I just bought my element out of state, and I'm about to fly out to pick her up and bring her home. I was wondering what the "break in" guidelines are. Are you suposed to keep it under a certian speed for a while? of just avoid sudden stops and heavy starts?

anyone?
crut1

The owner manual simply tells you to avoid hard acceleration or braking in the first 600 miles - it says nothing about a maximum speed, nor about driving it in variable conditions through this period.

Common sense says to drive it gently.

The best way to do a break in is to use NON-syntetic oil... and avoid constent speed... try to vary your speed and let the engine torque at low Rpm... dont do Hi Rev... and for the next oil change take the non syntec and for the second one switch to the syntetic you should feel the difference !!!! Good luck... :wink:

Also with-in the 600 miles break in period, you should not use cruise control.

Turn radio up as loud as it can go.

Fill it with 100 octane and floor it all the way home.

I've never been told to avoid constant speed. why is that?
should I be driving back across a few states varying my speed every few miles?

crut1

I asked my dealer about this issue when I bought my E because I'd seen it discussed in the forum before. Their answer was that it's an old wive's tale and that like all such it has a basis of truth - if you go back 30, 40 or 50 years, but that today's engines don't benefit from varying the speed during break in.

The IS some rationale to the not using cruise control though. Not because you shouldn't drive at the constant speed it would tend to result in, but because in order to maintain speed up hill, cruise control may cause very sharp changes in engine revs which would be the same as harsh acceleration.

[quote:d1df4233b3="za9ra22"]I asked my dealer about this issue when I bought my E because I'd seen it discussed in the forum before. Their answer was that it's an old wive's tale and that like all such it has a basis of truth - if you go back 30, 40 or 50 years, but that today's engines don't benefit from varying the speed during break in.

The IS some rationale to the not using cruise control though. Not because you shouldn't drive at the constant speed it would tend to result in, but because in order to maintain speed up hill, cruise control may cause very sharp changes in engine revs which would be the same as harsh acceleration.[/quote:d1df4233b3]


Actually that theory still applies. You will want to constantly load and unload the rings for a few hundred miles at least to help with ring seal. This will help the rings bed in with the cylinder walls. This will be good for good ring seal which will reduce oil consumption and you should not have a drop in power.

Ming, I'm aware of the theory - I've been driving for rather too many years to recall. Even so, my dealer was adamant that the varying of speed during break in is not required and that if it were, Honda would have ensured it featured in the manual, at least as general advice if not a stipulated requirement.

To me, the manufacturer (if a competent one such as Honda is known to be) could be expected to know their vehicle well enough to provide the best advice on such an issue.

[quote:5d495ec040="za9ra22"]
To me, the manufacturer (if a competent one such as Honda is known to be) could be expected to know their vehicle well enough to provide the best advice on such an issue.[/quote:5d495ec040]

...or they may realize that, if broken in properly their engines will last 360,000 miles and therefore wouldn't need to be replaced (the engine or the car.) An improper break-in might result in a car that lasts 150,000 miles and an owner that thinks that is great and will buy another car.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I am joking, of course. I believe that you could probably beat the heck out of a Honda during break-in, however, I will leave that up to someone else...I'll be taking it easy on my Element during break-in.