How to break in my engine?

[mitchedo]

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The time has come. I've run the engine enough to check for leaks, tore off the intake and re-gunked the passenger valve cover.

What is the proper startup and break-in procedure? I was thinking I should warm it up first, but does one do that at idle or at gentle up and down?

Once warmed up, a few moderately hard pulls from, say, off-idle to about 2000 rpm in 2nd gear? Then do it again in 3rd gear but go a little higher rpm? Then drive it with varying engine speed for the next 500 miles or so.

...or am I up in the night?

The tags are expired since November, so I'd like to do this without getting a stupid ticket. I will have it insured, of course, but I can't get the tags until I get the emissions and safety done. ...appt on Saturday morning.

When should I change the oil? After the first run or after a couple hundred miles, or what?

New heads, new bearings, rings, lifters.
block decked and line-honed (align-honed?), cylinders not bored -- just honed.
polished crank journals, reused pistons, rods, and cam.

 

[packratt]

You've got to get it warmed up to 180 to set the TDCO.

I'm going to follow the recommendations of a good friend of mine who used to build race motors and is just plain anal about his engines.

To seat rings slowly accelerate to 60 going through all the gears, take foot off throttle and allow to coast down through the gears. Repeat half a dozen times.

Oil changes 50, 100, 150, 300, 600, 1500, 3000 miles.

Fill cooling system with straight distilled water for the first 100 miles, good chance crud from the machining has gotten in the cooling jacket. This will flush everything out then fill with your regular AF/distilled water mix. The distilled water was recommended by the owner of a radiator shop.

Avoid maintaining a constant RPM for the first 1500 miles.

You should be able to seat the rings on the way to the inspection station with out any problem.

 

[chevyinlinesix]

x2 on not running at a constant RPM. When I was breaking in my 383 stroker, and driving on the highway, I was always speeding up and slowing down.

You should also not let it idle for long periods of time (constant RPM).

Also, do NOT use synthetic oil, conventional motor oil only. Synthetic is too slippery, and won't allow the rings to seat, and you'll end up with an engine that burns oil.

You don't want to baby it, but also don't be flooring it everywhere. I gave mine a number of hard 3/4 throttle pulls up to speed limit or so. Also some short WOT pulls throughout the 5000 km's. You want to basically vary the engine loads as wide as you can, as often as you can to seat everything properly.

Consider engine full broke in after 5000 km's (3100 miles, close enough). Not sure on a diesel, but a gas engine definitely gets some more pep once it's broke in.

Agree with everything else in previous posts.

 

[Wrecker]

Also, do NOT use synthetic oil, conventional motor oil only. Synthetic is too slippery, and won't allow the rings to seat, and you'll end up with an engine that burns oil.

QUOTE]


I agree with not using synthetic oil, but the rings will seat fine, and it is in no way "too slippery." This is a wives tale.

The reason I suggest a decent dino oil over synthetic is cost. If you are changing oil 7 times in the first 3000 miles, it will cost a fortune.

Synthetic oil can be used with no issue in a newly built engine, Boyd Coddington proved it on national television over and over using Amsoil.

Change your oil soon after initial start, for gassers it's after the 15-20 min cam run in, then at least twice before 1500 miles. After that I would change at 3000 miles and then be comfortable with normal change intervals. The more often you change it, the better you will feel about it. Change as many times as you need to so that you can sleep at night. Use of synthetic doesn't make sense until you are done with the "fill and dump" routine.

Ashton

 

[DieselCash]

I do not see the point in changing your oil seven times in 3,000 miles. Even using dino oil this would cost a fortune in what, 2 to 3 months it would take to run up 3,000 miles, maybe less time.

Is this what the manufactures of engines recommend? I would follow with what the GM says to do with the duramax for break in. At least for break in time. On oil changes I would change it at around 500 miles and then 3,000 miles.

But, this is just me! I can not afford to use that much oil in a short time.

If you are worried about metal contamination destroying your engine than get the filter mag, here is a link;

http://www.shopfiltermag.com/

 

[chevyinlinesix]

Ashton, thanks for the clarification on that one, learned something new today. I was ALMOST sure my installation instructions for my lifters said not to use synthetic, but the diesels have roller cams, so no worries.

DieselCash, IMO the cleaner the engine, the better. I wish I had a FilterMag on it when I first started it up. I have had one on it for 15,000 of the 20,000 km's on it, and let me say, after cutting apart several oil filters, everyone should have one on their engine. IIRC, I changed my oil after about 30 minutes of driving (Autolab oil), then many times after that with Rotella. I drove mine A LOT because I wanted to get it broke in quickly.

I also change my oil and filter probably more than anyone here anyways.

 

[DieselCash]

chevyinlinesic,

Thanks for the clarification on the filter mag. I have always wanted to purchase one but, never found anybody that used one.

 

[Ratman]

I don't disagree with anything that's been said.

Here is my humble opinion on the initial change intervals though. Being the thing is a roller motor, it shouldn't make a whole lot of metal (assuming the clearances aren't too tight).

The filter mag, -a great idea, -do I run one? -no.

On my build, I changed oil during break-in as follows, -once at 300, then again at 1000, then at 2000. I'm like chevyinlinesix though, -I tend to change my oil out more frequently than I probably need to, -it makes me sleep better at night. I have been changing it out at around 1500 miles, -sometimes less.

My break-in's are always simple, -go out and load the thing up and drive it at varying loads and speeds just like you are going to do everyday. Be nice to it when it's cold, and don't spin it too fast when the oil isn't up to temp.

As far as the use of synthetics go, -I don't want to start any arguments, -especially with the amsoil guy! ):h

I like my Delo, it works great, -and since I change it out so often, (let's face it, the 6.5 is a dirty engine) -syn is too rich for my blood. Now, if I lived where it got real cold, -my opinion would swing the other way real fast.

My measly .02

 

[hereismylife]

About using a magnet. You can use a normal magnet and stick it to oil filter or put one near the oil drain plug. Just make sure it will stay in place till you get a filter magnet.

 

[chevyinlinesix]

IIRC, the FilterMag has a 600 lb. pull, it takes a lot of magnetic force to hold all the metal particles against the case of the oil filter, without being taken away with the flow of oil.