Break-In-Procedure for New Engines

[Platonic Solid]

I thought you guys mind find this interesting. I came across this on a motorcycle forum I joined recently. I have no doubt that changing the oil early on a new engine is good. As to the rest of it, you be the judge. Here's the link: Break-In-Procedure for New Engines

 

[2nd Mustang]

I had heard something similar to this method a long time ago. I tried it on my 350 bowtie engine after being rebuilt. One week of normal driving then a road trip to Vegas! No problems occured.

 

[MustangPaul]

This is interesting. I don't know if I buy it, but his pics of "used" pistons are hard to argue with if they are un-doctored.

What do y'all think?

--Paul

 

[Ozsum2]

He is correct about varying the speed. The only thing I do diffrently is to change out the oil after 500 miles and then again at 1500 miles. I don't want all the break in material being circulated around causing abrasion. If you have plans to switch to synthetic oil, do so ONLY after break in is complete. If you rush it, the rings will NEVER seat and the engine will have to be torn down and the cross hatch patterns redone. They will glaze over.

 

[Hack]

Everything that guy says makes sense to me. Thanks for the link!

hmm.

 

[88 Fox GT]

Yes, I have seen this link awhile back. It all seems very legit, and this is the way my family has broken in engines on nearly everything we own.

 

[XStang302x]

This is a big debate on about every bike forum out there. I personally prefer to mix both of em up. Do my best to keep it below mfg. rpm limits. But keep the rpm's varied. It's easier on the engine to rev it a lil more than to dog it underload when going up a steep hill for example.

Those mfg. limits are a bitch though lol...for kawi they wanted me to keep it below 4k rpms for the first 500 miles then under 6k till 1000....damn thing revs to 13k and 4k comes real fast lol

-Frank

 

[Max Power]

I have broken engines in this way for 25 years. This is not new.

The way we used to do it was to put the car in second gear and do WOT blasts followed by coasting in the same gear. We would do it repeatedly, never lugging the engine to the point of detonation. It works.....

 

[beanplant]

So when I finally finish my motor, I need to start it up, let it warm to running temp, and just hit WOT a few times? Would this be good enough? My car is going to be too loud to run it WOT on the street. It's gonna be open headers until I can take it to a exhaust shop.

-Shaun

 

[Route666]

You need the load on the engine for WOT to do anything. Free-revving is not reccommended, especially for breaking in a motor. Free-revving will not keep pressure in the cylinders very long, and that is what is needed to seat the rings.

 

[88 Fox GT]

I do have a question about this. When doing the initial cam break-in, isn't that kind of going AGAINST these rules? I mean sitting in nuetral at 2,000 RPM for 20 minutes (or however you go about breaking in your cam) isn't building up enough cylinder pressure to allow the rings to start seating. Correct?

 

[mustang70]

I do have a question about this. When doing the initial cam break-in, isn't that kind of going AGAINST these rules? I mean sitting in nuetral at 2,000 RPM for 20 minutes (or however you go about breaking in your cam) isn't building up enough cylinder pressure to allow the rings to start seating. Correct?

I was wondering that as well. Maybe 2000 rpm really isn't that much though. I think when they refer to free-revving they're talking about taking it up to something like 4000rpm for a second.

I know when I broke in my engine this last time I took it somewhat easy the first 500 miles to make sure everything was ok. After that I drove like I would normally. And driving on California freeways can be hard on engines. Never had a problem with it.

 

[Route666]

Exactly, from what knowledge I have sequestered, it is important to break the cam in quickly, whereas the rest of it doesn't wear so quickly, especially not being under load.

Maybe also, if you tried breaking in a cam under load, the extra pressure on the valves from the loaded cylinder combustion pressure may damage the cam. I dunno, just suggesting it. Can anyone verify or abolish this theory?

 

[beanplant]

So I need to break my engine in hard, but my cam soft?! lol, AHHHH!!! What if EVERYTHING is brand new?

 

[Max Power]

That stupid cam procedure compromises a LOT of stuff. I run it for the 20, let it cool, change the oil, then go out and break in the rings. Since the cam break in is to establish a lifter rotation on the cam and doesn't involve load ar any real cylinder pressures, it seems to work out pretty well.