and over again. The only thing synthetic saves is the trees.
09-08-2003, 08:32 PM
#8
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Car Info: Black/Gold STI
Thanks for your opinion and info. I've read a lot of post regarding this matter, and there seems to be major confusion/different trains of thought. I've read a post that had a quote from SOA saying that synthetic is fine from 1K, but once you go syntetic, you should keep using it. Also many high performance cars (I think the M3, Porches, Ferrari... I could be wrong w/ which exact makers) come standard w/synthetic oil already in them. So... I don't know what to do yet. Our mechanic in Hawaii believes synthetics are fine from 1 K and has changed many w/ mobil 1. What to do...
09-16-2003, 12:27 PM
#9
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I just got off the phone with my dealers mechanic. He is an STI owner and has his own business for STI's.
His web site.. www.mspt.net
Anyway, I just spoke to him askin about the clicky linkage during shifting and he said it was normal. Then I asked him about breakin.
He told me.. and I quote. "You better start getting on that thing now"
He told me to drive the car hard to teach the computer my driving style right away. Rather than having the computer learn a toned down style of driving.
He owns a 2004 STI, very sweet BTW, lots of mods, and he ran a rally race with it at 500 miles on the car.
Just letting everyone know. He is a true subaru mechanic and big time into the rally scene. I trust him.
His web site.. www.mspt.net
Anyway, I just spoke to him askin about the clicky linkage during shifting and he said it was normal. Then I asked him about breakin.
He told me.. and I quote. "You better start getting on that thing now"
He told me to drive the car hard to teach the computer my driving style right away. Rather than having the computer learn a toned down style of driving.
He owns a 2004 STI, very sweet BTW, lots of mods, and he ran a rally race with it at 500 miles on the car.
Just letting everyone know. He is a true subaru mechanic and big time into the rally scene. I trust him.
09-16-2003, 01:38 PM
#10
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Oil change to synthetic
Perhaps, luckily, I didn't get my oil changed yet. I was planning on switching to Mobil 1, but it seems the general opinion from the local Subaru Service dept. plus this forum, is to wait until 5 or 10k miles. I'm up to 1500 miles now and will be getting a convential oil change Thursday.
Any other opinions on synthetic oil use out there?
Any other opinions on synthetic oil use out there?
09-16-2003, 06:34 PM
#11
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Location: california, LOS ANGELES
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it will not hurt ur engine at all to get the mobil 1 fully synthetic, ur engine is definitely broken in, the engine actually breaks in after 500. if u change ur oil now, u will see how dirty it is, also before u change ur oil, make sure u start up the car first and idle it for a couple minutes to warm up the engine, warming up the engine right before u change the oil is the best because it will help drip out all of the metal shavings and acids that are not good for your car. remember its very important.
09-20-2003, 12:45 AM
#12
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Car Info: Black/Gold STI
Well, I finaly got my oil changed today at 1,300 miles with conventional dino oil. The subaru mechanic here feels pretty strong that it's perfectly fine to go with synthetic, and I tend to agree with him. Alot of engines these days come original with mobil one synthetic, including the AMG that I had. But I decided there's no harm going to 4000 miles with dino, and switch to synthetic then. I'm having fun with the rev limiter now set to 6.5K and shifting at redline! Ran across a Black evo on the freeway today...!!!
09-22-2003, 05:57 AM
#13
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Location: New York
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Car Info: 2002 WRX wagon
You pays your $ and takes your choice. A difference of opinion is what makes horse races. btw: do Porsche, Ferrari, et al do engine run-ins before they deliver? Just curious.
09-23-2003, 09:55 AM
#14
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Car Info: Blue STi +Red del Sol VTEC
Originally posted by ProPain
He told me.. and I quote. "You better start getting on that thing now"
He told me to drive the car hard to teach the computer my driving style right away. Rather than having the computer learn a toned down style of driving.
[/B]
He told me.. and I quote. "You better start getting on that thing now"
He told me to drive the car hard to teach the computer my driving style right away. Rather than having the computer learn a toned down style of driving.
[/B]
If this guy hasn't thought of this he's an idiot.
09-23-2003, 09:55 AM
#15
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Car Info: Blue STi +Red del Sol VTEC
I think ferrari porshce , all these cars that come with synthetic are broken in at the factory just something i heard no hard fact but i heard more often than not that you should wait till 10k to go synthetic.