Engine Break In- Off Street
Engine Break In- Off Street So I am in the process of rebuilding the 5.3L L33 for my 52 Chevy truck. I'm hoping to have it ready to fire up and break-in soon. But the Truck is far from road ready. I have heard everywhere that it is vital to do break-in with a load on the engine for proper ring seating.
I'm hoping to have the truck street ready by the end of next year. But I don't have the patience or self control to wait that long to hear the engine run, but I want to do it as close to right as possible. I'm also working with Clint from AIR and would like to get it Dyno tuned before I get the body and interior completly finished.
My question is... Can I place the rear of the truck on jack stands and slightly apply the e-brake to simulate a load? Toasting the brakes isn't a big concern, as they are the stockers from the 10 bolt, and will be replaced with something better before it hits the street.
Or is just having to turn the trans, rear end, and wheels enough?
I will have a tach- oil pressure- water temp, and speedo w/ odometer hooked up for temporary use to keep track of run-time and "miles".
I'm hoping to have the truck street ready by the end of next year. But I don't have the patience or self control to wait that long to hear the engine run, but I want to do it as close to right as possible. I'm also working with Clint from AIR and would like to get it Dyno tuned before I get the body and interior completly finished.
My question is... Can I place the rear of the truck on jack stands and slightly apply the e-brake to simulate a load? Toasting the brakes isn't a big concern, as they are the stockers from the 10 bolt, and will be replaced with something better before it hits the street.
Or is just having to turn the trans, rear end, and wheels enough?
I will have a tach- oil pressure- water temp, and speedo w/ odometer hooked up for temporary use to keep track of run-time and "miles".
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Since you are worried about seating the rings and made no mention of balancing, I am assuming you reringed the factory pistons? If you actually changed the pistons then the first thing I'd do is have it balanced.
As far as ring seating is concerned there are two camps... one believes in an easy break in, the other believes in a hard break in. I will say that I am in the hard break in camp and think that this is a good guide: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm.
In your specific scenario I don't really know what's best, but personally I'd wait. Dyno tuning to flywheel power doesn't amount to much anyway.
As far as ring seating is concerned there are two camps... one believes in an easy break in, the other believes in a hard break in. I will say that I am in the hard break in camp and think that this is a good guide: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm.
In your specific scenario I don't really know what's best, but personally I'd wait. Dyno tuning to flywheel power doesn't amount to much anyway.
Yes I re-used the origional Pistons and just re-ringed. They were in great shape, and new pistons was a little out of my already crushed budget. lol
I am unclear what you mean by "dyno tuning to flywheel power"
I am unclear what you mean by "dyno tuning to flywheel power"
I'm unclear about the hard break in.....
Since most of us have had new cars...We are all told to "take it easy" no faster than 55mph etc....
I'm on my 4th BRAND NEW car...single digit mile on the odometer...No fuel mileage, power, blow by issues here 40K miles later.
I would think pushing it hard out of the gate would break rings from the friction on the cylinder wall...But heck I don't know!!
People here also tell you to spin the engine over to prime it.
Since most of us have had new cars...We are all told to "take it easy" no faster than 55mph etc....
I'm on my 4th BRAND NEW car...single digit mile on the odometer...No fuel mileage, power, blow by issues here 40K miles later.
I would think pushing it hard out of the gate would break rings from the friction on the cylinder wall...But heck I don't know!!
People here also tell you to spin the engine over to prime it.
every motor ive built ive fired up for 2 min to make sure there are no leaks and noises then i run from 2000-5000rpm under moderate loads for 15 minutes......after that change oil and beat the snot out of it 
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
You said "I'm also working with Clint from AIR and would like to get it Dyno tuned before I get the body and interior completly finished" so I took that to mean you were not doing a chassis dyno, but rather just an engine dyno.
I do basically what quik does and I crank it... burp the coolant (blast the defroster with the cap off) and check for leaks, by that time the engine is fairly warm. I take it out do about 5-6 3/4 throttle accelerations then go back home and change the oil. (Dinosaur oil the first 3 times) I'll run it like a wild animal and aggressive street driving for maybe another 3-4 tanks of gas, then I change the oil again. This change I drive all the way to 3000 miles then I swap to a high mileage synthetic (for the ZDDP). Heat cycles and all that nonsense are ridiculous because those processes are usually done in excess of 1000* and your springs and lifters and whatever else people claim need heat cycles never get that hot.
I do basically what quik does and I crank it... burp the coolant (blast the defroster with the cap off) and check for leaks, by that time the engine is fairly warm. I take it out do about 5-6 3/4 throttle accelerations then go back home and change the oil. (Dinosaur oil the first 3 times) I'll run it like a wild animal and aggressive street driving for maybe another 3-4 tanks of gas, then I change the oil again. This change I drive all the way to 3000 miles then I swap to a high mileage synthetic (for the ZDDP). Heat cycles and all that nonsense are ridiculous because those processes are usually done in excess of 1000* and your springs and lifters and whatever else people claim need heat cycles never get that hot.
I gottcha- I plan on doing a chassis dyno, engine dynos are silly. But it will likely have a blanket over the spring seat and not enough to pass state inspection for road use (i.e window glass, lights, seatbelts, etc.). lol
But back at the origional question- do you think putting 2-3 lbs of pressure on the brakes would be enough to simulate the fristion of the road?
But back at the origional question- do you think putting 2-3 lbs of pressure on the brakes would be enough to simulate the fristion of the road?
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