Break in

This is one of the most debated subjects there ever was.

IMPORTANT THING YOU WANT TO DO after you run it the first time is to RETORQUE THE HEAD...Run it, let it get completely stone cold, then retorque the head.

After that...whatever method you choose to break in the engine is up to you but MAKE DAM CERTAIN YOU RETORQUE THE HEAD..

CHECK! CHECK! and CHECK!

I break all my engines in hard. I start it up and ride gently until it is warmed up. Then I make about 10 hard pulls in third gear from about 20 MPH up to red line, then I let off the gas and coast using engine compression to slow me. After those hard pulls I change the oil and filter and ride the next 500 miles pretty hard varying my RPM's. Change the oil and filter again and ride it like normal.
All my engines have lasted a very long time with great performance and without using oil using this style of break in. If you baby the enigne you WILL have problems with it using oil and it will NOT perform as it should.
Oh yeah I also try and find the oldest 30 weight oil I can find and use it for break-in. I have found the new multi vescosity oils are to good and I have had to re-ring several engines due to the newer oils not allowing the rings to seat properly. I buy all the older 30 weight oil I can find just for engine break in.

Post edited by: baldy110, at: 2007/08/09 11:16

Post edited by: baldy110, at: 2007/08/09 11:16

baldy110 wrote:

I break all my engines in hard. ........

Oh yeah I also try and find the oldest 30 weight oil I can find and use it for break-in. I have found the new multi vescosity oils are to good and I have had to re-ring several engines due to the newer oils not allowing the rings to seat properly. I buy all the older 30 weight oil I can find just for engine break in.

Post edited by: baldy110, at: 2007/08/09 11:16<br><br>Post edited by: baldy110, at: 2007/08/09 11:16

Are you just using straight 30w? And how old is old oil, what rating is it?

I agree about a hard break-in too.

Thanks

baldy110, very interesting version of seating the rings you have there. What make or brand rings did you have when you did your last engine?

Wiseco rings and pistons. This is not an unusual way to break in engines. It's used by top engine builders also and airplane piston engine maufactures. Babying a fresh engine is the worst thing you can do it. My last KZ650 engine had about 148,000 miles and was still running great and not using much oil. I rebuilt it simply to install a big bore kit. This method works.
For whatever reason I have found the rings seat better with straight weight oils. I have two cases left of very old valvoline 30 weight in cans no less, that I use for break in. Don't know what I am going to do when I run out.

baldy110 wrote:

Wiseco rings and pistons. This is not an unusual way to break in engines. It's used by top engine builders also and airplane piston engine maufactures. Babying a fresh engine is the worst thing you can do it. My last KZ650 engine had about 148,000 miles and was still running great and not using much oil. I rebuilt it simply to install a big bore kit. This method works.
For whatever reason I have found the rings seat better with straight weight oils. I have two cases left of very old valvoline 30 weight in cans no less, that I use for break in. Don't know what I am going to do when I run out.

try rottela deisle oil, it has more nickel and anti wear additives that others, and it comes in high grades too.

You don't want the anti wear additives for breaking in a new engine that is why the newer oils don't work as well. The newer engines in cars and bikes are designed to be used with the new oils so the factories machine the parts better so breaking in the engines are easier and faster than the old style engines we have.
I have tried to break in our older engines on the the newest wazzoo oils and have had to tear the engines down and re-ring them again due to high oil consumption and low power.
Ok, I'm done now.

yep this is true. you want to use car oil essentially to seat the rings. petroleum based oil not that super slippery synthetic stuff. save that for after you seat those rings. and i intend to break in my 810 kit just like baldy said. exactly!

I agree with the oil. I used the cheapest car oil I could lay my hands on to break in my turbo engine. Ran it at varying speeds for about 20-25 miles. Then replaced the oil to a better motorcycle grade and changed the filter.

Make sure if you have an oil cooler that after you run the engine for the very first time, check the oil level before going out. The cooler and pipes usually take a reasonable amount of oil out of the sump. Don't want to run low on your first trip.

A boat load of useful information, thanks guys, you are all very helpful. I just now located a plastic inner fender but still have yet to purchass it. Thats where im at on the build. Then the wire loom gets installed, mags spaced and mounted, it wont be long before I indroduce sparks to bring her alive.

rotella isnt new aged waszoo oil, its as close to old oil your going to get and its cheap, if you buy it by the bucket (walmart and fleetfarms) you'll pop the lid of to find particles in the bottom. :ohmy:

same stuff you want to run in a muscle car with a fresh engine, my machine shop reccomended it for breakin oil, and they do mostly high performance engines ranging from 2-stroke dirtbikes to alcohol strip motors so i trust their judgment, my motor broke in great on the stuff.