Just bought a 2011 Silverado 4x4 CC 4.8L and I was wondering what types of things I can do to ensure a proper break-in for the engine(internals)? I plan on keeping the truck for a long time and I put about 600mi per week if not more on my work vehicles.

Traded in my '09 Frontier Crew 2wd but need more interior and bed space than it provided plus this truck only gets about 1-2mpg less so it was a no brainer.

 

Well, you can go one of 2 routes.

Baby it with ever changing throttle positions.

Or

The method I prefer is low RPM - high load to seat the rings. This exerts more pressure on the piston rings to make them seat properly.

 

Hmmm, maybe start pulling a trailer or something to that extent?

 

breaking the motor right dosent mean breaking the tranny and the rear end right...just dont go over 2500rpms for the first 600miles and youd be fine

 

theres a thread on here about this...let me see if i can find it

 

ahh i cant find it and im getting lazy/tired looking for it.

 

I wouldn't do that, but you have the right idea. I really try for the 6th-gear freeway acceleration. Enough throttle to load up the engine good but not enough to kick it down a gear. The loading is done for short periods.

Rings are primarily held against the cylinder wall by Brake Mean Effect Pressure (BMEP). This technique increases that force to seat the rings.

 

Yeah what he said and varying throttle position, that will do it..

I rebuild and do new builds on Cummins engines all day here at their tech developement center, to break them in we start them, warm it up, and run up to WOT full load and run a torque curve with them...

That is how we break them in here and they seem to hold up pretty well.... durability is amazing on these things..

 

I babied mine the first 3000 miles and I could feel it gaining power and the mileage steadily picked up. I changed the oil at 500 miles. After that I had to go to colorado and bring back a truck and towed a trailer up and trailer and car back. On the way up after about 600 miles pulling trailer varying speeds it was running better and better. On the way home loaded pulling through the mountains it really helped it. Once I got home it runs like a rocket ship and has never used a drop of oil.

Around here opinions are like ******** everyone has one and they are all valid points. BUT: I have always had my vehicles long term and have never gone wrong babying them on initial break in. IMHO

 

Friend of mine rebuilds bus engines for city transit. They pretty much do the same thing. start it, warm it up using high idle, than take it on the highway and floor it for an hour.

Those engines usually last for 750K-1millon km.