Can someone explain to me how to properly break-in my truck. with a gasser, I know not to punch it or even go over 70mph but are there other things I should do?

thanks,
Justin

If you go by the manual, like I did, if I remember correctly, it tells you for the first 500 miles not to go over 55mph, don't keep it at the same speed for any lengh of time, don't tow and don't break hard if you can help it. I think that's about it but look in your manual to make sure.

I would also change oil early and often. Change at 300, 1000, 2000, 4000, 7000 and 10,000 then regular interals after that. It really doesn't cost that much if you change it urself. Also heard a bunch of horror stories about rear ends being shipped with low oil levels.

Also been told not to let it idle for more than a minute or two for the first 200 miles.

I think the best way to look at it is as if you were a weight lifter. What would happen if you were training and you immediately went in and pumped up 400 lbs. Right, you would rip or hurt something.

I have firmly beleived for a good many years that slow is good. Breaking in an engine is making sure it lasts a long time. Or, as the weight lifter, able to lift the weight after slow training.

Good luck in your research, and above all, enjoy your new truck.

Change all your fluids not just oil. This weekend with a little more than 1000 miles I change oil, and front and rear diff. The front end had yellow milky oil in it. The oil change cost me $28 w/filter and the diff fluid is less than $7 a quart (I think) mobil 1 75w90 I believe. Well worth the money not to have that sh!t in my brand new truck. Will be doing tranny and t-case soon.

I also agree heavily on the early fluid changes to get break in contamination and assembly grit out of your systems. I changed all my fluids (except trans) at 500, 1500, 3000 and 5000 before going to more regular intervals. There's especially a lot of assembly grit and break in wear products in the engine and differentials. I changed my Allison filter at 1500 and fluid at 30000. I now have 102,000 trouble free miles.

i say drive it like you stole it and don't worry about any of it. there was a site that had some reasonable evidence to prove there case if i could only find it. they did say that letting the motor warm up for about 15 mins was crucial before hammering on it.

i agree though changing all of the fluids is crucial in that time period there is a lot of wear while everything it taking place.

All of the larger diesels, Cat, Cummins, etc. are ran on a dyno at the factory before shipping. I have watched at the Cat Mossville plant where a engine is pushed into a dyno cell hooked up and started. They quickly check pressures and for leaks. In less than a minute after the brand new engine is started it is at full load and is ran there. It will be pulled down to peak torque check speed to check the ft. lbs output. :eek: The main thing is to allow the engine to warm up alittle before pounding down on it.;)

Oooopppps, just got mine today with 4 miles on it. The 450 I put on it to get it home were between 70-90 mph.......oh well.

Guys, I wouldn't sweat any of this stuff. We buy Dura's for work, run them extremely hard, chip them, put too big of tires on them, basically just pound the snot out of them daily. We tow heavy loads too. This is a case of what most members would never do (and I don't with my personal driver), but my point is, these are really well made trucks and if you take basic precautions like those pointed out here (change the fluids, let her warm up), you're good to go and won't have any issues your warranty can't fix!

True, It's just this is my very first truck I bought on my own and for a truck that cost that much, I want to make sure I get out of it what I am paying for. At 23, these next 5-10 years are going to be the greatest in my life so far....Starting a company, building a house, starting a family. I want a truck that will last these years. I sense there are alot of people 30+ on this forum who have the money to beat the snot out of them.. I don't..... thanks for everyones help and their input. Occasionally, I will floor it but $60 a week fillups and $100 oil changes... I want that stuff to be gold going in and gold going out (I know, I know often oil in diesels is not going to be gold coming out.....

I tend to lean on the "going easy" side of break-in.

I'm not as concerned about the engine as I am the rear-end. Really pounding on one while the diff is breaking in could lead to premature diff failure.

Bottom line: This is a debate much like Ford vs. Chevy! Not everyone is gonna agree, and in the end any method is probably as good as the other.