14 replies to this topic

[Keith Novak]

When breaking in an engine, how long do you leave in the break-in oil before switching to normal stuff?

I did about 1.5 hrs yesterday on the track and at first you could really feel the rings start to seat and make compression. It was raining off and on all day so while I kept going faster all day, it was hard to tell what was engine, and what was drying track or driver improvement in the wet.

Not sure if there's anything still to be gained in the ring break-in dept or not.

Thanks,

[Tom Sager]

You'll probably get differing opinions on this but if you had some other time on the motor before you went to the track (idle sessions and light driving) I'd say you're done with the break in oil. The break-in oil manufacturer might publish a guide ?

[Bench Racer]

A local race shop that has there own Dyno sorta does the following

When new cam, 20 min 2,000 RPM off Dyno warmup.

Starting on the Dyno 3-5 warmup 5,000 RPM detail checking pulls.

Depending, approx 15 eight second full pulls to red line.

Dump the breakin oil.

Race

[Keith Novak]

I looked for guides with both Joe Gibbs and Royal purple but didn't see much other than why to use it. I'll call it good enough.

I idled it in the garage to check for leaks, set timing etc., then gave it about half a dozen hard pulls bedding in brakes, then put it on the track and flogged it. The 15 pulls is probably about right. After the brake bed-in pulls, when I put it on the track I'd still feel the engine pull than surge and pull harder around 4k RPM for a while especially accelerating hard in 2nd gear so it definitely takes a little while but apparently not a vast amount.

[plane]

I think the Joe Gibbs Website or Jeggs who sells it says something like 2hrs of Dyno or 500 street driving. Just bought some for my Lemons car.

[Race Engineering]

We like to run them for about an hour on track under mormal race condetions not counting dyno time.

[Brendan O]

I'm trying to summarize the search results i've found so far. Does this sound right?

• Break in (piston ring seal) occurs within FIRST 20 MILES.
• Use non synthetic (dinosaur) oil for first 15 minutes.
• Pull the spark plugs and crank for one? minute until good oil pressure is observed.
• Put spark plugs back in.
• Start car, let idle at 2000 until warm and fan cycles - around 15 min.
  
  • Check for fluid leaks.
  • Pay attention to bad sounds, vibrations etc.
  • Shutdown.
• Change to AMSOIL break-in oil and new oil filter.
• On street, in 3rd or 4th gear:
  
  • 2500 up to 5000 for 4 seconds then engine braking back to 2500
  • check for leaks
  • repeat 5 times
• On street, 3rd or 4th gear
  
  • 3000 up to 6000 for 8 seconds then engine braking back to 3000
  • repeat 10 times
  • check for leaks
• On street, 3rd or 4th gear
  
  • 3000 up to 6800 for 8 seconds then engine braking back to 3000
  • repeat 10 times
  • check for leaks
• Change oil and filter again - keep using break-in oil.
• Keep break-in oil for 4 hrs of engine time or 500 miles.
• Then go to synthetic race oil and change filer.
• Flog it.

[wheel]

Break-in oil on the engine dyno - Multi pulls over two days, with appropriate adjustments and checks.
Dump that oil. Great for the golf cart, the old Jeep or the chain saw. I have never used break-in oil past the first on-track weekend.
Fill with good synthetic (Red Line, Amsoil, or your choice) and a new filter (obviously, since the dyno filter has been cut apart and the contents analyzed)
Run the good stuff from then on, with an oil change schedule that makes you feel warm and fuzzy.

If you don't have the chance to run the engine on a dyno before installation, do the same thing on the street/track. Warm it up and make runs up to 6K or 7K in 3rd, and coast back down. Do several runs and check everything. Let it all cool down. Check the plugs. Check for leaks, etc. and do it again.

[Brendan O]

I'm going to drive it on the street to break it in. Once it is broken in, i'll go to dyno and adjust timing wheel and see how much HP my new crate motor makes.

[Brendan O]

When you remove spark plugs to crank very first time to check oil pressure, do you put ignition plugs back in holes and connect wiring harness to it or can you leave everything off and just have open holes?

thanks

[Brendan O]

Also, on a 2003 1.8L, do i need to remove the plugs or can i just remove the wire harness from the ignition coils?
And if you crank without a spark, won't the cylinders fill up with fuel? Is that ok?

thanks

[Newton]

usually the starter wont turn the engine fast enough to get a true idea of oil pressure. and since this isnt a old V8, you cant crank the oil pump to prime the system. so your only option is to put it in and start it up, hoping that everything is ok. as long as you used good assembly lube, and the engine turns over pretty easily with the plugs out then mechanically it should be fine.

[Brendan O]

It's a 1.8L crate motor from Mazda. I read somewhere else that cranking with plugs out will get the oil to the right places before i start for real. Also, I read that if i unplug the wire harness from the CAS then fuel wont dump into cylinders while i'm cranking. And i read that you don't want the coils connected to wire harness with no plugs because the voltage has no where to go so i should unplug the wires from the ignition coils as well. Then there are the fuses - do i do anything with fuses?

This is all pretty confusing. It's a crate so i'm worried i'm going to do something stupid.

[Newton]

OK, I understand what ur saying now. First pull out the fuse or relay for the fuel pump, that will stop the fuel. Second pull out the plugs and unplug the coils from the harness, this will stop the spark. then you can crank with the starter for the specified time to PRIME(thats the term you need in this case) the oiling system before actually starting the engine. just remember to install the plugs and coils, and plugs the coils in, and put the fuel pump fuse or relay back in before trying to actually start the engine.

[Brendan O]

thanks - that worked