Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/26/83; site ihuxl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!whuxlb!pyuxll!eisx!npoiv!npois!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert From: seifert@ihuxl.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: How do you break in a new car? Message-ID: <430@ihuxl.UUCP> Date: Fri, 8-Jul-83 16:51:34 EDT Article-I.D.: ihuxl.430 Posted: Fri Jul 8 16:51:34 1983 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Jul-83 18:33:05 EDT References: <258@ihuxq.UUCP> Organization: BTL Naperville, Il. Lines: 41 > If you have a manual transmission, don't down > shift until the 300 mile mark has been > reached. As with up shifting, steadily > increase the number of revs after 300 has > been reached. Don't by shy about > downshifting. It saves brake wear and tends > to give the engine a good blow through. AUGH!!!!! NO! NO! NO! If one does not downshift, what does one do instead? Drive on the freeway for 300 miles? Come to a complete stop at every corner and carefully engage first? Lug the engine? Downshifting is very very necessary, unless you are driving a Detroit (torque city) V8, maybe even then. Small displacement engines need revs if you want any power. Yes, this makes them a little slow when you're breaking them in, and when you first fire them up in winter and the oil's 26 below 0. (Assuming you care about your engine and keep the revs down) Lugging is very hard on engines. Don't do it. The alternative is downshifting. The transmission is there to allow the engine to remain in a narrow rev band over a wide range of road speeds. Use it for this purpose. Do it carefully and do not over-rev your engine when downshifting. Learn to downshift properly. This means double-declutch heal-and-toe techniques. A little tricky at first, but soon (eventually?) becomes second nature and very automatic. Saves lots of wear and tear on the syncromesh. Point two, downshifting to slow the car down. This works very well. If you are driving down Pikes Peak, or if your brakes suddenly go away then this is the technique to use. For average everyday driving, brake pads are a *LOT* cheaper than transmissions. (and engines, if you manage to over-rev them) Dave Seifert Windy City BMW ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert