Engine Break In Questions
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 81
Likes: 1
Engine Break In Questions Hey guys, I'm on the cusp of getting my car back on the road after a year hiatus. I'm running a supercharged LS1 with methanol, the only changes affecting the tune are I went with forged dished pistons and rods. My compression has been lowered by 1.5 points.
I was planning on starting the car up on jack stands, turning on heater and get the car to running temperature with cooling fans to turn on. Then look for leaks. Then change the oil and filter, let car cool down and then start up and take for a spin. I've heard it's important to do some redline pulls to seat rings within the first 20 miles or so after the build.
Given I won't be tuned for the new setup I would like to exercise caution and not be pushing my car, though I think the risk is low, should be ultra rich. On my previous tune I was running 10 psi, I have a 6 and 8psi pulley I could put on. Was thinking I would put the 6 psi pulley on and do 5 1st gear red line pulls during the 1st 20 miles.
Then for the rest of my break in over the next 480 miles or so drive varying rpms and decelerating with engine breaking till hitting the dyno. Planning on running cheap castrol non synthetic oil for the first startup. Then switching to Joe Gibbs BR30 for first 50 miles, replace filter and oil and run the same BR30 oil till after the dyno tune and replacing with castrol and running for 1000 miles, then replacing filter and oil and doing one more round of castrol for 1500miles and swapping to joe gibbs ls30.
Any concerns over this approach or ways I could break in my new motor build better? Thanks for your help.
I was planning on starting the car up on jack stands, turning on heater and get the car to running temperature with cooling fans to turn on. Then look for leaks. Then change the oil and filter, let car cool down and then start up and take for a spin. I've heard it's important to do some redline pulls to seat rings within the first 20 miles or so after the build.
Given I won't be tuned for the new setup I would like to exercise caution and not be pushing my car, though I think the risk is low, should be ultra rich. On my previous tune I was running 10 psi, I have a 6 and 8psi pulley I could put on. Was thinking I would put the 6 psi pulley on and do 5 1st gear red line pulls during the 1st 20 miles.
Then for the rest of my break in over the next 480 miles or so drive varying rpms and decelerating with engine breaking till hitting the dyno. Planning on running cheap castrol non synthetic oil for the first startup. Then switching to Joe Gibbs BR30 for first 50 miles, replace filter and oil and run the same BR30 oil till after the dyno tune and replacing with castrol and running for 1000 miles, then replacing filter and oil and doing one more round of castrol for 1500miles and swapping to joe gibbs ls30.
Any concerns over this approach or ways I could break in my new motor build better? Thanks for your help.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,845
Likes: 255
From: Coast of San Mateo County Between Pacifica & HMB
To be clear, the car currently has a tune for 10 psi and the only
change is new forged pistons & rings with a -1.5 pt compression drop,
and new rods?
You will already be rich from the compression drop,
I would not change the 10 psi pulley and go lower &
richer still. I would get confirmation from your last tuner
if you were happy with his tune. I would also do 3rd gear pulls up a medium grade in cool weather early
weekend AM, (AFTER reaching 190* minimum oil & water temps) I think a little more load and time
is needed, 5-7 pulls (along with decel in gear to create
vacuum and clean the bottom of the rings) and you will be done.
Change the oil to synthetic if you like after 500 more street miles.
Regular Petroleum for leak check.
Change to
Break in for 5-7 Pulls.
Change to Regular Petroleum for 500 street miles
(varying speeds & loads, no steady state)
Change to Synthetic (I use AMSOIL)
I subscribe to the MOTO Tunes USA break in method
and used it on the dyno to break in my engine,
The same principles apply to road break in.
But I am sure you will get other recommendations as well.
Good Luck
change is new forged pistons & rings with a -1.5 pt compression drop,
and new rods?
You will already be rich from the compression drop,
I would not change the 10 psi pulley and go lower &
richer still. I would get confirmation from your last tuner
if you were happy with his tune. I would also do 3rd gear pulls up a medium grade in cool weather early
weekend AM, (AFTER reaching 190* minimum oil & water temps) I think a little more load and time
is needed, 5-7 pulls (along with decel in gear to create
vacuum and clean the bottom of the rings) and you will be done.
Change the oil to synthetic if you like after 500 more street miles.
Regular Petroleum for leak check.
Change to
Break in for 5-7 Pulls.
Change to Regular Petroleum for 500 street miles
(varying speeds & loads, no steady state)
Change to Synthetic (I use AMSOIL)
I subscribe to the MOTO Tunes USA break in method
and used it on the dyno to break in my engine,
The same principles apply to road break in.
But I am sure you will get other recommendations as well.
Good Luck
Last edited by NAVYBLUE210; Apr 27, 2018 at 07:34 PM.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Bossier City, Louisiana
Break in There’s an active discussion on this topic over on advanced engine tech:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/advanced-...procedure.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/advanced-...procedure.html
