My new motor is almost finished all the parts are in my sig I just want to know what you guys think is the best way to break in the motor? 
New Motor Need Break in advice
- Thread starter cdog301
- Start date
DMAN302
My mom says thanks for the pearl necklace.
Just finished myself...start it and keep an eye on temp and oil pressure. Check timing (10-12* good for break in). Next work the idle if needed, and bring up to temp. Once at temp I drove mine around 1/4-1/2 throttle varying the RPM and shifting up and down quite a bit...just drivin easy. Some will disagree but I drove EASY checking the oil color/pressure and temp often. I made lots of short trips checking for leaks and bad noises. First oil change was 100 and second at 500. 550 Miles later no problems at all, oil is crystal clear and runs like a mother.
93TealLx
Founding Member
Fire it up and let it run until at operating temperature. Drain oil and change filter. With fresh oil put about 50 to 100 miles on it under various load throttle posistion ect. I like to engine brake a few times also. This will seat your rings and you will be ready to go. Change the oil again and drive the hell out of it.
It doesnt take very long for your rings to seat. You cant just let it idle and expect them to seat.... but 50 to 100 miles should be adequate.
It doesnt take very long for your rings to seat. You cant just let it idle and expect them to seat.... but 50 to 100 miles should be adequate.
For a different twist on breaking in a motor, read this through...
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
I was just goint to post that link. I would keep the RPM down but the throttle open. Cylinder pressure seats rings, and you don't want them to break in in a unseated postion or they will never seat correctly. I am in rebuild now also and I heard of a shop around where I live that can run and EFI Ford on an engine dyno, and the best place to break one in is where it can be worked w/o the issues of having a car to deal with. Change the old a lot, and only use regular oil for at least the first thousand miles.
dcrahn
Founding Member
Since you are using a roller cam, no real breakin is required. The rings seat within the first few minutes of start up.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
It's important to understand the context of the link - this guy's looking for a way to find out if the racing engine in his motorcycles are gonna break first time out. That's a bit of a different animal than breaking in an engine in a street car that you want to use for a while.
Rings seat or not within minutes after startup. Prime the oil system before start up. As long as temp/pressure is ok, and there are no leaks and no noises signaling a problem, buy the time you've warmed it up it's ready to be driven as hard or easy as you like. You can take it easy for 1000 miles if you like - but with todays material and machining technology there's no need to. Remember - something close to 18 million new cars/trucks are sold every year with no break in requirements, and they've only been run enough to get them on the truck before they fall into the hands of the average consumer. That person just drives the car - often with poor maintenance - and the vast majority of those cars go between 100K and 200k with no problems. I'd change the oil and filter after the first few thermal cycles to get the rebuild grunge out, then put your good oil/filter in. Lastly with roller cams - no cam break in is required.
Crank it - if it don't leak, smoke or make noise, and the gauges say all's well - drive it as hard or easy as you like.
Rings seat or not within minutes after startup. Prime the oil system before start up. As long as temp/pressure is ok, and there are no leaks and no noises signaling a problem, buy the time you've warmed it up it's ready to be driven as hard or easy as you like. You can take it easy for 1000 miles if you like - but with todays material and machining technology there's no need to. Remember - something close to 18 million new cars/trucks are sold every year with no break in requirements, and they've only been run enough to get them on the truck before they fall into the hands of the average consumer. That person just drives the car - often with poor maintenance - and the vast majority of those cars go between 100K and 200k with no problems. I'd change the oil and filter after the first few thermal cycles to get the rebuild grunge out, then put your good oil/filter in. Lastly with roller cams - no cam break in is required.
Crank it - if it don't leak, smoke or make noise, and the gauges say all's well - drive it as hard or easy as you like.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
I'm with Daggar - with one exception. I'd use dino oil for the initial crank up and that first 100 miles or so. Then go ahead and put your synthetic in. The only potential issue with running synthetic is it's ability to retard or harm ring seat (myth? reality? who knows....), and that occurs within minutes after the first start. Once rings have seated, there's no reason you can't use synth if it's your desire.
