Trav wrote:
...It seems very tempting to me, espeically since I am only after breaking the rings in.
The only thing I really don't like is the suggestion to use automotive oil for the first however many miles.
There is a peculiar kind of logic to the man's theories, and with today's improved oils and metallurgy, I'm sure he's obtained results.
Change Your Oil Right Away !!
The best thing you can do for your engine is to change your oil and filter after the first 20 miles. Most of the wearing in process happens immediately, creating a lot of metal in the oil. Plus, the amount of leftover machining chips and other crud left behind in the manufacturing process is simply amazing !! You want to flush that stuff out before it gets recycled and embedded in the transmission gears, and oil pump etc...
That part is spot on.
Q: If break- in happens so quickly, why do you recommend using petroleum break- in oil for 1500 miles ??
A: Because while about 80% of the ring sealing takes place in the first hour of running the engine,
the last 20% of the process takes a longer time. Street riding isn't a controlled environment, so most of the mileage may not be in "ring loading mode". Synthetic oil is so slippery that it actually "arrests" the break in process before the rings can seal completely. I've had a few customers who switched to synthetic oil too soon, and the rings never sealed properly no matter how hard they rode. Taking a new engine apart to re - ring it is the last thing anyone wants to do, so I recommend a lot
of mileage before switching to synthetic. It's really a "better safe than sorry" situation.
I see what he's getting at.
Basically, the higher-viscosity natural oil allows increased friction with the cross-hatched hone acting as a "file", and wanking it up pressurizes the rings against the cross hatch to get the job done.
Don't ask me to guarantee his claims, but he does make a fair amount of sense.
The biggest safeguard to a fresh motor is indeed that quick 20 minute / 20 mile oil change.
Secondly, he advocates a controlled "hard" break in, not merely *running the pi$$ out of it*.
Beyond that, there's a creeping line of thought these days that since synthetic oils came along, naturals are junk, which certainly isn't true - back during WWII, they ran commonly ran the snot out of 18 and 27 cylinder air cooled radials at overboost ratings with little in the way of break-in periods on natural oils that can't hold a candle to today's.
Myself, I'd think that 300-500 miles of natural oil break-in for street riding would be fine, but I'm not him.
Let us know how it turns out...