Infiniti G35 Engine Break In
I just purchased an 07 G35 Sedan. After I did, I asked my salesperson if there was any recommended engine break-in tips (not revving over X RPM, not driving for long periods of time at the same speed, etc.). I was told there was no break-in period, and drove it hard a couple of times (as well as on a relatively long trip).
Does anyone know if this will adversely affect my car's engine? I've heard conflicting things regarding the issue.
I appreciate any input you may have in advance.
Does anyone know if this will adversely affect my car's engine? I've heard conflicting things regarding the issue.
I appreciate any input you may have in advance.
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I have found the story is the same regardless of where you go: Dealer says no break-in required; book says take it easy for a 1000 miles or so. Porsche was the same.
That said, I don't think you did any damage, and wouldn't worry about it.
I do like to drop the oil out at 1000 miles, (and change the filter); have done so for all my cars for several years now. If you examine the filter after 1000 miles I would bet you'll see some metal shavings. I always do. Then I go into a regular schedule of oil changes every 4000 to 6000 miles.
On break-in..... I was a little disappointed with the performance on the 06 Coupe at first, (after the break-in period). Seemed a bit sluggish compared to the 05 Coupe I had. After 5000 to 6000 miles I started to notice a bit more oomph and now, at 8800 it is everything the 05 was and more. I am satisfied with the pull under acceleration (for a stock set up anyway; wonder what a supercharger would add to seat of the pants reckoning?)
So a question to those who know or might have an opinion or idea, do cars in this day and age, need to wear in before you get close to performance potential?
Roll
I don't believe they have to be babied. If you have an MT I would certainly avoid lugging the engine. Not easy to do with so much torque BTW.
But I think warming up the entire drive-train while driving is essential new or old, before romping on it.
I can understand long garage warm ups of a minute or two in the coldest climates, but normally, we should be on our way in 30 seconds.
As far as break-in, build up rpms slowly over the first few
Brakes should be bedded in too, but that's another subject.
Tires should not be stressed for a couple of hundred miles either. Maybe I am just obsessive, but if you do some research there is a lot to support this.
Avoid the cruise control, vary speeds at cruise. With the 5AT you can shift periodically between 4 and 5 while on a long trip.
In summary, enjoy it, drive it 'normally' not like it's race day, except for occasional sprints (like 25 to 70) followed by engine braking/coasting and repeat several times, for helping the rings seat.
While I agree a good salesperson could sell anything, a smart one will get you the right answer if he does not have them.
That's why, if and when I order the G35, I want one that hasn't even been test driven. At least in my neck of the woods, the Infiniti dealer isn't soft on the test drives whatsoever and tells us to let it show us what it can do during our test drives.
I am obsessive about car care and maintenance and I want to baby my car through the break in, although the temptation to unbridle the thing will be extremely frustrating.
I changed it over to Mobil 1 at approx 7000 miles Based on gasoline mileage, I would say the engine broke in at 10000 miles, where the gasoline mileage took a significant increase. Urban mileage is approx 19 - 20 now and normal highway mileage at 80 to 85 is 25.
I think it could get better at slower speeds, but sorry I cannot accumulate this data.
Steve
Of course it will not ping. The timing is retarded thanks to knock sensors and a smart ECU. And mileage will only be slightly affected.
But wheel HP can be reduced as much as 10%.
Here are some quotes from the Infiniti Operating Manual that came with my car:
"Use unleaded regular gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 AKI." , "You may use unleaded gasoline with an octane rating as low as 85 AKI in high altitude areas", and most interesting"You get the greatest fuel benefit when there is light spark knock for a short time under heavy engine load".
The funny thing about octane requirements, is that once you have satisfied the basic need, that additional octane rating is of no use at all.
The octane requirement may well be different on later G35s with their higher engine rated power, as Infiniti may have squeezed the tuning differently in order to advertise more HP . Funny thing is, the newer ones don't seem to be any faster than the 260 hp G35s. Go figure.
Didn't they increase the curb weight along with the horsepower?
Roll
I should have made that distinction earlier. The models are tuned for different fuel recommendations.
The main point, is no one knows if Synthetics are good or bad, no one has done any testing of any sorts.
There is considerable talk that conventional oil is better for the car for the first 10-20K miles, that it helps the car break in better then Synthetic. That Syntetic is TOO slick and actually can get past gaskets and such and leak on a new car. This camp has no evidence to support their statements.
Then there's a smaller crowd which is made up of those that have/follow European Luxury/Performance vehicles and most racing teams. Why is it that ALL European auto makers start off from mile 1 with Synthetics and don't do first oil change until 15,000 miles? They must know something right? but again, they don't have any testing evidence to support their action. However they do have very detailed tests specifically on Synthetic oils vs Conventional Oil, where Synthetic outperforms conventional in every possible way when it comes to heat, viscosity, purity, breakdown, smoke point etc... any test you run, Synthetic is the Energizer so to say.
So what's to believe? My theory is this, and it's a little bit conspiracy, but makes sense and has evidence to support. Synthetic is better. hands down. Conventional oil in North America has a recommended oil change cycle of 3000 miles. Anywhere else in the world, that exact same quart of oil has a 7500-10000 mile change cycle. Synthetic in North America carries a recommended 5000-7500 mile change cycle, anywhere else in the world it's 15000-25000 miles. Why is this? Well I think it has to do with the service industry greed, 80 years ago we all started out with the same service intervals, but over time, the world has realized it's unnecessary, however in North America we stuck with the lower cycle for little to no reason, other then we were building cars of lower quality and lower tolerance. The dealers and auto mfg's are pushing the consumer to get unnecessary service, just like most of the bundled services they offer at your dealer, to drive up profits. at 30K you don't need a tranny flush!
So I feel that Synthetic from the start is the BEST you can do for your car. and the service interval is around 15K miles or 12 months, which ever comes first. Now I still struggle with not making the first oil change a litle sooner, so I'll pay for a 3000mi change, then the next one is 15K miles. and go from there.
In fact, Mobil 1, 20 years ago, offered 80,000 between changes. (It was doc'd on the bottle)
It is still recommended to change the oil filter and then top off the oil to replace that which was lost in the filter change.
This should be done at a much more frequent interval, like 3,000 - 3,5000 miles.
I change at 1000 miles and always find metal in the filter. I change then every 3 to 4K as long as I have the car. I agree synthetic does not break down like petroleum based oil but I believe the problem is contamination and whether you use synthetic or petroleum, they are both subject to contamination.
Am I wrong?
Roll
When I had 2,500 miles on it, I went to the dealer and asked for an oil change.
This was early, as they suggest the first change at 7,500.
The service manager sent me home, without my oil change.
It was explained to me that the oil comes from the factory containing special additives to assist with correct engine break-in and should not be changed out early.
Dunno... :confuse:
As for break-in oil. The dealer dropped my oil at 1000 miles. They did not offer any comment regarding break-in and keeping the original oil in the car longer. Of course, that's not to say they would were it true of the Infiniti, but one can hope.
Noted regarding send a sample out. Good idea.
Roll
I had a friend who had his Dodge Challenger engine rebuilt by a very reputable local company.
He asked about engine break-in and they said to just drive it, no worries.
I still break my new cars in in the recommended way.
No hard braking or acceleration, vary speed and rpm, that sort of stuff...
But look at Ferrari.
They hand build their engines, even forging their own blocks.
They don't break the engines in.
As soon as a car leaves the assembly area, it goes right to the race track in the back yard, where every model is driven right to it's limits and tested before it ever leaves the factory.
So, I'll continue to break my cars in, but who knows what it's actually getting me.
The investment makes it worth the effort and hopefully, it adds to the longevity.
Avoid driving for long periods of time at constant speed, either fast or slow. Do not run engine over 4k RPM.
Do not accelerate at full throttle in any gear
Avoid quick starts
Avoid hard braking as much as possible
No good deed goes unedited
DO NOT USE SYNTHETIC OIL UNTIL AT LEAST 12,000 miles are on your odometer!!
Synthetic oil is great, but for the VQ (as well as other engines), it's best to put some miles on it before converting to synthetics. This is to allow the valves to seat properly as well as other mechanical reasons. I would actually wait about 15,000 miles myself.
You're better off changing the tranny oil to a higher quality oil....especially knowing how hard some G drivers are on their rides!
Good luck!
I was concerned about how the first 600 were layed on the engine, but not concerned enough to wait for another Black on Black to arrive.
Here's hoping "being gentile" for the first 500 or so isn't too big a deal as I have no idea how the first 600 went on. Though observing the folks test driving lead me to believe they weren't "going for the gusto" with the salesman in the car.
My test rider was a 2007 Sport, I didn't get on it until we were on route 95, and even then it seems that 3800 RPM takes you to about 80 MPH, fast enough for a test ride.
We didn't just drive that thing. We beat on it. I was actually surprised at what the salesman had me doing. He really wanted to show the seemingly limitless abilities of this vehicle, and did just that.
It was an awesome 45 mintue test drive.
I honestly hope your car witnessed calmer test drives than mine.
I called my salesman 2 weeks later and said let's do it, I want one.
Blue Slate on Black with the Tech and wood trim packages are next to impossible to find. I was asked if I wanted to wait or take a car with 300-400 miles on it.
I chose to wait.
2 days later, he found an unsold one on the boat coming in, and my 6 week wait turned into a 2 week wait.
One week to go....
As I asked earlier, did the terster you drove have wood trim and NAV?
No, it had Aluminum Trim and didn't even have the Premium package.
Are you buying from Warwick?
Did you take a trip to the satellite lot?
That driveway (road) is narrow and incredibly curvy.
The salesguy put me in the passenger seat and drove us up that road at 70 MPH.... the car handled it incredibly well.
Once out there, I saw the Slate Blue and another car which had the Graphite Interior with Wood Trim.
I was set on color from then on.
I do not like the after-market OEM wood trim though... very plastic looking and missing buttons show the aluminum trim underneath... YUCK!
It does not compare to the factory installed African Redwood. :shades:
The "break in" of a new vehicle was thoroughly explored in a magazine several years back...I think it was "Corvette Fever". Chevrolet (like virtually all manufacturers) recommends taking it easy for the first 1K miles or so....but the message was for all cars. Here's the bottom line, which I think explains a lot of the mis-information on this subject:
The engine itself is mostly broken in when the car is delivered...certainly broken in enough that it won't hurt anything to run it fairly hard. However, the "system" of engine, transmission, U-joints, drive shaft, differential, half-shafts, bearings, axels, etc., have not been broken in as a "system" where all the parts that were built independently are forced to work together. there are some small alignment variables during assembly, so the independent parts need "break in" with each other. So, the reason for being gentle on the car has to do with this "system" getting aligned, worn in, meshed, or whatever you want to call it. You don't want to put a lot of force on the "system" until everthing seats in and works together.
That's not say you would do any damage to the car by romping on it immediately. My personal opinion is that some small amount of hot rodding doesn't hurt, and any damage would not show up for many thousands of miles, if ever. But I can't see that it hurts to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, either.
As for oil, I've posted widely on this subject in other vehicle forums. The whole subject of waiting for 10K miles or so before converting to synthetics is total BS. I would simply point to the long, and ever increasing list of cars that come from the factory with synthetics and recommend using only synthetics: Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari, Viper, and on and on.
I'm not going to get into it in this post, but you can think of "synthetics" as very pure oil. You can also think of "conventional oil" as very dirty synthetic. It's all oil; there's no harm in using synthetics in your car from the start, and you will get the benefits of using synthetics, which is mainly thermal stability...the oil doesn't break down under heat as readily as conventional oil.
And in closing, I'll add a couple of other comments: 1) There's no industry agreement as to exactly what "synthetic" means, and in fact, there was a lawsuit over this subject some years back, where Mobil lost out. Group III, IV, and V (and soon-to-be VI GTL) base oils are all considered "synthetic"; and 2) The cars with very long change intervals (Porsche @ 20K miles; Mercedes out to 30K miles, etc.) all use synthetics. However, those oils for European autos are certified to ACEA (European) standards, rather than SAE, IPCEA, or Jaso standards (SL, SM, GF-4, GF-5). You can go to your local Walmart and check it out....the Mobil1 "Extended Performance" oils all meet the ACEA standards (as well as SAE/IPCEA standards), while the regular Mobil1 does not. What you are getting in these "Extended Performance" oils is some extra additives to protect during long change intervals. The Europeans are way ahead of the Americans/Japanese on this subject of extended drain intervals.
Any of you can check it out on Google with the various buzz words above, but I'll try to write more later.
The Lurkin Merkin
Is it true that the only difference between premium and regular gas is that premium burns slower? My friend says he is a ASC mechanic and that I am wasting my money, if i put premium in my 06 g35x; because it runs on regular.
Is this true? I've tried both regular and premium. The mileage is pretty much the same. I only get about 200 miles per tank. I have 3627 miles on it so far (bought the car in late november)
thanks in advance for your help
There are several other threads that would benefit from your post, some devoted entirely to oil, so if you're that way inclined, you could comment in those as well.
The BMW folks are especially anal about this sort of thing, as am I.
Thanks again & welcome aboard.
the manual says it takes regular, but i put the premium in. i have a friend who says that premium is a waste of money. however, i think the manufacturer recommends it for a reason.
thanks so much for the thorough explanation. Any other feedback is greatly appreciated.
i just had my first servicing. After the oil and filter change, the car seems to run so much smoother (3900 miles).
i just love this car.
I've also heard a lot of owners say that their gas mileage has gone up since hitting approx 3,500 miles.
You had any luck in that dept?
I primarily use, Mobile, BP/Amoco or Lukoil gasoline (premium). I tried Hess - didn't feel right and burned very very quickly. I had the same issue with Shell gas.
Any suggestions on gas would be greatly appreciated...
I go to the pump and fill it until the handle clicks (full tank)
I also set my trip meter back to 0.
I then drive and when I go to get gas again, I fill until it clicks again.
I then divide the miles by the exact amount of gas (gallons) it took to fill, which gives me mileage per gallon.
I'm currently at 19.34 miles per gallon, with 1,800 miles on the car, at approx 50/50 city/highway travel.
Some people are reporting as high as 25 50/50 driving.
I'd love to see that, but I knew what I was buying when I got this car and I'm happy with borderline 20 MPG with the amount of performance this thing offers.
I know my mileage would go up some if I could just calm my right foot down. :P
I have the G35X 07 and my car was getting about 13MPG when i first got the car. After about 2500 miles now im getting about 14.3-15MPG a little better but not too much.
I have a question regarding oil. The manual says for both the filter and oil it takes 51/8 quarts of oil.
Its strange because it seems to be short when the dealer put whatever amount they put in and also my auto mechanice put 5 quarts and it was short 1/2 a quart.
So whats the real amount of oil does the car take including the filter???
In addition it seems somewhat different trying to read that dipstick can see where the oil is on the stick how far up.
I hope someone can tell me whether the manual is wrong and should be more oil for an oil change.
Even if the dealer put in the 5/1/8 quarts it stillw was hort 1/4 of a quart.
Thank you
With low miles, just be sure to vary RPMs on the highway.
This can be easily done by changing from 5th to 4th and then after a few minutes, back to 5th .... every once in a while. (Assuming 5AT)
I just don't recommend Cruise Control during the break-in.
Enjoy,
Bob
With my 50/50 city/highway commute, I now have 3100 miles.
If I keep it in drive (D) and relax, I am getting 22.1 with my mixed driving, and 27.7 on the highway.
If I put it in Manual mode and drive a little more on the exciting side, I'm in the 18's.
Not too bad at all!
Just drove to Montreal and back from Providence,RI for Grand Prix. Kept (what is for me) a reasonable speed as my, nervous, lady friend was with me. styed at about 80 MPH the entire way using my trusty valentine detector. Never made 20 MPG.
Even watching the fuel economy indicator, more like 18 on the high way for me. 5500 miles on my G35X.
Alan
I'm easily in the mid-20's when I'm on the highway... but I'm a little under the 80 mph mark that you're cruising at.
I wonder if the extra 10 mph had something to do with it :confuse: