There has always been some discussion about how to drive a new vehicle with 0
miles on the engine.... Can you really "get on it" right away? Should you not drive it
at highway speeds for the first 200 miles? Don't let the rpms get too high while there
is under 1000 miles on it, and so on and so forth. I think we have all heard an old
wive's tale similiar to this at one time or another.
I had the chance to tour a Ford Ranger assembly plant last nite and saw alot of
interesting things. Most noticeable was the drivetrain test done on the truck near the
end of the assembly. The trucks are pulled up on rollers, all 4 wheels, (looks like a
big dyno), and the drivers are instructed to go through all 5 gears and bring it up to
65mph and hold it there for 30 secs. As you can imagine they want these trucks
through the dyno as quickly as possible so the drivers REALLY get on the pedal
and run through the gears ( the smell of burnt rubber is fresh in the air) and the engine
is worked pretty hard. At the end of the line, the trucks are driven out of the factory
to a large lot to await shipment. Again the drivers waste no time getting them to their
spot, the rubber is roasted, the engines are screaming, and I swore a couple of them
almost caught some air going over some parking lot moguls.
Anyways, any thoughts I had of going easy on a fresh engine have definitely been put
to rest. Does anyone have thoughts to the contrary?
K.
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