Break-In-Procedure for New Engines

Platonic Solid

Founding Member

May 29, 2002

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CT-USA

Aug 10, 2004

#1

• Aug 10, 2004

• #1

I thought you guys mind find this interesting. I came across this on a motorcycle forum I joined recently. I have no doubt that changing the oil early on a new engine is good. As to the rest of it, you be the judge. Here's the link: Break-In-Procedure for New Engines

 

2nd Mustang

Founding Member

Feb 24, 2002

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Southern California

Aug 10, 2004

#2

• Aug 10, 2004

• #2

I had heard something similar to this method a long time ago. I tried it on my 350 bowtie engine after being rebuilt. One week of normal driving then a road trip to Vegas! No problems occured.

 

MustangPaul

Founding Member

Jun 20, 2002

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South East Louisiana

Aug 10, 2004

#3

• Aug 10, 2004

• #3

This is interesting. I don't know if I buy it, but his pics of "used" pistons are hard to argue with if they are un-doctored.

What do y'all think?

--Paul

 

O

Ozsum2

New Member

Jul 28, 2004

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Aug 10, 2004

#4

• Aug 10, 2004

• #4

He is correct about varying the speed. The only thing I do diffrently is to change out the oil after 500 miles and then again at 1500 miles. I don't want all the break in material being circulated around causing abrasion. If you have plans to switch to synthetic oil, do so ONLY after break in is complete. If you rush it, the rings will NEVER seat and the engine will have to be torn down and the cross hatch patterns redone. They will glaze over.

 

Hack

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2004

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Minneapolis

Aug 10, 2004

#5

• Aug 10, 2004

• #5

Everything that guy says makes sense to me. Thanks for the link!

hmm.

 

88 Fox GT

Active Member

Nov 18, 2002

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Iowa

Aug 10, 2004

#6

• Aug 10, 2004

• #6

Yes, I have seen this link awhile back. It all seems very legit, and this is the way my family has broken in engines on nearly everything we own.

 

XStang302x

Founding Member

Nov 2, 2000

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Marietta, GA

Aug 10, 2004

#7

• Aug 10, 2004

• #7

This is a big debate on about every bike forum out there. I personally prefer to mix both of em up. Do my best to keep it below mfg. rpm limits. But keep the rpm's varied. It's easier on the engine to rev it a lil more than to dog it underload when going up a steep hill for example.

Those mfg. limits are a bitch though lol...for kawi they wanted me to keep it below 4k rpms for the first 500 miles then under 6k till 1000....damn thing revs to 13k and 4k comes real fast lol

-Frank

 

Max Power

Active Member

Jul 31, 2003

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St Paul

Aug 10, 2004

#8

• Aug 10, 2004

• #8

I have broken engines in this way for 25 years. This is not new.

The way we used to do it was to put the car in second gear and do WOT blasts followed by coasting in the same gear. We would do it repeatedly, never lugging the engine to the point of detonation. It works.....

 

beanplant

Founding Member

Jun 25, 2002

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KC MO

Aug 11, 2004

#9

• Aug 11, 2004

• #9

So when I finally finish my motor, I need to start it up, let it warm to running temp, and just hit WOT a few times? Would this be good enough? My car is going to be too loud to run it WOT on the street. It's gonna be open headers until I can take it to a exhaust shop.

-Shaun

 

Route666

Active Member

Aug 16, 2003

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Brisbane, Australia

Aug 11, 2004

#10

• Aug 11, 2004

• #10

You need the load on the engine for WOT to do anything. Free-revving is not reccommended, especially for breaking in a motor. Free-revving will not keep pressure in the cylinders very long, and that is what is needed to seat the rings.

 

88 Fox GT

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Nov 18, 2002

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Iowa

Aug 11, 2004

#11

• Aug 11, 2004

• #11

I do have a question about this. When doing the initial cam break-in, isn't that kind of going AGAINST these rules? I mean sitting in nuetral at 2,000 RPM for 20 minutes (or however you go about breaking in your cam) isn't building up enough cylinder pressure to allow the rings to start seating. Correct?

 

mustang70

Founding Member

Nov 15, 2001

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San Diego

Aug 11, 2004

#12

• Aug 11, 2004

• #12

Speed_Demon1965 said:

I do have a question about this. When doing the initial cam break-in, isn't that kind of going AGAINST these rules? I mean sitting in nuetral at 2,000 RPM for 20 minutes (or however you go about breaking in your cam) isn't building up enough cylinder pressure to allow the rings to start seating. Correct?

Click to expand...

I was wondering that as well. Maybe 2000 rpm really isn't that much though. I think when they refer to free-revving they're talking about taking it up to something like 4000rpm for a second.

I know when I broke in my engine this last time I took it somewhat easy the first 500 miles to make sure everything was ok. After that I drove like I would normally. And driving on California freeways can be hard on engines. Never had a problem with it.

 

Route666

Active Member

Aug 16, 2003

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Brisbane, Australia

Aug 12, 2004

#13

• Aug 12, 2004

• #13

Exactly, from what knowledge I have sequestered, it is important to break the cam in quickly, whereas the rest of it doesn't wear so quickly, especially not being under load.

Maybe also, if you tried breaking in a cam under load, the extra pressure on the valves from the loaded cylinder combustion pressure may damage the cam. I dunno, just suggesting it. Can anyone verify or abolish this theory?

 

beanplant

Founding Member

Jun 25, 2002

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KC MO

Aug 12, 2004

#14

• Aug 12, 2004

• #14

So I need to break my engine in hard, but my cam soft?! lol, AHHHH!!! What if EVERYTHING is brand new?

 

Max Power

Active Member

Jul 31, 2003

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St Paul

Aug 12, 2004

#15

• Aug 12, 2004

• #15

That stupid cam procedure compromises a LOT of stuff. I run it for the 20, let it cool, change the oil, then go out and break in the rings. Since the cam break in is to establish a lifter rotation on the cam and doesn't involve load ar any real cylinder pressures, it seems to work out pretty well.