Engine Break In, breaking-in, motor break-in [Merged 10-6]

[BrokeTurbo]

As the following thread will illustrate, motor break-in is not the issue it was in the fifties and sixties.
For all intents and purposes, your method will not significantly matter, within reason.

Well, I am getting the laser back from the shop this weekend. Here's a List of whats new, and whats not.New Pistons, Bearings, Rods, Crankshaft, Rings, Oil pump, Belts, Pullys, Head, Valves, No balancer belt. The only real thing thats old, but freshened up is the block, and valve cover, and the FI system. (Fuel Injection)

I am going to run Mobil 1 10w-30 with a Puroilator PL101xx Filter. I have a new clutch with a resurfaced flywheel going on. I've also got new fluids in the transmission.

My question is how should I break it in? This is my first non 70's Chevy, and I was wondering if there are any tricks to it.

The way I was going to do it, was 15 min of idle, warm up. Make sure all fluids/hoses/electrical is plugged in. Then about 1 hour of normal driving. Might take out to the Highway, and cruise around 65-70 for a little bit.

This sound good? I was not going to get on it, or push it till ive got about 500 miles on the engine. Even then, I'll still be taking it easy. Anyone have any tips or help? Thanks

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Thank you very much, and I knew I should go over to pep boys more often. Is Royal Purple really that much better?

From what I hear...

It's basic Autozone mineral oil for me. Until I rebuild at least...

 

[JayRolla]

I would just use regular oil, becuase our motors love to leak with thin oil like synthetic. It prones to leak way more often. I just make sure I change my oil every 2500-3000 miles. My motor builder told me that there is no reason to break in the motor that it was some kind of a myth. My question is why break it in, what can you damage without breaking it in.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

My question is why break it in, what can you damage without breaking it in.

Read the third sentence in "my" break in method above.

There are many theories on breaking in engines, so let's not get into it here...

 

[GIZMO]

Here is my exact break in requirements for my car. I just had my engine fully built

1) Oil change after 25miles with Penzoil 10w-40 (done by the shop)

2) Oil change after 500 miles with Penzoil 10w-40 (I just did this one)

3) Oil Change after 1500 miles with Penzoil 10w-40

4) Change oil at regular intervals or sooner if engine experiences a lot of abuse. Now you can switch to full synthetic (I use Torco Full synthetic for my daily and it improved my MPG a lot I will be using Torco's synthetic racing oil when I do the switch)

For engine speed short bursts are ok but don't beat the heck out of it right away. Vary engine speed and even engine break from time to time.

I hope this helps let me know if you have any questions

 

[Scott_S]

I would just use regular oil, becuase our motors love to leak with thin oil like synthetic. It prones to leak way more often. I just make sure I change my oil every 2500-3000 miles. .

Not true. Synthetic oil doesn't leak any more than any other oil, people just think it does because there is better cleaning qualities and it cleans up the crap from the mineral oil. Consequently opening up a leaky spot that would have leaked the entire time but was clogged with crap.

 

[mopardwh]

This is how I break in engines:



By the way, you can find Royal Purple at Pep Boys.

Seems kind of excessive, but to each his own. I definetely agree with cycling the engine though. Accelerate normal and let off, over and over. As far as the oil changes so many times, it can't hurt it just seems like a waste to me.

You can get royal purple at Napa, Pep Boys, and O'rielly.

 

[jaredgsx]

I am rebuilding my motor and there are few things that I need to know

1. I have a set of 272's with some dual valve springs and i was wondering if there was anything else that I would HAVE to have to make these work properly. (like idle controll, any thing that I would possiably have to have to make the car start and run other than the two things already listed.

2. I know that cams have to be broke in at 2500 rpm for about 15-20 min. My problem with that is I do have a rebuilt motor and I was wondering if that would cause a problem with the new pistions and rings. How would I be able to break in both without damage?

 

[drivemusicnow]

I am rebuilding my motor and there are few things that I need to know

1. I have a set of 272's with some dual valve springs and i was wondering if there was anything else that I would HAVE to have to make these work properly. (like idle controll, any thing that I would possiably have to have to make the car start and run other than the two things already listed.

2. I know that cams have to be broke in at 2500 rpm for about 15-20 min. My problem with that is I do have a rebuilt motor and I was wondering if that would cause a problem with the new pistions and rings. How would I be able to break in both without damage?

Welcome to engines newer than 1980... You don't have to "Break in" cams.

For pisonts/rings you need to run the car at idle until it is warm. Then drive it hard. To redline, but do it with the wastegate locked open on your turbo. Best thing for a fresh motor is to see all of the RPM range under load.

The 272s with springs should be fine. Did you have your head entirely rebuilt? Ie: new valve guides or valves or retainers etc.?

 

[jaredgsx]

cams do need to be broken in
http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226308
i was just wondering about it with a freshly rebuilt motor

 

[Scott_S]

cams dont need to be broken in because they are roller cams. Back in the day with soild cams and lifters they needed to be wear mated. If you dont believe me call up comp cams and they will tell you the same thing.

 

[jaredgsx]

so in that thread link that i gave it is full of totally wrong information, with most of it given by two wisemen?

 

[Scott_S]

well my friend just put a new cam in his camaro(roller valve train) and comp cams said no break in required. There isnt anything in there to "break in" the bearings are built into the head and the lobes ride on rollers. If you feel better breaking them in do it but its not needed.

 

[jaredgsx]

I would just hate to have my cams get screwed...now if they were cheap it would not bother me.

 

[drivemusicnow]

so in that thread link that i gave it is full of totally wrong information, with most of it given by two wisemen?

sadly... Yes.

The whole 2500 rpm break in thing is correct.... But not for DOHC engines.

That thread is kinda rediculous. I can see how having crap like that on the forum will easily convince someone of totally incorrect information.

 

[jaredgsx]

ok well what about breaking the motor in?

 

[drivemusicnow]

A thing to note... Making sure the cams have oil is different than "break in" typically engine builders recommend running it at higher than idle RPMs to ensure all new parts are lubed correctly and as quickly as possible. This includes bearings and such, where the only time they actually wear is on startup.

 

[grndamdryvr]

just make sure to be generous with assembly lube, and you wont have any problems. i just rebuilt my 2.0 nt with no probs. be sure that your lifters/valve lash adjusters arent sticky, and soak them in a bowl of fresh oil or assembly lube overnight. and also be sure that your rockers are seated before starting it. turn the motor by hand to be sure everything is moving correctly. good luck with the build.

 

[jaredgsx]

ok well what about the rest of the motor then?

 

[drivemusicnow]

Welcome to engines newer than 1980... You don't have to "Break in" cams.

For pisonts/rings you need to run the car at idle until it is warm. Then drive it hard. To redline, but do it with the wastegate locked open on your turbo. Best thing for a fresh motor is to see all of the RPM range under load.

The 272s with springs should be fine. Did you have your head entirely rebuilt? Ie: new valve guides or valves or retainers etc.?

^read.

Breaking in engines is a very widely disputed thing. I truly believe that the BEST way to do it is like I briefly stated above. For an indepth explanation and annoying banter go to www.mototuneusa.com and read through all of the "break in secrets" articles. Yes, he is specific to motorcycles, however if you know anything about modern bikes you'd understand how much more important things like this are on bikes compared to cars.

Short version:

Lock your waste gate fully open (wire) such that you do not spool the turbo. Also make sure that you don't have any vacuum leaks etc. (Use regular DINO oil... no synthetics)

Get oil through the engine. First crank by hand, then pull the MPI or MASTER to not allow ignition. and crank with the starter. Do this several times to MAKE SURE that all the bearings have been oiled properly before you start the engine. Plug it back in and start it up.

Warm car up to operating temperature. (At idle, or slightly over Idle, but do NOT rev engine up)

Drive the car around. You want to rev the engine through the entire RPM range under load. try to vary hard acceleration and decceleration (while in gear) I would try to put 50 miles on it all at once.

Drain oil, change filter, refill oil.

For the next few hundred miles drive it like you would normally, with the exception of trying to accel/decel as often as possible. try not to take it on the highway and just cruise. at 600 miles change the oil and filter again. and then at 3000 miles. And then at whatever your normal oil change interval is.

Now there are going to be people who tell you to baby the motor... from evidence as listed on the mototune website, as well as my friends who work in car assembly plants, I'll tell you that they are wrong, and that is not what the manufacturers do. Every porsche made is immediately taken through their test track at full throttle. Every LS7 that was made is flogged on an engine dyno. Hard. Almost every car manufactured is run on a track or on a dyno to redline several times before they leave the assembly plant.

 

[91turbotalon]

prime the motro/turbo by takeing out the sprak pulgs and cranking it over for a few seconds several times the put the plugs back in and star it,"personally" id drive it like i always did but dont ream on it for 300-400 miles to let everything seat in.

 

[baby huie]

ok i have a couple questions about break in on my new 2.4 motor. i got the fp3x cam and i was wondering if the cam needed to be broke in. on v8 motors we always started the car and reved it to a high idle and let it do it for about 15 mins. does this have to be done on my 2.4. also when i am doing my engine breakin am i going to have to worrie about my turbpo takeing a shit from metal shavings. the turbo is a pte 50 trim and it is oil cooled from the oil filter housing. do i need to add a in line oil filter to help it collect the shavings or am i going to be ok with just the oil being filtered through the oil filter housing

 

[AL92]

Going thru this same identical thing right now.I have a 2.4 going in next day or two and new FP3065.
I have new crower stage 3s.
First there is no cam break in needed.These are roller cams. Not old style v8 cams.
Now as for metal.I primed engine on the stand with impact and put it on oil sprocket.I changed oil out already just from that and filter.
I have inline oil filter on my FP3065.Its feed off head.I have magnetic drainplug just bought and bought this thing called a filtermag also...
www.filtermag.com
I will be changing out my oil at 30 minutes or so. At 100 or 200 miles after doing the 30 to 60 mph or so full throttle runs with no spring in my gate so no boost. Do that quite a few times. I will change oil again at 500 and then at likely 2000 and go to synthetic at 5000.I will be checking my inline filter and changing oil filters each change.
That better be enough as not throwing on old 14b or t25 on there heck with that.

Anyway thats my plan and I am sticking to it!!
Ball bearing are likley more delicate than non BB.Everyone is saying with inline filter I should be fine and to just change the oil often .That filtermag should pick up anything floating around that thing is a serious magnet!

Good luck with your 2.4.Here a

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re couple pics of my 2.4 dressed up for the camera.

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[lasertim]

Sorry, this doesnt really add to the topic at hand but.... that is a work of art AL92. Someday.......

 

[AL92]

I am breaking in my new 2.4 shortly. I have an FP3065.Yes I know not a great idea to break in new motor with a good turbo..but have inline oil feed filter,magnetic drain plug and filtermag.
Anyway I have external gate..So have a choice..no spring in gate...zero boost,small green spring...6 psi..yellow spring..9 psi...green and yellow 15psi..these are the minimum boost the turbo puts out.Not sure if can get some boost with no spring and manual boost controller...

Anyway what do you guys thing..was planning about a 300 to 500 mile break in period.
Will be revving it full throttle from like 30 mph to 70mph and do that several times first drive and then just vary my speeds throut the rest of the 500 mile break in.

Does that sound about right?

Also is there a good way to compress the tail gates to get the springs in. I already sort of stripped a hold down bolt hole but its seems to be ok when I was taking apart the tial gate.That 1 bar combination had a lot of pressure! Maybe a vice if a person is careful is best way to change out the bigger spring combos?

 

[diambo4life]

Use a vice, padded of course not to scrach the hell out of the EWG. Compress it slowly, while you screw the allen bolts in or as you slip the v-band, YMMV. I would break it in at 15psi. Search on the "motoman" break in method and follow that to a T. Or, you can go on Talk and search "engine break in" with the username "Taboo" and follow his guidelines.

I broke mine in with that same turbo - with no MBC, just boost signal straight to the gate which gave me 11-13psi IIRC.