I may be hitting the road to pick up a new 2006 lbz. Is there a proper way to break one in. Its mostly interstate driving (350 miles) any recommendations from the pros.

First, RTFM! (Read The F***ing Manual) before you take off. Then, vary your speeds often (don't hold a steady speed for too long - the manual includes some suggestions), no sudden stops, no towing...that's basically it for operating the vehicle the first 500 miles, clc.

Work everything while you are on the road..lights, A/C, heat, accessories, etc...just to see if all is well. Check the tire pressure and wheel torque before you leave, then again during rest stops. You'll save some anguish over whether or not the wheels are torqued properly and if your tires are holding air.

Finally, don't forget to check the fluid levels before you leave and while on the road for rest stops. Just make sure there are no leaks. Check them once again when you get to your destination.

Hope this helps.

Not a "pro", but the biggest thing you are breaking in is the ring and pinion in the differential. They don't like to run on the interstate for a long time until broken in. Can you do the first 50-100 miles on surface roads? The lower speeds and the frequent stops help cool the gears off. They will get HOT, if you just jump on the freeway and cruise home at 75.

just my non-pro $0.02

I agree, drive it like ya stole it!! :devilfing (I was going for the devil part, minus the middle fingers please)

Todd

Here's how I'm doing mine. Driving it in short trips that are mostly surface streets with lots of starts and stops. Then add in short freeway runs in between surface street segments. Vary speed on freeway runs, keeping it under 55 MPH for first 300 miles, then short runs up to 65 MPH and drop back, until 400 miles, then up to 70 MPH for about a mile and drop back to 55. Entire freeway trip limited to less than 25 miles. Then I add some mountain roads with grades to climb that heat things up, and to descend to cool them back down. Truck is parked between trips and allowed to completely cool - this is important to my system (mostly superstition) that the gradual heating and cooling cycles improve the grain structure of the engine block casting and other heat sensitive parts. Then at the first recommended oil change (this is tricky - so many variables generally 500 to 3000 miles depending on appearance of the OEM oil) I will replace the oil with Amsoil synthetic and a dual full bypass filter system. Also change all other lubricants and replace with synthetic counteparts. Does it work? Having done this in the past all my vehicles have gone for decades without major engine or transmission failures and none burn excessive oil, but then again, who other than me, wants to drive the same old beater for decades?

One thing I recall seeing in one of the threads was: Check the rear-end oil. For some reason GM did not fill up the rear-end with oil. I know from personal experiance. Mine was about 1 quart low. Just have the dealer double check that & let them use their oil.

Well for gas rigs both Lingenfelter and Reher-Morrison (drag engine builders) tell me that from day one hammer it as soon as the oil hits 140-160 degrees. If a manual tranny they want a 500 mile gear run in .. . I am doing the same with the D'max.

Who knows? Book said you can't tow for 500 miles and we HAD to with about 70 miles on it. I think ( and hope) there are no problems.

thanks guys more comments are welcome. I am leaning toward "NOT BABYING IT". The last new one I bought was babied and fuel mileage has always sucked. I bought this new truck (2006 cab and chassis as loaded as you can get it) through a dealer in Wetumpka, AL. They worked out a dealer trade and I get to drive the wetumpka dealers new truck to the dealer in Sparta, Tennessee. and then drive mine home. (330 miles). I think Im gonna drive mine pretty agressive from the start, and make some extended stops. to let everything heat cycle completely. get er hot and let er cool all the way down . any more thoughts or suggestions. thanks so far! Man that 0% for 6 years is strong!

I race dirt bikes and I have had high performance cars as well. The way I break everything in is by hammering it from the start. I pulled trailers with my Dmax after about 100 miles. It uses no oil and has no issues. I would just suggest to check the crank case and gear oil after about 1000 miles.

Don't set the cruise and drive for several hundred miles. Adjusting the speed is important, but the holding it under 55 for the first few hundred miles is BS. I have alway liked to get out on a secondary road where I can adjust my speed from 45 to 85 and my RPMs from 1200 to 2800 in short spurts and then after the first 100 miles hook on to the biggest trailer you can find and again adjust your speed and RPMs in short distances and pay very close attention to temp. and oil pressures.

I have about 700 miles on mine and have had it about a month.
I've done a little light towing and made 5 passes at the Flashlight Drags last Saturday. Other than that its just been daily driving and this truck is running great.

Man that 0% for 6 years is strong!
Hey your not kidding!!! I just picked mine up from the dealer yesterday its awesome so far. The only thing that sucked was the dealer had to pick it up 100 miles away so I had no choice on the break in. I drove it 100 more miles the first day I had it and am going on a 1000 mile round trip next week. I am completly for babying it for the first 500

How long should you wait for first oil change? Anyone?:beerchug:

The dealer said to change the oil at 3000 miles for the first time. But you ain't gonna hurt anything changing it sooner, except your wallet for the cost of the oil and filter. Some say leave it in until it's broken-in because the dino oil helps the break in process by not protecting against wear as well as synthetic. Yet the dealer said they used synthetic in the Duramax at the factory fill (or semi-synthetic that can be legally called synthetic). Amsoil recommends going the full factory recommended cycle then switching to full synthetic for the reason that once in, the synthetic will increase break in time / mileage. You just gotta make a guess, cause as far as I can see there ain't no perfect answer. My suggestion would be to watch and if the oil changes color significantly - soot and metalic particles bypassing the filter - change it. Just remember one thing, during break-in the temperature guage is only showing you the average coolant temperature, and that only in the upper portion of the engine, oil is the coolant for everything else and the temperatures we are really concerned with are occuring in very small areas between moving metal parts, that's where the oil makes or breaks the engine. Taking it easy for the first few hundred miles gives things on the micro scale a chance to smooth out without excessive scuffing and oil breakdown. Once the oil breaks down from heat and shear it's worn out and your engine is being damaged. But then I ain't no expert on nothing, except - well, I ran a wastewater treatment plant! ):h

I have about 700 miles on mine and have had it about a month.
I've done a little light towing and made 5 passes at the Flashlight Drags last Saturday. Other than that its just been daily driving and this truck is running great.

Flashlight Drags? Where are you from?? Must be the race at Clarion??

I go to every one at Zelienople but the truck stays home......

Ken

Flashlight Drags? Where are you from?? Must be the race at Clarion??

I go to every one at Zelienople but the truck stays home......

Ken,

Yep, Clarion.
I've raced a couple of those Dodges that go to Zelienople at Quaker City, but that was when I had the Powerstroke.

Wow, can't believe you leave the truck at home.

Gale

I'm a big fan of teh following:

Vary your speed, don't baby it but don't run it to red line. I believe city street or LA traffic break 'em in the best. I also do oil changes at 2500, 5000, 7500 and at 10,000 I switch to synthetic. Definately check the diff fluid mine was about 2 quarts low. Change it after 500-1000 if you tow, I waited until 2500 since I didn't tow.

You can see in my sig that my last truck had 176K on it when I got rid of it. Still runs great. The truck before that I put 174K in 4 years on (shhh it was a Ford) and it ran great when I got rid of it. No oil buring or anything in any of mine.

Enjoy the truck.