2000RDT/A

hey guys. getting ready to startup my car after having the bottom end rebuilt with new pistons, bearings. also had heads, cam, lifters, and such installed. how should i drive the car while breaking it in and for how long? i was told not to baby it too much, but to get into different ranges of rpm but only getting on about 2/3 throttle at most. what kind of rpm should i keep it below and for how long? thanks for any help.

DONAIMIAN

iTrader: (18)

Mine went right on the dyno. Pull 1, blue smoke. Pull 2, blue smoke. Pull 3, rings seated and burning clean.

Paul 75 L82

iTrader: (1)

Some say the valve springs need 3 heat cycles to break in. I believe that, I broke a spring in a brand new Stroker on the first run.

DONAIMIAN

iTrader: (18)

Granted I did do that when burping the cooling system...

Steve Gunn

Get a couple of heat cycles on the springs, then drive it like you stole it.

hiltsy855

iTrader: (35)

Yep. Modern piston rings don't require much break-in if any.

2000RDT/A

Interesting. I've been told by most to keep under 3K to be safe. Also to drive it like this for anywhere from 500-1k miles before taking it in to be dyno tuned.

Steve Gunn

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break-i...hanical_run-in)

2000RDT/A

good links. still hard to judge how exactly i will go about it. figure ill do an initial startup to make sure i have pressure and lets it get warm for a min and shut it off. then i figure to take it for a few short low load rides in mid the low rpms. then do some mid to high rpm bursts. keep rpm range varying for the first 1k miles or so. figure ill change the oil once in the first 50 miles and again around 1k-1.5k. sound like a good plan

SATAN

iTrader: (2)

I have heard many many many times. Break it in on the dyno.

This works great for the rings. However, I have heard that you need to hold it at 2k for 10 mins to break in a new cam and lifters.

So, that being said, I will be putting my engine together soon and I will go out and rage on it on the street at wastegate spring pressure for about 50 miles or so. Then I will hook it up and proceed to beat the crap out of it.

Pretty sure top fuel drag cars don't go drive around the city for 1000 miles before they beat the tar out of the engine.

lifeisgood

iTrader: (4)

on older cars the break in procedure is a bunch of hoop-la....on newer engines its not that bad. in the last couple of years ive seen numerous brand new builds go straight to the dyno and get the dog **** ran out of them and they turn out great.

lifeisgood

iTrader: (4)

pretty sure they dont expect it to last past one run.lmao
i kid i kid.

chris-m

weber race engines advised me to use mineral oil on my forged ls6 for a 20min run in initially to heat cycle the engine, ie get it running, quick check vfor leaks, then drive it to about 2/3 max rpm at most, lightly loading it but allowing closed throttle deceleration, some reasonable acceleration to load the rings up etc. then after 20 mins let it cool down fully and go cold. i dropped the oil and filter then, went back to the track a week later and caned the nuts out of it. seems to have worked so far. only thing they also advised was to NOT use synthetic oil during first 1k miles. this was for a forged ls6 with wiseco pistons and carrillo rods, so might not be 100% for all builds