Modern Engines = no break in

[Big T]

@MrMarty51 if the same exact pistons and piston rings are going back in the same cylinders- then a hone is not needed as the rings are seated to cylinder wall is the theory. It isn’t often people remove a piston and reinstall the existing rings but it happens in certain situations. But the moment new rings are installed 100% it requires being honed regardless of what type ring is going in.

@Big T yes either ball hone, or straight stone hone.
The cylinder walls can have a wave, depressions or high spots in the vertical axis.
So for this reason a straight hone most commonly a 3 stone hone is used. The desire is flattened any high spots to reduce the friction against the rings. However you might already have low spots and honing out the high spots intentionally can cause you to accidentally lower the already low spots.
The theory of the 3 stone hone is that it is only riding on the high spots until they are down to the proper level and barely touching the low spots.

@Paveltolz
How a guy hones his cylinders determines how the break in goes. Wazoo machine finish like Chris uses (same as mentioned above) means that engine is broke in WAY before 1,000 miles. 90% broke in before 300 miles. Diy guy doing it first time- might take 1,500 miles- but understand that version is getting rid of the excess silicone from oil and why the oil & filter keeps getting changes more than the metal wear beyond 750 miles.

In any case if the rings are not seated by 1,000 miles something is not being done well.
Chris is right- work that engine. Dont abuse it but work it 95% as hard as you ever will. Then once the oil change then beat it harder than you ever will. Hook up to a semi trailer and race it down the dragstrip then up and down mountains.
Absolutely vary the rpm. sustained rpm is not how to break it in. You are promoting wear at this point not trying for better mpg. You are concentrating on the engine not road conditions, idiots around you, song on the radio or wife next to you. Use this time now to find faults inside engine and with cooling system, gauges, etc. you are setting baseline for how you measure the truck for the next bazillion miles. This is why I believe in build the engine and afterwards start changing everything else like trans, axles, tires, etc. even break it in on a stock turbo then later you can dial in big turbo.
My engine will be broke in as an n/a engine on a stock db2. I am gonna give it all she can take. Then it will get the hot rod ip, the big turbo.
It isn’t try to set world record to break in the engine- it is wear in the cylinder walls.

Depending what I see in the oil, how it feels, what it’s intended use is- oil change at 250, 500, 1500, 3,000.

Thats the short answer. Yall know books are coming…

So with my 6.5 Optimizer, it consumed 2+ quarts of oil in the first 1,000 miles. It has consumed zero oil since. Can I conclude that was the rings seating to the cylinder walls?

At 900 miles I did hook a heavy load to it and drove it 1,200 miles mostly averaging 65 mph

 

[Big T]

Now someone disable my
“Talk to text” before it gets worse!

I’m going back to the 5-word thread:

Ball or stone hone is good

 

[Will L.]

So with my 6.5 Optimizer, it consumed 2+ quarts of oil in the first 1,000 miles. It has consumed zero oil since. Can I conclude that was the rings seating to the cylinder walls?

At 900 miles I did hook a heavy load to it and drove it 1,200 miles mostly averaging 65 mph

Yup. Took longer than it should have, but shouldn’t be detrimental.

If you want - do a compression test around 5,000 mile mark. Then again around 100,000 and 150,000 and 200,000 mile mark.
You will probably start consuming oil more than normal around the 150,000 mark when compression drops.
At that point in time if you actually record it now & 100k mark- that would tell if simple rings will fix it or not at the 150 mark. If oil consumption is up and compression down- ball hone and rings and she will run near smoke free for another 150k after that.
Otherwise thats when she starts drinking oil and offends the flying penguins.

If I was a betting man I would push 1/2 in that your ring gap is on the loose side from factory.

 

[3500GMC]

Cylinders are cylindrical... | |.. Not \ / or. / \.. or..( ) or..) (... Any questions? Bore to a couple thou undersize. Hone to size. Diamond cutters achieve a RA superior to stone. Follow the ring mfrs. info for finish. THE most important break in factor is FULL heat cycles.

If possible, always torque plate hone.