How to properly break in a turbo? [Merged 5-8]

[onegee]

so just wondering, what is the PROPER way to break in a new turbo? i'm buying a used turbo from a 3g guy w/ 1k miles on it and want to know if he properly broke it in or not...and if he didn't what would be some of the problems? ### reply with any insight and information..i'd really appreciate it..thanks

 

[Ski Bum]

I'm currently running one quart of lucas oil stabilizer with 4 quarts of regular oil. It by the way eliminated my lifter tick almost entirely. The only time I hear them is for a bout 2 seconds when I first start up on a semi-cold day. They click once or twice then become silent.

Anyways, I'm about to be installing a new turbo and during the install and along with other break in reccomendations was planning to change the oil. What is the consensus on lucas oil stabilizer in new turbos? The stuff is extreme thick. I'm not sure on the specific viscosity of the stuff but could it cuase any problems running through a new turbo? Could it hinder performance in general beacuse of the thickness?

 

[Dark_Horse]

Oil additives, even Lucas, are all junk. The oil companies put millions and millions of dollars of research into what is put into their bottles. If something lubricated better they'd have added it. My advice, don't waste your money on oil additives.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/images/lucas/lucas.htm

Read the link above for info on Lucas oil additive. If you read anything about oil additives, anyone that knows anything about oil will say not to use them. Oil manufacturers even say not to use additives in the oil, and car makers can void the warantee due to oil additive use.

 

[travislaw]

FYI, there is no "Turbo Break in Period" for a turbo. Well other than priming the turbo with oil once it is installed. It isn't like an engine. You just go.

 

[Defiant]

I'm currently running one quart of lucas oil stabilizer with 4 quarts of regular oil.

Why did you buy unstable oil in the first place?
Oh, and you're a pint over-filled.

 

[Ski Bum]

Why did you buy unstable oil in the first place?
Oh, and you're a pint over-filled.

Unstable or not it has been the only thing that has stopped my lifter tick.

And actually I guess you are right but only .4 of a quart over and it wasn't an exact measurment...

 

[Dark_Horse]

Unstable or not it has been the only thing that has stopped my lifter tick.

Have you tried Sea Foam to fix your lifter tick?

 

[Ski Bum]

Have you tried Sea Foam to fix your lifter tick?

I have and wasnt too sure how much it helped. I didnt expect a noticeable difference but the tick was still present. It really only occurs at cold startup and then goes away.

 

[mr2turbo]

so what's the proper way to break in a turbo?
I planned on pulling the spark plug wires and cranking it over to get the oil pressure up.
but how long do I have to take it easy for? should I just keep it at the lowest possible boost? thanks in advance

 

[MrBoxx]

You can pull the two triangular coil plugs instead of all the spark plug wires. Some prefer to pull the MPI fuse instead. Either way works. Crank it over for a few seconds, reconnect, and you should be good to go. Once the turbo is primed with oil, you can boost away (within reasonable appropriate limits, of course).

 

[mr2turbo]

uh oh, I can't wait!

 

[dsmclipse97]

You can pull the two triangular coil plugs instead of all the spark plug wires. Some prefer to pull the MPI fuse instead. Either way works. Crank it over for a few seconds, reconnect, and you should be good to go. Once the turbo is primed with oil, you can boost away (within reasonable appropriate limits, of course).

Some people say 3 different intervals of 10 seconds each to prime it. That seems a little excessive but you cant prime the turbo TOO much. (granted you dont kill the battery or the starter)

 

[diablos991]

I usually crank the car for 3 rounds of 10 seconds.

The important thing here is to make sure that you have a good battery, and make sure that you give the starter at least a minute to cool down between rounds.

 

[tsitalon03]

Just wondering how many miles before your turbo is officially broken in. I get alot of different answers. I have a fp big 16g.

 

[kmoore]

I, along with the majority of people on here, would say that there is really no break-in period for a 16g (or any turbo for that matter... correct me if I'm wrong)... just make sure you prime the turbo before you start it and boost away.

 

[oldman]

50k miles.

 

[ypnas777]

Prime the turbo and then LET HER RIP!!!!

 

[FL_TalonTsi]

yea agreed about the just prime her and let it rip, just give the car a few good revs to let the turbo do its job and it should be broken in.

 

[Defiant]

42.

And thanks for all the fish.

 

[Artago]

50k miles.

 

[Artago]

42.

And thanks for all the fish.

Awesome Love that movie.

 

[AndrewD5418]

Breaking in the turbo is done out of the car when they balance it.

 

[bling5tatus]

Your turbo is not broken in until you driven it for so long that it has massive shaft play and smokes really bad.... hahaha. Kidding.

I would say there is no break in period, they come from the factory ready to go, just make sure you prime it properly by disconnecting your injector transistor pack and your ignition module... and then crank the engine over... You can even do something crazy like, leave the banjo bolt that feeds the turbo oil, slightly loose enough to see the oil coming out, then you know the turbo has oil, tighten it up and you should be good to go... no break in period involved.

 

[SVP97GST]

Prime the turbo? How so?

 

[dsm-onster]

Some will say (including me) that to prime the turbo you remove the MPI fuse and turn the car over. Thus allowing the oil pump to pump oil through out the oil gallies and oil lines. But I've seen several cars now not flow one ounce of oil out of the head at the port to the turbo feed line during a priming engine turn over proceedure.

Are you feeding from the head or the oil filter housing? I have not attempted to see oil flow from the housing for a "prime maneuver".

 

[GVR4592]

You won't get oil from the head and most likely won't get oil from the filter housing, just from cranking the engine over. If you don't believe it, pull the line off and try it.