Break in time for new engine

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MyBlueCuda

MyBlueCuda

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I just finished installing a 408 stroker in my Cuda. I'm using Royal Purple Break-in Oil. The car will be mostly street/strip use. How long do you all think on break in time? Should I baby it for about 500 miles? Or should I just run it now like I plan to in the future? It's already been on a dyno and tested at 470 HP. I'm also running a 727 trans, 3000 stall converter, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.73 gears. Thanks for your feedback. :)
 
most say drive it like you stole it, I don't know I only have about 200 miles on my stroker, and I have not had it over 5000.....yet....., but I am sure you'll get lots of opinions, I think once the rings are broken in, should be good to go..
 
Yea I couldn't stand the wait the other day and ran it up to 4500 rpm on the highway for a second. I'm thinking I may have to get some depends before I really romp on it!
 
I've always "cycled" my motors.
Take it easy for the first 200-300 miles then start excelerating up to highway speed then let it cool down.Repeat often.
The heat and cool down sets the motor up for hard running in the future.Like it's going to be run.most race teams do it this way or a version of it.
 
I run mine thru several heat cycles after cam break in, change the oil. Head to the track.
1st pass shift at 4500, let engine do the braking to "load" the rings.
Next pass 5k or so, same engine brake.
Little higher on the 3rd
Then let er eat.
You may also notice a drop in operating temp once everything is seated and happy.
Many ring manufacturers claim they seat upon start up.
 
I always run them hard as soon as they are in the car after initial break in . So far it has worked , if they are built well they last , some small error or defective part in the build they go fast .
Got this advice from the shop that built my first high perf motor , he seemed confident the motor would last , and it did 100,000 miles and was still going strong when I sold it .
 
If they took it to 470 hp on the dyno, then it is 'broken in".

Drive it as hard as you have the sack to. Nothing is going to "seat" or change after a few dyno pulls.

Some folks like to re-torque after the dyno, but I have never felt that did anything for the assembly.

Drop it in the car, put fresh oil in it and drive it. Change the oil at 2k.

B.
 
NO!!! Don't do what any of these guys said!
It's a time bomb just waiting to go off. Pull that motor immediately and set it out by the curb. I'll be by shortly to dispose of it properly for you - under the hood of my Dart!
No need to thank me. Just trying to do my civic duty!
 
MyBlueCuda said:
Yea I couldn't stand the wait the other day and ran it up to 4500 rpm on the highway for a second. I'm thinking I may have to get some depends before I really romp on it!
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You got tall gears, great for a storker. I got 3.91's for my 340 and its @ 4,000 rpm's at 75 mph--which is normal freeway speeds, you will get pass after so long.

Quieter mufflers are a big help to make it feel more smooth, I noticed that when i changed out the mufflers.

When i broke my engine in I ran it for 40 mins to break the cam in, changed the oil, drove around 400 miles and changed the oil again. Only after 500 miles did i really start beating on it--hello 6,500 rpm on the freeways, lol
 
let me think what I did for the last 2 engine I did

let it ran 1/2 hour at 3000 rpm for the first one
change the oil and drove it like I stole it
this engine ran very well for almost 10 years
and I sold it to a friend

for the second one its a roller cam so no breaking
was needed for that parts so I let it ran at 1500 rpm
for 1/2 hours and ounce again I drove it like it was stole
still running this engine for the last 3 years
 
Moly rings... run it hard after a couple heat cycles.

Unless it was machined by Fred Flinstone and comparable time frame equipment, run it hard.

What do you think happens to an engine that is put on a dyno for first fire up. Last one I did had a few minutes to warm up to operating temp and check for leaks. It then got treated to about 30-40 pulls from 3500-4000 to 5500+ rpm.
 
crackedback said:
Moly rings... run it hard after a couple heat cycles.

Unless it was machined by Fred Flinstone and comparable time frame equipment, run it hard.

What do you think happens to an engine that is put on a dyno for first fire up. Last one I did had a few minutes to warm up to operating temp and check for leaks. It then got treated to about 30-40 pulls from 3500-4000 to 5500+ rpm.
Click to expand...

Like cracked said..............it's broke in!
 
MyBlueCuda said:
I just finished installing a 408 stroker in my Cuda. I'm using Royal Purple Break-in Oil. The car will be mostly street/strip use. How long do you all think on break in time? Should I baby it for about 500 miles? Or should I just run it now like I plan to in the future? It's already been on a dyno and tested at 470 HP. I'm also running a 727 trans, 3000 stall converter, 8 3/4 sure grip with 3.73 gears. Thanks for your feedback. :)
Click to expand...

The dyno session broke it in....time to have fun...!!!!!!! :glasses7:

Rickster
 
Took a little advice from everyone. Having fun now. Planning drag strip in about 2 weeks. Thanks everyone!
 
Are you going to run it at KCIR? Let me know when you are going and I might meet you down there.
 
It needs to be ran hard right out of the gate. Those rings (moly) need to be seated. I've read a article not long ago and it was talking about this very subject. If the engine isn't ran with some sort of back pressure to seat the rings they may not ever seat there power lose. I bought a brand new motorcycle not long ago. It showed .4 on the odometer. On the way home I got down on it pretty hard and let it rip down the interstate (Triumph might have "dogged" the engine at the plant I will never know) like I it had 50,000 miles on it.
 
I use conventional oil or break in oil to start then change the oil and use conventional oil then also.I dont use syn oil till the 2nd oil change helps to cut the cylinder.Syn oil slows the process and may never let the molly rings seat.The syn oil is too slick and is made to have less friction but friction is what seat the cylinders.
 
Great post, this question has puzzled me for a long time.
When the automakers build an engine there is really no break in period like all the discussions above, at the auto factory the engine is assembled installed in a new vehicle sold and someone drives the car, you never hear people talking about their engine break in period, although if you read the owners manual there is a blurb about the first few thousand miles.
Enjoyed all these post
 
GeorgeGerhard said:
Great post, this question has puzzled me for a long time.
When the automakers build an engine there is really no break in period like all the discussions above, at the auto factory the engine is assembled installed in a new vehicle sold and someone drives the car, you never hear people talking about their engine break in period, although if you read the owners manual there is a blurb about the first few thousand miles.
Enjoyed all these post
Click to expand...


I used to hear the engine had to be broken in. You took the car back to the dealership after a few hundred miles to have the idle speed adjusted again--least some folks did that. You were to limit the car speed for the first 500 miles and no towing till after 500 miles.

things were really different 45 years ago. You used to sit in your car at gas stations while they pump fuel in your car and checked the engine oil level. At the gas station they would adjust the idle speed if you asked.

I was just a tiny kid but recall seeing all that, then to save money at gas stations full service went away in the 70's--good thing or gas might have kept going up--wait it still did:thumbdow:
 
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