Break in oil or regular oil?
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 190
From: New jersey
Break in oil or regular oil? When I called Johnson lifters to order my lifters quite a while ago he was telling me that I don’t need to run break in oil in my new ls2 stroker. If I remember correctly he said pre lube the engine with regular oil let’s say 10w-30, start the engine, let it warm up then change the oil and filter. Fill the engine back up with regular oil drive it maybe 100 miles and then change the oil again. Fill it up once more drive about a 1000 miles and change it one last time before normal oil changes. Couple years ago I believe I saw a post on here saying something very similar talking about not having to run break in oil. I called Texas speed since who better to call about engine builds then them and asked them what they thought about not using break in oil. They said the samething as the guy from Johnson. They said ust use conventional oil and change it frequently to keep it clean. Just curious to see what everyone else has been using on here for their fresh engine builds. Do you guys not use break in oils?
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Central Cal.
What I've heard is very similar to the above and to use dino (non synthetic) oil, then when you go to the normal interval to use a good synthetic oil for its better anti-friction and lower oxidation properties.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 190
From: New jersey
that was my plan to run a good synthetic after the first 1000 plus miles. Crazy how times have changed. I was thinking maybe doing a half regular oil half break in oil for the first start up too. Just an idea though
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Wilmington, De
The only real "break-in" on a fresh roller motor is seating the piston rings. A good break-in oil will help with that process.
It certainly won't hurt to use break-in oil for the initial start-up. I think I paid $7/quart for Driven BR-30 a few months ago, so the cost over decent conventional oil isn't substantial.
It certainly won't hurt to use break-in oil for the initial start-up. I think I paid $7/quart for Driven BR-30 a few months ago, so the cost over decent conventional oil isn't substantial.
Break in oil has high levels of zinc which helps to seat/seal the rings and valves. I use BR30 and change it within 60-80 miles or a couple hours of run time. Then Valvoline VR1 (non synthetic) for 500 miles.... then change again at 1000 more miles change the oil (1500 total). At this point I switch to synthetic.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 190
From: New jersey
Thank for the input guys! I probably going to run break in oil for the first start and then change it. Put break in oil for the first couple hundred miles then run conventional oil for 1000 miles. After that run synthetic oil
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 190
From: New jersey
I was hoping you were going to respond lol I remember reading posts years ago with you answering questions like this one. After you use an additive on start up what is your procedure after that??
In all honesty, today’s rings are set before first heat cycle on engine, but I’m old school and this routine is just how I’ve done it and/or been a part of for decades. Valvetrain needs to wear in somewhat, and I will go back through lash on solid roller stuff quickly, to see if there’s a problem. Always a good idea to look under valve covers even on hydraulic builds to spot a potential problem arising before it gets bad. Often times these builds are noisy and we can’t always hear something going south, even with the best intentions.
Amsoil 30 break in ....FTW. I like to cut my first removed oil filter open, remove the filter and look in the pleats for metal objects. Morbid curiosity.
I have heard so many different people express their thoughts on when you should dump the first batch of oil, 50 miles, 100 miles, 300 miles and 1000 miles, who is correct?
I have heard so many different people express their thoughts on when you should dump the first batch of oil, 50 miles, 100 miles, 300 miles and 1000 miles, who is correct?
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 190
From: New jersey
After engine heat cycles a couple times in shop and all the preliminary’s are good, I’ll go out and do a 10-15 mile drive to seat rings. I’m very rural here, so I use a stretch of road a half mile away from the shop, in 2nd gear I’ll do a accell/ decel routine several times, going from 1500 to 4000, back to 1500....kinda easy, no full throttle...Back to shop, check preliminary’s again, car back on lift, dump oil/filter, fill with VR again. After 100 miles or so, I’ll go synthetic and don’t look back. This might vary, depending on application and build, but that’s my general plan...
In all honesty, today’s rings are set before first heat cycle on engine, but I’m old school and this routine is just how I’ve done it and/or been a part of for decades. Valvetrain needs to wear in somewhat, and I will go back through lash on solid roller stuff quickly, to see if there’s a problem. Always a good idea to look under valve covers even on hydraulic builds to spot a potential problem arising before it gets bad. Often times these builds are noisy and we can’t always hear something going south, even with the best intentions.
In all honesty, today’s rings are set before first heat cycle on engine, but I’m old school and this routine is just how I’ve done it and/or been a part of for decades. Valvetrain needs to wear in somewhat, and I will go back through lash on solid roller stuff quickly, to see if there’s a problem. Always a good idea to look under valve covers even on hydraulic builds to spot a potential problem arising before it gets bad. Often times these builds are noisy and we can’t always hear something going south, even with the best intentions.
thank you for posting your procedure. I will probably do it tomorrow exactly how you said to. I ohhh dump the oil at 500 miles just to because I’m crazy lol and then regular ok changes from there. I do appreciate everyone telling me their procedures a well. I’m sure I oil probably get thousands of different answers.
Launching!
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TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
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Amsoil 30 break in ....FTW. I like to cut my first removed oil filter open, remove the filter and look in the pleats for metal objects. Morbid curiosity.
I have heard so many different people express their thoughts on when you should dump the first batch of oil, 50 miles, 100 miles, 300 miles and 1000 miles, who is correct?
I have heard so many different people express their thoughts on when you should dump the first batch of oil, 50 miles, 100 miles, 300 miles and 1000 miles, who is correct?