how to break in a motor?

[Pitbull1052]

Just wanna see what you guys have typically done with your cars, so this weekend i'll be installing my motor and i've heard some guys break their new motors in how they are going to drive them and then some baby them change oil in a few hundred miles etc........ any advise would be greatly apprecaited........

[5.0calypso93lx]

Good thread here:

http://www.stangbangerz.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64876&highlight=engine+break

[pegasus]

the teacher in the motor class I took would let it idle for 1 hour for just a cam swap 3hours for a new motor change the oil and baby it for a 5days driving 25miles to work let it cool and then drive it 25mi back change the oil after that week and then the kick the tires and light the fires! :rockon:

[GREAZY]

Pull it out of the garage and stand on it :D

[SCHMUCKINGHAM]

I have done it two ways. First way was let it idle for an hour, do an oil change and then take it easy with no constant RPMs for 1000 miles. Motor ran beatifully.


I have also thrown the car on the dyno, tuned it and ran the melons off of it with no issues.


Lots of different methods out there but it boils down to what your comfortable with and what the engine builder tells you they want done with the motor.

[Pitbull1052]

Fantastic article thanks guys i'm gonna go with the street version just incase no one wants to click the links

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 !




I'm gonna let it warm up check for leaks then have it, I drive 31 miles each way to work so i'll drive it for the 200 or whatever then change the oil....... Thanks again James for posting up.....

[Stangman]

There's a great engine break in article on the NMRA board. Steves LX knows the link... maybe he'll post it

[Walter]

Get it warm, change the oil, rip it.

[Pitbull1052]

Get it warm, change the oil, rip it.



no doubt so just let it idle till it gets warm then change it ??????

[Walter]

Realistically, ill drive it several times checking for leaks and proper function. Then rip. I dont do any certain long drawn out overly anal regimen.

[one90gt]

i read an article a while back that said to basically warm the car up and then let it rip. you only have so long to seat the rings and letting the car idle for long periods of time doesnt put the proper load on the engine to seat the rings correctly. if they are not seated you might have some blow by issues.

[Buckeye]

Wide open till the rods escape.

[Jeff88coupe]

With a modern roller cam engine....only a few minutes of run time is needed to seat the rings. After that it's broke in. I personally get the motor fired up...set the timing, check for leaks, let it get hot enough for the thermostat to open while varying the rpm some. Then change the cheap startup dino oil out..put good stuff in....then go let it rip. My last 2 new motors were at the track at WOT with less than 20 minutes of run time on them.

[NXcoupe]

Letting it idle for extended periods will not get good ring seal. If your car has a large cam in it, it will idle rich and wash the cylinder walls of oil, and most of the engines I get in for high leakage and blowby were allowed to idle for a long time and not driven hard during break in. The guy that the motorcycle break in stuff came from has a website where he compares pistons, rings, etc, from various break in procedures, it is very informative and changed the way I looked at break in. jmho.

[Pitbull1052]

i'm not sure of the specs but it has a custom ground blower cam in it now I won't be super charging it for awhile though. My thought was kinda like Jeff's fire it up look for leaks set the timing, shut her down change the oil and let her rip........

[blown96cobra]

let it idle for a few min( long enough to check for leaks), change the oil, drive it at highways speeds for 5miles or so then rip the hell out of it and change the oil again.

[Dirtyd0g]

When I did the motor in my truck I had to shim the throttle open to about 2500 rpms for about 30 minutes. The rings had a little difficulty seating in and over the next 2 weeks the motor got considerably better. I don't believe in babying the motor. Treat it the way you are going to treat it once you have the important stuff handled. From my experience most engine faiures are not due to improper break in, bad radiators and cooling system leaks are the number one cause of failure.
Alan

[Pitbull1052]

Sweet thanks Alan, i think i've got the cooling covered 3 core rad, contour fans just hope it doesnt leak.........

[NXcoupe]

Here ya go, I found it. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[NXcoupe]

Just realized that was posted in the other article by a member from DSB. That's where I originally posted it, or rather John did.

[Squale iii]

If I ever buy a brand new muscle car... I'll have an extended warranty and just fucking rip it out of the parking lot. Drive it like it's meant to be driven!

[Rick93coupe]

If I ever buy a brand new muscle car... I'll have an extended warranty and just fucking rip it out of the parking lot. Drive it like it's meant to be driven!

That would probably be a bad idea. The less witnesses to your driving habits the better.

[Squale iii]

That would probably be a bad idea. The less witnesses to your driving habits the better.

lol. Fine, after I round the first corner...RIP IT! lol.