Rebuilt engine break-in period?

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Cross Eyed Joe

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My 3.0L build to a 3.2L with wisco 10.5 pistons is almost complete. What is the recomended break-in period and method? Also, I have 80mm MAF, #36 injectors, and Tweecer. Should I break-in the engine with stock MAF, injectors, and stock ECU? I'm concerened about tuning the engine before it is broken in.
 

hawkeye18

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the only thing I know for sure about breaking in new engines is to make sure you run dino oil at first. Synthetic won't allow the piston rings to seat correctly, and you'll burn more oil in the long run. Also, run dino for the first few minutes, then change it, then run another load of dino for about 100 miles, then change that, then you should be good... The first few minutes of new engine operation produces the most shavings by far.

After that, go run the *#%)ing **** out of it!
 

Mr Anonymous

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Conventional non-synthetic oil, the type that comes from DINOsaur remains.

Take it out and stomp the shit out of it. Break it in hard. Being nice and gentle makes for a dog. You can also break it in on a dyno.
 

Cross Eyed Joe

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I can understand using the full rmp range and not holding a constant rpm but, heavily loading the engine doesn't seem like a good idea...
 

SHOZ123

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On my new block I used dino oil for the first 100 miles or so. Then switched to synthetic, drove it a couple hundred miles to Michigan and broke it in hard at the convention on the track this year,
 

Mr Anonymous

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I can understand using the full rmp range and not holding a constant rpm but, heavily loading the engine doesn't seem like a good idea...
Why doesn't it seem like a good idea?

We've broken in a few dozen engines that way and they are the strongest motors around. The people who baby their motors have the slowest cars.

Google engine break-in and do some reading. The first 3-5 hours of an engine's life is what makes or breaks it's potential to be a strong motor or a weak one.
 

sho_sc

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Why doesn't it seem like a good idea?

We've broken in a few dozen engines that way and they are the strongest motors around. The people who baby their motors have the slowest cars.

Google engine break-in and do some reading. The first 3-5 hours of an engine's life is what makes or breaks it's potential to be a strong motor or a weak one.

From what I understand from the top motorcycle racers is that the first 25 minutes are the most critical. The biggest no-no is to start the new engine and allow it to idle for any extended peroid of time. You should start it and check for leaks only. Then during the first 10 minutes of it's life, drive it and drive it hard .. not neccessarily redline every gear, but to load it up 3/4 throttle at first and then by the 25 minute mark WOT .. maybe running it to 4K RPM for the first few minutes and increase it until you see 6K by the 25 minute mark. THen allow it to cool down over night changing the oil. OH, I would strongly suggest at least 30W oil for the first 100 miles ... not 5w30 , but 30 weight. My race engines I run straight 30w for 500 miles, before switching over to 10w30 and then at 1000 miles synthetic oil.

Oh, I would also suggest to put everything back to stock for the break-in if you can ... use the TwEECer and only set the AFR tables at WOT to something like 12.5:1 , keep everything else OEM.
 
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SeanMc

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My motorbuilder suggested I run on 20w-40 for the first 200miles (at the time, that was like 4 days of driving), change it down to 10w-40 for another 200, then 10w-30 for 100, and now I'm happy with 5w-30.
 

Brett

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You guys turned my world upside down with this one. I was always under the impression that your to baby it for the break in. Thank god my rebuild isnt complete. Breaking in a motor seems kinda scary man, too easy on it, cylinder walls glaze, too hard, cylinder walls glaze. Its scary to think that the life of your motor is completely resting on your right foot, and the first 500 or so miles. :oogle:
 

AREA 91

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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cross Eyed Joe
I can understand using the full rmp range and not holding a constant rpm but, heavily loading the engine doesn't seem like a good idea...

Why doesn't it seem like a good idea?

We've broken in a few dozen engines that way and they are the strongest motors around. The people who baby their motors have the slowest cars.


Sooo true!!!
 

Cross Eyed Joe

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Thanks for the input. I did some research and found the following quote from www.ntnoa.org to summarize engine break-in the best:

"For those who still think that running the engine hard during break-in falls into the category of cruel and unusual punishment, there is one more argument for using high power loading for short periods (to avoid excessive heat) during the break-in. The use of low power settings does not expand the piston rings enough, and a film of oil is left on the cylinder walls. The high temperatures in the combustion chamber will oxidize this oil film so that it creates glazing of the cylinder walls. When this happens, the ring break-in process stops, and excessive oil consumption frequently occurs. The bad news is that extensive glazing can only be corrected by removing the cylinders and rehoning the walls. This is expensive, and it is an expense that can be avoided by proper break in procedures."

“An engine's initial run should be used to bring oil and coolant (air, oil, and/or water) up to operating temperature only, with little or no load, then shut down and allowed to cool to ambient temperature. (this is for leak check) This is important. After each run the engine needs to completely cool down to ambient temperature. In Texas, especially in the summer, that's still pretty hot. After a cool down period, start it up again and take the motorcycle for it's fist ride (you hope).
This time give the engine light loads at relatively low rpm and stay out of top gear. Lugging the engine, i.e., low RPM with a lot of throttle (manifold pressure), is more detrimental than high rpm. Another key is too constantly vary engine load during the entire break-in period. A constant load is not ideal for breaking in bearing tolerances. This second run should last only 10-15 minutes before another complete cool down.
The third run should see slightly higher rpm with light to medium power loading using short bursts of acceleration to help seat the rings. Again 10-15 minutes of running should do it and again avoid top gear. A forth run should consist of light to medium engine loads with a few more bursts of medium-high rpm, and lasting just 10-15 minutes varying the engine load and again avoiding top gear. Next while the engine is still warm drain the oil and change the filter. This gets out the new metal particles that are being worn away. Most of the metal particles will break away within the first 50 -75 miles. To ensure the rings seat well, use the same high quality oil and don't be shy about short duration high rpm blasts through the lower gears after the oil has been changed.
A few more 15-20 minute sessions should be used to work up to the engine's redline gradually increasing the engine loads. After some definite hard running and 250-500 miles it's a good idea to check the valves. After 500 miles re-torqueing the head is suggested. Switch to synthetic oil but not before 500-1500 miles. Most of the engine experts warned of the danger of breaking in the engine too easily and ending up with an engine that will always run slow whether it is from tight tolerances, inadequate ring seal or carbon buildup. Engine load is more detrimental than rpm because of the head created internally, so avoid lugging the engine but rev it freely especially in the lower gears. Basically, be sure not to get it too hot but be sure to seat the rings properly.”

Correct me if I’m wrong but the valves shouldn’t need check and the head bolt shouldn’t be re-torqued.

And I plan on leaving the engine controls stock until the break-in period is finished.
 
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NovaSS

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Each car that comes out of detroit has a special team that breaks in engines. They have extinsive training on how to turn the key, put it in gear and give it gas. Then they drive it off the line and onto the trailer, it next stop is to who ever buys it.:nut:

I worked for Ford as a service manager when the SHO came out , we had special " break in "instrutions for people who bought them, put gas in it and have fun.


Serious, start it up and run it a high idle and get it on the road quick. Check for leaks etc. Drive it normal for a couple days then go for it.
 
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the_jase_case

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Hmm...I always thought the break-in process for an engine was kind of like the break-in process of a clutch, you wanna go easy on it for about 500 miles, different RPMs, no hard driving. I guess I'll have to look into that more. Interesting...:oogle:
 

Mr Anonymous

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Hmm...I always thought the break-in process for an engine was kind of like the break-in process of a clutch, you wanna go easy on it for about 500 miles, different RPMs, no hard driving. I guess I'll have to look into that more. Interesting...:oogle:
Common mis-conception. This isn't a clutch, it's an engine. The overwhelming evidence supports breaking it in hard.

I wouldn't baby it for one mile or one hundred. As soon as the motor is running and I'm confident there are no leaks, everything is working, and nothing is going to fall out, it's beating time.

New cars off the lot are the same thing, beat the **** out of them early and often. That's why the one-owner cars out there owned by people who track them are always the fastest, because they ran the car hard right out of the gate. The slow cars are the ones that were babied early on.
 

the_jase_case

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I never would've thought of that, well maybe that is why my car is somewhat of a freak when compared to other stock SHO's...it's been beaten on probably its entire life. Whereas I've seen cars that were bought off of people that never drove their car hard and they tend to be pretty weak (and break down fairly quickly if driven rough). So yes, it would stand to reason what you say, I just never thought of it that way.
 

Brett

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Common mis-conception. This isn't a clutch, it's an engine. The overwhelming evidence supports breaking it in hard.

I wouldn't baby it for one mile or one hundred. As soon as the motor is running and I'm confident there are no leaks, everything is working, and nothing is going to fall out, it's beating time.

New cars off the lot are the same thing, beat the **** out of them early and often. That's why the one-owner cars out there owned by people who track them are always the fastest, because they ran the car hard right out of the gate. The slow cars are the ones that were babied early on.

How fine a line is it between "beating time" and overheating time? I had read if you bring the temps up too high you'll glaze the cylinder walls. Does this mean do some WOT runs and park it or does this mean go track it for its first 500 miles? :cool: I'm not trying to be a smart ass, i just wan't to know if theres a limit to how hard you should push it.
 

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