71RoadRunner - Thanks for the welcome. I am just getting your standard plate and tags for the ride, nothing special at the moment. Have to watch my budget at the moment, buying a car right out of college might not have been my smartest move - haha.

I have yet to really race anyone with my car (one it needs to break in, two, people seem to ignore the car). What few people I do know who would race either know they will lose to me, or I haven't been around them yet. I am curious to take on a 1996 Mustang GT and a 2001 Mustang Cobra (both of which some of friends own). On that list there is a 1993 Mustang GT as well I want to race (man, a lot of mustangs!)... either way... when the motor is properly broken in, I should be able to try Gargoile advice on launches. Keep the info coming though!

 

When, miles wise, is an srt-4 properly broken in? The owners manual says 300 miles, anybody heard else wise. Anybody have good success with a cetain break in procedure. I have used the same one that I used for my bikes. When I break-in a bike I try to follow a very serious order of operations & so far I have had very good success with it.These are the guidelines I use for all my new bikes:

Lots of heat cycles! run it & let it cool off, run it & let it cool off.

#1 rule is never maintain a steady speed during break-in. Always keep the revs going up & down. Nothing is worse on a new engine than putting miles on it at a steady rpm especially on the interstate.

For the 1st 150 miles I take it real easy never exceeding 75% of the redline. I take extra special care to listen for as well as feel any anomalies in the valvetrain and driveline. I am also very smooth on the throttle no jerky movements or stomping on the gas. I never hold the throttle at the higher rpms, I immediately shift & bring the rpms back down.

From 150 to 250 miles I try to liven up the process by introducing brief spurts up to 90% of the redline, but once again I never stay there immediately bring the revs back down & maybe once or twice run it to the redzone & back down but don't hit the hard limiter.

250 to 600 miles It's spirited driving, but still making sure to keep the rpms fluctuating & I routinely take it up to close to redline without hitting the hard limiter.

600 miles I change the oil & inspect it thoroughly.

600-1200 miles normal riding but still with caution & smoothness in my actions & I still try to vary my rpms on the highway even though by now that's damn near impossible cause I'm usually commuting.

After 1200 miles I flog it, but I still don't hold it wide open for any real duration of time until around 1500-1700 miles.

 

Sounds like a reasonable break-in schedule to me, mine is very similiar. I won't go WOT until after the 2nd oil change, at about 1500 miles...the smaller, higher rpm engine in the SRT-4 "breaks in" sooner than the bigger, slower turning V6s and V8s...[sm=smiley4.gif]

 

People aren't "ignoring you" dude!!! They're trying to AVOID you!!!![sm=smiley36.gif][sm=smiley20.gif][sm=smiley36.gif]

 

Let's hope that is the case dustyloins, that people are just "avoiding" the punishing of a life time haha... seriously though, the only people who seem to really notice the car are younger males who own Grand Am's and such (darn this living in a GM hot bed!). I own an older Grand Am, I know they are slow... come on... haha

 

I know the feeling. In my neighborhood there are lots and lots of age 65+ folks who mostly drive big, slow cars. Luckly, I work at a major university and of course there's a ton of younger folks. One very pretty young gal, after seeing me park the SRT-4, walked up to me and smiled and said, "I know you didn't buy that car just for basic transportation."

I was at a loss for words....[sm=smiley5.gif]

 

My break-in procedure is pretty cut and dry, do what the manufacturer says. Easy for the 1st 300 miles then they recommend brief full throttle runs, within the limits of the law.[sm=smiley20.gif]

 

71RoadRunner, your nose is growing......just messin' with ya, buddy!!!!![sm=smiley36.gif][sm=smiley20.gif][sm=smiley36.gif][sm=smiley20.gif]

 

I was using their quote on that, not mine.[sm=smiley15.gif][sm=smiley36.gif]

 

Hey roadrunner, I see that you had an r/t dohc, a friend of mine has one and is trying to get all he can out of it. What was the best mod that you did to the R/T? Sorry this ain't about an srt, but I hope you can understand, just trying to help out another mopar driver.
Here's a quote I saw that might like.
"If Plymouth's Road Runner had survived the Volare years, it might look like an '03 Dodge SRT-4. "