[HPA Q&A] Engine break-in myths dispelled | Performance Engine Building

Want to learn more about performance engine building?

#highperformanceacademy #enginebuilding101 #hpaQnA

[ZeroBoostBuick]

Another thing I like doing during break in is to use engine breaking as much as possible. This way the negative vacuum forces the oil between the rings just the right amount to help polish the roughness of the cylinder wall.

[naydenboyanov]

I already feel like a star, 2 of my questions have been answered the proper way and made separate topics out of... Thank you Andre and HP Academy team, you guys rock! As a self educated car entusiast all the info I can get my hands means alot and is greatly appreciate. Keep it up, I enjoy wathing every video you guys release! Cheers from small country of Bulgaria.

[YZFoFittie]

If people saw how Sport Bikes and Dirt bikes are "tested" at the factory before being put in a crate, they would likely never argue a hard break in procedure again. These vehicles are very high revving, high performance machines with incredible reliability and they are broken in by DYNO runs to verify output! =)

[gordowgwg]

A very touchy topic with about as many opinions are there are engine builders. Fortunately, modern tolerances and materials make this less critical for long engine life than it used to be.

For ME, usual practice is to start it at a fast idle, usually taken care of by the cold start/choke, and a quick visual check for leaks then drive it a shortish distance and recheck as it comes up to temp'. If everything still seems OK, then continue driving it with load and rpm increasing a bit to around 1/3rd throttle (depends on car) and up to half max' rpm then after 25-30 miles(40-50kms) return and, for my own vehicles, change the oil and filter and recheck everything, make adjustments as required and continue driving it until around 300 miles (500kms) I'm using full throttle and rpm, when I'll give it another oil and filter change with the good stuff. Seems to work OK so far and oil consumption on the engines seems to be low with good torque.

That said, different honing methods (finish, plates used, etc), ring materials and design, bore materials, even pistons - especially if gas ported, etc, can make significant differences in the proceedure required. Oh, and intended use - a high end drag engine will be rebuilt between runs and the 'break in' is done between firing it up and staging for the run, but a commuting vehicle may be expected to last hundreds of thousands of miles with low oil consumption.

So best practice, I guess, is to go by the recommendations of the various manufacturers.
Remember, with a build it is up to YOU to do your research and get as much information as you can then YOU have to make the best call you can because if it turns to crap, it is YOU that is going to have to pay to remedy it.

[DodgyBrothersEngineering]

I've always tended to err on the side of caution rather than going hell for leather. I have noticed those people who thrash it from the start are more prone to blowing smoke after a short time, whereas I never seem to have that problem. I don't baby it, but I also don't hit WOT until it has had a real good chance to break in.

[adamkhan]

Raced professionally for years in all different categories with different engine sizes and specs and was a test driver for Renault F1. All I can say is ghe engines that made the best power were engines that were thrashed from the off (warmed up obvs before doing so) but those engines that were used gently to begin with ended up being less reliable and making less power (of the same type).

[PastorOfMuppetsVIVIVI]

Getting my ej257 long block fully built so this helped a lot, great video.

[mrfumetsu]

These same principals and theories match the break in procedure from the shop I just got my engine from, good stuff! After 50 miles my break in is complete, send it!

[boostedbuiltgarage]

Great video! Makes me feel better knowing that I run my engines in, in a very similar procedure👌

[Bull]

good information but old news to aircraft people. Standard practice these days is straight mineral oil for first 25-50hrs or until oil consumption stabilizes. Then go to your preferred oil - synthetic or whatever. Don't use an oil with detergents or friction modifiers during run-in, as you say. Run in above 75% power if temps are under control, vary throttle setting, keep the rings seated on the bores. I own old Alfas (2L Nord engine), notorious for being smoky and burning oil. My theory is that the factory recommended running-in schedule is exactly the worse thing you could do! Drive it like you stole it.

[allancnc]

Finally i found one that confirm what i have always been saying :)

[LarsFuglsang]

Love your videos, thank you so much, when i have time ill will take your full courses, to lean more about engine building and tuning.. :) Thanks again for the free videos, this is a great service for all, and so needed!

[tazgrant]

The way I do it is first start up I rev to between 2 and 3000 revs so cams get plenty of lubrication and if new valve springs putting a heat cycle into them with the engine up to temperature. I then switch off and leave engine for 24hrs. I then next day get it up to temperature then go up and down with the throttle and rev it to not more than 4000rpm. I load the engine now and again but mostly just up and down with the revs. The vacuum of coming off throttle pull the rings onto the bore. I do this for 50 miles but it will be tricky if you have no where to do this for obvious reasons. I then change oil and filter but cut open old one looking for metal particles that are not supposed to be there. If ok I then go and do the same up and down with revs but rev it to 5-6000 revs and load the engine more by finding hilly roads to do it on. There is no blow by after the engine has done high mileage and after a engine strip down old rings are reused if bore is ok. This method I have done on bikes also but rev them slightly higher. Other methods can work but this way is proven to work well for longevity of engine components. Mineral oil is used up to the 1000 mile mark then whatever oil after that. Oil filter and oil is also replaced at 500miles then again at 1000.

[KemalDaysal]

Hello,

I have a 2005 Renault Laguna 2 1.9 Dci (F9Q 750) (120 HP) that have been rebuilt on Feb 11. Everything has been renewed with new ones except crankshaft, camshaft and piston rods. The reason of rebuilding it was burning oil (350ml / 1000km and blue smoke especially on cold) and high blowby at idle on oil cap. The cylinders has been bored by 0.5mm and new oversized pistons inserted. The car runs fine without any leaks, without any smoke at operating temperature and it's powerful now. Still has a little bit of blowby smoke on pcv valve at idle at operating temperature but i hope it'll be gone when break-in procedure is finished.

My concern is, the service put a factory suggested Elf Evol 900 SXR 5W40 "Fully Synthetic" oil as initial oil and then they tested the car without my approval. They even said they redlined it on highway and went to 170 kmh which is contrary to break-in period and initial break-in hours. I researched about the break-in oil and break-in procedures and learned a few things but it was too late to tell them to service. They already done this stage. They didn't know about break-in oil anyway and said "use the oil which is recommended by factory as we did it like this". When i asked them about break-in procedure, they said drive it like you want it, it won't matter...

Since rebuilt, i've driven the car for 300 kilometers in 7 days and following the break-in procedures. Not lugging it, not overreving it, not passing 3000 rpm and avoiding full throttle sudden accelerations. I've been avoiding idling it for extended time. I've been using the RPM band widely as much as i can to help seating the rings to walls. In 3rd gear, accelerating smoothly from 2000 to 2800ish rpms then letting the foot off the gas and it drops slowly to 2000 again and repeating it on different gears when driving. Not driving it like a cruise control on same RPM.

My question is, should it break in like this with fully synthetic oil which is on the car for 260 kilometers? Should i stay with the synthetic oil inside until i reach 800kms and change it or should i change the oil and oil filter to mineral oil like Castrol GTX Essential 15W40 etc. immediately? I fear to glaze the cylinder walls or rings and can't successfully do the break-in procedure with the synthetic oil inside. I fear to damage the healthy turbo or other components with mineral oil too but the turbo repair is much more cheaper than an engine job which i paid significant amount of money. Is it too late for switching to mineral oil? Are my cylinders have been already glazed and rings wont seat as i fear this to happen? How should i test that?

What do you recommend in a situation like this? I was planning to do the first oil change when i reach 800kms after rebuild, then the second at 1300km and the 3rd at 4000km. I just want the engine to have a healthy break-in procedure and have a long life and decent performance. The money spent on oils and oil changes is not that much important. I want to drive this car healthy for 3-4 years, equals to 30.000 or 40.000 kilometers with my recent driving hours. I bought the car at August 2020 and have been fixing the problems caused by previous owner, sadly. I’m waiting for your advice, thank you for reading this and thanks for helping.

[jonathanjonnylightning]

Definitely change oil periodically though to get metal pieces out of oil filter though

[harrisonkay]

Mate, nice and clear video. Very informative. Liked and subbed.

[rickss]

Answer for those who didn't watch until the end...don't use "break-in" oils as they are just a marketing ploy and in most cases subpar to all other available over the counter oils.

[slofouru]

I have a built ej25 and everything from the intake and intercooler piping to exhaust and turbo are aftermarket. The ecu is a haltech 2500 and injectors are huge. It's going to be scary for me with so much money in the block and heads, and I'll have to do a lot of research to be sure it cranks asap.

[mickromer]

our general rule at work is once a big diesel is built it leaves the workshop with a fully loaded B-double..

[dny]

Suzuki RM125 recommend changing ring at 6 hours competition.
You can't afford to 'bed the ring' before racing again, so go straight back and race.
No bedding in is possible. Is that right?