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Breaking in a new engine

3K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  gazman 
#1 ·
Came across an article on breaking in four-stroke engines, completely at odds to everything I've ever done.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Briefly, run the engine hard for 20 miles and then change the oil. Use petroleum oil for 1500 miles before synthetic.

Any thoughts?
 
#2 · (Edited)
ooooohhh!
Did you see what he asked????
(You'll be sorry :) )
Ha ha hahahahha

(This is almost as bad as the oil question!!!) :)

I am sorry dude, I will stop. I just couldn't help it.

I am not going to give an opinion though, because it would only be what everyone here will be able to provide, an opinion (unless they were the engineers of the MV's)
You are going to have to look at everyone's strategy, bump that against the manf. recommendations and then follow your heart.

Sorry for the heckling :)

Tree
 
#3 · (Edited)
So he has broken in 300 engines using that procedure with no problems. How many has he broken in that had big problems? More, fewer? That seems like a lot of engines. Until you compare it to, say, the number of factories building engines for cars, boats, motorcycles, atv's etc. who all run their engines on some sort of dyno before delivery just to make sure they are within spec.

I would ignore it. Follow the break in procedure in the manual for your bike.

You: "Hey the engine in my new bike blew up."
Dealer: "Did you follow the recommended break in procedure."
You: "No, but I read on the internet..."
 
#5 ·
Given that manufacturing tolerances are now so exact compared to just a few years ago, the main function of a run-in period is to bed the piston rings with the cylinders to achieve an effective seal.
A magazine article I have, tested a 6 year old CBR 600 on the dyno and found that it was down on power.
Solution was to run it to max revs a few times and they gained useful H.P. that way. Explanation was that modern lubrication and the high output of modern engines did not allow proper running in.
I still think that all the moving parts within an engine need some time to bed in. Just which is the best way to do this I will leave to the makers.
 
#6 ·
why has no one done an objective testing on bikes to see the best way to run in an engine?
I know manf. are conservative about EVERYTHING, but no one has done a back to back in a lab.
I know a crap load of racers who do the 'short and hot' break in, and i wonder do the manf. not let 'regular joe' do it because he may mess it up and it become a warranty issue.
..........
you dont have to answer, just thinking out loud.

Tree
 
#7 ·
You'd have to be brave, I agree. But to use the engine with a bit of purpose for 20 miles and then change the oil again (not abusing it), doesn't sound too extreme. It's the bit about waiting until 1500 miles before using synthetics again that sounds dodgy.

I've no plans to buy a new bike and try this out any time soon - anyone else fancy a go? :popcorn:

I have to say that I've driven many new cars in my time, all were used 'briskly' within a very short period (and continuously throughout their life) and none suffered noticeable damage as a result. I drove some of them subsequently to 150,000 miles (also a couple of bikes to 90,000 miles). On the other hand, I knew some cars that were thrashed at new and all turned into complete dogs by comparison.
 
#10 ·
I have to say that I've driven many new cars in my time, all were used 'briskly' within a very short period (and continuously throughout their life) and none suffered noticeable damage as a result. I drove some of them subsequently to 150,000 miles (also a couple of bikes to 90,000 miles). On the other hand, I knew some cars that were thrashed at new and all turned into complete dogs by comparison.
I have never followed manufacturers run in periods on any new cars or new bikes.

My wife has thrashed 2 new Audis up to 90,000kms. Nothing has blown up, both ran like a charm. My 2yr old Ducati has 20,000km and runs like a gem. I ignored the run-in.

All our vehicles have frequent oil changes and maintenance. IMO that is more important than the run in period.

All these cars/bikes with low kms needing engine rebuilds are because of owners not doing proper maintenance. If it was because they didn't follow a 1,000km run in scheme, all my cars/bikes would have blown up by now.
 
#9 ·
First off...the oil MV recommends is a full synthetic oil. So much for that.

Second off, racers don't use long break-in periods because they plane to rebuild their engines routinely. Do you?

Third off, piston rings need some brief high pressure to develop a good seal, but a lot of plain bearings and contacting surfaces inside the engine as well as the chassis, need to get to know each other before seeing high loads and heat.

You also need some break-in time to get used to the new ride. Call it fore-play.

You can do what you want, but I prefer to follow to manufacturers recommendations....and my bikes have enjoyed long trouble free lives (except my racers.....new pistons and clutch plates every race outing on the old TR3 Yamaha as example).
 
#12 ·
First off...the oil MV recommends is a full synthetic oil. So much for that.

Second off, racers don't use long break-in periods because they plane to rebuild their engines routinely. Do you?

Third off, piston rings need some brief high pressure to develop a good seal, but a lot of plain bearings and contacting surfaces inside the engine as well as the chassis, need to get to know each other before seeing high loads and heat.
Dont they run all of our engines before they are set in the frame???

Dont racers just use the 'heat cycle-short-break-in'

Isn't the third point what racer engine run in operate off of??

All of this thought we have here is inconclusive speculation without a direct scientific test reference.:lightning
..............
but i do like hearing what everyone has done:)
 
#11 ·
Here is the plain and simple explanation. Most all engine surfaces do not require break in. Rings do require seating.

"breaking in" will allow mismatched surfaces to "wear" slowly to clearance, but that is designed to compensate for manufacturing errors.

Clearances are exactly that. A rod bearing journal (on the crank)and the rod end are machined to exacting tolerances to leave clearance between the bearing (when installed) and the crank journal. This allows room for the oil. These clearances are very close....maybe around .002 of an inch...for autos....not sure about cycles. If they are too tight, and "worn" to clearance, the bearing will quickly wear and cause failure.

If the parts were meant to "wear" together, then what would be the point of oil.

I have not read the article mentioned at the beginning of this thread.....so it may already explain that.

While not an expert, this is what I learned while working at a machine shop, Racing Head Service. We built racing engines for all types of cars and trucks. I was head of the Rod and Piston department and directly responsible for rod and piston clearances/ machining and balancing in ALL the engines that were built.

Also, think about the millions of cars sold....most internal combustion engines share the same architecture.....i would venture to say most are not "broken in" to manufacturer recommendations.

BUT in the end, it does not hurt to follow the recommendations in the event of a claim.
 
#13 ·
i'll throw my hat into the ring

Well the procedure that i use is heat cycles with varying load.

Fire the bike up for the first time and let it idle to build heat up inside the cylinders and more importantly the crank cases.

do this a few times without touching the throttle. On the 3rd or 4th time start gently increasing the revs per heat cycle. Each time the engine is run you increase the peak revs that you go to.

Keep doing this untill you can rev/blip the engine to the limiter.

Then the bike can be used and very quickly have load put through it.

Always us mineral oil during the running in period, avoid sustained extremes i.e. high revs, high loads etc.

I've used this method for every engine that i have built and raced and i always make good strong power, do not consume oil or smoke. My Big single cylinder engines were/are running a 2thou piston to barrel clearance, at 4 thou i write them off.

If i have built the engine myself i use the above method, if it is a new bike and not built by me then i'll do a few heat cycles and start putting it under load on the dyno quite quickly. The key to each method is bieng properly heated up.

:)
 
#14 ·
I hear alot of people who vouch for the Chris's technique, but they all said that the requirements of sustained rpm requires you to have a long run or a dyno (because of the time/load needed).
Us mere non dyno havin mortals must just deal with the long manf. 'on the road' break in
:)

2c Tree
 
#15 ·
If you stick to the break in period in the owners manual exactly then you won't have a lot of fun for the first few miles.

Not sure if anyone is familiar with the TV series 'twist the throttle'

But basically most of the big manufacturers run a brand spanking new engine up to maximum rpm for a minute or two before its even released from the factory! evidently for short periods its no problem even on a new bike just to take it to the red line on a test ride etc or the odd occasion.
 
#16 ·
The Bogie Method

Engine break can and should be done at the dealer

1) Purchase bike with free one time detail and tire change.
2) Bring a new set of tires that you really want on the bike
3) Roll bike into parking lot just outside front door, park it upwind and leave door open
4) check oil level
5) start bike and let it warm up to 157 degrees
6) Get on bike
7) When temp gets to 181 start burn out
8) Continue burnout until rear tire is fried
9) roll bike into service area
10) have tires swapped out and bike detailed
11) scrub in new tires and have fun :f4:
 
#17 ·
The Bogie Method

Engine break can and should be done at the dealer

1) Purchase bike with free one time detail and tire change.
2) Bring a new set of tires that you really want on the bike
3) Roll bike into parking lot just outside front door, park it upwind and leave door open
4) check oil level
5) start bike and let it warm up to 157 degrees
6) Get on bike
7) When temp gets to 181 start burn out
8) Continue burnout until rear tire is fried
9) roll bike into service area
10) have tires swapped out and bike detailed
11) scrub in new tires and have fun :f4:
HAHAHHAH
'Earth Load' break in :naughty:
 
#22 ·
I've heard about not using synthetic oil till you get some mileage on the bikes but it may not be relevant today as oil technology has changed a lot. It's something that was always recommended by dealers/mechanics 20 years ago. I haven't heard it from anyone in recent years though.
 
#23 ·
I heard the same and i am inclined to believe it as the synth oil is too slippery and will not allow the same 'seating' as a mineral would.
But on the other hand alot of engines come from manf. nowadays with some time on them (despite saying 0 on the odometer) and so they have already been seated and you, as a new owner, are just doing the final flush of sediments.
why wont manufacturers tell the truth. :-(
 
#24 ·
Somebody told me once that Ducati wouldn't warrant their gear boxes unless you used part synthetic oil and not full synthetic?? Dunno whether it is true or not!

I have used part synthetic in my MVs. I just buy the best that I can afford at the time but dont go for the dearest and drive the bike across most of the rev range during running in but not the extreme high stuff!!.

It seems all MVs spend quite a bit of time (minutes??) on the test bed or bench and later on the bike before rolling out the door.

With today's advanced machining and casting technologies 'running in' possibly isn't as important as it was 20 years ago.

One of the Ducati boys down here recently had trouble with the valves on a Desmo (I think it was?!) $1200 dollars for one titanium valve and he ended up needing five in a near new motor... any Oz boys hear that story ... told to me by a mate with a 1198s Duc!!!

Titanium valves are not as strong as steel and they can wear quite fast???

I think the 312R has titanium inlet only???

gary
 
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