Engine Breakin

[Lorenr]

So many of you have helped me out with issues on my SHO that I thought I might give you some help with what I know about engine break-in.

Keep this in mind.

When I was drag racing a friend of mine installed a brand new state of the art motor in his E Gas car. He immediately went out and ran it under the National record, running it to 10,000 RPM in every gear. Break-in was under a minute. When I asked him why he wasn't a little more gentle with a brand new motor, first I was told "what for?" Later he told me that a brake in of one minute was "long enough and there was no reason to go longer".

I've learned that:

1. New style round (this means that the cylinder bores are actually round) moly and iron cylinder rings will break-in almost instantly.
2. Stainless steel rings take a little longer.
3. Bearings need to be pre-lubed with engine oil and are ready to go on "fire up".
4. Pistons do not usually contact the cylinder bores much and therefore are ready to go.
5. Piston pins are ready to go if fit properly to 1/10,000 of an inch.
6. Pumps (water & oil) are ready to go. Pre-**** the oil pump using any number of methods.
7. Clutches and related parts really need no break-in. Simply engaging and disengaging the clutch a few times is all you need do.
We used clutches regularly to 10,000 RPM and "dropped the hammer" on them at the same RPM. The only clutches I've worn out have been on an SHO. Broken quite a few drag racing (weak parts used to show up quick), but never wore them out.
8. Engine management modules may take a few minutes to learn their settings.

I think a lot of this break-in procedure stuff comes from the 1950's when tolerances on most stuff were pretty poor.

If a car manufacturer can get you to go easy on his product for the first 10,000 miles, that just gets him closer to the 50,000 mile warranty.

 

[MADDOG11]

The only break in that I do on a new engine is vary the rpm's for approx. the first 1500 miles, change the oil/filter @500 and 1500 miles. From there on I change the filter and add 1 qt of oil @3500 miles and the oil/filter @7000. I've always used NAPA Gold (ie. WIX Gold) filters and Castrol 5w-50 syntec. No sludge build up and no engine problems 180K, YET (knock on wood)!?!

 

[Robert93SHO]

This is good info. Generally speaking, when an engine builder talks about engine break-in, he is referring to seating of the rings.
If a cylinders walls are prepped properly, all it takes is a few engine revolutions in order for the rings to seat properly.

 

[Ishodu]

There was a great post about break in not too long ago if anyone cares to search for it.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

iv always done 500 miles of easy driving aka light on the gas low rpms and changed the oil after the first 500 miles then you can beat on it all you want.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

iv always done 500 miles of easy driving aka light on the gas low rpms and changed the oil after the first 500 miles then you can beat on it all you want.

That's how you make the car slow.

Once you've had a complete warm up/cool down cycle and you know your temps are oil pressure are good, go beat the snot out of it. If you're afraid of doing that, then trailer the car to a dyno and break it in on the rollers with a number of sustained RPM runs at various RPMS (2000, 2500, 3000, etc.) along with several WOT runs. Like Marcel said, there is a good article about it somewhere that someone linked not too long ago, just search it out.