[Levitron]

The manual states that there doesn't really need to be a break-in period.

However, it cautions that within the first 1000km's, there shouldn't be any hard starts, high revving, or constant driving (for long periods of time).

 

[neomonkey]

Thats some good info Levitron. Congrats on the new car, it looks very nice from the pictures you've posted! Nice photography as well.

Does anyone know of the break-in procedure for the sportshift? I imagine that its the same. But what if you do not engage the sportshift during the first 1000 (just use drive for the first 1000), will it make a difference? I'm used to just going drive all the time, never had any experience with a sportshift before and don't want to beep up the car in the first 1000 by revving the car accidentally.

 

[Levitron]

I have the SportAT. I think you should try it out within the first 1000km's.....it's pretty fun Not the greatest compromise for std though

 

[Garrick]

I'll keep my third pedal, thanks

neomonkey, if it's your intention to typically use the "sportshift," it's probably best to go ahead and use it so as to train yourself to pay attention to your engine speed. If Mazda doesn't explicitly recommend a break-in procedure, then brief periods of high revs shouldn't hurt you. The conventional wisdom has been to avoid sustained high-speed driving at a fixed speed, but rather vary engine revs for the first 1000 mi or so as engine components get seated and wear in.

Not the greatest compromise for std though

...And this should surprise nobody. It's still a slushbox. Sorry, had to say it... :wink:

Great photos, Levitron. Congrats on the new wheels.

 

[earl_s]

If it's the same sportshift from the Protege, the computer won't let you hurt the engine. The engine has a rev limiter of course, but even if you have the sport shift engaged it will shift to the next gear well before you hit the rev limiter. This was atleast my experience when I sold Proteges. However, you really don't want to subject your engine to "jack-rabbit" starts or heavy acceleration during the break in. Mainly the whole purpose of the break in is to allow the oil to "soak" into all of the nooks and crannys in the engine. Once the engine is completley lubricated you can test the limits of the computer When I sold cars we had a Tribute come right off the truck and the engine siezed up with only 2 miles on the odo. That's Ford engineering for you.

 

[zaimon]

...we had a Tribute come right off the truck and the engine siezed up with only 2 miles on the odo. That's Ford engineering for you.

More like Ford manufacturing, I've had an '01 Tribute for 50,000 miles with no major problems. Likewise, the Mazda6 uses the same block that the Tribute 3.0 uses but is manufacturered at a different plant.

The most I know about break in is to vary the RPMs for the first 500-1000 miles and not to maintain a constant rate of RPMs over a long period of time.

 

[Bombadil]

The manual states that there doesn't really need to be a break-in period.

However, it cautions that within the first 1000km's, there shouldn't be any hard starts, high revving, or constant driving (for long periods of time).

:huh:

The description shown above *IS* a break-in period! This is exactly what one does to properly break-in an engine ... you avoid hard starts, high rev'ing, and constant driving at a steady speed over the first 500-1000 miles. This is how break-ins have been defined for at least 20 years.

 

[Levitron]

The manual states that there doesn't really need to be a break-in period.

However, it cautions that within the first 1000km's, there shouldn't be any hard starts, high revving, or constant driving (for long periods of time).

:huh:

The description shown above *IS* a break-in period! This is exactly what one does to properly break-in an engine ... you avoid hard starts, high rev'ing, and constant driving at a steady speed over the first 500-1000 miles. This is how break-ins have been defined for at least 20 years.

Yup, you're the first guy who noticed it.

I read the manual, and said, "What the heck...that's a 'normal' break-in period!" It's funny how the manual downplays "break-in".

 

[6_funk]

hey levitron, i know you've only had your car for a short while, but have you noticed anything unusual, or annoying
ie: rattling noise, poor rear vision, big blind spot, slow windows etc
anything at all yet???

 

[Levitron]

hey levitron, i know you've only had your car for a short while, but have you noticed anything unusual, or annoying
ie: rattling noise, poor rear vision, big blind spot, slow windows etc
anything at all yet???

I'll report on all that in about a week or two, once my exams are done.

But of the three days that I've had it, it's been fine

 

[schulkw]

On the 3, if you forget to shift down when you come to a stop, it automatically puts you in first.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

Yeah it'll auto-downshift, but it will not auto-upshift (atlhough it will stop you from upshifting if it would drop the RPM's too low)

 

[wahyinghung]

That's why Iam driving like an grandma now and not reving past 3000rpm.Also I haven't played with shifttronic yet.
6_funk: No problem as reported much for me but it is a bitch to back up to park cuz of the poor rear vision as you mentioned. But I guess I need some time getting used to it. One more thing it eats quite a bit of gas compared to the P5. Cuz I only have my car for 2 days and I am already in the halfway mark. (or maybe I spend too much time driving around in the car these two days :lol: )

 

[gruss]

its not a bad idea to rev a fresh motor once in a while. do it under load (ie do not do it sitting in neutral/park) and stay outta the redline.
Also the mpg should pick up as the motor breaks in, so you might as well have fun while the mileage stinks anyway...
now go for a drive and show that motor whose boss, it wants to be north of 5k...it told me so!!

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

Yeah driving like a grandma is NOT beneficial to the motor. You need to VARY the RPM's... this means taking it way up there sometimes. Just don't redline or hard-stop.

 

[dugrant153]

would stalling the engine a few times while its in its break-in period cause major problems down the road??

 

[gruss]

I doubt it...and cant really see how

 

[Levitron]

Yeah driving like a grandma is NOT beneficial to the motor. You need to VARY the RPM's... this means taking it way up there sometimes. Just don't redline or hard-stop.

You mean "hard-start", right? :?:

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

Yeah driving like a grandma is NOT beneficial to the motor. You need to VARY the RPM's... this means taking it way up there sometimes. Just don't redline or hard-stop.

You mean "hard-start", right? :?:

No, I meant hard-stop. Don't slam the breaks when they're still being broken in.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

would stalling the engine a few times while its in its break-in period cause major problems down the road??

No. NOTHING will cause major problems down the road... it's just theoretically possible that doing "the right things" might make it last a little bit longer.