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VLX w/Hammerhead 383 Break in period?


JohnnyBravo

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What is the best way to "break in" the boat. I've heard no wakeboarding for the first 5 hours and the first 10? throttle? tubing etc?

Any guidance would be helpful.

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RTFM.gif

Your owner's manual should contain break in information for your specific motor and year. The new 383 requires no 'break in.' Have fun with it.

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RTFM.gif

Your owner's manual should contain break in information for your specific motor and year. The new 383 requires no 'break in.' Have fun with it.

The reason I asked was the dealer's statements varied from the owners manual so I was just curious what everyone thought. Thanks.

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RTFM.gif

Your owner's manual should contain break in information for your specific motor and year. The new 383 requires no 'break in.' Have fun with it.

The reason I asked was the dealer's statements varied from the owners manual so I was just curious what everyone thought. Thanks.

Hey Johnny, just yanking your chain a bit. And paying my respects to an old-time Malibu afficianado in the process. Actually, he was a multitasking, barcalounging, in-your-face, afficianado who couldn't measure from his hull to the driveway with a micrometer.

His response to you would have been short, bitter, and succinct: RTFM

Welcome to the site and enjoy your boat with the throttle on the firewall. Biggrin.gif

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Since the people that write the manual are the same ones who build the motor, it would probably be prudent to adhere to the advice of the manual.

While dealers never lie, they also don't build motors for a living. Biggrin.gif

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Johnny, just for clarity, will you share with us what your owner's manual states regarding the HH 383?

The owners manual is just a general Indamar manual not specific to the new version of the hammerhead 383. It states

"Break in steps:

1. For the first hour, do not exceed 2000 RPM; vary RPM continuously

2. For the second hour, do not exceed 3000 RPM

3. For the next five hours, do not exceed 4000 RPM."

It also says, "After the break-in procedure is over, your boat may be operated continuously at any speed. Be sure to check the wide open throttle operating range; refer to Chapter 4, Selecting A Propeller."

I checked the Indamar site and could not find any additional information.

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Since the people that write the manual are the same ones who build the motor, it would probably be prudent to adhere to the advice of the manual.

While dealers never lie, they also don't build motors for a living. Biggrin.gif

ROFL.gif I had a few of there engines in one of my boats....... and I can safely say I didn't think they knew anything about building an engine.

Manual. If something goes wrong, not your fault.

:lol: Trust me, it won't even come up. Whistling.gif

Johnny, just for clarity, will you share with us what your owner's manual states regarding the HH 383?

Yes, please see if it mentions the Hammerhead 383 :)

The owners manual is just a general Indamar manual not specific to the new version of the hammerhead 383........

I checked the Indamar site and could not find any additional information.

Indmar for some reason doesn't update there owners manuals. This is a BIG mistake IMHO. The don't even give you the updates that they release to the dealer Mad.gif Very weak.

Many of us on this site have the HH 383, and most drove it like the stole it from the get go, With zero problems. The one person I know who followed Indmar's break in procedure on the HH383 had an oil eating monster until about 70 hours. These are high performance engines, not 1967 VW bug engines :) When you get a new car does the owners manual say to stay off the highway for first 1000 miles? Or to keep it under 25 mph? Check PCM's site as well, they have a much better more abreviated break in procedure. Does PCM build a better engine which requires less break in? Or, are they being more realistic?

BTW, the owners manual probably doesn't tell you that the HH383 and the 8.1L require 40w or 50w oil. I also heard that the 8.1L now requires 8qts of oil, but I can't find it in the owners manual to confirm it RTFM.gif

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These are high performance engines, not 1967 VW bug engines :)

When you get a new car does the owners manual say to stay off the highway for first 1000 miles? Or to keep it under 25 mph?

1) Herbie was a bada$$, and needed no break in.

2) I think on my current car (VW Toureag), it said the computer runs the car richer for X miles, then weans it down to normal as a "break in". Most late model cars are so sophisticated that the computer does it all for you....maybe.

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The don't even give you the updates that they release to the dealer Mad.gif Very weak.

I agree...that is VERY weak in my opinion. I tried to find the bulletin for my dealer about switching the 50w oil to get rid of the Oil alarms and couldn't log in. My dealer still hasn't seen any bulletin from either Indmar or Malibu about the oil weight issue. Thought that was kind of strange. There are so many people who are DIYers, why would they restrict this info to the dealers only? Weeeak.

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RTFM.gif

Your owner's manual should contain break in information for your specific motor and year. The new 383 requires no 'break in.' Have fun with it.

The reason I asked was the dealer's statements varied from the owners manual so I was just curious what everyone thought. Thanks.

We were told the same thing with our VLX Hammerhead this year; "break in as you did with your '03". We found out later that this was unnecessary with the hammerhead; but by that time we had already completed the 5 hours.

Poor BradB had to ride around with us for the first hour of our break in...go slow...little faster...go slow again. :) To quote BradB, "getsomeonya" !!! Take that bad ride out and break her in "real nice" Biggrin.gif

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When you buy a turn-key crate engine from GM that has a MEFI controlled fuel injection system such as the RamJet 350. The installation notes say:

"The MEFI 4 computer has a “green” mode that controls rpm during the break-in period; from start-up to the end of the first hour is 4,000 rpm, the second hour is 4500 rpm, and the third hour is 5500 rpm."

So the MEFI does the brake in for you on your 383 Hammerhead.

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The don't even give you the updates that they release to the dealer Mad.gif Very weak.

I agree...that is VERY weak in my opinion. I tried to find the bulletin for my dealer about switching the 50w oil to get rid of the Oil alarms and couldn't log in. My dealer still hasn't seen any bulletin from either Indmar or Malibu about the oil weight issue. Thought that was kind of strange. There are so many people who are DIYers, why would they restrict this info to the dealers only? Weeeak.

Here ya' go:

SV2006_1_383_Oil_Recommendation.pdf

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The don't even give you the updates that they release to the dealer Mad.gif Very weak.

I agree...that is VERY weak in my opinion. I tried to find the bulletin for my dealer about switching the 50w oil to get rid of the Oil alarms and couldn't log in. My dealer still hasn't seen any bulletin from either Indmar or Malibu about the oil weight issue. Thought that was kind of strange. There are so many people who are DIYers, why would they restrict this info to the dealers only? Weeeak.

Here ya' go:

Woo Hoo! Yahoo.gif Thanks Tracie. I'll give this to my dealer.

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