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New Vehicle Break In - Still a thing?


HofstraJet

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With modern engines, is new vehicle break in still necessary/recommended?

 

Checking the 2021 Navigator manual doesn't mention any break in period.

 

I never cared before since my normal driving patterns fit within the traditional break in recommendations, but I may have to take a 7 hour road trip shortly after getting my 21 and am concerned that all that highway driving on a brand new engine may not be the best idea.

 

FWIW, I am leasing and will be giving the vehicle back in 3 years, so if any problems caused by not breaking in would show up after that, it's less of a concern.

 

Thanks!

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Thanks, everyone. Won't be towing or driving it hard so that's not a concern - was worried about long stretches at the same speed. Will vary gears as suggested - great idea! And there will be plenty of stops with the crew I'm hauling. ?

Edited by HofstraJet
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10 minutes ago, HofstraJet said:

Thanks, everyone. Won't be towing or driving it hard so that's not a concern - was worried about long stretches at the same speed. Will vary gears as suggested - great idea! And there will be plenty of stops with the crew I'm hauling. ?


Driving it hard isn’t an issue.   When they put it on the rollers at the end of the assembly line they go WOT right off the bat.

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1 hour ago, Black Label said:

I won't pretend to know a lot about this, but isn't allowing the brand new seals, etc., in a brand new engine time to seat in properly the reason we go easy, vary speeds, etc., for the first 1000 miles to break it in? Is there anything different about that these days?


My understanding is that’s all done before the engine leaves the factory.

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10 hours ago, HofstraJet said:

With modern engines, is new vehicle break in still necessary/recommended?

 

Checking the 2021 Navigator manual doesn't mention any break in period.

 

I never cared before since my normal driving patterns fit within the traditional break in recommendations, but I may have to take a 7 hour road trip shortly after getting my 21 and am concerned that all that highway driving on a brand new engine may not be the best idea.

 

FWIW, I am leasing and will be giving the vehicle back in 3 years, so if any problems caused by not breaking in would show up after that, it's less of a concern.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hi gang. As of the 2018 and 2019 Lincoln model years, the break-in recommendations were listed in the Owners Manual. Essentially no towing, hard driving and avoid long periods of constant speed driving for a long period of time for the first 1,000 miles. If you must take a long drive, then vary speeds every ~20 minutes or so by 10+ mph. Doesn't matter much what people may do on their own ("people" do all sorts of stupid things), but that is Ford's recommendations for the best results for your vehicle break-in.

 

Perhaps that verbiage has been eliminated in the 2020/2021 Lincoln Owners Manuals...? I don't know. However, it sure wouldn't hurt to treat our expensive vehicles with that much TLC for 1,000 miles.

 

Good luck.

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  • 1 month later...

People will say you don't need to, but I took it easy for the first 500 miles.   Once I get to 800 miles, I'm getting the oil changed.   Small price to pay for potentially removing contaminants from a new engine.   No need for anyone to say it's overkill b/c its not that big of a deal.

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27 minutes ago, Kevbo said:

People will say you don't need to, but I took it easy for the first 500 miles.   Once I get to 800 miles, I'm getting the oil changed.   Small price to pay for potentially removing contaminants from a new engine.   No need for anyone to say it's overkill b/c its not that big of a deal.

Yeah, I went easy to 1000 miles and changed the oil myself. Can't change the oil too much, right?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just drove my brand new 2021 Gator from Naples FL to Boise, ID.    3,100 miles total and had 25 miles on it when I drove it off the lot. I did many hours long stretches of freeway doing 90 to 95 mph on that brand new motor. It is broke in now fer sure.  Ha Ha!

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1 minute ago, TrentM said:

Just drove my brand new 2021 Gator from Naples FL to Boise, ID.    3,100 miles total and had 25 miles on it when I drove it off the lot. I did many hours long stretches of freeway doing 90 to 95 mph on that brand new motor. It is broke in now fer sure.  Ha Ha!

I guess she is!  Congratulations on the new purchase, what's the trim/color?

 

Wow, you went from one extremes to the other weather wise.  How warm was it when you left FL (did you need AC) and what was the temp back in ID?

 

I'm guessing you got quite the deal for driving that distance?

 

So what are your impressions of the new ride, what were you driving before it?

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Flight Blue exterior with Chalet interior. 80's in Florida...  got down to 9 in Texas & New Mexico. 32 here in Idaho right now which is normal...  No deal at all and no negotiating .  It was the only Gator on the lot. They had sold all of their 2020's and got this one in 4 days earlier. Take it or leave it.  Love the vehicle. Ride is awesome and for a cross country road trip cruiser it is perfect for us. My wife drives a 2020 Nautilus and loves it also.  We have always been Lincoln fans. I have a 2019 F-150 Raptor which is my favorite Ford truck ever. And I have had a lot of them. Been a Ford guy all my life. I don't know yet what to do with it. Maybe I will sell the Harley which does not get used much these days and keep the Raptor. I love that truck.

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