Question Powerstroke Break In Procedure?

[eboucher]

I just picked up a new '08 F350 Lariat super cab DRW with the 6.4. I'm new to diesel ownership having come out of an '03 Dodge RAM 1500 with the 5.7 liter gas motor. We were camping last weekend after picking the truck up at the dealership and a gentleman with the same truck came up and started asking me if I'd been following the break-in procedure.

He mentioned starting up the truck and then shutting it off five times in succession before actually driving it off. This was to be done for the first X amount of miles or something like that.

He also mentioned gunning it up to 85 on the freeway several times. He said these procedures had something to do with the initial automatic programming of the ECU, but I read through the entire 6.4L diesel supplemental manual and didn't find any information regarding these procedures.

Is this something that Ford doesn't publicize but for some unknown benefit I should perform? Anyone else heard of these procedures?

Thanks.

 

[Zookie400]

i dont have time to get very in depth on this post....

you will find that everybody has thier own theory on engine break in.

i use the "GUN IT AND RUN IT" method

 

[EmptyDub]

Break In Procedure? What's that?

I bought my truck in March and kinda wondered the same thing about a break-in period (this is my first diesel too)? The salesman owned a PSD himself and said "just drive it - it's under warranty". Mine had 19 miles on it when I got it, and I drove it pretty easy for the first 1K miles. It's got 6K on it now, and haven't had any problems so far (knock on wood! ).

I looked through the manual and watched the maintenance DVD that came with it, but couldn't find any mention of a break-in period?? I asked everyone in my family that owns a diesel and they pretty much said the same as Zookie. It's in the best shape it's ever gonna be in when it's new, so if it's gonna break, it'll probably do it now if it's going to at all!

I say "Drive it like you stole . . . [ahem] . . . like you paid $60K for it!"

 

[Du510]

I've got 130k on my engine --- I am just about finished breaking it in.

 

[W4RLR]

Drive it like you stole it. That's what hundreds of truck thieves do every year, driving the trucks south of the border where they are never seen again.

Of course you having a 2008 with a PATS key might slow a thief down if he tries to take your truck.

 

[WhiteYacht08]

My company has a 99 with 509,***, no break in.... 01 with 322,***, no break in.... 01 with 188,***, no break in.... 08 with 17,***, no break in. None of these have ever had any major problem, just the usual