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Built Motor Break In

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Eclipsekustomizer

10+ Year Contributor
35
0
Jan 26, 2012
Marietta, Georgia
Ok guys i have read the engine break in threads on this site. Im not trying to beat a dead horse but will this still apply to a new built engine. I had H beams and forged pistons with chromy rings put in the bottom end. So here is my plan.
Oreilly 10-30 for first run drive it 20-25 miles. Oil change, again cheap oil, Oreilly 10-30 then go until 100 miles. One more 10-30 ORO oil change at 500.
No boost during first 25 miles use engine as much as possible for speed control.
mild boost around 50-100? Is that ok? Maybe 10psi? Then after the 100 mile mark maybe 15psi? Is this a good plan. I have never broke in a new motor and i put my entire tax refund into this so i cant afford to do this wrong. Any input or pointers much needed.Thanks:confused:
 
Use regular 10W30 oil.
Before you fire up the engine, remove the MPI fuse and crank the engine several times to build oil pressure.
Put the MPI fuse back, start the engine and immediately take it to 1.5-2K to maintain the oil pressure so the lifters fill with oil and the cams bed properly.
No matter what you do, don't let the engine idle.
When the engine warms up and the coolant temperature is normal, bring the RPM to 3K and hold it there for 20-30 minutes.
Let the RPM drop, adjust the idle and timing.
When done, shut the engine off, check for any oil/coolant leaks, change the oil and the oil filter and let the engine cool down.
If everything checks out OK, take the car for a spin and several 30-65-30 mph pulls at stock boost level.
At this point, the engine is fully broken in, but you might want to take it easy for a few more days and keep an eye on oil/coolant leaks, loose bolts and hoses, etc.
Change the oil/oil filter at 500 miles again.

There's absolutely no need to drive 500 miles under 3K or 1500 miles without boosting. As a matter of fact, you can tune the car and race the engine the same day you install it.

I broke my engine in very similar to this with no issues. The only part I strayed from is holding the engine at 3k. I slowly fluctuated between 2500 and 3500 RPM for the entire 30min. Like it says in the quote, there is no reason to drive it easy or out of boost for a certain period of time. Just keep it at stock boost, fuel, and RPM levels
 
I drove the car regularly, didn't beat on it nor did I crazy baby it.
The key is to do a lot of oil changes along with oil filters and downshift a lot...let the RPM's drop.
I used conventional oil for the first 3000 miles then switched to full raving VR1 synthetic oil.
Perfect 170 across the board since the build.
 
i did motoman break in. i have rod knock after 330 miles but i can not blame it on that, the machinist ####ed up bad. thats a proven break in method. i changed mine almost exactly like your planned intervals. cheap 10-30 non synth. itll be fine as long as it was put together right.
 
Ill be doing this soon as well ive read many ways to do it and not sure what im doing so far im leaning on

1)Start idle for about 10-15 till operating temp and check for leaks.
2)Change oil after the idle period
3)Drive it put some miles on it
4)While driving vary the rpms and let the motor wind down on its own and it will be seeing some
boost 5-10psi atleast not much more then that.
5)change oil etc and that should be it
 
i did motoman break in. i have rod knock after 330 miles but i can not blame it on that, the machinist ####ed up bad. thats a proven break in method. i changed mine almost exactly like your planned intervals. cheap 10-30 non synth. itll be fine as long as it was put together right.

i feel like im going to vomit...... hired a shop to build my engine. cost 2700 for everything. has had 3 oil changes, not beat on hard at all. stock boost level. and now this......
i just gotta hope this guy warranties his work. theres no way to prove anything. but being a 31yr old guy whos pretty mature im hoping he will take my word.

Doesn't sound like motoman break in to me :nono:
 
sorry eclipse001 i am leaning toward the motoman method if the car idles for 15 min then the rings are just wearing against the bore. I think i will idle it check for leaks while she idles and when it reaches op temp im going for a drive. Running low boost but some:thumb:
 
I was boosting 15-20 psi after the first few miles. If it's going to break, it'll show up pretty quickly.
 
anubis, look for my other post. i dont count "beating" and engine as motoman breakin. i idled it to operating temp and gave it a good 40 miles of acceleration and decel and varying load. alot of engine braking too. running it up at times to 4500rpm but no more. after that i didnt run the piss out of it. my rod bearing failure is due to poor machining and nothing else. ive owned a bunch of cars that have ran well over 200k miles. i know how to treat an engine.
calln me a liar? LOL. jk. anyway this made me curious and i just did a comp test. 180 exactly on all 4. you bet ## ass the motoman method works, i have proof!
 
take it from an over enthusiastic adult break in slow, i built my first 2g dsm ground up with about 15k after 500 miles of smooth break in hammered down..... KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.....spun a bearing at 20 psi....... New build going slow until 4000 miles on in all in town purrs like a kitten and pulls like a rocket
 
Sounds more like the result of mechanical issue and not a break-in problem. I have used moto-man on my old 240sx as well as my old Supra. I plan to use it with the DSM as well.

take it from an over enthusiastic adult break in slow, i built my first 2g dsm ground up with about 15k after 500 miles of smooth break in hammered down..... KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.....spun a bearing at 20 psi....... New build going slow until 4000 miles on in all in town purrs like a kitten and pulls like a rocket
 
anubis, look for my other post. i dont count "beating" and engine as motoman breakin. i idled it to operating temp and gave it a good 40 miles of acceleration and decel and varying load. alot of engine braking too. running it up at times to 4500rpm but no more. after that i didnt run the piss out of it. my rod bearing failure is due to poor machining and nothing else. ive owned a bunch of cars that have ran well over 200k miles. i know how to treat an engine.
calln me a liar? LOL. jk. anyway this made me curious and i just did a comp test. 180 exactly on all 4. you bet ## ass the motoman method works, i have proof!

Bearings can fail without machinist error! Stop blaming the engine builder when you don't know if it was a part failure! Not every bearing is perfect right out of the box! You can get that very slight chance of a bad bearing from the manufacture! It happens. Nothing's perfect! And why would he machine for your bearings? Did you get main studs? Or are you saying he did not check bearing clearances? How are you sure?
 
...the only thing I don't like about the motoman method is taking a new motor, warming it up and then heading out to break it in.

I have yet to put 20 miles on my new motor since my build, but it's been started and brought up to operating temps a few times....how else are you suppose to make sure everything is working, there's no leaks, and everything is tight other than start it up and look around? :idontknow:

Guess I need to get it idling right and head out to put some break-in miles on it.
 
im taking a guess supremedsm, and im also taking a guess you yourself build engines. ive made mistakes too. and yes ive had DOA parts make me look bad. they are all viable possiblities. you gotta understand my being a bit upset right now. i think im handling it pretty well all told. i will know exactly where the failure is when i take it back to him and we pop the bearings out. if im wrong, im honest and will eat my words. i have no hatred of machinists bro LOL
yes, i have arp main studs. block was line honed ### the crank was cut and polished. i dont know alot about machining to be honest. i get the basics i think.
 
All bearings and journals should be mic'd before installation. So if the bearing was the wrong size it can be caught before trouble happens.
 
An old school 4g63 engine builder named Mitch Russo, dont remember if thats how his last name is or not, built my motor I had in my 1g. He said drive it like I was late to work for the first 500 miles. Dont beat on it, but dont baby it either.
 
In other words:

Load up the engine for long durations (staying at least 1k away from redline)
Engine brake back down
Repeat over and over, third gear works nice.
 
In other words:

Load up the engine for long durations (staying at least 1k away from redline)
Engine brake back down
Repeat over and over, third gear works nice.

:hellyeah:
 
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