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

 

[Defiant]

See all the answers? Proving that, just like motor break-in, and within the realm of reality, it doesn't matter what "proven" method you use.

You know when you're beating a motor. Don't do it to a new one.

 

[BoostFrenzy]

I would also run strictly Royal Purple or Mobil1

No, you are supposed to use "Junk" oil when you are breaking in a motor. Synthetics are too slippery. And then when you do your first oil change, take apart the oil filter (However you can) and look for anything that is not oil or the actual filter. This is what TwinsTurbo does to each and every one of their Supras that they build. I'd say it is a good method. As for the miles and boost pressure. Go with the boost you are planning on running. Just keep it in the lower revs for a set period of time to make sure everything is in the right place and properly tightened, and then slowly bring it up to a higher RPM over time to again make sure everything is in working order and isn't wrong, and then just beat on it. Then check the filter again after it is broken in for metal scraps of any kind. You find nothing, you are golden.

EDIT:
Of course tuning it as you go along.

 

[iziegsx]

See all the answers? Proving that, just like motor break-in, and within the realm of reality, it doesn't matter what "proven" method you use.

You know when you're beating a motor. Don't do it to a new one.

He does this on his Customer's cars...

I agree 100% Defiant! I do not think that a brand new engine should be abused that is if your planning on having a LONG! lasting HEALTHY engine. David can afford to do this, his method may even be better than most but i like to say prevention is better than cure. i cant imagine paying big bucks for my engine and then hurting it because of impatience that would suck big apples!!

 

[Talesin]

The method I was told by RRE was to do one or two hard second or third gear pulls (not launches) at full boost to help seat the rings, then drive it with as little boost as possible for as long as I could stand it. Ended up going 3000 miles that way, oil changes every thousand (also at their recommendation). Seems to have worked its magic, as the engine pulls HARD, even on 10psi boost.

You can run an engine hard and still take care of it. Sure, it's going to wear out sooner than a DD that never sees more than 5psi. But given proper precaution and maintenence/care, it'll last a hell of a lot longer than something that you start in the morning, boost off down the street at WOT, and shut down without idling. There's a difference between romping on an engine, and beating it to death.
Which is why my head starts to hurt when I see people describing problems about their car feeling slow, except when they first start it up in the morning. Just *know* that they don't give it a chance to warm up, and they're trashing their engine.

 

[Zack Huffman]

No, you are supposed to use "Junk" oil when you are breaking in a motor. Synthetics are too slippery. And then when you do your first oil change, take apart the oil filter (However you can) and look for anything that is not oil or the actual filter.

Good advice.

I just wanted to mention that you won't be able to easily see the normal metal particle sludge in the oil from the bearings. It may seem irrelevant to most, but I am planning on break-in using low viscosity cheap conventional oil, buying a very strong clamp-on filter magnet and possibly upgrade the oil pan magnet; -to attempt to avoid re-circulating said sludge through the engine for the first couple thousand miles (on my current build). To each his own.

 

[Spoolin98]

I was told by JAM to break my motor in using ND 30W oil, start the car and rev it from 2500 to 3500 rpms for 20 mins straight. Then drain the oil and put regular oil in, change the filter, and no boost for atleast 1000 miles. ND oil helps seat the rings faster because there is no additives.

 

[greentrbo_95gst]

Here is how our motor was broken in:

1. 1st night, 4 miles on the motor, 30 psi, 50 pulls
2. 2yrs later, same bottom end, engine breaks 700whp, still very strong.
3. It worked for us and we'll keep on doing this.

Oil used, 10W30 Cheap Chevron.

 

[dylan702110988]

No, you are supposed to use "Junk" oil when you are breaking in a motor. Synthetics are too slippery.

Thanks for correcting me in a nice way

 

[BoostFrenzy]

Thanks for correcting me in a nice way

Mind numbing brain bashing is frowned upon, so I improvised.

JK

Oil used, 10W30 Cheap Chevron.

This and the post above it are great. All we need to know now would be the cycle you used for oil changes after these runs.

 

[ProjectTalon92]

I've heard both ends of the story on breaking in an engine. The route I will take personally is, drive the car for about 1,500 miles, with many different RPM ranges. Like stated before, don't get on the highway for a week then call it good. At the same time, don't go bounching it off the redline the minute you get the car back in your posession. Then gradually kick up your driving a notch. There have been many different ways thought to do this, but you can only do it the way your right foot lets you.

 

[Nvisabl]

According to Buschur, most cars he builds are put straight on the Dyno and usually see 30+psi after 10 miles...

I will agree listen to your engine builder, machine shop. Most of this is a question of ring seat. Your top engine builders plateau hone which limits the amount of break in due to the finish put on the cylinder walls (ie slightly rougher finish) In our travels we have come to this conclusion all out Race motor bring them to operating temp with a varied rpm cycle 500-1000-1500-2000-2500-2000+1500 let them sit overnight next day re-torque head change oil load on dyno. Daily drivers same warm up re-torque then nice driving minimum boostwe tell customers 3500 rpm only cause we know they will go atleast 4500 for 1500 miles, change oil again then ready to go low boost for another 1000. Then switch to synthetic and let it rip.

just my .02 we have a number of 500hp daily driven cars the best example is a 2g with 24,000 miles on a gt3076 running +35psi on pump and methanol. car leak down just showed 2%.
My talon 578whp warm up changed oil strapped to dyno made 469whp on first pull less then 2% leak down (total seal rings) only has 5000miles I don't drive it enough.


DJ

 

[Defiant]

3. It worked for us and we'll keep on doing this.

And there is the key.

Now, if that hadn't worked for you the first time you built up an engine, you'd spend the rest of your days telling everyone it's sure death to do it that way, fully-convinced it's the truth- because it was, one time.

I guess in the days of soft-iron blocks, ridge reamers, cylinder finish with a "tooth" to it and monkey snot for oil, the traditional methods of careful break-in mattered. Whether they mattered that much is hard to say, because no one was brave enough to dare a step outside those bounds. It was a different world when you poured your own babbitt, adjusted main caps by peeling-off layers of brass shim stock and "milled" blocks with a bastard file.

 

[kingjust]

I just got my stroker motor back from the machine shop, fully built (manely rods, wiesco pistons, 2.4 crank). Now the machinest, who's machine shop does nothing but race motors, specifically told me after I asked him about motor break in to 1. use oil with no additives... why, because the most important thing in the engine break in process is seating and sealing the rings and additives makes the oil slippery. You don't want to make it slippery, you want the rings to seal themselves. Also, putting a load on the engine will force the rings to rub or "machine" itself against the cylinder walls properly seating itself, and an oil with additives will hinder that process. 2. Which is what was stated, putting a load on it. He stated that driving it nicely will not properly seat the rings, and loading the engine immediately will not hurt the engine but will make it better. Because the cylinder walls being cross hatched makes it act as an abrasive, like sand paper mind you, allowing the rings to grind down to a proper fitment of a newly bored and honed cylinder. So for those who say driving it hard when breaking it in will give you a short lived engine, guess again. Remember breaking in is all about ring seating and sealing. And if not properly sealed because of "nice" driving, that is where you get the short lived motor. Why? Because when the rings take to long to seal, ie nice driving, your honing becomes glazed and your rings more than likely did not properly seal. And with a not so properly sealed rings, you get blow by, contaminating your oil, which is the "blood" of the motor, and with contanminated motor oil circulating through the motor well... you know the rest. But when doing this be methodical about it! When doing it in a manner that has purpose, you are not abusing your engine, but don't think you can just bounce it off the rev limiter and be good, don't be an idiot about it.

These websites is where I assembled my information, being that they are motorcycle engines, what's the difference... none, they are all reciprocating motors! It's all about seating the rings early with a methodical break in, to achieve proper sealing and long engine life.

New Engine Break-in Procedure
Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power
New or Rebuilt Engine Break In
Stealth 316 - Engine Break-In

Now, i'm not going to be using anyone of these exaclty, i'm actually going to write down how i'm going to do the break in based on all of the articles. I would also recommend anyone else to do that, PUT IT DOWN ON PAPER FIRST, and if it feels good to you, then follow it. When I get everything installed and broken in, I will post what I primarily wrote down first before break in, some compression tests, leak down tests, and then some engine pulls off of link or a dyno (borg warner S362 or a FP unit, yeah baby!!!) Hopefully my information helped!

Stay TUNED!!!

KJ

 

[Defiant]

I just got my stroker motor back from the machine shop, fully built (manly rods, wiseco pistons, 2.4 crank). Now the machinist, who's machine shop does nothing but race motors

Race motors are built to different parameters than street motors. Race motors are built to survive a few hundred miles, at most. Their running tolerances are designed for output, not longevity. A street motor has to endure millions more cycles than a race unit, and often for more than a decade.

specifically told me after I asked him about motor break in to 1. use oil with no additives... why, because the most important thing in the engine break in process is seating and sealing the rings and additives makes the oil slippery. You don't want to make it slippery, you want the rings to seal themselves.

This was important information in the fifties and sixties, back when you seldom took a motor apart without having to cut the ridge out of the cylinder before being able to remove the piston. Both metallurgy and lubrication science have made huge strides in the last twenty years.

Also, putting a load on the engine will force the rings to rub or "machine" itself against the cylinder walls properly seating itself, and an oil with additives will hinder that process.

Again, this comes from the materials and machining processes which essentially date back to the twenties. The old-time "break-in" requirements have undergone growth, like all technology.

2. Which is what was stated, putting a load on it. He stated that driving it nicely will not properly seat the rings, and loading the engine immediately will not hurt the engine but will make it better. Because the cylinder walls being cross hatched makes it act as an abrasive, like sand paper mind you, allowing the rings to grind down to a proper fitment of a newly bored and honed cylinder. So for those who say driving it hard when breaking it in will give you a short lived engine, guess again. Remember breaking in is all about ring seating and sealing. And if not properly sealed because of "nice" driving, that is where you get the short lived motor. Why? Because when the rings take to long to seal, ie nice driving, your honing becomes glazed and your rings more than likely did not properly seal. And with a not so properly sealed rings, you get blow by, contaminating your oil, which is the "blood" of the motor, and with contaminated motor oil circulating through the motor well... you know the rest. But when doing this be methodical about it! When doing it in a manner that has purpose, you are not abusing your engine, but don't think you can just bounce it off the rev limiter and be good, don't be an idiot about it.

Yup. Basic and essential Automotive Science, 1962. Although the basic information is still correct, it's not so crucial as it used to be.

These websites is where I assembled my information, being that they are motorcycle engines, what's the difference... none, they are all reciprocating motors!

There's more to it than that: motorcycle engines are often air or oil-cooled, running sleeves or inserts in aluminum blocks, and under much less load than automotive engines. Like truck, airplane and boat engines, they all have their specific design parameters to meet and for which they're designed.

It's all about seating the rings early with a methodical break in, to achieve proper sealing and long engine life.

New Engine Break-in Procedure
Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power
New or Rebuilt Engine Break In
Stealth 316 - Engine Break-In

Now, i'm not going to be using anyone of these exactly, i'm actually going to write down how i'm going to do the break in based on all of the articles. I would also recommend anyone else to do that, PUT IT DOWN ON PAPER FIRST, and if it feels good to you, then follow it. When I get everything installed and broken in, I will post what I primarily wrote down first before break in, some compression tests, leak down tests, and then some engine pulls off of link or a dyno (borg warner S362 or a FP unit, yeah baby!!!) Hopefully my information helped!

Stay TUNED!!!

KJ

Yeah. Or, just drive.

 

[kingjust]

Race motors are built to different parameters than street motors. Race motors are built to survive a few hundred miles, at most. Their running tolerances are designed for output, not longevity. A street motor has to endure millions more cycles than a race unit, and often for more than a decade.

Defiant, what's the difference between race motors and street motors? Tolerance right, my machinest specifically asked me what was going to be the use of the motor, and he assembled it accordingly. Also race motors are not built to survive a few hundred miles, they are driven in a way that will only make them last that long, not the way they are built, don't you think? More cycles yes, but we don't run our engines as if they are "race" engines right? Question, how is longenvity achieved? Well reading everything this is what I take from it. Since the oil is the life blood of the engine, being exposed to contamination will basically destroy the use of the oil. And we all know that contamination will happen excessively if you have bad rings or they were not properly sealed (based on a new engine). And since we are talking about break in of a new engine, it would seem feasable to think that the information provided is alot more believable, when comparing what an easy break in does and what a loaded break in does... to the rings that is. If i'm incorrect in any way, please correct me.

This was important information in the fifties and sixties, back when you seldom took a motor apart without having to cut the ridge out of the cylinder before being able to remove the piston. Both metallurgy and lubrication science have made huge strides in the last twenty years.

Yes, I agree, but a new engine is a new engine, and with all the technology that we have and strides that we've made, why still use a non detergant oil for break in? And remember, we are talking about cast iron blocks here and rings made from steel. They are not aluminum blocks which I could see seating the rings with a slow break in since the block is of a softer metal.

Again, this comes from the materials and machining processes which essentially date back to the twenties. The old-time "break-in" requirements have undergone growth, like all technology.

But we are still following them, are we not? Taken the fear out of beating the engine in the break in process I guess would be the growth.

Yup. Basic and essential Automotive Science, 1962. Although the basic information is still correct, it's not so crucial as it used to be.

Really, what changed? Ring seat and seal is still highly important right? Is there something more important?

There's more to it than that: motorcycle engines are often air or oil-cooled, running sleeves or inserts in aluminum blocks, and under much less load than automotive engines. Like truck, airplane and boat engines, they all have their specific design parameters to meet and for which they're designed.

Yes, that is the assembly of it, and the tolerances. But has nothing to do with how to break it in. But still, they all have a crank, rods, and pistons... ie a reciprocating engine, right?

Yeah. Or, just drive.

Yeah, you can just drive it... but i'm not the motor builder, and engineers just design. Real world applications of techniques is where i'm getting at. I'll follow those that actually have done certain practices and have achieved success, which seems to be about 99%, but I will still compile my own, since I dont' have a track, a dyno, to go to. Just some open streets.

Defiant, i'm not trying to question you and your moderator status, I just really want to get into this subject more in depth. I'm going to do the high load break in and then get some compression readings. Someone should do an easy break in then post up some compression #'s. I know though that not every build is the same, just like the materials, and the tolerances achieved during the assembly. But it just makes sense when he explained what happened during the break in process, that compression isn't held by the spring rate of the rings, but by how they are seated and matched to the cylinder to create a complete and nearly perfect seal. For some reason it just makes sense, when compared to an easy break in.

Get back at me Defiant, I want to know what you think!

KJ

 

[silver bullit]

Ask the place that built the motor or the place it was built at. Turn the boost to 10 and drive it, oil change at 100 or after the car is started, 300, 500/750, 1000/1500 miles then every 3000... give it a couple half throttle pulls to 4k to set the rings etc, but MAKE SURE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE GAUGES, if any are way off shut it off and fix the problem.

Since its late and there is a lengthy detailed process i wont go into it to much to type, not enough time.

 

[Locke]

As mentioned, if somebody else built your engine, follow whatever break-in procedure they give you. If the engine prematurely fails and you didn't follow their break-in method, you will likely not get much help or sympathy from the builder.

Silver bullit mentioned the conventional easy break-in, the other popular choice is Motoman's hard break-in. Both methods have been discussed elsewhere on this site many times.

 

[deviousgst]

i was just wondering..im about to slap on my rebuilt motor onto my gst...and i was wondering how many miles do i have to put on it to where i can "get on it" ..everything on it is rebuilt..thanks

 

[anmGST]

Usually wait till after you 2nd oil change. You should do one at about 500 miles and then again at 3000, miles 2500 later. Thats the rule I follow and never had any issues with a motor. I do the same thing if I buy it new.

 

[Dsm2nr89]

I say 2nd oil change as well but in this sequence :
1st oil change = 1,000 miles
2nd oil change = 2,500 miles

I rather wait to rack up 3k miles and wait a little then be sorry down the road. Good luck and have fun.

 

[210 dsm]

along with these oil changes, as you first start the motor and you've made sure every little hose and wire connector is properly installed you can be sure that nothing will poorly effect the cars idle or the ability to keep itself from overheating. after all this sit in the car and for the for the first 15 - 25 minutes of the motors new life keep the throttle at about 2000 rpms. then let it idle on its own for a few more minutes then shut it off and dont start it again intill its been fully cooled back down. the reason for this is so the new piston rings can properly seat into the piston and to make a good seal at the cylinder wall. otherwize the rings wont hold compression correctly and if they do, they wont for long.

 

[hiimnotcool]

you'll find alot of advice saying you should run your engine HARD right away. i'd be scared to do it this way. i only have 1,600 on my new engine though and i'm running in kind of hard. i rev it to 7,000 occasionally, but most of the time just drive it conservatively.

 

[deviousgst]

you'll find alot of advice saying you should run your engine HARD right away. i'd be scared to do it this way. i only have 1,600 on my new engine though and i'm running in kind of hard. i rev it to 7,000 occasionally, but most of the time just drive it conservatively.

has it gave you any problems doin that..
im scared of even goin over 5500rpms

 

[syrushcw]

im scared of even goin over 5500rpms

I have the same fear I would do 3 oil changes turn it on let it idle for 5-10 min change oil out then 350 miles and 2500 miles

 

[VTEC_THIS]

My new built motor's going in my car in the next couple weeks and this is the break in process I'll be following.

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