Wondering if any members have any suggestions or input as to the recommended MINI break-in period which is stated at 1200 miles and not to go over 4000 RPM?

I have been pretty disciplined and have kept my baby under recommended rpm's. Have not been over 100 MPH. But have enjoyed a couple quick sprints and definitely enjoying driving around in Sport mode rather than non-Sport.

Is there any other issues or areas I should be concerned with? Picked my MCS up with 13miles on em, and now of 250ish. 1000 miles to go per manufacturer...

 

I have purchased new several cars over the years and on each of them, including my 08 Clubman, I have slowly taken them to redline in third gear within the first 100 miles on the odometer. I have read that this will maximize the stretch in the connecting rods (slightly increasing the compression, to make more power) and will seat the rings and valves better. None of my cars have ever used any oil.

 

1,200 miles break period and don't go past 4.5k RPM's, also of course didn't go over 100mph.

 

I followed the breakin period and instructions (below 4.5k, no hard WOT acceleration, vary RPM). So far so good. @ 7K miles

 

Here is a link of one method:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

No matter what method used, key is to get those rings seated. So vary speeds and mix in some compression. Do some motoring and don't extremely baby it. Give the mini some compression by getting some higher rpm but don't redline or go over 100 mph

 

I've used the Mototune method on everything I've owned in the last 25 years. (street cars, motorcycles, race cars... The only engine failure I've had was in a race car. It wasn't the engine's fault I reved it to 10,000 prm...lol Every engine has had great compression, and low oil consumption.

I think the reason they are so conservative is that, new brakes and tires don't work well out of the box. I think manufacturers are just covering their azzes, in case parts fall off, or there was a huge screw up.

At 250 miles, the rings are as seated as they are going to get. the brakes and tires are worn in, Drive it like you stole it!

(But, I'm just a dumb engineer, member of SAE... so I could be wrong, but I'm not...)

 

The advice I was given by my mechanic, and from these forums was to basically drive it normally the way I would if it was say 10,000 miles. Then there are other extremes where people recommend to really baby it, or redline the **** out of it (both with technical evidence). In any case I don't have any issues with oil consumption or otherwise!

 

Another rebel here

Drive it hard right from the start. Seat those piston rings! I strongly believe the reason a lot of R56s have oil consumption issues is because they were grannied from the start of delivery. Engines LIKE load put on them

The most important thing you do is do a couple of oil changes very early in the engines life as things are starting to break in. I did mine at 500 miles, 1500 miles, and then started doing it every 5000 miles.

 

boost helps seat rings just do intermittent loads and keep rpms under 4-5k. change oil out after 500mi, that's my opinion. worked great on my built subaru motors....

 

I agree don't baby it. Let it warm up (important) then do a few moderate throttle runs (60-80 mph or something like that) during the first few hundred miles.

We had two scion tCs and I did this and my wife did the 'normal' break-in (plus she drives gentler than me) and my car always had better throttle response and pep. Noticeably better, even she enjoyed driving my car more. Assuming the fly-by-wire throttle calibration was identical on both cars I can only attribute it to the engine.

 

Sounds like I'm doing ok. Not being too aggressive and not too passive. I have been enjoying the Sport button and have performed a mixture of above said recommendations.

800 miles to go, and I can take full advantage of my newly purchased noise maker; NM Intake , I know this will not dramatically increase HP, but will definitely make my MINI an even more enjoyable ride.

Laters...