Engine break in?

Anyone else read this? A few guys on another one of my board have, and they say it works just like the guy says in the article. He's talking bike specific, but says it applys to all vehicles. What do you think?

engne break in method

-Jeff

 

thats really interesting, especially since I will have to be breaking in my own engine in not too long... I don't know if I have the cojones to use that method though.

 

bttt... I wanna hear if anyone has done this.

 

Eric,
I just recently (within the last year or so) built a 22r for the rock truck and this is exactly how I broke it in. Got on the freeway and just kept nailing it between third and fourth til I burned up half a tank of gas. Drove around town alot(alternate speeds) and punched it every chance I got for about a month. Seems to be just fine now, 15,000 mile later.

 

I've heard the same sort of thing from a friend of mine who used to race go karts in south africa. The other teams would build their engines and go eazy on them warming them up and whatnot, and he would hammer on his right from the start. He won quite a few races. I've seen the trophies.

Deke

 

Thats the same info my dad told me. Think about all the Circle track and drag racers that drop a new engine in between rounds that never do mor ethan warm em up?

 

He's right. Warm it up only till the oil has time to start circulating and vary the speeds under load without getting the engine hot. Factory wants you to go easy on it first 500 miles probably to give it a chance to work all the bits and pieces out of the oil p***ages and valve train the sloppy *******s didn't take time to properly clean out when they built it. Gives the rest of the vehicle time to settle in and start working together too. (Leaf springs, shocks, belts, motorcycle chains, brakes). Also it gives the driver or rider time to be accustomed to the vehicle and learn the feel of it before he gets stupid with the throttle. (I think that's the hidden REAL reason!)

 

Yeah, sounds right to me. I bought my sb 400 built off of this old race engine guy we are friends with. He said to stomp it for about 15 minutes, at like 4500-5000 rpm, said it would help the rings to seat and if I didn't do it this way, it could mess up the cam.

 

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He said to stomp it for about 15 minutes, at like 4500-5000 rpm, said it would help the rings to seat and if I didn't do it this way, it could mess up the cam.

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Don't confuse cam break-in with engine break-in. The cam lobes rely solely on splash lubrication - it's common knowledge that you need to run your engine for 15-20 mins at 2000-2500rpm to ensure adequate splash lubrication for the cam as the lobes & lifters get to know each other...

...that extra 2K your friend is mentioning sounds a bit extreme...

 

That extra RPM for cam breakin is to get and keep the lifters spinning in their bores. If you let a new engine idle and the lifters don't spin so they can MATE with the cam, that lifter will NEVER spin and will wipe out the cam in a hurry, thats the reason for the EXTRA rpm at breakin.

Thats the reason a roller cam needs NO special breakin, their lifters DON't spin in their bores.

 

Fair enough - but what makes them spin is the shape of the lobe. The top of the lobe is not parallel with the centerline of the camshaft - this is what imparts the spin necessary to prevent wiping out the lobes...

 

I had a friend that bought a new 1971 Duster 340-4 speed. As soon as he had the papers signed and the keys in hand he went out of the dealership in a tire smoking drift onto the street and that's how he broke it in. It was the baddest car around and had such notriety we would have to travel several towns away on Saturday nights to take money from unsuspecting victims. I saw several 440 six packs and 454 Chevells fall prey to that Duster.
Break them in like you are going to drive 'em. I always do the initial run up to break in the cam and then go out and full throttle accelerate then decelerate in about 2nd gear. Don't rev high but repeat this process about 10 times, change the oil and check everything over, put the hood back on and rock. It is, however, bad juju to put the hood on until after the shakedown.

 

Dang, I think I might do this then when the time comes... Its my first engine build... I've got alot of money in it... don't want to **** it up