New Motor Break-In Period

I am getting my engine replaced by Porsche for my 2001 C2 Cab and was wondering what the appropriate break-in method would be. This is my first Porsche and the dealer who is giving me the car managed to get a new motor. I would like to ensure that I break-in my motor correctly. Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated.

Drive it like you stole it! I dont think the rebuilt motors require a break in period, as far as I know they are broken in at the factory, maybe someone else can confirm this..

I agree. I've always heard that they come from the factory broken in.

Check out this thread to totally confuse you. https://rennlist.com/forums/show...highlight=break There are two schools of thought as far as I can tell, one that suggests you follow Porsche recommendations and one that suggests you do something more aggressive. I posted some of the same links to what some "experts" on engine break-ins have published: http://www.overboost.com/story.asp?id=1250 http://www.carcraft.com/howto/869/index22.html http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm http://www.enginesonly.com/break-in.html http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

read my avatar

Read the owner's manual on how to break in a new car. Then follow that. It never ceases to amaze me how many people think they know more than Porsche does about how to break in their engines. I guess Porsche is just paying millions of dollars a year to their engineers for the heck of it...

Driving your car like a grandma when it is new is BAD. You need to run your engine up to high rpms in order to set the piston rings properly. If you keep your engine under 4500 rpms or whatever is recommended, you are more likely to burn oil. -and remember that running an engine up thru the rpm range doesn't mean you are beating on it- just roll on the throttle to max instead of stomping on it and dropping the clutch when it is new. The only brand new car I've owned was my previous car, a WRX. It had a boxer engine, too, and right off the lot I ran it thru the rpm range all the way to the limiter and engine breaked down then back up again. I drove it like I stole it, without abusing it. After 35000 miles, I didn't burn one once of oil that I could ever detect. On various WRX message boards debating this same thing, everyone that did a "proper" break-in burned oil- often times LOTS of oil - and those of us who drove our cars hard in the beginning didn't burn any. I did the same method when I was young and my father and I overhauled the engine in my Cutlass. I drove that hard right off the bat, and it never burned any oil, and is still running stong today in fact, almost 20 years later. People that drive their cars like grandmas, afraid to rev their engines, are the ones with carbon deposits all over their pistons - and oil burning problems, and oh yeah... probably more likely to kill their engines prematurely because they don't actually USE their engines.. afraid to rev, and afraid to downshift and blast off occasionaly in normal driving. Porsche appreciates your business, however, as you need servicing much more often after the warranty is over... In my case, I got lucky with my used 99 C2. It doesn't burn one bit of oil and has 83K miles on it now. The previous owner must have driven it hard to break it in. Read THIS , it has some great information, and I challenge anyone to dispute anything he is saying!

I agree with drive it like you stole it. I have done that with every car I have owned since 1963 with excellent results. I keep most cars 6 to 10 years so if there were long or short term issues I would have found them.

How do you explain Porsche recommending a 2000 mile break-in period for the North American market and only 1000kms (620 miles) for ROW? (IIRC)

Kevin it's obvious that Porsche thinks we are idiots that don't know how to drive a fast car. They want us to go slow and get used to the car. Maybe they are right!

Had my engine replaced on my 03 C2 6 months ago and I was told by the dealer service manager at Rusnak Porsche that a breal-in period is unnecessary as the replacement engines are already broken in before they are shipped. Followed their advcie and I haven't had any issues yet.

An motor is a motor is a motor....Porsche is NOT paying millions of dollars a year, if they had we would not have the F#$KING RMS leak.I have broken in many new engines , and I'll guarantee to you my car runs better stock to stock then like someone who broke it in like the manual states. is a joke Some Porsche owners should spend more time driving then reading

New (not rebuilt) X51 installed last Monday morning. 11pm out on the highway. 2 pm, engine broken in. 1) warm up well. 2) 10 to 20 miles between 3,000 and 5,000. 3) 50 miles 3,000 to 7,000. Don't push, slowly bring up the revs, simply keep the engine loaded. 4) repeat 2 and 3 3 more times. 5) enjoy Perhaps the recommendation has more to do with P's customer base. Would you sell a 3,000 pound car with 345 hp along with somewhat unusual handling characteristics (especially with the stock suspension and tire pressures -- both recommended by P) without encouraging people get used to the car?

is it possible the engines that burn a bit of oil... lets say 1 quart every 2-3000 miles would last longer than an engine that burns no oil? if you think about this there may be some validity to burning some oil at high rpm under heavy load... oil goes past the rings and creates a "cooling effect"... this is common in many cars ... perhaps it is engineered this way.... just an educated guess; I've heard both sides of the argument but what I'm beginning to wonder is if you have mild oil usage your engine will probably last longer no?

With that logic, why not just install an oil injector system in each cylinder? Oil is bad inside the cylinder in any volume. Maybe you can get a job at Porsche in the PR department and use your explaination to justify why they claim it is "normal" for their cars to burn oil. LOL.

it was a question not a statement.... you need to READ.

Thanks for all the advice guys, but I need to add something. Since it is now winter, I will be getting the car next week, I do not know if I will have an opportunity to do a long drive and take advantage of the full rpm range. When I pick up from the dealer, I will do a spirited drive, but it will depend on the weather. If not the car will have to sit until the weather is nice enough for me to bring out. BTW - I am going to follow the philosphy drive it like I stole it.

911porschefan, Remember the trans. You don't need to do spirited driving to break it in. Not good for the brakes or tires. Use the gearbox to get the revs. What you need is room on a highway to keep the engine under some degree of load while slowly accelerating, holding at that speed and to be able to lift your foot completely off the throttle without causing a problem with drivers behind you. Your spirited driving reminds me of a friend of a friend that came back and said his new BMW (5-speed, 6,000 rpm redline) would not pull to the redline in 5th. Don't take offense. Its things like this that P tries to avoid with their recommendation.