Engine Break in Theory
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: OKC
Engine Break in Theory What is your throughts on engine break in? I am talking about piston ring seating in specific for maximun power. I always use to break in and engine kinda easy, but one I found the below link I changed the way I broke in my engines.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/thanx.htm
Read parts 9,21,22,23,24 - The rest is interesting too.
I broke in my 2005 ZX-10R using these methods and so far no other liter bike can touch it.
Just wanting to get others thoughts on this as it applies to LS motors.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/thanx.htm
Read parts 9,21,22,23,24 - The rest is interesting too.
I broke in my 2005 ZX-10R using these methods and so far no other liter bike can touch it.
Just wanting to get others thoughts on this as it applies to LS motors.
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
I've heard from muliple sources that you DO want to run the engine hard during the first couple of hours of its life. You need to apply pressure to the rings. If you baby the engine, the edge wears off and will not seat when subsequent pressure is applied.
(I think everyone agrees that an oil changes after some short distance (say 50 miles), then another one after about 500 miles are appropriate)
(I think everyone agrees that an oil changes after some short distance (say 50 miles), then another one after about 500 miles are appropriate)
No matter what method you use, one thing is for certain, use conventional oil for break-in!
The method you choose the break it in will vary greatly. My belief is to heat cycle is and take it easy while occasionally loading the engine in short intervals. Never stay at a constant RPM.
The method you choose the break it in will vary greatly. My belief is to heat cycle is and take it easy while occasionally loading the engine in short intervals. Never stay at a constant RPM.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,017
Likes: 0
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
I've never had the oppotunity or money to be able to break a large motor in, but from what I have read I think that you should take it easy for a short while. After maybe 100 miles most of the bearings will have had some time to seat and to heat cycle.
After that I would start getting more agressive with engine RPM as there is more run time on the motor.
After that I would start getting more agressive with engine RPM as there is more run time on the motor.
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
Likes: 5
From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
I'd snap the throttle a few times to initially bed the rings but wouldn't go WOT to early in case it bore washed the cylinders. With the right pcm map you may be alright.
I've seen a few dyno engines with oil which had turned black in the pan after a couple of hours of mapping. It must be carbon particulates passing the rings which to me seems like bad news about to happen..
Boosted.
I've seen a few dyno engines with oil which had turned black in the pan after a couple of hours of mapping. It must be carbon particulates passing the rings which to me seems like bad news about to happen..
Boosted.
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: North/Central NJ
Originally Posted by Ferocity02
No matter what method you use, one thing is for certain, use conventional oil for break-in!
The method you choose the break it in will vary greatly. My belief is to heat cycle is and take it easy while occasionally loading the engine in short intervals. Never stay at a constant RPM.
The method you choose the break it in will vary greatly. My belief is to heat cycle is and take it easy while occasionally loading the engine in short intervals. Never stay at a constant RPM.
i agree.
FormerVendor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 6
From: Houston, Tx.
Yeah I have no problem with that article as long as everything else is right before you start leaning on it. These LS1s are almost all roller and you need some cylinder pressure to seat the rings so as soon as you know all is well and you have no problems you can drive it normally and even put some load on it. We dyno stuff at the schoo basically immediately as well once we knew all was well and then it was WOT.
Our "std procedure".... engine on dyno, run to bring water and oil to temp, using 10% loading, and variable rpms.... 20 minutes of this. [After to temp].
Check valves, leaks, etc, and it's HAMMER TIME!
Works for me.
Check valves, leaks, etc, and it's HAMMER TIME!
Works for me.
I have never seen any less than 4 ways to break an engine in and usually they are all from knowledgable sources. Non syn oil, 50 miles variable with no more than 3500 rpms, change oil, 200 miles of variable driving and up to 5000 rpm, change oil and then have at it. Heat cycling is a must for the rod bearings, main bearings, and valve springs.
after reading so many people's experiances with breakin in an engine and how many of those opinions differ from one another, it appears there is NO concrete evidence that one way is better than another???? i mean, obviously no one has or probably will ever post and say "well i did it this way and 2000 miles later, boom". lol
I think it's a matter of power. Like if they break in the motor one way they may make more power than say babying the motor for the first 1000 miles. Only way to know is two identical motors broken in 2 ways and dyno'd after 1000 miles to see which is better.
My second motor (this is #3) I drove from New Jersey to Ohio when it was pretty much new. I say 'pretty much' because the engine builder drove it around for a bit before I picked up the car. Car ran fine till a valve spring broke and took out a piston. This newer motor (#3) I broke in like the mototune article says and this motor feels much stronger than the first. I know unfair comparison, different heads and cam etc. Here are several other opinions:
http://www.enginesonly.com/break-in.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_should_you_'break-in'_a_new_car
http://www.ducati.net/faq.cfm?id=51
As you can see, many opinions.
My second motor (this is #3) I drove from New Jersey to Ohio when it was pretty much new. I say 'pretty much' because the engine builder drove it around for a bit before I picked up the car. Car ran fine till a valve spring broke and took out a piston. This newer motor (#3) I broke in like the mototune article says and this motor feels much stronger than the first. I know unfair comparison, different heads and cam etc. Here are several other opinions:
http://www.enginesonly.com/break-in.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_should_you_'break-in'_a_new_car
http://www.ducati.net/faq.cfm?id=51
As you can see, many opinions.
I some what argee with almost everything that is said there but one thing. What is with not using syn oil durring break in? I have done this on the motors I build and never had a problem?
Last edited by Sabre002; Nov 25, 2008 at 09:28 PM.