Breaking in techniques - Please read the first 2 pages before making assumptions

joehirth · Dec 9, 2010

After fitting new rods, pistons, rings and bearings. Plus the obvious head gasket etc I'm going to have to break in the engine. Now I have some breaking in oil additive in there at the moment which is supposed to be good for seating rings and what not.

My main question is: do people have any particular techniques for breaking an engine in - I was going to stay under boost basically for the first 1000miles or so. The oil will need to be changed by then for sure. I was then going to gradually add more power maybe over the next 200 miles and again over the next 200 until maybe I get to around 1500miles.

Does anyone have any advances on this? I assume it's not best to just drive round the M25 a few times at a constant speed/ revs :cartman:

Cheers

Joe

DPJ · Dec 9, 2010

That's the worst way to do it - you'll end up with glazed bores and poorly bedded rings.

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ibizacupra · Dec 9, 2010

joehirth said:
After fitting new rods, pistons, rings and bearings. Plus the obvious head gasket etc I'm going to have to break in the engine. Now I have some breaking in oil additive in there at the moment which is supposed to be good for seating rings and what not.

My main question is: do people have any particular techniques for breaking an engine in - I was going to stay under boost basically for the first 1000miles or so. The oil will need to be changed by then for sure. I was then going to gradually add more power maybe over the next 200 miles and again over the next 200 until maybe I get to around 1500miles.

Does anyone have any advances on this? I assume it's not best to just drive round the M25 a few times at a constant speed/ revs

Cheers

Joe

nope..
you need some boost to help get things bedding in..
ease on the revs and load applied and allow it to cycle and cool between applying the loads.. build on the revs used and load applied progressively..

Dave's link is pretty good one.

being gentle on it will not help bed it in.. needs to be doing some work to force rings against bores.

On the Street:
Warm the engine up completely:
Because of the wind resistance, you don't need to use higher gears like you would on a dyno machine. The main thing is to load the engine by opening the throttle hard in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear.

Realistically, you won't be able to do full throttle runs even in 2nd gear on most bikes without exceeding 65 mph / 104 kph. The best method is to alternate between short bursts of hard acceleration and deceleration. You don't have to go over 65 mph / 104 kph to properly load the rings. Also, make sure that you're not being followed by another bike or car when you decelerate, most drivers won't expect that you'll suddenly slow down, and we don't want
anyone to get hit from behind !!

The biggest problem with breaking your engine in on the street (besides police) is if you ride the bike on the freeway (too little throttle = not enough pressure on the rings) or if you get stuck in slow city traffic. For the first 200 miles or so, get out into the country where you can vary the speed more
and run it through the gears !

Be Safe On The Street !
Watch your speed ! When you're not used to the handling of a new vehicle, you should accelerate only on the straightaways, then slow down extra early for the turns. Remember that both hard acceleration and hard engine braking (deceleration) are equally important during the break in process.

and

On a Dyno:
Warm the engine up
completely !!

Then, using 4th gear:

Do Three 1/2 Throttle dyno runs from
40% - 60% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes

Do Three 3/4 Throttle dyno runs from
40% - 80% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes

Do Three Full Throttle dyno runs from
30% - 100% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes
Go For It !!

PhilW · Dec 9, 2010

Load it up and give it ****.

Exactly how Dave has pointed out.

Mineral oil for first 500 miles then fully synth. I dropped after 30 miles as well.

190+psi all within a few psi compression tests for me done this way.

joehirth · Dec 9, 2010

So this is a good option then:

On the Street:
Warm the engine up completely:
Because of the wind resistance, you don't need to use higher gears like you would on a dyno machine. The main thing is to load the engine by opening the throttle hard in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear.

Realistically, you won't be able to do full throttle runs even in 2nd gear on most bikes without exceeding 65 mph / 104 kph. The best method is to alternate between short bursts of hard acceleration and deceleration. You don't have to go over 65 mph / 104 kph to properly load the rings. Also, make sure that you're not being followed by another bike or car when you decelerate, most drivers won't expect that you'll suddenly slow down, and we don't want
anyone to get hit from behind !!

The biggest problem with breaking your engine in on the street (besides police) is if you ride the bike on the freeway (too little throttle = not enough pressure on the rings) or if you get stuck in slow city traffic. For the first 200 miles or so, get out into the country where you can vary the speed more
and run it through the gears !

Be Safe On The Street !
Watch your speed ! When you're not used to the handling of a new vehicle, you should accelerate only on the straightaways, then slow down extra early for the turns. Remember that both hard acceleration and hard engine braking (deceleration) are equally important during the break in process.

Cheers for all the advice.

joehirth · Dec 9, 2010

PhilW said:
Load it up and give it ****.

Exactly how Dave has pointed out.

Mineral oil for first 500 miles then fully synth. I dropped after 30 miles as well.

190+psi all within a few psi compression tests for me done this way.

So Phil are you saying you did the breaking in for 30 miles only right?

and this is the sort of oil that will suffice for the first 20-30 miles or so:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Carlube-10W-4...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c158d111c

PhilW · Dec 9, 2010

joehirth said:
So Phil are you saying you did the breaking in for 30 miles only right?

Sorry, i done the first mineral oil change at 50 miles then run mineral oil to 500 miles when i changed to fully synth. All of the wear is done in the first few minutes really, after than its about ring sealing.

I done the break in procedure as soon as i could and never took it easy on the car.

As long as you dont take it easy and drive it hard enough you'll be fine.

Now go find a good dual carridgeway with some roundabouts. lol.

joehirth · Dec 9, 2010

PhilW said:
Sorry, i done the first mineral oil change at 50 miles then run mineral oil to 500 miles when i changed to fully synth. All of the wear is done in the first few minutes really, after than its about ring sealing.

I done the break in procedure as soon as i could and never took it easy on the car.

As long as you dont take it easy and drive it hard enough you'll be fine.

Now go find a good dual carridgeway with some roundabouts. lol.

I put fully syn in there at the mo with break in additive - so far it's only been warmed up twice to flush coolant through but not driven anywhere other that 10 metres to turn around.

Ideally then I want 10 litres of mineral oil, and should I put the break in additive in the first 5litres?

I have a lovely dual carriageway around here which would be perfect! So basically rape the thing for 10 miles or so to start off with heavy breaking and heavy acceleration.

Hoping that I haven't blown it already by warming it up twice to flush the coolant

Sorry about all the questions want to get this right!!

PhilW · Dec 9, 2010

I think giving it beans is the key to get the rings to seal. Wouldnt worry too much as you do have break in additive as well.

Basically fully synth is a very good lubricant which wont allow parts to bed in or seal properly, hence glazed bores.

Dont forget to use the engine to brake as well, load it up then slow down in gear and repeat.

This is my experience on one engine, people who have build more will have their own views and techniques.

jabbasport · Dec 9, 2010

+1 for not nannying the engine.

A cheapie mineral oil, or we use Millers running in oil, dropping out regularly.

A resonable amount of boost/load will get the rings seated nicely.

Kev

joehirth · Dec 10, 2010

Could someone tell me if I should or shouldn't use break in additive?

DPJ · Dec 10, 2010

joehirth said:
Could someone tell me if I should or shouldn't use break in additive?

Personally, I wouldn't use break-in oil with the first lot of oil.

joehirth · Dec 10, 2010

DPJ said:
Personally, I wouldn't use break-in oil with the first lot of oil.

Cheers Dave

gazcuprablk · Dec 10, 2010

i used the same method as phil you want the engine to get used to how you drive it and if your like me its usually driven like i stole it lol

joehirth · Dec 11, 2010

Looks like ASAP I will be getting on that dual carriageway then

What about after I've run it in/ seated rings etc? Do I have to go careful or can I just drive it normally?

ibizacupra · Dec 12, 2010

its run in... normal

joehirth · Dec 14, 2010

This is an interesting read:

http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm

Kind of contradicts what has already been said about giving it beans from word go... - what do you guys think? It's almost like a compramise between beans and driving it like a granny.

DPJ · Dec 14, 2010

The high temperatures in the combustion chamber will oxidize this oil film so that it creates glazing of the cylinder walls.

I'd expect the temps would always be high enough to clear oil - and I'd expect the rings to be doing some work in clearing oil too...

IbizaAlex · Dec 14, 2010

This is how I run engines ive built in:

Using Millers running in oil, run the car to operating temp, then allow to cool. First 5 mins are run at 1500 rpm to circulate the oil through the turbo etc.

Next warm the car up and drive for 20 miles. Give the car full throttle, but only rev to the peak torque area. Do this through all gears. Just run actuator pressure. Drop oil and filter the fill with fresh running in oil.

Run in the engine for the next 300 to 400 miles driving it hard, but still on actuator pressure. Drop oil and fill with fully synthetic comp oil. Up the boost and enjoy.

joehirth · Dec 15, 2010

So you disconnect the N75 for the breaking in process Alex? Only after 300-400 miles do you reconnect it?

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Breaking in techniques - Please read the first 2 pages before making assumptions

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