How would you break in your engine?

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Mar 11, 2011 | 04:52 PM

Roger Z06

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Drifting

Joined: Feb 2008

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From: Waveland MS

How would you break in your engine?

I just built a 408 stroker, filled it with break in oil, and I am ready to break it in. I was wondering what you would suggest me doing to properly break in my engine. It is an iron block with Akerly and Childs steel top napier second rings, 11.5 compression ratio.

Mar 11, 2011 | 06:22 PM

MG RED 99

Drifting

Joined: Oct 2003

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From: Warrenville Il

Perhaps contact the manufacturers of the parts you used. ie: ring company or block manufacturer for there suggestions. If you have a problem can always take it up with them later.

Mar 11, 2011 | 07:23 PM

stainless40cal

Drifting

Joined: Jul 2007

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Everyone feels diffrent about this...

I have always filled mine with oil, started up and let idle for 15 mins or so untill everything is good and hot. Then shut her down and changed the oil to get an left over junk out. Then go easy and diffrent rpm's for the next 300 miles or so.

Then again I have seen people hammer it down ten minutes after they fire it up and their motors are still running good...

Mar 11, 2011 | 08:03 PM

lionelhutz

Race Director

Joined: Apr 2007

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From: South Western Ontario

The GM break in recommendation is something like accelerating lightly to 3000rpm then coasting down to idle, accelerating heavier to 4000rpm then coasting to an idle and finally accelerating heavy to 5000rpm and then coasting to an idle. Then change the oiland you're good to go.

In reality, a properly built engine needs little break-in time. I'd just thing about holding back on the throttle and rpm's a little for the first while. Maybe drive around 80% for the first 200 or 300 miles.

Peter

Mar 12, 2011 | 01:45 AM

whitehooptie

Racer

Joined: Nov 2004

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From: Greenville Texas

Fill with some orielly brand oil. Start and let run until at operating temperature while. Shut down. Change oil and filter with orielly oil again. Drive it for 200 to 300 miles normal. When I say normal, I mean as in driving to work on a regular day. Don't beat the hell out of it but don't put around town either. After 300 miles, change oil and filter with whatever you normally use. That's what I've always done anyways.

Mar 12, 2011 | 07:04 AM

baxsom

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jun 2008

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From: Rockledge FL

It is not like the old flat tappet camshafts where you had to run it at 3K rpms for 20 mins then change the oil. Although I have seen articles that suggested to get it running and leak free then run the rpms up and let it engine brake back down a few times to seat the rings.

Mar 12, 2011 | 08:21 AM

Slow Z06

Le Mans Master

Joined: Oct 2006

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From: Houston TX

Started with dino oil, ran to temp, drained. New dino oil ran for 2 miles, drained. new dino oil ran for 100 miles, drained. new dino oil 1000 miles and drained. New synthetic, g2g

My builder said to run it and flush out the build gunk, then run it the way I want. All you basically need to do is seat the rings.