Need advice about new motor.

[spawn87]

so i finally got my new motor in car and got her running on the road.
but after first 40 miles ive noticed my car is sputtering and sounds like an STI (not good). i looked on my ecm link and played with it turns out my number two cylinder is misfiring. i changed plugs to recommended (br7es) NGK my nology wires are fine so is my coilpacks and injectors. we did a quick compression check and it was around 150 on that cylinder and idk if its to early to panic or not.
my tech told me the rings could have possibly not sealed yet and i need to drive it a bit more, but i dont know if its that simple any ideas would help out alot ... car has only been ran 40 miles since rebuild.

 

[XiKeiyaZI]

You need to read up on Engine Break-in. This is widely debated, but I'll tell you what I did.

1 : Do NOT use synthetic oil for the first 1K - 2K miles.
2 : Never drive at the same RPM. Vary it as your drive.
3 : You need to drive it, allow it to boost, and drive it like you will when it's broken in.
4 : Change the oil in variables of 50 miles, 250 miles, 500 miles, 1000 miles, and 2000 miles.

80% of the break-in process occurs in the first 50 miles. The abrasion of the honed cylinder wall VS the outer edge of the pistons rings is what causes seating. If you don't allow the car to boost, run it too lightly, and use synthetic engine oil, the rings will never seat correctly.

Lookup Motomans' Break-in process.

 

[nickk90]

Check the gap on the plugs and make sure its where its at. BPR6ES are the plugs you should probably using if you not pushing alot of boost.

 

[spawn87]

1. im using regular break in oil
2. i varied as much as i could to get it used to different levels. (reving high, low, and engine breaking for vacuum.)
3. i didnt boost it because its one of the debated topics i decided on and seem how it hasnt seated correctly boosting will only make it worse IMO. (or am i wrong)
4. im getting ready to do first oil change in 10 miles.

i know most of this info since i read many articles and discussions about the topic.
i know how the seating takes place but that cylinder is the only one that seems to not have yet seated. my problem is not whether i know how to break it in the problem is finding out if that cylinder has already been messed up or still has a chance of making it.

Check the gap on the plugs and make sure its where its at. BPR6ES are the plugs you should probably using if you not pushing alot of boost.

i gaped them all at .028 everyone on the ecm link forums advice it and i will be running more boost after i can get the cylinder firing correctly. just dont want to add wood to the fire yet

i was running the bpr6eix before and still ran the same.

 

[nickk90]

You should of boosted on it to put pressure on the rings and push them into the walls.
As far as you mis fire im betting if you put the stock heat range plugs in it will solve the problem.

^ didnt see the edit

have you tired swaping out the coil pack with a one you know works on another car?

 

[XiKeiyaZI]

Yes, not allowing the vehicle to boost has probably caused irreversible consequences in this break-in process. These engines are built for boost and when you starve them of it, it doesn't work out. This goes for components, right down to bearings and rings. Part of the ring break-in process is showing the engine all different aspects of what it will be doing, from basic idle to heavy loads, though you don't want to just run around WOT all the time.

You need to immediately begin showing your engine boost, at least stock levels. The added boost helps to press the rings and cause compression that otherwise would not be there. Keep in mind that our cylinders see a bit lower compression in regards to say, a non-turbo'd 4G63 due to the addition of a turbo which takes place of that compression value. Check plugs, boost leak test, all your basics. Hopefully you can complete the break-in without any issues.

Also in regards to the plugs, switch to the BPR6ES'. I'm not exactly convinced that our engines agree with many other plugs.

 

[spawn87]

You should of boosted on it to put pressure on the rings and push them into the walls.
As far as you mis fire im betting if you put the stock heat range plugs in it will solve the problem.

^ didnt see the edit

have you tired swaping out the coil pack with a one you know works on another car?

we tested the coils and the carry a current just fine. i had hoped that was the problem but they check out.

Yes, not allowing the vehicle to boost has probably caused irreversible consequences in this break-in process. These engines are built for boost and when you starve them of it, it doesn't work out. This goes for components, right down to bearings and rings. Part of the ring break-in process is showing the engine all different aspects of what it will be doing, from basic idle to heavy loads, though you don't want to just run around WOT all the time.

You need to immediately begin showing your engine boost, at least stock levels. The added boost helps to press the rings and cause compression that otherwise would not be there. Keep in mind that our cylinders see a bit lower compression in regards to say, a non-turbo'd 4G63 due to the addition of a turbo which takes place of that compression value. Check plugs, boost leak test, all your basics. Hopefully you can complete the break-in without any issues.

i really do appreciate the extra info and advice. my tech has the car right now and tomorrow were gana run a compression check on rest of pistons to see how bad the damage could be. as soon as i take the car back i will start boosting it then. i have it set to the stock psi level for now so take it it WOT should not be too stressful on the engine. as for the compression i know its not high on our cars new its roughly 170 service limit is 135 according to manuals so at 150 right now i think i could still have a shot at getting the rings broken in.
since im running a 1g cas i inverted the wires and selected option on my ecm link but was never told to disable the misfire reader so i did have to run it like that for about 10 miles once i got home i got rid of the miss fire and seem to have helped the car but now im just hopping that didnt have something to do with it seen how that no.2 cyl was the one giving me issues since i got her on the road.

as for the plugs since i am running a fully ported e316g all the old dsmers have told me to run the plugs i bough they are the same just one step colder.

 

[XiKeiyaZI]

No reason for a colder plug at this point. I usually only hear that they're used for high boost applications.

At any rate, once you start allowing boost to build and during the next 1000 miles, that compression number should rise. Mine started at about 180, dropped to 140, and then rose to 162 by the time my break-in was complete. Was a bit weird, but I didn't complain.

 

[spawn87]

honestly not to sound like a lil girl but you really made my day and made me feel better ... this is my first build and i did it completely on my own with just my laptop and dsmtuners as the back bone. and with this lates thing to happen i was about to hand up the towel and call it quits but its people like you that help me keep going. thanx for been patient and helping me out with this issue. i will keep posted as this keeps on developing.

and of course than you to nickk90

 

[spawn87]

JUST AN UPDATE: took the car out for a couple runs to get some boost in it and im at about 200 miles on the new motor, the spuder is gone ans shes running nicely now havent done a compression check yet but turns out the rings just wherent fully seated yet.

to all those who took time to help me out thanx and for those who are wondering heres your answer car runs nicely.