I just bought a new 2012 Ram 1500 Im wondering about the break in period how long does it last and how should I break it in? I have put on about 200 miles so far. My octane question is 89 oct is recommended will it improve my milage or power? Thanks for any help.

 

The break in period is listed in the owners manual.

 

^X2...

this is straight out of my 2009 RAM manual...

ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in
your vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detrimental
and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur. The recommended viscosity and quality grades are
shown in Section 7 of this manual. NON-DETERGENT
OR STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS MUST NEVER BE
USED.
A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This should be
considered a normal part of the break-in and not interpreted
as an indication of difficulty.

w/ that being said thats the manual, everyone here or there will have different opinions on how to break it in. Some people say drive it like you stole it, or be conservative. My jetski, I broke it in like my finger was a glued back to the handlebar and never had ONE issue w/ it. How was my truck broken in....no clue, since I bought it used.

No the 89 will not improve your gas milage. The best gas saver in the HEMI is your foot. You could purchase a tuner (when they figure out how to crack the 2011 computer system then work on cracking the 2012) when I purchased mine once I kept my foot off the pedal I saw about a 1mpg gain (if that). Just use the recommended 89 octane.

 

I ran mine like I stole it from the day I picked it up. I couldn't keep my foot off the pedal with the Hemi. I have always used 89 octane and will keep doing the same. Here's a thread about the first oil change that might help.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/4th-gen...ths-miles.html

 

When I look at the gas mileage record for the eight years I owned my '03 Dakota 4.7, it is obvious that fuel consumption decreased steadily for the first 30,000 miles at least. If you look at the tolerance spec's for that engine, you'll see it is one of the tightest engines currently on the market, especially when compared to Ford and GM.

The Hemi is built comparative tight as well:

• Piston fit to bore = 0.0004 inch
• Rod bearing, journal fit = 0.0006 inch
• Rod bearing, side fit = 0.004 inch
• Main bearing, journal fit = .0005 inch

(compare this to GM 5.3 and you'll see how GM has managed to maximize tolerances for good gas mileage)


Some Dodge techs say the Hemi has a somewhat longer breakin than most competitive makes and that would make sense to me based on how tight the motor is. But in my case, my 2010 Ram seemed to reach 18+ MPG average weekly summertime fuel economy by the time it reached 10,000 miles or so.

I believe in following the manufacturer's recommended break-in procedure. The engineers who designed it should know best. I'm perhaps a little more gentle than average. Never had a Mopar engine that used any oil. Could be the result of my break-in method, maintenance, choice of oil, or something inherent in Mopar engines, or both. (With perhaps the exception of the older 2.7 V6s, Mopars in general do not have a reputation for using burning oil.)

I have used both 87 and 89 octance in my Hemi. It's hard to actually conclude, but I seem to get slightly better gas mileage with 89 (0.5 MPG). It does have a little better performance with the higher octane.

Regards,
Dusty


2010 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 545RFE, 3.92 LSD, dual exhaust, 20” wheels

 

I think Dusty is correct on a longer break in, the Dodge techs at my dealership said the same thing. I have not gone to the mileage sticky/thread because I wanted a hemi, not mileage. Maybe dig around and you will find someone who has got better mileage with time. I have run 89 since day one and am getting 12/18 w/ on-off road tires and 3.92, w/7000 miles, and I do not baby my rig, I open her up. Frankly, 12/18 with a 390 hp truck is good, I think.