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Man you REALLY like to flirt with the flame throwers mentioning regular oil in a C5 (without an explanation that is,,and even then some will say STILL use synthetic)!! Keep us posted!!
I'm new school....
use synthetic when breaking in a new engine.....
If it was a factory fresh engine, yes, but not one that was rebuilt. A rebuild is going to have a few more "contaminents" in it such as dust and cam lube, etc. So you want to do a lot more frequent changes on an engine like that (such as doing the first change after just a day or two, and then the second one a few hundred miles later) So there is no sense in wasting $$$ on expensive synthetic during this process. Running a conventional oil for a couple of weeks is not going to shorten the life of the engine at all anyhow. Just don't go do anything that would elevate the oil temps above 220F for any length of time while you're running the conventional oil.
Jerry,
Dont switch to synthetic for at least 2500 miles. With your high tension rings, the synthetic will immediatly stop ALL break in. But the organic oil will continue to allow the rings to seat.
Running regular oil will cost you about 10rwhp on the dyno, but I have seen it a million times. The guy switches to synthetic, then begins complaining he has oil consumption and/or blow by. Alot of times this is because he switches over to a synthetic based oil to soon.
Seriously, as an engine builder, it is not something we EVER reccomend. There is 100 different theories on how to seat the rings. But when it comes to oil use, safe is ALWAYS better.
After about 2500 miles, then, and only then, switch to synthetic.
Our reccomended break-in is as follows:
Joe Gibbs Break in oil 10/30 with high ZDDP, and filter for 30 minutes. Then change filter.
Change oil/Filter again at 2 hours, or 150 miles
Joe Gibbs break in oil with high ZDDP and new filter for additional 250 miles. Then change oil/filter
Regular 10/30 and good filter for additional 2000 miles. At 2000 miles, check your oil consumption. if you are fine, then switch to synthetic. If not, run hard to 3000 miles. Then swap to synthetic regardless.
This is our required break in for our customers motors.
OE rings, OE replacements, and alot of the low tension rings have extremely fast break in periods. But the moly steel rings dont break in that easy.
Originally Posted by TXZ0603
Motor is coming along nicely. Got one more dino oil change then I can go synth and get it on a dyno for tuning.
Yes, I actually stay with non synthetic for 5000 miles. I have not owned a new car with synthetic yet, but if I did, I would drain it and put in non synthetic. I just don't trust using synthetic for something as important as break in.
Ponders how all these Corvettes ever broke in with synthetic oil from the factory...... I would worry more about the dino oil baking and coking from the extreme heat of the turbos more than anything!
Ponders how all these Corvettes ever broke in with synthetic oil from the factory......
It's explained above, the OE rings seat very quickly even with synthetic oil, but with aftermarket high tension rings they need to stay away from synthetic at first for proper break in.
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