What happens when you do everything wrong

[AITG]

I periodically read about how "you have to break in a new engine", "you need to let an engine warm up", and my personal favorite "5W-20 oil is too thin".

Friday, I fired up a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI) that hadn't been run in a week. I drove it 200 feet and shut it off. Five minutes later I started it, let it warm up for the first ten feet of movement and then proceeded to drive it as hard as it would run for the next 18 miles. (responding to fatal traffic crash). Braking hard down to 5 or 10 mph at intersections, then foot on floor up to 125 mph and back down as needed. I parked the car and let it idle for 45 minutes then drove 18 miles back to the department at legal speed.

This has been this cars' life since it was brand new. It has 109,000 miles on the odometer. It gets oil changes every 3,000 miles (or 5,000 if nobody notices) using Shell 5W-20 oil. It uses NO oil between changes. The engine has had the MAF sensor replaced at 100,000 miles, otherwise no repairs.

Just follow the directions and drive them. Cars today are pretty tough.

 

[Klutch9]

That's pretty awesome. The 4.6's are actually known to burn a little oil once they've aged, but even still, they are bulletproof motors. My dad had one in an old conversion van. That thing was used HARD, but never quit.

 

[oldhp]

Its a police car, its got cop shocks, cop tires and a 44o... er, 5.4 mod motor.

 

[GutsyGecko]

4.6 mod motor actually.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: AITG
I periodically read about how "you have to break in a new engine", "you need to let an engine warm up", and my personal favorite "5W-20 oil is too thin".

Friday, I fired up a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI) that hadn't been run in a week. I drove it 200 feet and shut it off. Five minutes later I started it, let it warm up for the first ten feet of movement and then proceeded to drive it as hard as it would run for the next 18 miles. (responding to fatal traffic crash). Braking hard down to 5 or 10 mph at intersections, then foot on floor up to 125 mph and back down as needed. I parked the car and let it idle for 45 minutes then drove 18 miles back to the department at legal speed.

This has been this cars' life since it was brand new. It has 109,000 miles on the odometer. It gets oil changes every 3,000 miles (or 5,000 if nobody notices) using Shell 5W-20 oil. It uses NO oil between changes. The engine has had the MAF sensor replaced at 100,000 miles, otherwise no repairs.

Just follow the directions and drive them. Cars today are pretty tough.


What about if you marry the wrong woman? Seems it would be a lot worse than breaking in an engine wrong.

 

[stranger706]

Growing up thats how most teenagers drove every day. We never cared about warming up or breaking in. I saw things done to cars that I never thought possible. I've seen people go mud bogging in Honda Accords and Dodge minivans on a regular basis. Who needs a truck when you got moms minivan?

Yeah cars today are pretty tough.

 

[JHZR2]

Sometimes it is amazing what the can deal with, and other times it is amazing how one little stupid thing can bring the whole thing to a stop.

Kind of like people I guess - some can get stabbed and shot and still live, and others have a little leak in a vein or a little blockage someplace and they're gone.

 

[AITG]

The folks who hang out at BITOG want to take care of their equipment or they wouldn't be here. What I'm getting at is the "I've ALWAYS warmed up / used 10W-40 / broke in / whatever" is really not supported by the reality of today's cars.

I don't abuse my own equipment like the CVPIs - I don't need to but after seeing how they stand up I bought an F-150 5.0 V8 with complete confidence.

 

[oldhp]

Donald, You can re-ring a engine....I'm afraid your wife would put up a fight if you tried it with her!

 

[itguy08]

IOW what I've always thought and been saying more and more is just drive it however you want and maintain it well.

I got almost 200k out of a 1986 Ford 2.3 OHC when I did none of this stuff. Put the cheapest oil and filters on it, changed it at about 3k. Start it up, and drive away as soon as the carb let me (choke was very finicky at times). Sometimes it would be floored right away (88HP will do that) and other times it would not. No warm up to speak of and the drivetrain was original. The body was the issue.

I've also wondered if they are not self regulating. When a cold engine starts, the oil is thick, and that produces a lot of drag. Same with the trans and gear oils. So they do a little self regulating. If you've got the stomach, try revving your car when it's cold. It really doesn't want to do it. So it's somewhat self limiting.

And the automakers now test better than ever. Look at Ford's Ecoboost torture video. They froze the thing to like -20 and then fired her up to WOT. Repeatedly. I'd imagine all engines go through something similar.

Drive it like you want but maintain it well and don't worry. The car doesn't care.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: oldhp
Donald, You can re-ring a engine....I'm afraid your wife would put up a fight if you tried it with her!


The wives tend to like bigger rings for it to be OK.

 

[AITG]

Super secret three step maintenance plan to make cars last:
1. Read the book
2. Follow directions
3. Keep it full of fluids.

Keep this information to yourself. Millions are seeking this knowledge.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: oldhp
Its a police car, its got cop shocks, cop tires and a 44o... er, 5.4 mod motor.

The question is, does it have SCMODS???