96redLT4

I have just under 900 miles on the clock. I know.... don't shoot me.... combination of un-California like weather on the weekends and too much work during the week. Virtually every drive, I have warmed the engine fully, varied the revs and kept it under 5K. Burned virtually no oil as best as I can tell. Sales guy told me don't even worry about the break in. My longtime really good Porsche mechanic thought it ridiculous to change the oil at 1000K but we agreed 3-4K mile first oil change was more reasonable. Is it ok to see what the run to redline is like now? Maybe today...........
Jim

991carreradriver

As you are probably aware, PCNA advises 2000 for break in. Having said that, I have two opposite experiences:

First, my 2014 991 was driven at redline from day 1. I noticed no adverse conditions resulting from the lack of break in procedures. In fact, that engine and car was bullet proof. I tracked that car at Watkins Glen with 900 miles on it. It was driven at redline using PDK for three days. No issues then or later.

Second, my 2016 991 now has 1100 miles on it and I have not exceeded 4250 RPMS since I took delivery on 10/31. Why the difference in treatment of the two cars? Simple, my 2014 was delivered just before track season and I had no time to break it in properly. My 2016 delivery was at the end of track season for us north easterners. So I drive it easy and follow the published procedures. If the timing was different, I would not give up a track season to break it in properly.

PatrickC23

My salesman also said you dont need to take it THAT easy - he said dont go nuts, but don't need to be under 4200 RPM for 2k miles. I have had it a month, and have 220 miles on it, not sure I can wait that long.

Slantnose!

Following...
...have had my car about three years, still only 13xx miles, scary thought still not broken in.

LexVan

Do the early (1,000 miles) oil change.

Archimedes

Your car was broken in before it even arrived at the dealer. Warm the car up, then drive normally.

Michael_s

I don't follow break in... but that's just me. Outside the US they don't advise owners to break it in. I vary speed for 1000 miles but I always take RPM's up to the top..

mtgadbois

Achimedes, How do you figure that? When I did the factory tour this June the guide said they don't run all the engines. Its basically just a sampling method. I forget the sampling but its like every 20th or 50th or 100th engine gets a comprehensive inspection.

Regarding my 991, the first 200 miles were strained. I could tell that the engine was tight and not enjoying the drive. Now 700 miles later it is feeling a lot freer.

jimbo1111

I've heard from some reliable sources that all the cars are run for roughly 7 to 10 miles before delivery. I'm sure those miles aren't breakin miles but a series of tests to make sure the product is sound before delivery. There was a thread recently about how many miles were on newly delivered
cars. Try doing a search.

mtgadbois

Maybe. Mine had 12 miles on it at delivery.

fastdiablo

Interesting. I asked my service advisor about doing a 1000 mile oil change in my GTS, and he recommended against it because at 1000 miles he said the rings and other parts won't have adequate time to break in and seat. He recommended waiting to 2000 at the earliest. Given he has worked for Porsche for 15 years and is essentially a commissioned salesperson for their service dept, I found this advice compelling. He wanted $300 to do an oil change, naturally I'll be doing that one myself with parts from Pelican and 0W Mobile per the manual.

golfnutintib

I would do (and have done) an oil change at 1000 miles on my 1GT3... I view mechanical break-in as a process, and depending on how hard the engine is revved and the tolerances between parts in engine assembly, there may be more or less small loose metal and other pieces floating around as those moving parts in a new engine get worn-in/seated/acclimatized. Other things being equal I would rather have them out of the system. I am not a Porsche employee nor an engine expert. But I do have some materials and engineering training and I try to use that and common sense.

Wayne Smith

There are people on the 997 side that feel break in needs to include the full range of the piston travel in order to properly seat the rings. That implies high rpms. Some of these cars burn a quart of oil every 500 miles and some burn none. Before anyone freaks, the above examples run the extremes. It seems that there is an inclination to believe that a gentle break in creates problems.

Yes, I've hedged a lot in the above paragraph. I don't like to speak for others. But I do feel a gentle break in is over rated. I got picked up in Paris many years ago to begin a training mission throughout Spain. The engineer had picked up his new BMW that morning before driving north to meet me. For the next ten days he ran that car at red line. We traveled several thousand miles that way. He said he got a new car every five years, and that he only drove that way. He claimed to have never had a problem. YMMV.

Quadcammer

Early first oil change is good to get any metal swarf, silicone sealant or other junk out of the oil.

Oil changes are cheap, so why not.

LexVan

Ah, ya think.