• A look at how AMG evaluates M157 Twin Turbo motors on their test bench - Is break in even necessary?

                    
      		   
      Published on 08-20-2012 09:07 PM
      3 Comments Comments
      Many Mercedes and AMG owners in general forget that the motors in their vehicles have been tested to strict standards before the motor is ever put in their car. Kind of makes old thinking regarding break in go out the window. Every single motor is run to redline and tested to make sure it was assembled correctly and that the motor is doing exactly what it should be. Just look at the glowing manifolds and exhaust form the high temps due to the motor being run hard for an extended period.


      Old thinking regarding break in is that you need to baby the motor to seat everything properly. The reason break in is recommended as well as an oil change early on is due to small metal fragments from the fresh parts that can be caught in the oil/motor. The break in is not so much to seat the parts which AMG already does before you get the motor but to protect from an early failure due to running the motor hard in case metal shavings were to get into the motor.

      As a matter of fact, a hard break in will usually result in a stronger motor with properly seated parts. Mercedes tests these motors hard as seen here. Don't fear running your own motor hard, it will love you for it. Plus, Mercedes already did.

      This article was originally published in forum thread: A look at how AMG evaluates M157 Twin Turbo motors on their test bench - Is break in even necessary? started by Sticky View original post
      Comments 31 Comments
      1. DBFIU's Avatar
        DBFIU - 08-20-2012, 09:06 PM
        Breaking in motors is a non issue with todays manufacturing and production techniques. I always cant stand hearing people say (redneck voice) "well I break mah motor in with 400 easy miles, then change the oil to skunk urine, then go 500 miles and stay under 2000 rpm, then change oil to blue whale oil and then I wait another 400 miles and it's gud!!!!"

        Yea no, OEMs know that people wont break in their cars, so a lot of times they either do it for them or they design the car to basically be broken in the first time the car turns on. And like you said, AMG, BMW, Toyota, Honda etc... big companies wont sell their car and gaurantee 100,000 miles of service if they had to OMFG BBQ break in sequence or else it's a toasted motor.
      1. Sticky's Avatar
        Sticky - 08-20-2012, 09:07 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by DBFIU Click here to enlarge
        Breaking in motors is a non issue with todays manufacturing and production techniques. I always cant stand hearing people say (redneck voice) "well I break mah motor in with 400 easy miles, then change the oil to skunk urine, then go 500 miles and stay under 2000 rpm, then change oil to blue whale oil and then I wait another 400 miles and it's gud!!!!"

        Yea no, OEMs know that people wont break in their cars, so a lot of times they either do it for them or they design the car to basically be broken in the first time the car turns on. And like you said, AMG, BMW, Toyota, Honda etc... big companies wont sell their car and gaurantee 100,000 miles of service if they had to OMFG BBQ break in sequence or else it's a toasted motor.
        Exactly. I'd be even less concerned with something from AMG or M as they test the absolute living ____ out of these motors. Seems they were varying the RPM hard there on the bench too.
      1. blkclk550's Avatar
        blkclk550 - 08-20-2012, 09:20 PM
        all my cars get paddle to the metal from the dealer and make sure i hit the top speed limiter.
      1. SLS AMG's Avatar
        SLS AMG - 08-21-2012, 04:36 AM
        Did anybody notice how the MCT is holding up and shifting?. Just imressive
      1. singletrack's Avatar
        singletrack - 08-21-2012, 09:10 AM
        I also saw BMW dyno each SUV before it leaves the assembly line in Spartanburg...so more data supporting the theory that break-in is largely irrelevant in terms of power output.
      1. Sonny's Avatar
        Sonny - 08-21-2012, 12:27 PM
        So any thoughts on why some auto manufacturers like MB recommend a certain break-in technique?
      1. Sticky's Avatar
        Sticky - 08-21-2012, 12:31 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sonny Click here to enlarge
        So any thoughts on why some auto manufacturers like MB recommend a certain break-in technique?
        To protect themselves. As stated, if there were any shavings that got in the motor it would fail and they would have to cover it. Telling you to baby it before the oil change reduces the chance of failure.
      1. LZH's Avatar
        LZH - 08-21-2012, 12:32 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sonny Click here to enlarge
        So any thoughts on why some auto manufacturers like MB recommend a certain break-in technique?
        More often than not, its to break in certain components in the driveline like the differential. As stated, most of these modern high performance motors are already run in at the factory. I know on my CLK BS the shop foreman told me that the suggested break in period was for the rear locking dif. Note I said, "suggested". Click here to enlarge
      1. Sticky's Avatar
        Sticky - 08-21-2012, 12:33 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by LZH Click here to enlarge
        More often than not, its to break in certain components in the driveline like the differential. As stated, most of these modern high performance motors are already run in at the factory. I know on my CLK BS the shop foreman told me that the suggested break in period was for the rear locking dif. Note I said, "suggested". Click here to enlarge
        Driveline components is a good point as well.
      1. Sonny's Avatar
        Sonny - 08-21-2012, 12:43 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sticky Click here to enlarge
        To protect themselves. As stated, if there were any shavings that got in the motor it would fail and they would have to cover it. Telling you to baby it before the oil change reduces the chance of failure.
        I understand your point about the shavings. I dont recall if the C63 ( as an example) was supposed to get an oil change around 1500 miles, which is around when the break-in period would have been over. I'M gonna check the manual when I have a minute.
      1. Sticky's Avatar
        Sticky - 08-21-2012, 12:44 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sonny Click here to enlarge
        I understand your point about the shavings. I dont recall if the C63 ( as an example) was supposed to get an oil change around 1500 miles, which is around when the break-in period would have been over. I'M gonna check the manual when I have a minute.
        Let me know when they recommend it. I'm just familiar with the BMW break in procedure and they also change the diff oil as well at around 1500 or so.

        Regardless, all of these motors are thoroughly tested.
      1. Sonny's Avatar
        Sonny - 08-21-2012, 12:47 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by LZH Click here to enlarge
        More often than not, its to break in certain components in the driveline like the differential. As stated, most of these modern high performance motors are already run in at the factory. I know on my CLK BS the shop foreman told me that the suggested break in period was for the rear locking dif. Note I said, "suggested". Click here to enlarge
        Yeah, good point about the rest of the driveline. At least in theory... Click here to enlarge
      1. Sonny's Avatar
        Sonny - 08-21-2012, 12:50 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sticky Click here to enlarge
        Let me know when they recommend it. I'm just familiar with the BMW break in procedure and they also change the diff oil as well at around 1500 or so.

        Regardless, all of these motors are thoroughly tested.
        I'll update. Re: the diff oil change for the C63 only the LSD requires the early fluid change. I imagine the Bimmer only comes with LSD (the way it should be).
      1. Sticky's Avatar
        Sticky - 08-21-2012, 12:52 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sonny Click here to enlarge
        I'll update. Re: the diff oil change for the C63 only the LSD requires the early fluid change. I imagine the Bimmer only comes with LSD (the way it should be).
        Yes, the M cars have LSD's.
      1. Sorena's Avatar
        Sorena - 08-21-2012, 01:58 PM
        I'm one of those guys who break-in the cars for the driveline components as Mr. Luke said. They do break-in the engines in the factory only.

        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sonny Click here to enlarge
        the diff oil change for the C63 only the LSD requires the early fluid change.
        C63 doesn't have LSD?!
      1. PetroC63's Avatar
        PetroC63 - 08-21-2012, 02:03 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sorena Click here to enlarge
        C63 doesn't have LSD?!
        Only as an option.
      1. Sonny's Avatar
        Sonny - 08-21-2012, 02:40 PM
        So, I checked the owner's manual. It didn't specifically state to change the oil at some point in time. It tells you to follow the reminder from your vehicle. Note, I could have missed something, but I checked the manual pretty good.

        It does say -- in the break-in section -- to follow their suggestions (e.g., don't rev over 4500 rpms, don't lug the motor, etc.) even if you change the engine or differential at 1000 miles. Notice, I didn't say "engine oil" or "differential oil." That's because the manual doesn't include the word "oil." I'm guessing it's a typo.

        You could sort of infer that an engine oil of diff oil change is okay at 1000 miles, but it doesn't say to do that. Pretty strange wording if you ask me.
      1. Sonny's Avatar
        Sonny - 08-21-2012, 02:41 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sorena Click here to enlarge
        C63 doesn't have LSD?!
        Yeah, what the hell, right?
      1. Sonny's Avatar
        Sonny - 08-21-2012, 02:48 PM
        Does AMG have the time and resources to do this procedure for every engine they produce? Seems overly time consuming.
      1. Sorena's Avatar
        Sorena - 08-21-2012, 03:23 PM
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by Sonny Click here to enlarge
        Yeah, what the hell, right?
        Click here to enlarge Originally Posted by PetroC63 Click here to enlarge
        Only as an option.
        Well that's odd. My uncle had a 230SL and that car had limited slip diff! The 6.3 SEL from 60's had it. Why they didn't offer it as standard in C63?
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