Break In routine

everyone,

I am getting a new Tacoma soon, and well, I've never owned a new vehicle in my life. I have had a few rebuilt engines and i'm trying to figure out how i will need to drive it (varying my speed, not using the cruise control, avoiding city traffic and taking it out on a longish run) during the first 500 miles. Any suggestions?

Additionally, after the first 500 miles, have you been dumping the oil, or are you running the "factory" oil for the full 5k recommended miles for a change??

Thanks

KCMaverick

 

Just drive it

 

Right no break in periods anymore

 

Follow the owner's manual recommendations for the break-in period (1000 miles according to the manual, IIRC), which for most people just means driving it normally. The salesman at my dealer recommended halving the first oil change interval, which I did.

EDIT: It's 1000 miles, not 1500 miles.

 

You will get a ton of opinions on this.

Toyota just recommends taking it easy for the first 1,000 miles.

I always change the oil at 1,000 miles just to be safe. I got a UOA when I did it on my last Tacoma and it turned out there was a ton of minerals and deposits in it so I'm glad I changed it.

The thing to keep in mind is that while the engine is broken in from the factory, the rest of the truck is not. Brakes, transmission, suspension, etc... Which is why they say not to break too hard for the first 500 miles (IIRC) or haul any heavy loads in the bed.

Fink

 

There is no break in period anymore. If there was it would be in your owners manual. People who say otherwise can't seem to break old habits.

Hell, I went off-roading in the first 24 hours of taking delivery of my truck. I had to test all those off-road modes in my 4x4. I also took my brand new truck camping on an 800+ mile round trip to Northern California. My first oil change was at 5000 mi. There is no real advantage to doing it sooner, it only increases the cost of maintaining your vehicle.

 

Buy the truck first and then worry about stuff like this.

 

This.

Just be nice to it for the first 1500 miles, and you'll be ok.

 

Its mostly bought, just waiting for it to show up at my dealership. It should be showing up on the ground by the middle of next week.

 

It IS in the owner's manual (page 134):
http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM35A48U/xhtml/OM35A48U_0012.html?locale=en

Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended
to observe:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
Avoid sudden acceleration.
Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
Do not drive slowly with the manual transmission in a high gear.
Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.

 

Just F**king floor it everywhere you go.

 

^If you live in a salted region where the frame will rust out in 5 years, by all means don't baby the powertrain.

 

Do some moderate acceleration runs ASAP and vary your speed. Change the oil and filter somewhere between 100 and 200 miles then again at factory recommended.

The acceleration runs set the rings and the early oil change cleans out any particles that may remain from manufacture.

 

My understanding is all of that is done at the factory before it's shipped out.

Fink

 

Maybe it is, maybe it ain't. Either way it can't hurt and you know for sure it has been done.

 

I'd take it easy the first 1000 miles as the owners manual recommends. It's just SOP. Change the motor oil and other running gear fluids after 100 miles if you want, heck it's only a $100 or so.

 

Except the owner's manual specifically says to "avoid sudden acceleration"...

 

dont drag race in your first 1000 miles... but other than that.. it's a Tacoma, not a Ferrari.. just drive it like you would normally a car.

 

If this break in period was so vital, dont you think theywould say something when you took the truck for a test drive and floored it??Although the reps are sneaky bastards looking to sell you anything... But ifanything does happen it comes with this thing called a warranty.

 

Bingo.

Fink