[apez]

Most of my break in period has been mostly 3rd and 4th gear so far. Very little highway miles. I try to hit and briefly hold 5k (once warm) in 2nd and 3rd a couple times each hour drive. Higher gears is pretty impossible to hit higher revs in a safe fashion.

Can't wait for summer tires, higher revs, and mdm/less the 100% traction control. 650 miles to go before spring!

[DrewNewM2]

Is there a max number of months you can go before the Break in service if you’re not putting the miles on quickly? I’m in the northeast on summer tires so as soon as it drops below 40 I probably won’t drive it and even if I get winter tires, once it snows and they drop salt I’m definitely not driving it.

[turnsignalslol]

Question: I heard some people say that the "full" break in is 3100 miles, but it doesn't say anything about this in the M2 manual. Was this just for the older M cars? Either way, would it be best to wait until after the first 3k to really give the car the beans?

And should I keep this varying rpm bullshit going on until the full 3k or am I free to use cruise control after the 1200 mile break in service?

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by apez

Most of my break in period has been mostly 3rd and 4th gear so far. Very little highway miles. I try to hit and briefly hold 5k (once warm) in 2nd and 3rd a couple times each hour drive. Higher gears is pretty impossible to hit higher revs in a safe fashion.

Can't wait for summer tires, higher revs, and mdm/less the 100% traction control. 650 miles to go before spring!

Almost at 400 miles, hoping to finish break in by the middle of January!

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by M2siast

LOL the things people say man… where did you even hear this

I think somewhere on the X3 forums haha, I think the 3000 mile "break in" was a real thing on the E90/E92 M3's but that's an old ass car, not sure if the procedures meant for a car 10+ years old applies to our G87s, but just wanted to play it safe

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

Question: I heard some people say that the "full" break in is 3100 miles, but it doesn't say anything about this in the M2 manual. Was this just for the older M cars? Either way, would it be best to wait until after the first 3k to really give the car the beans?

And should I keep this varying rpm bullshit going on until the full 3k or am I free to use cruise control after the 1200 mile break in service?

My info is break in continues some miles ("thousands" of miles was mentioned) beyond the official break in miles.

This continuing break in was confirmed by lab and field (track/road) tests.

But how long after the nominal break in miles is unknowable for an engine.

While break in continues one has to believe the factory considers 1200 miles sufficient break in to the point the engine can then be operated pretty much as the owner wishes.

So as long as the factory doesn't prohibit using cruise control after 1200 miles use it.

[keonigt]

I'm just doing what the manual said. Below 600 miles, keep my mph below 100* and rpm below 5k.

[keonigt]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

My info is break in continues some miles ("thousands" of miles was mentioned) beyond the official break in miles.

This continuing break in was confirmed by lab and field (track/road) tests.

But how long after the nominal break in miles is unknowable for an engine.

While break in continues one has to believe the factory considers 1200 miles sufficient break in to the point the engine can then be operated pretty much as the owner wishes.

So as long as the factory doesn't prohibit using cruise control after 1200 miles use it.

Is there anything you recommend on doing after the 1200 "break in" period? Or should I drive it normally?

Also, we are able to use cruise control during break in period correct?

[Baller]

Originally Posted by keonigt

Is there anything you recommend on doing after the 1200 "break in" period? Or should I drive it normally?

Also, we are able to use cruise control during break in period correct?

No cruse control is not recommended during break in and drive it likes it’s stolen after the 1200 mi

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by keonigt

Is there anything you recommend on doing after the 1200 "break in" period? Or should I drive it normally?

Also, we are able to use cruise control during break in period correct?

I don't recall any restriction using cruise control. However, there is this: Up to 600 miles/1,000 km

Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do not exceed 5000 rpm and 106 mph/170 km/h.

Avoid full throttle or kickdown under all circumstances.

And: From 600 miles/1,000 km to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do not exceed 6000 rpm and 130 mph/210 km/h.

Avoid full load in gears 1 to 3.

At 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Have break-in service maintenance performed.


The drive at varying engine and road speeds is of course in opposition to the type of driving one will do with cruise control active. So that could be a ban (of sorts) on using cruise control during break.

As for post break in...Just follow what -- if anything -- BMW calls for post break in. In my owners manual there is no restrictions on post 1200 mile driving. BMW considers the engine/drive train broken in.

However, I avoid switching from being Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde immediately after break in. I gradually raise the RPMs threshold over hundreds of miles and while I have no hard/fast mileage at which I begin to use full RPMs it is hundreds of miles past 1200 miles.

[kyrix1st]

Blackstone oil analysis generally shows elevated piston ring particles until about 10,000 miles. I'd probably play safe until 3,000 mls.

[keonigt]

I think I’ve made a mistake…

I was at 630 miles and went over 6k rpm for about a 1-2 seconds. It was just very briefly. I hope this doesn’t cause anything bad. It wasn’t at WOT also. Just maybe half throttle.

[turnsignalslol]

Just took my car in for break in today, not gonna lie did give it some juice after taking it back but I haven't done WOT yet. Probably gonna progressively increase how much I abuse it up to 3k miles lmao

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by keonigt

I think I’ve made a mistake…

I was at 630 miles and went over 6k rpm for about a 1-2 seconds. It was just very briefly. I hope this doesn’t cause anything bad. It wasn’t at WOT also. Just maybe half throttle.

A bit of a mistake but I think one that will prove to not have any real effect.

The longer the engine RPMs remain elevated the more risk there is but for just a second or two...

Relax.

Oh, I can understand how it happened. The engine gains revs at a horrific rate.

[micah_675]

People over think this way too much. Drive your car for 1200 miles, don't go on a 1200 mile road trip to get those 1200 miles. You can drive it spirited (spirited does not mean full throttle) and not exceed the RPMs stated in the posts above.

Engine LOAD is the factor here. Load means how much power you are using, BMW is asking you to not use every ounce of power the car has on day one. That leaves 50% throttle on the table and even 75% throttle on the table.

Again drive your car and hit the 1200 miles like you drive it any other time. If you can't stop yourself from using all the gas pedal all the time you probably need a different car. If you are too worried to use your gas pedal please get a different car as well.

Tl;dr: You won't break it unless you beat on it 24/7 day one or just drive it for 1200 miles at the same speed day one.

[Bearded-Driver]

i was shifting at 3k once i hit past 200 miles i started to ring out each gear up to 5k hitting a speed of 104mph. ill be doing this off and on up to 600 miles now at 380.

once at 600 miles ill ring out each gear to 6k and so on according to the break-in in the owners manual that should be well with-in spec.

But really just drive it and enjoy its under warranty and if your within the owners manual specifications nothing to worry about

[T-Rexx]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

From my M2 owners manual:

Engine, transmission, and axle drive



Up to 600 miles/1,000 km



Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do not exceed 5000 rpm and 106 mph/170 km/h.



Avoid full throttle or kick down under all circumstances.





From 600 miles/1,000 km to 1,200 miles/2,000 km



Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do not exceed 6000 rpm and 130 mph/210 km/h.



Avoid full load in gears 1 to 3.





At 1,200 miles/2,000 km



Have break-in service maintenance performed.

I followed the above. And pretty much followed the same for a number of new cars over the years.

There is some freedom to subject the engine to a load above granny driving level of load. Just don't go overboard. There is a caution to avoid full throttle in any gear in the 1st 600 miles and to avoid full engine load in the 1st 3 gears between 600 and 1200 miles.

Going to picking up my can in about 6 weeks so thanks for that.
One question though, how do you avoid kick down?
If I am granny driving and say in 6th gear cruzing at 2000rpm full eco mode, if I accelerate softly won’t that kick down to 5th or 4th?
Is that bad?

[T-Rexx]

Originally Posted by Geighty7

Don’t overthink it, but don’t redline or WOT (especially first 600 miles).

Get some great heat cycles going, driving in random RPM’s and don’t cruise on highways at constant speeds for long periods. Drop a gear here or there to vary the engine output.

You can use manual mode- try and stay away from Sport+ for first 600 miles as you’ll probably want to punch it.

Summary: No kickdowns, no launch control, no redlines (5000 first 600, 6000 last 600), drive at varying speeds and RPM’s, don’t cruise in 1 speed for over an hour, have fun.

Don’t be afraid to drive spirited within parameters. You don’t need to drive like a grandma, you won’t break the thing unless you really try.

Thanks for that, very helpful.
One thing I am unsure about though is “no kick downs”. What is the difference between dropping a gear, and a kick down?
Is dripping a gear like using the paddles to go down a gear in a conservative rpm like 3k? And if a kick down when you floor the gas and force the trans to go down a gear?

[BroDoze]

I’ve been driving a mix of different styles, and a lot in Sport+. I’ve kept most all of it under 5K so far (which is a bit difficult. But I’ve gotten on it pretty hard a few times up to 5K. I think Sport+ and D2 does a lot of kick-downs. Is that bad? I’m ZF8. What is a kick down? lol

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by T-Rexx

Going to picking up my can in about 6 weeks so thanks for that.
One question though, how do you avoid kick down?
If I am granny driving and say in 6th gear cruzing at 2000rpm full eco mode, if I accelerate softly won’t that kick down to 5th or 4th?
Is that bad?

No M2 automatic experience but with my 230i and 230ix and a MINI S and a Hellcat oh and a M-B cargo van all with automatics the kick down feature was not on a hair trigger.

I don't ever recall the automatic dropping a bunch of gears with reasonable application of the throttle.

Now once -- and only once -- I dropped the hammer in my Hellcat on the freeway and the kick down took the transmission from I think 7th gear to several gears lower. Maybe down to 4th. RPMs were high and the acceleration was tremendous. This was cruising at around 55mph. I didn't do that again.

Kick down will be in agreement with the amount of throttle you apply.

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by T-Rexx

Going to picking up my can in about 6 weeks so thanks for that.
One question though, how do you avoid kick down?
If I am granny driving and say in 6th gear cruzing at 2000rpm full eco mode, if I accelerate softly won’t that kick down to 5th or 4th?
Is that bad?

The kick-down sensing is only at full throttle. If you avoid full throttle it won't change to the lowest possible gear that kick-down will invoke. Otherwise you want it to change down to a lower gear to avoid low-rev high boost use of the engine that is also not good during running-in. Best to keep throttle and revs between 1/3 and 2/3 as much as possible. "Granny" driving and constant revs are also not good for engine break-in.

[T-Rexx]

Ok so differemce being:

Kick down - is flooring the accelerator where it will drop several gears and then accelerate under full throttle = BAD

Dropping down a gear - cruzing along at a lazy low rpm and high gear that the gearbox has done automatically for economic reasons, I accelerate softly using 1/2 throttle and the auto box drops down a gear to not put the engine under too much load = that’s ok?