Secrets on How to Break an Engine In for MORE HORSES

I know a few guys who swear by this technique.


Pretty interesting reading:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm


Teaser:

What's The Best Way To Break-In A New Engine ??
The Short Answer: Run it Hard !

 

Start it up, set the timing, check for leaks...then go hammer on it. That's the ONLY way to break stuff in.

 

Well, it's a little more involved than that...

 

Alway's work's with race engine's that are built correctly, at least Ford engine's. Course, there are some, that no matter how they perfer to break in an internal combustion engine, alway's seem to destroy them in short order.

 

i use ...cheap oil...for the 50 mile break in/wash out...
change to fresh...cheap oil...200 more miles and then the good stuff...
new filters at each change.

good oil slows the wear in process.

... ...

 

That sounds like the old break it in how your going to use it method. I`ve seen it work good and seen it make a motor smoke for the rest of its life.

 

Slider cams do actually require a little break in time to polish the cam and lifters up. Slider cams aren't hardened either, so you're more likely to wipe a lobe, especially if you're running big springs.

That's the only part that actually requires "breaking-in" I've heard of some guys using smaller spring to get the pattern set on the cam and then switching over to the big springs. The important part is to keep the engine revved up (about 2500 or so) to keep the oil pressure up. After that, drive it like you stole it. You need to get that compression ring up as high as she'll go in the hole.

For a rolller engine... Fire it up, set the timing, and rip on it. There's nothing to really "break-in" on a roller.

The worst thing you can do for an engine is idle it for extended periods of time. The dynamic compression is down in the mud, so you get a slow cold burn that leaves lots of soot and junk behind. Engines like to run hot!

 

When I asked my engine builder about breaking in the engine, if I needed to take it easy for a while, he told me to "stand on it in the parking lot" After my trip to the muffler shop, my next trip was to the drag strip!

 

Race engines are generally built "loose" so the only thing you have to really break in is the cam and rings. I have worked on more than a few race engines (Drag, Circle Track, Motocross, Dirt track motorcycle, Mud boggers, and hot street engines) and have always had excellent results with the easy break in. Never Never Never stand on it in the parking lot!! The engine must be at operating temp!!!!! What I have noticed over the years is that a motor that was put together loose requires a very short break in period compared to a street engine. The article stated that ther is a limited amount of time before the cross hatching is gone from the cylinders? I recently tore down a 5.0 with 30,000 miles on the odometer and the cross hatching was still there. It is not time that smoothes this out but strokes, how many strokes of the piston occur before the cross hatching is no longer effective at seating rings? The strokes occur more rapidly at high rpm but time is a non issue. How about piston side load due to engine load? The piston skirt has to seat into the bore as well as the rings. I would like to be convinced that break it in like you will run it is true, can anyone give me hard facts? I know this has worked for many in the past, but it has failed for many as well!

 

Gee I don't think he meant don't let it warm up first.

 

I did not mean for the comment I highlighted to be personally at you, I meant for it to be highlighted to inform the many people who use these posts as the basis for their knowledge. I would hate to think someone caused themselves more trouble than was needed because I assumed they "already knew". I apoligize to you if you took it personally!
Dave

 

There may be a few around nowadays that aren't, but most are flame hardened and induction hardening is getting more popular.

 

i love the mallet head approach to engine break-in. hammer it and its fine. made me a ton o money. the next best thing is to get the wives to buy the jackasses a tool set for x-mas. more money for me cha-ching!

 

Thank you for your opinion of our intellagence and animal stature.

 

break in

cams require a break in period as do rings , lobes go flat and the harder the rings seat the faster the blowby will increase on most street engines.Every one has their own methods.ID ease into it,not to easy!