Preheating Joe Gibbs break in oil to 180F

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tanis4457

tanis4457

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I noticed with the Joe Gibbs BR break in oil, they recommend getting the temp up to 180F prior to firing. Does anyone do this if so, what method? Pot of hot water with the quarts in there? Thanks
 
tanis4457 said:
I noticed with the Joe Gibbs BR break in oil, they recommend getting the temp up to 180F prior to firing. Does anyone do this if so, what method? Pot of hot water with the quarts in there? Thanks
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you can install a "soft plug" heater. My 79 300 w/360 came with one, as an option, from the factory. they also make heater blankets you can place on the outside of your oil pan. I don't know that they will get to 180 degrees, though.
 
For me, no. There are a couple of companies, like JGR, that recommend this practice. Most other mfrs do not. I use Valvoline products, have not, do not, pre-heat the oil. People can get as anal as possible about stuff, but this seems like overkill. Besides, Valvoline is $4 / quart cheaper. $20 bucks buys a couple of filters.
 
Depending on where you live, you could probably just leave the quarts of oil in a hot car parked in the sun for a couple hours.

Or if you have an outdoor bbq with a side burner, pour all the oil in a pot and heat it up like a turkey fry.

I was once stationed in Alaska and in the dead of winter, the gearbox on my Jeep was frozen solid after getting stuck in the bogs the day prior. The oil was too contaminated with water that the engine could not turn it over. Flipped over a trash can lid, put hot charcoal briquettes in and slid it underneath. Changed the oil and I was good to go!
 
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Get a magnetic oil pan heater then return it once engine is broke in...
I understand the zinc isnt active until a certain temp. Or something to that effect???
 
Unless it's warmed in the motor it'll never be 180 once it gets in the motor anyway.
I guess a person could be as careful as possible because of what's at stake, but I have NEVER seen anyone actually do that.
 
It's warm enough here to start without a preheat.

Are you taking video of this? I for one am damn sure interested!!!!!

Can't wait to hear it run.
 
I broke a motor in during the winter once ... left the magnetic heater on overnight then filled the radiator with hot water prior to start up.
I have no idea if it made a difference .
 
I've never even imagined doing this LOL. Maybe I just lack imagination.....Used Gibbs break-in and just ran it at room temp. Honestly, I think the type and quality of the cam lube is the key things. Moly paste only for me...
mbaird said:
I understand the zinc isnt active until a certain temp. Or something to that effect???
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My understanding from repeated readings of scientific descriptions is that it is pressure that primarily promotes the formation of ZDDP protective films. And I've seen nothing saying it simply won't work at much lower temps; just that it forms a film faster at some higher temps.

Which makes me wonder if part of the beneficial reason to keep the RPM's up is to get the oil temps up and speed up the ZDDP action.....???? Hmmm....
 
I've worked in Dyno for 38 yrs for one of the Big 3. It's to reduce friction on start up. If your OCD it does work. But over kill.
 
We did it on most of the high Hp motors on the Dyno. Not so much on the stock or cheap ones.
 
Yes thick oil pumps harder. Plus if you heat the oil in the pan the block warms up too. Nascar does it in the car. Their oil tank has a heater in it. This is very standard stuff for the Big 3
 
Kats sells a magnetic heater, that you can stick on the oil pan.
I use it in the dead of winter help my old stuff start easier.
It runs around $30 bucks and can be used on anything like thawing water pipes etc.
 
sireland67 said:
Kats sells a magnetic heater, that you can stick on the oil pan.
I use it in the dead of winter help my old stuff start easier.
It runs around $30 bucks and can be used on anything like thawing water pipes etc.
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We had one of Driven's techs at our shop during a dyno session with John McGann of Car Craft, running a sb mopar. The tech told us the reason they like to see 180° is they claim that's when the additives "work" or "energize". Nothing was said about heating the oil prior to startup...and he was there for that. And once the oil reached 180°, they attach themselves to the metal parts of the engine helping reduce startup wear. Was interesting.
 
Thanks for the info everyone, I'm planning on capturing vid of the start up. I'll add it to my ongoing engine build thread when I get it.
 
I am far from a petrochemical engineer, but I do build drones which use high performance piston engines. We do use the Joe Gibbs break in oil when breaking in engines. We do not pre-heat the oil, and the engineer in charge of the engines is as anal as all get out.

Our protocols do call for warming up the engines at specific rpm settings prior to flight. As well as changing oil between flights.

These drones do operate in environments with a bit more sand than the average American muscle car experiences, and they do just fine.

Plenty of people break in flat tappet cams every day without pre-heating the damn oil.

Preheat your oil, or not. It's your call.
 
Ottmundr said:
I am far from a petrochemical engineer, but I do build drones which use high performance piston engines. We do use the Joe Gibbs break in oil when breaking in engines. We do not pre-heat the oil, and the engineer in charge of the engines is as anal as all get out.

Our protocols do call for warming up the engines at specific rpm settings prior to flight. As well as changing oil between flights.

These drones do operate in environments with a bit more sand than the average American muscle car experiences, and they do just fine.

Plenty of people break in flat tappet cams every day without pre-heating the damn oil.

Preheat your oil, or not. It's your call.
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Hey Ott...send me a PM when you have a bit of time to chit chat. I'd like to wrack your brain about what you posted if you don't mind? Thanks

YR
 
What lame brain crap, yeah... uh I'll tell my f1 crew chief to heat that oil before firing the motor.

After hearing and reading stuff like that...I start to think half the population were dropped on their heads.
 
Just to throw in some data here. I own a NASCAR Stock Car built by Bill Davis Racing that was campaigned by Ward Burton back in the early 2000's. It has a Pontiac 355 siamese block with a dry sump and external oil pump. It is a REQUIREMENT to heat the oil to 180 degrees (all 4 gallons of it) on start up, and even spin that external pump up to 20-30 psi oil pressure for a bit before the starter is engaged. Another racecar I have (2014 Radical) also has an oil heater on board for its Hayabusa four cylinder that has the same requirement before start up (heat to 180). Both cars are fitted with electric probes in the oil sumps. Yes they do it in F1, and any other close tolerance race series engine. Why? Well it does aid in flow, plus it gets the race engine to temperature and ready for RPM much quicker. I am not so sure it "activates" any molecules in the zinc or the like. But it is a real thing. Operating temperature (180) is ideal for a lot of things. They don't like being cold, or too hot. So getting it to 180 before even starting it would be beneficial.
 
MichaelB. said:
Just to throw in some data here. I own a NASCAR Stock Car built by Bill Davis Racing that was campaigned by Ward Burton back in the early 2000's. It has a Pontiac 355 siamese block with a dry sump and external oil pump. It is a REQUIREMENT to heat the oil to 180 degrees (all 4 gallons of it) on start up, and even spin that external pump up to 20-30 psi oil pressure for a bit before the starter is engaged. Another racecar I have (2014 Radical) also has an oil heater on board for its Hayabusa four cylinder that has the same requirement before start up (heat to 180). Both cars are fitted with electric probes in the oil sumps. Yes they do it in F1, and any other close tolerance race series engine. Why? Well it does aid in flow, plus it gets the race engine to temperature and ready for RPM much quicker. I am not so sure it "activates" any molecules in the zinc or the like. But it is a real thing. Operating temperature (180) is ideal for a lot of things. They don't like being cold, or too hot. So getting it to 180 before even starting it would be beneficial.
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You are talkin application specific situations. You wouldn't heat the oil in a Pro Stock engine. It's water thin to begin with.

I've never preheated oil on a fire up yet. Not even when I burned alcohol.
 
MichaelB. said:
I have no problem with that. Its just a data point for reference Vs plain old naysayers.
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times change, opinions change. When I was in HS, it was enough to just get a good cross-hatch on the cylinders, then a few years later, people were honing with head torque plates, then it was honing machines, then it was mirror finishes in the cylinders for moly rings, then it was running hot water thru the blocks while honing. My point is what seems over the top now, may be common practice in another decade or two.
 
MichaelB. said:
Just to throw in some data here. I own a NASCAR Stock Car built by Bill Davis Racing that was campaigned by Ward Burton back in the early 2000's. It has a Pontiac 355 siamese block with a dry sump and external oil pump. It is a REQUIREMENT to heat the oil to 180 degrees (all 4 gallons of it) on start up, and even spin that external pump up to 20-30 psi oil pressure for a bit before the starter is engaged. Another racecar I have (2014 Radical) also has an oil heater on board for its Hayabusa four cylinder that has the same requirement before start up (heat to 180). Both cars are fitted with electric probes in the oil sumps. Yes they do it in F1, and any other close tolerance race series engine. Why? Well it does aid in flow, plus it gets the race engine to temperature and ready for RPM much quicker. I am not so sure it "activates" any molecules in the zinc or the like. But it is a real thing. Operating temperature (180) is ideal for a lot of things. They don't like being cold, or too hot. So getting it to 180 before even starting it would be beneficial.
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My understanding is the oil needs to be preheated and primed because the bearing clearances are so big and all the parts have such a tight fit on those kinds of racing engines. Formula 1 engines are built so tight that they won't even turn over unless they're preheated, the pistons stick in the cylinders.
 
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