Focus ST break in

[NotAnSES]

Great news! Our Focus ST will arrive to Germany in less than 2 months! I will return home from deployment in about 3 months, so it should be there when I got home. I'm very excited. My wife will be there to pick it up, and will be the driver for its first miles My question is, how many miles until the engine/turbo are "broken in?" I told my wife not to beat on the car too much. But after how many miles should she be able to put the pedal down and have some fun on the autobahn? If anyone knows the answer to this obscure question please let me know. Thank you!

[gonefhsn]

For the first 500 miles vary the speed after that fly down autobahn 3 or which ever is closest to you lol

[aernan]

I talked with the dealer and the boards about this one. What I found out is that driving hard in short sprints is fine and helps the rings seat. Mostly everything else wears in slowly during the first 5k miles or so.

[Matasickle]

I know this is about the ST but I also just purchased a Focus with 2 miles on it.
How should I treat her?
Should I vary revs between shifts, vary speeds, etc?

This is my first time owning a brand new car..

[aernan]

the dealer said. don't drive at the same speed for a long time. Then I asked what is a long time. They said more then an hour. I guess these modern engines actually go through a factory break in. Then they drive them around the factory a bit to get them loaded on boats or trains or whatever to get them to the dealers. Then the dealer drives them around the lot a bit. They spend a long time idling followed by someone driving the car fast then more idling. I have also heard that modern engines are manufactured to very high tolerances and most components wear very little.

I don't know I've never built or rebuilt an engine so I have to go on recommendations. I have owned piles of high milage vehicles and this is my first new car ever. What kills high milage vehicles for me is blown head gasket (saab 9000) or dirty oil galleries (Mercedes Diesel 300 TD Wagon). I'm pretty sure the power plants in modern cars will outlive the rest of the vehicle. (transmission, differentials, body dents and damage, interior)

[lddavis]

According to the owner's manual (including the ST supplement), no break-in period is required.

I find it hard to break old habits, so despite the manual, for the first 1000 miles, I do the normal break-in thing:
- vary the RPM (not necessarily "speed"; if you're on the highway, move between upper gears occasionally to vary RPM even if you're stuck at 65 mph)
- avoid high RPM at first (hard as that is with an ST :)) and only gradually increase the upper bound
- make sure the engine sees at least some instances of high pressure (open throttle in a higher gear will do this without necessarily causing a lot of acceleration, RPM, or speed)
- make sure to decelerate under vacuum as well (leave the car in gear and take your foot off the gas when approaching a stop, etc).

Change the oil and filter after 1000 miles.

[Matasickle]

Originally Posted by lddavis

According to the owner's manual (including the ST supplement), no break-in period is required.

I find it hard to break old habits, so despite the manual, for the first 1000 miles, I do the normal break-in thing:
- vary the RPM (not necessarily "speed"; if you're on the highway, move between upper gears occasionally to vary RPM even if you're stuck at 65 mph)
- avoid high RPM at first (hard as that is with an ST :)) and only gradually increase the upper bound
- make sure the engine sees at least some instances of high pressure (open throttle in a higher gear will do this without necessarily causing a lot of acceleration, RPM, or speed)
- make sure to decelerate under vacuum as well (leave the car in gear and take your foot off the gas when approaching a stop, etc).

Change the oil and filter after 1000 miles.

That was very informative.
I thank you, sir.

[NotAnSES]

Thank you all for the good responses! I cant wait for this ST to arrive! I cant wait to get out of this sh**hole country I'm in.

[gonefhsn]

You are the first person I have ever heard that did not like Germany.

[gonefhsn]

Originally Posted by lddavis

According to the owner's manual (including the ST supplement), no break-in period is required.

I find it hard to break old habits, so despite the manual, for the first 1000 miles, I do the normal break-in thing:
- vary the RPM (not necessarily "speed"; if you're on the highway, move between upper gears occasionally to vary RPM even if you're stuck at 65 mph)
- avoid high RPM at first (hard as that is with an ST :)) and only gradually increase the upper bound
- make sure the engine sees at least some instances of high pressure (open throttle in a higher gear will do this without necessarily causing a lot of acceleration, RPM, or speed)
- make sure to decelerate under vacuum as well (leave the car in gear and take your foot off the gas when approaching a stop, etc).

Change the oil and filter after 1000 miles.

Straight from the ST supplement

BREAKING-IN YOUR VEHICLE
Your vehicle does not need an extensive break-in. Try not to drive
continuously at the same speed for the first 1000 miles (1600 km) of
new vehicle operation. Vary your speed frequently in order to give the
moving parts a chance to break in.
Do not add friction modifier compounds or special break-in oils since
these additives may prevent piston ring seating