Break In Procedure/Oil For Crate Engine?

[horseballz]

Late 90's 5.0/GT40-P heads/B303 roller cam/all new, not rebuilt. What oil/additives to start with, driving/rpm schedule, oil change schedule? I eventually want to use synthetic oil, but have been led to believe that break in is best done with "dino" oil. Any and all thoughts, comments and suggestion are welcomed.
Thanks,
Gene

 

[tx65coupe]

When you first drive it, I would drive at varying RPMS for the first several miles. You do not want to hit the road and maintain a constant 70 mph right away.

I would change the oil at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000 miles.

I would run conventional dino oil for the break in period. You can also run break in oil, but I have never used it. If you use break in oil, only use it for the first few miles.

I would wait a few thousand miles to switch to synthetic. I ran conventional Valvoline in mine for the first few thousand miles or so. I am now running Valvoline durablend.

 

[horseballz]

tx65coupe,
That was exactly my initial plan, I just wanted to confirm, as this is my first crate engine.
Thanks Much,
Gene

 

[tx65coupe]

If you decide to use actual break in oil, I believe it is intended to be used for a very short period of time. I would ask the company your getting your engine from, they may have already ran it with break in oil.

 

[D.Hearne]

No break in oil needed with a roller cammed motor. Use something like 10w-30 or 10-40 for the first couple of oil changes, then go to synthetic. Go 500 on the first change, then change it twice a year, regardless of mileage.

 

[jerry S]

I am getting my car back soon and it has a new roller cam and new engine bearings. My mechanic says the cam does not need any break in but the engine bearings do. He is putting an RPM limiter (2000 rpm) in for the first 1000 miles

 

[D.Hearne]

I am getting my car back soon and it has a new roller cam and new engine bearings. My mechanic says the cam does not need any break in but the engine bearings do. He is putting an RPM limiter (2000 rpm) in for the first 1000 miles

Have fun dealing with people held up behind you in traffic. There's absolutely no need to limit the rpms to 2000 rpms for 1000 miles.

 

[htwheelz67]

the easiest way to seat the rings is get on the fwy, 50 mph for 2-3 mins and then increase speed 5 mph increments doing the same thing up to like 80 or so and then go backwards and do the same thing do this about 5 times each way then your rings will be seated, beyond seating the rings there is no real break in to do. Do the first oil change at 500 miles and then maybe 1500-2000 miles, switch to synthetic, you can break it in with synthetic no problem but why spend the money. Then change the synthetic every 5k or so, if you are running a high capacity pan or a dual filter system you can extend that to 8-10k with synth oil.

 

[TeamEntity]

you DO NOT, want to break it in with synthetic oil. yes use just plain regular oil of your choice and vary your driving speeds i would change the oil after the first 300 miles then do what ever you want. But i would also contact were you bought the motor and if it was dynoed its probably ready to drop in and go no seating of anything. But call first.

 

[htwheelz67]

you DO NOT, want to break it in with synthetic oil. yes use just plain regular oil of your choice and vary your driving speeds i would change the oil after the first 300 miles then do what ever you want. But i would also contact were you bought the motor and if it was dynoed its probably ready to drop in and go no seating of anything. But call first.

Myths About Synthetic Motor Oils

 

[js66coupe]

Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power

This is how I like to break them in.

 

[70vert]

There's a lot of controversy, so my only contribution is that I used JS66coupe's method when I got my Suzuki SV650 way back in 2000. My buddy got the same bike on the same day. I did the method above for the first few hundred miles, varying speed but really whacking the throttle open as much as possible. Years later, he rode my bike and commented that it really felt faster than his, and no other engine or drivetrain mods had been done to either bike. I didn't have the opportunity to trade bikes, as he had already moved on, but mine recently passed the 20k mile mark with no issues. I buy it.