Break In Period for those Picking Up

[RADA]

I drove the 90 miles home last night with the cruise control set to 55mph.

It's been difficult, but I've followed the rules...

 

[RHO_Tres]

Holy shit I just realized I posted this thread in September. How naive I was thinking I'd have to worry about a break in period any time soon. Still waiting, though supposedly it's shipped down to the railyard en route someday to Mark Dodge. I'm betting I have it delivered right around March 1.

I really hope you get yours soon. Mine has been at the Port since 11/30. Got the email from MD that it arrived and should take between 1-14 days to get to the dealership. Then 38 days have past and it’s still there with a dead battery I’m assuming? Not much communication. I’ve seen the YouTube videos so I guess their busy with all the RHOs there that actually are drivable.

 

[Nsmith9790]

I'll be driving down to Mark Dodge to pick my RHO and make the 350 mile drive back to Melissa Tx. I plan on hitting all RPMs throughout the drive. Initially, I'll keep it low for the first ~200miles and then I'll do some WOT runs. I did the same with my BMW. No issues, it made to ~82k miles with 0 engine issues. It got totaled, which why I stopped at at 82k.

Do you happen to have a red RHO? I'm also from Melissa, and I think I may have seen your truck up at the Championship Center. I'm meeting the driver from Mark Dodge in Tyler to pick up my RHO on Friday. I went with the Forged Blue.

 

[Dcchris311]

Do you happen to have a red RHO? I'm also from Melissa, and I think I may have seen your truck up at the Championship Center. I'm meeting the driver from Mark Dodge in Tyler to pick up my RHO on Friday. I went with the Forged Blue.

That's not me, but I've seen it when I go pick my son up from HME. I have a black RHO.

 

[Cautionary Tale]

I drove the 90 miles home last night with the cruise control set to 55mph.

It's been difficult, but I've followed the rules...

That works, I did the 35-55mph thing for 389 miles through backroads of Louisiana and Texas. It felt beyond safe, so I upped the ante and stopped or drove in to as many spots as I could find with no trespassing signs, violators will be shot and such and did a photo op. It's better than Redbull at keeping you awake

Here we are in LA at some kind of plant maybe:

Here we are at some kind of mill at 4am:

Unfortunately, the pictures at power plants were deleted on-site....ooops I used the ask for forgiveness vs permission ideology.

 

[Nsmith9790]

That's not me, but I've seen it when I go pick my son up from HME. I have a black RHO.

Man, the black looks REALLY good. I was close to going that way too, but my last few trucks have been black so I wanted to mix it up. Of course the forged blue still can look pretty close to black depending on the light. Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for yours around town. Enjoy that RHO!

 

[Cautionary Tale]

Man, the black looks REALLY good. I was close to going that way too, but my last few trucks have been black so I wanted to mix it up. Of course the forged blue still can look pretty close to black depending on the light. Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for yours around town. Enjoy that RHO!

Forged blue is slick. I knew I was wrapping mine and black just blends easier when only doing an outer shell wrap. I didn't want it to end up black, was hoping more for OD green but I was outvoted.

 

[ASiskos]

That's not me, but I've seen it when I go pick my son up from HME. I have a black RHO.

@Dcchris311 assuming you drove back to Melissa and drove as you stated? Thoughts? Things you would do differently? I am located in Van Alstyne and on the fence if I should ship or drive it back.

@Nsmith9790 you had MD driver drive it to Tyler?

@Dcchris311 and @Nsmith9790 when I finally get it, maybe the three of us should plan to attend the Melissa or VA cars and coffee together.

 

[yoda33073]

Meant to type "nanny mode" but that's EXACTLY what I quoted above, but "brief" and "cruising" are a little ambiguous, as is "required". Lots of things aren't "required" but that doesn't necessarily mean that we shouldn't do them.

It really comes down to how long you plan on keeping the truck and how much you believe automakers provide knowledge to extend the life of vehicles vs trying to get us into new vehicles. Check out that youtube guy I posted above and PM me your thoughts. I think it'll be enjoyable if nothing else. His oil testing matches my own and fluid testing has vastly changed my perspective on what is and isn't ideal. Especially when it comes to "Lifetime" transmission fluid.

As I said, the owners manual is for SO, RHO will have a proviso that will indicate something about 800 mile inability for WOT or FULL THROTTLE. I will find it, and attach when I get a little time. Trucks aren't here today and I got a busy Sunday of honey-do's.

Don't over think it. Baby it a little over the first 200 miles. Give it throttle for a few seconds every now and again. Keep it under 65 mph which keeps your rpms under 2 and when it hits 500 miles, enjoy it. Change oil at 1500 (which is optional and a little old school) then every 5-7k thereafter. These engines are forged. You're not hurting them. Good luck.

 

[Cautionary Tale]

Don't over think it. Baby it a little over the first 200 miles. Give it throttle for a few seconds every now and again. Keep it under 65 mph which keeps your rpms under 2 and when it hits 500 miles, enjoy it. Change oil at 1500 (which is optional and a little old school) then every 5-7k thereafter. These engines are forged. You're not hurting them. Good luck.

Close enough to what I do but we disagree on what can hurt engine's. Prescriptive oil changes only accounting for total mileage isn't the way I go, it's just a starting point. I change oil every 3-4 months regardless of miles to remove fuel contamination and if racking up miles I'd adjust frequency if driving it hard.

Like all things in life, roadmaps are great but understanding and knowing when to pivot is key to success.

 

[yoda33073]

Close enough to what I do but we disagree on what can hurt engine's. Prescriptive oil changes only accounting for total mileage isn't the way I go, it's just a starting point. I change oil every 3-4 months regardless of miles to remove fuel contamination and if racking up miles I'd adjust frequency if driving it hard.

Like all things in life, roadmaps are great but understanding and knowing when to pivot is key to success.

Close enough to what I do but we disagree on what can hurt engine's. Prescriptive oil changes only accounting for total mileage isn't the way I go, it's just a starting point. I change oil every 3-4 months regardless of miles to remove fuel contamination and if racking up miles I'd adjust frequency if driving it hard.

Like all things in life, roadmaps are great but understanding and knowing when to pivot is key to success.

To each his own. But watch this video.

 

[Cautionary Tale]

I've seen the video. 1 engineer vs the many. Hubris and arrogance was at play there and I appreciate the scientific method OVER opinions, even educated ones. I very much get where he's coming from, when I design something I aim for bulletproof but alas, real life doesn't work like that. Even if he was the greatest engineer ever and designed the divine engine, he still isn't the guy that engineers the electronics that control AF, Boost, ignition, timingm etc and VERY much isn't the guy that builds the components, sources materials, parts, and ultimately assembles it.

That's a whole lot of variables that he didn't address, and why would he? He is there for marketing and to do a victory lap.

Toyota did the same and they are replacing EVERY single Tundra engine. Not an engineering problem but very much a machining and assembly one.

If at end of day you ignore all that, cool. I wouldn't take advice of a guy on a podcast for anything in life and certainly not something so monetarily significant. I also, MOST certainly wouldn't tout his opinion as gospel without significant scientific testing, details on controls and variables. But hey, that's just me. What do I know?