trey04gto

iTrader: (4)

Can someone explain to me what happens when you wash the rings in a motor? I am in the breakin process of my forged build and am just worried about this. Would I know it if this happened? Any info would help!!

LiENUS

I think you're talking about cylinder washdown, thats when the motor runs too rich and the gasoline cleans the oil off the cylinder walls causing excessive wear to the rings and cylinder wall.

trey04gto

iTrader: (4)

Right, isnt this more dangerous or prone to happen on newly built engines? would this cause a smell of oil burning?

LiENUS

oil burning smell is normal on new engines your rings haven't seated yet, its a hazard with newly built engines but im not comfortable enough to state why (not that its a big secret i'm just not confident enough that my explanation is correct)

trey04gto

iTrader: (4)

Alright, well thanks for the help regardless!! I am just going to monitor the oil level and continue to break it in and see what happens...

LiENUS

Since no one else has posted (guess they're all asleep) il'l throw my 2 cents in. Most people when they get a new engine, they change it from stock, more cubes, ported heads, biggger cam. These require better fueling, bigger injectors, higher fuel pressure. If you stick with the stock tune at the higher pressure with the bigger injectors then the pcm can't lean it out enough and thats why you tend to have washdown on rebuilds. So you're best off getting it tuned after a rebuild. You should also run it ***** out to help seat the rings, i've heard it takes as little as 5 minutes for the rings to reach their wear pattern for the rest of the engine life and running it ***** out forces the rings against the cylinder due to the greater cylinder pressure changes (From high pressure to high vacuum when you snap the throttle closed) but you cant do this in the driveway you need a load on the engine. FYI I took my sleep meds already so I am drugged out of my mind kthxbye.

MikeD101898

iTrader: (5)

You are mostly right. But running it ***** out is not a good idea. For seeding the rings, or breaking the engine in at all for that matter, you should definitetly not just floor it and call it good. I'm not saying granny drive it because that would be worse then ***** out. But constantly change RPM's. Go from about 2k to about 4500 constantly. Keep the rev's constantly fluctuating.

Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

The rings in my 427 got wahsed down due to an incorrectly installed reluctor wheel, and as a result had terrible oil consumption, about 1 quart every 200 miles. The break-in tune is as important as the build itself.

LiENUS

I'd always heard to run it ***** out, everyone has an opinion on what to do during break-in. the only compelling reason I've heard to not run it ***** out is metal in the oil passages from machining that got missed during cleanup. But then you're equally screwed weather you run it ***** out or granny drive it.

engineermike

I keep hearing about this phenomenon, but don't believe it to be true. I've torn down alot of engines and run alot way rich, but never seen adverse affects. Of course, if you run an engine 50,000 miles at 8/1 A/F, you will see accelerated wear, but I don't believe this will happen in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or even a few hours. Keep in mind that Methanol is much less lubricating than gasoline, plus they run Meth at about 7/1 A/F ratio and those motors don't "wash the rings".

Mike

trey04gto

iTrader: (4)

Now we are talking!! Thanks guys!! I did have a rough tune put into my computer for break in, but it was set very rich for safety reasons (ie boost), Im pretty sure all is good!! Just me being paranoid.... Thanks again

LiENUS

I had a TBI Dodge van with a cracked throttle body, there were washed out rings, if you'd like to tear it down its in central right on joor road.

engineermike

So you figure that it has washed out rings due to a cracked throttle body, but haven't even taken it apart yet? My position still stands. Also, working on a TBI dodge van doesn't sound like much fun. . .

Mike

LiENUS

It didn't smoke before the cracked throttle body, throttle body cracked (dumping gas in because the fuel flows through the throttle body to the injector). Now it smokes.

engineermike

It probably smokes because it's a Dodge.

LiENUS

Yes because meaningless generalizations are completely logical and scientific. Occams razor states that the simplest explanation is the most probable. The van started smoking after gas was basicly poured straight down the intake occams razor would say... that cylinder washdown caused it to start smoking.

engineermike

Dude, it was a joke.

Actually, I believe it is more likely that the high amount of gasoline relaxed the valve seals and/or cleaned out any varnish that may have aided in sealing.

Mike

LiENUS

valve seals were brand new (rebuilt head was put on 1 week before), bottom end was rebearingd, it sucked.

engineermike

Okay, so now you're telling me that you changed the head(s?) and bearings, then it cracked a throttle body, so "washing the rings" is what caused the smoking? Think about that for a minute.

JPMuscle

hmm this brings back memories of watching one of our circle track engine builders and his method on breaking in new motors he puts together. Once he got them on the engine dyno hed start the engine and once he saw that he had good oil pressure he would proceed to beat the **** out of the motor for break in.. Never really understood his method.