Break-in period

[Dangler]

I pulled these guidelines from another thread in the forum that ironically did not have much discussion about the actual break-in period.
——————-
Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recommended:

-For the first 200 miles: Avoid sudden stops.
-For the first 500 miles: Do not tow a trailer.
-For the first 1000 miles:
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.

• Do not drive continuously in low gears.

• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
——————
Only the last point has me even slightly concerned. I take delivery of my LC this week. In a week and a half I leave on a road trip to Montana, about 900 miles round trip. It will entail interstate speed limits of 70, 75 and 80mph. I’ve done this drive dozens of times and it’s hard to imagine doing it without cruise control. Even without cruise control it’s ~14 hours (total) wirhout a lot of variation in RPMs.

It’s been 9 years since I bought a new vehicle and I’ve never followed strict break-in period guidelines before as my daily driving is quite varied and mellow.

Should I:

1. Just make the trip without cause for concern

2. Make my buddy drive

3. Drive my 80 series LC and stop at a gas station every 200 miles

 

[TrailWhale]

I don’t know where you are driving from or where in Montana you are driving to, but if you are coming from the west and going to the cool parts of Montana (eg Glacier, Missoula, Bozeman, Big Sky, etc) there are plenty of highway routes that can keep you from the monotony and constant high speeds of the interstate! Well worth adding a few hours of driving in my opinion.

 

[Colorado]

I just wouldn't worry about it. You will be stopping to gas up, changing speed for slower traffic and, like TrailWhale said, perhaps taking some sightseeing diversions, all of which will distinguish your trip from (e.g.) and OTR trucker's monotonous slog. Besides, 1,000 miles is not a magic number.

This reminds me of my wife breaking in a new motorcycle. We were going down a 35 mph road when she screamed past me at very high speed. I caught up with her at the next light and asked what that was all about. She said, "I finally hit 1,000 miles and decided to redline it." Made sense at the time.

 

[JoT.]

#2 sounds fun
agree with TrailWhale- try to find a few different routes to vary. Just came back from Bozeman- can’t wait to go again. When I was breaking in 4 Runner recently, I had to get creative on routes around my area to vary driving.

 

[wedemmoez]

As a Toyota engineer and former mechanic, break in periods are mostly unnecessary on modern engines. Just don’t floor it and you’ll be fine. Constant RPMs aren’t really an issue. Your vehicle was sitting idling at port for 20+ hours while accessories and checks were being done, you driving for 5 hours home at constant rpm isn’t going to hurt it.

 

[JoT.]

As a Toyota engineer and former mechanic, break in periods are mostly unnecessary on modern engines. Just don’t floor it and you’ll be fine. Constant RPMs aren’t really an issue. Your vehicle was sitting idling at port for 20+ hours while accessories and checks were being done, you driving for 5 hours home at constant rpm isn’t going to hurt it.

Good to know

 

[qberg]

And, as long as your trip isn't complete flat land, the engine will be at different speeds via gear shifts as you pull hills, encounter head winds, etc. If it is staying in 8th the entire time, just pop it down to 7th here and there.

 

[Dangler]

I don’t know where you are driving from or where in Montana you are driving to, but if you are coming from the west and going to the cool parts of Montana (eg Glacier, Missoula, Bozeman, Big Sky, etc) there are plenty of highway routes that can keep you from the monotony and constant high speeds of the interstate! Well worth adding a few hours of driving in my opinion.

I’ll be driving from western WA to Missoula. Unfortunately the scenic byways won’t be an option on this trip as it will be a “means-to-an-end” sort of drive.

Sounds like it’s not going to be much of an issue as far as the engine break-in is concerned.

 

[Dangler]

As a Toyota engineer and former mechanic, break in periods are mostly unnecessary on modern engines. Just don’t floor it and you’ll be fine. Constant RPMs aren’t really an issue. Your vehicle was sitting idling at port for 20+ hours while accessories and checks were being done, you driving for 5 hours home at constant rpm isn’t going to hurt it.

Just what I needed to hear, thanks

 

[Nuke]

Possibly/probably coincidence, but my only disaster with a vehicle consuming oil when new was when I purchased it in Detroit, and drove back to Las Vegas. Even then I attempted to vary the speed, but that is tough to do on the Interstate. Personally, I think Toyota knows best, and it is printed in the owner's manual. Follow their advice, and you won't be sorry.

 

[EOD Guy]

I babied it for the first 200 miles, under the speed limit, constantly varying the speed. 200 to 500 miles, didn't use the cruise control to ensure I was varying speeds and stayed at or under the speed limit.
500+ driving normal.

 

[ultane]

Your vehicle was sitting idling at port for 20+ hours while accessories and checks were being done,…

Sitting, IDLING, for 20 hours???

Really?

 

[Nuke]

Your vehicle was sitting idling at port for 20+ hours while accessories and checks were being done, you driving for 5 hours home at constant rpm isn’t going to hurt it.

I seriously dispute this. Can this be substantiated? Personally, would never drive for 5 hours at Interstate speeds immediately following delivery, but to each their own...

 

[wedemmoez]

Sitting, IDLING, for 20 hours???

Really?

I seriously dispute this. Can this be substantiated? Personally, would never drive for 5 hours at Interstate speeds immediately following delivery, but to each their own...

I've been to both the SET port facilities and GST facilities on tours when i started at Toyota years ago. The cars being actively worked on are sitting idling while they're installing accessories and during the quality checks. Its easier for distributor install team to leave them running instead of starting and stopping them every time they have to move them.

Vehicles will sit idling for as long as it takes to get the entire checklist complete, if cars have a QC check thats intrusive (like a sunroof) they'll sit idling so the tech can have the AC running in the vehicle. Even in the indoor facilties, because the bay doors are open all the time, it gets hot as fuck. Sometimes its short like 3 hours, other times its much longer and over a period of days.

 

[Nuke]

I've been to both the SET port facilities and GST facilities on tours when i started at Toyota years ago. The cars being actively worked on are sitting idling while they're installing accessories and during the quality checks. Its easier for distributor install team to leave them running instead of starting and stopping them every time they have to move them.

Vehicles will sit idling for as long as it takes to get the entire checklist complete, if cars have a QC check thats intrusive (like a sunroof) they'll sit idling so the tech can have the AC running in the vehicle. Even in the indoor facilties, because the bay doors are open all the time, it gets hot as fuck. Sometimes its short like 3 hours, other times its much longer and over a period of days.

20 hours just sounds a bit excessive, but you have witnessed it first-hand, cannot dispute. Sad to hear Toyota does this... Some procedure when coming out of U.S. plant?

 

[ultane]

I've been to both the SET port facilities and GST facilities on tours when i started at Toyota years ago. The cars being actively worked on are sitting idling while they're installing accessories and during the quality checks. Its easier for distributor install team to leave them running instead of starting and stopping them every time they have to move them.

Vehicles will sit idling for as long as it takes to get the entire checklist complete, if cars have a QC check thats intrusive (like a sunroof) they'll sit idling so the tech can have the AC running in the vehicle. Even in the indoor facilties, because the bay doors are open all the time, it gets hot as fuck. Sometimes its short like 3 hours, other times its much longer and over a period of days.

Do they ever put fuel in the cars at the port facilities location?

Do you know what Toyota puts in the tanks in Japan? Is it ethanol free fuel? Or E10 fuel? (Not asking about octane).

 

[wedemmoez]

20 hours just sounds a bit excessive, but you have witnessed it first-hand, cannot dispute. Sad to hear Toyota does this... Some procedure when coming out of U.S. plant?

Yep, its common. Idling or keeping steady RPMs is not going to hurt your engine long term. Like I said earlier, the break in period is largely irrelevant for modern engines. It’s left over from when manufacturing tolerances were not as good. You can leave your engine idling for a week straight right out the factory and not cause any long term damage as long as all the oiling and cooling systems are functioning

Do they ever put fuel in the cars at the port facilities location?

Do you know what Toyota puts in the tanks in Japan? Is it ethanol free fuel? Or E10 fuel? (Not asking about octane).

No idea. They have fueling facilities on site, but I don’t know anything about them.

 

[ultane]

No idea. They have fueling facilities on site, but I don’t know anything about them.

Do you know who or where I could contact to find out this info?

 

[qberg]

20 hours just sounds a bit excessive, but you have witnessed it first-hand, cannot dispute. Sad to hear Toyota does this... Some procedure when coming out of U.S. plant?

I'd say 20hrs is on the far extreme situation and is not common. I'd expect that a vast majority... like 90% or more... are less than 3 hrs.

 

[brianz]

I have about 50 miles on my LC. Driving a coast-to-coast tomorrow. I guess I will try to stay off interstates first couple of days - will add a few hours to a long trip and some nice scenery. Maybe I will “have to” take a backcountry discover route.