I finally get my car back tomorrow. I had the motor completely rebuilt. The only mods are tps 228r cam and bolt ons. Is it possible to break it in properly without a tune?

 

light driving on the highway for a good hr or 2 will do the job for a quick break in.try to keep it under 4000rpm for the first 30 mins and heat cycle the motor.Do a good oil change before the tune aswell

 

I've been told so many different things. I read on here somewhere to drive it really hard at first to seat the rings. Would it hurt it to not have a tune for a while?

 

It really depends on your rings. Total seal says the first time you go WOT the rings will seat. As far as being tuned. As long as you have the same injectors in the car you had before and you don't run it into the ground you should be ok to drive it around until you get it tuned..

 

Yea im with the same injectors. Thanks! And the first oil change should be at 50 miles right?

 

Well the first oil change should come right after cranking the new motor and getting it to operating temp. You do this to get out the assembly lube used when putting the motor together. After that oil change then you can put about 300-400 miles on the motor. If you are tuned be sure to go WOT a couple of times in this period to set the rings. Then change the oil again. Go about 1500 miles making sure that you have gone wot a few times and do another oil change. After this one you are good to whatever you’re comfortable doing it again..

 

What if I'm not going to be able to get a tune for about a month or so?

 

why don't you get a base mail order tune. all i know is it would suck if it went lean and cost you a motor. personally i would wait to start it till the tune or at the very least a base tune? just my opinion don't bash me for it

 

Not the right way to seat the rings,cylinder pressure is what pushes the rings against the walls. Light throttle for 2 hrs, especially highway cruising will not seat them properly and once the initial roughness of the hone is worn off they will never seat right...

Very good idea. You need to be able to put a load on the engine to seat rings properly. I would not risk trying to break the engine in w/o a tune. It could either be too lean and destroy itself or too rich and wash down the cylinders which will def not seat your rings right...

 

So you're saying to haul it to the dyno and put it on it first thing?

 

My mechanic says he will have absolutely no problems seating the rings without a tune... Idk

 

My thought exactly. I would let the tuner do his magic before you wash down a cylinder and screwup a new motor.

 

When we break in performance diesels we use alot of zinc additive, and some cheap Delo 400 oil, not the expensive Rotella synthetic. Just a suggestion/comparison

 

Going up and down a steep hill and holding the engine against the compression on the way down has always worked well for me. It's pretty quick and you don't really have to kick the snot out of the car to do it. Up 1/4 throttle, go down loading the car against the compression, up at 1/2 throttle, down against the compression, up 3/4 throttle, down against the compression. Repeat. Do this about 4 or 5 times then go back and change your oil, then go enjoy some "spirited" driving. I would at least get a mail order tune though.

 

I was told by a buddy that driving the car at a constant RPM with no load (highway driving) is not good for break in. Go out, run it through the gears, drive it like a normal person and after you feel comfortable put the hammer down.

I also like the sound of what the guy above mentioned.

 

I agree with getting a mail order tune, but be careful who does the tuning. I used a guy that was recommended by a vendor and the tune was so rich the rings never seated. Took it to have it dyno tuned by pcmforless and got the tune spot on and then tore the motor down and put new rings in it. Let the car warm up and then dropped the hammer through 1, 2, and 3. Never smoked a drop since. On my dads motor that I built I already had a good tune before the teardown and just went out and dropped the hammer on it and it has been fine as well.

My friend who builds engines with me likes to break his stuff in nice and slow and put 1000 miles on it before going full throttle, but his stuff is mostly 4 cylinder turbo, so a little different case. I have always been told by the shop that does my machining to never let the motor hold the car back on decell and avoid long cruising at the same speed if you choose to go the long way. If it were me I would fire the car up and get it to operating temp. Next shut it down and check for leaks and check fluid levels, then go out and floor it, if you got a tune.

 

I dont know if what I was told was more because at the time I was dealing with sbc's and not to hammer down untill I put a few miles on the motor and it was flat tappet.Then gradually open her up now and then.After that change the oil and get on the dyno.Ive also heard good and bad feedback about building a motor and strapping it down on the dyno right after a build?

Im not fully tuned right now and wont be able to get a tune for a few weeks..but I got a decent base tune and I have a a/f gauge i pay very close attention to.My motor also wasnt a full rebuild..just a cam swap which runs pretty decently so im not as worried compared to a fresh tight motor build.My lsx experience as far as rebuilds concerned im still learning.

 

I was told the same thing that NY02ws6 is mentioning on break in.
I second some sort of tune.

 

Well I have an appointment at the dyno tomorrow. The motor will be running today. So should I just put a couple miles on it then strap it to the dyno?

 

when i put in the ls3 i started it with out a tune at my house once i installed it let it get warm. Then trailered it to the tuner who broke the motor in on the dyno and tuned it.