starting a brand new engine
Use plain old oil at first.
Take out the ignition fuse so it wont fire up and crank it over some so it builds up some oil psi. Then put the fuse back in and start the car and let it warm up to operating temps. Next go out and drive it for a while, take it easy for a few minutes then start to drive it a bit more spirited. Let the rpms get way up too. Pretty much just go through varying rpms and loads. You want to load the engine good to fully seat the rings. After a few hundred miles go ahead and change the oil to whatever type of oil you want to run, likely synthetic.
Thats about it. the objective is to seat the piston rings on the cylinder walls.
And if you have new aftermarket valve springs then go ahead and dont do the motor break in until you heat cycle the springs one time. Go from fully warm to a cool down once to cycle the springs. Then perform the engine break in.
Take out the ignition fuse so it wont fire up and crank it over some so it builds up some oil psi. Then put the fuse back in and start the car and let it warm up to operating temps. Next go out and drive it for a while, take it easy for a few minutes then start to drive it a bit more spirited. Let the rpms get way up too. Pretty much just go through varying rpms and loads. You want to load the engine good to fully seat the rings. After a few hundred miles go ahead and change the oil to whatever type of oil you want to run, likely synthetic.
Thats about it. the objective is to seat the piston rings on the cylinder walls.
And if you have new aftermarket valve springs then go ahead and dont do the motor break in until you heat cycle the springs one time. Go from fully warm to a cool down once to cycle the springs. Then perform the engine break in.
Launching!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 225
Likes: 0
From: S. JerZ
Don't the rings seat in the first few minutes? Every time I see a car built on TV and fired up for the first time, they always start revving the car right away. I'm assuming they are seating the rings? A guy I know just varied his rpms and didn't take it over 3k for 500 miles, then went another 2-300 bring it up to 4k, and a few more hundred up to 5k, and a few more hundred to 6k. I believe he didn't fully rhomp on it until around 1500 miles and his car runs really well. Its a stock internal LS1 w/boltons that runs i believe 12.2 at 112. Maybe he will chime in, his name is 98TADRIVER
Originally Posted by slowtealz28
Don't the rings seat in the first few minutes? Every time I see a car built on TV and fired up for the first time, they always start revving the car right away. I'm assuming they are seating the rings? A guy I know just varied his rpms and didn't take it over 3k for 500 miles, then went another 2-300 bring it up to 4k, and a few more hundred up to 5k, and a few more hundred to 6k. I believe he didn't fully rhomp on it until around 1500 miles and his car runs really well. Its a stock internal LS1 w/boltons that runs i believe 12.2 at 112. Maybe he will chime in, his name is 98TADRIVER
Originally Posted by CaseyEaterMach1
If I were you I'd prime the oil system by using an electric drill to turn the oil pump until all the engine components have gotten oil.
Just crank the engine with the ignition fuse pulled.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Trenton NJ
Originally Posted by brad8266
And how the hell would you turn the pump with a drill when it is wrapped around the crank snout?
Just crank the engine with the ignition fuse pulled.
Just crank the engine with the ignition fuse pulled.
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On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Trenton NJ
I think there is a plug in the front of the block that you can use to pressurize the system on the LS1 if you want to prime it rather than turning it over. If you want to just turn it over you don't have to touch the ignition fuse you can keep the pedal to the floor and just crank it. This stops the injectors from firing I think it is a built in fix for a flooded engine. I actually use that method when my car has been sitting for a long time figure get the oil flowing a little before it really starts up.
Last edited by CaseyEaterMach1; Mar 20, 2007 at 03:03 PM.
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ha, be prepared for a long thread...there are as many different opinions on engine break in as there are on what cam to buy 
However...
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
After reading this I did some research, and it turns out this is 100% backed up by the Airplane engine manufacturers, most of which won't warranty an engine unless its broken in in a method very similar to this. The reasoning is exactly the same as this guys as well...
I know how my next motor will be broken in
However...
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
After reading this I did some research, and it turns out this is 100% backed up by the Airplane engine manufacturers, most of which won't warranty an engine unless its broken in in a method very similar to this. The reasoning is exactly the same as this guys as well...
I know how my next motor will be broken in
[QUOTE=brad8266]And how the hell would you turn the pump with a drill when it is wrapped around the crank snout?
first you need a drill (elec or cordless no matter) with a 4" chuck, remove the balancer, tighten the chuck down on the crank (carefully), and hang on
first you need a drill (elec or cordless no matter) with a 4" chuck, remove the balancer, tighten the chuck down on the crank (carefully), and hang on
[QUOTE=joelvette] wow not sure I would do that 
it takes around 60lbs/ft to turn the motor by the crank snout...with that kind of torque on a drill chuck, you are asking for it to slip and gall the crap out of your crankshaft...
Originally Posted by brad8266
And how the hell would you turn the pump with a drill when it is wrapped around the crank snout?
first you need a drill (elec or cordless no matter) with a 4" chuck, remove the balancer, tighten the chuck down on the crank (carefully), and hang on
first you need a drill (elec or cordless no matter) with a 4" chuck, remove the balancer, tighten the chuck down on the crank (carefully), and hang on
it takes around 60lbs/ft to turn the motor by the crank snout...with that kind of torque on a drill chuck, you are asking for it to slip and gall the crap out of your crankshaft...
[QUOTE=joelvette] That would be quite dumb to risk chewing up the crank snout just to prime oil.
Originally Posted by brad8266
And how the hell would you turn the pump with a drill when it is wrapped around the crank snout?
first you need a drill (elec or cordless no matter) with a 4" chuck, remove the balancer, tighten the chuck down on the crank (carefully), and hang on
first you need a drill (elec or cordless no matter) with a 4" chuck, remove the balancer, tighten the chuck down on the crank (carefully), and hang on
you could always take an old ford motor, hook a drive up to the front of it and spline it into the LS crank snout. Spinning the LS motor would be like a full dyno run on the old Ford and besides, ya gotta find SOMETHING a Ford is good for other than replenishing the iron supplies in the ground while rusting away....... 
