Chevrolet Corvette C8 2021 Manual page 36

PAGE-30 MY C8 INFO 8-29-20
(BREAK-IN PERIOD)- Cont.
BREAKIN PERIOD
PAGE 2 of 2
Tadge Juechter: The C8 Corvette Reduces Torque During Drivetrain Break-In
"Any machinery that has moving parts, whether they have point contact, a rotational interface or slide
against each other will "bed-in" over time. What that means is, no matter the manufacturing process, two
interfacing parts will find their own equilibrium. You can think of it as mutually refining each other's
surface texture until they reach a steady state. This steady state condition generally minimizes noise,
vibration and wear. Although manufacturing has improved to a point where break in effects are
minimized, they are still at play despite claims to the contrary. And the truth is there may be additional
minor benefits to a longer break in period. If it was my car, I would try to be patient for 1,000 miles."
"Starting with the 7th generation Corvette we established a variable red line on the tach to give drivers a
visual indication on when it would be advisable to take it easy on the car. We used it for the first 500 miles
of driving and when the engine was coming up to operating temperature after break in was complete. Our
reconfigurable display enabled us to do that. We didn't actually limit torque, horse power or RPM, it was
just a visual indication. Despite the tach and owner's instructions, some customers use the full capability
of the car immediately. We have too many videos of people doing burn-outs off the dealer lot or showing
up to a track (both road course and drag strip) with near zero miles. Taking any green and cold engine to
max torque and speed can cause undesirable wear patterns that could affect engine operation over the
long term. Running full torque through the trans under the same conditions can score gears, especially
those in the differential after the engine torque has been multiplied. We have had examples of customers
not observing the break in guidelines and then returning the car to the dealer with complaints of gear
noise or differential whine."
"For the 8th generation Corvette, we have taken it a step farther.
With more weight on the rear, the car has more traction and we take advantage of that with more
aggressive gearing. That translates into more torque multiplication and more loads in the driveline. We
decided for the first 500 miles to limit maximum torque in first and second gears.
The torque reduction is roughly 25 to 30% depending on which transaxle (standard or Z51) and which gear.
That may sound like a big reduction, but in reality, the car is still really fast. In fact, you could easily spin
the tires on some surfaces. Engine speed is not limited at all – it will wind out to redline. So, the torque
reduction limits the worse of potential break in wear, but is not a panacea. We will still be asking
customers to stay well off max torque and speed for the first 500 miles. We know it is hard to stay patient
when such performance is available, but it will pay off in the long run."
"The varying speed requirement was in the C7 owner's manual and I would expect it to be the same for
the c8. Take some back roads on your trip home the first day. If you have to be on the highway for a long
stretch, use the paddle shifters to alternate between 5, 6, 7, and 8th gears so that you don't stay in 8th for
long periods of time."