i just had my 2001 subaru engine rebuilt and i wonder how to break this in. the dealer said warm it up before every drive (its winter here) for 15 minutes but otherwise nothing special.
i have read on line various break in recipes including esp gentle driving and frequent oil changes, like every few hundred miles for a while.
i hate the idea of idling my car for any length of time. what do you folks suggest?
I would not warm it up for 15 minutes, three to five minutes followed by a few easy miles would be better IMO. An extra early oil and filter change would not hurt unless you had it done at a quick change place. Generally it is recommend not to stay at the same speed for extended periods during break-in and not doing any really hard driving, but drive with some spirit from time to time after the first couple of hundred miles.
I second Mr. Meehan on all of it.
Yes, excellant advice from Mr Meehan.
Nothing really special as the rest of the car is broken in already and won’t be putting a lot of additional stress on the engine. There are a lot of mechanics that have had practice rebuilding Subaru engines, so I see no reason the rebuilt engine won’t last another six years.
any bolts need retorquing after running in?
For all intents and purposes, this is a new Subaru engine. Therefore, break it in like a new Subaru engine. For the first 500 to 1,000 miles, keep engine speed below half of red line, drive at different speeds and don’t flog it hard.
When you start the car cold, let it idle just long enough for oil to circulate. This happens in less than 30 seconds. Then, drive gently until it reaches its normal operating temperature. Because it takes so long, it is actually harmful to warm up a car at idle.
I would change the oil and filter after the first 500 miles. I would also do some compression cycles on it to make sure the new rings seat well. A compression cycle is to accelerate firmly (don’t floor it) until you reach about 40mph or so (around 3000rpm) and then let off the gas and let it coast against the engine compression to almost a stop. This is best done in a low gear. Do this about 6 to 8 times down the street (and empty one is best). Make sure the engine is warmed up.