best new engine break-in oil? advice on seating in rings

[Chuck78]

what is the best oil(s) to use that wont protect the rings too well, but will protect the moving parts enough? & should I change after 20 or 40 miles? Fresh oil at 100 miles??? I'll cut and paste some past info from this site for deciphering:

The best type of running-in oil is one that provides mechanical protection yet, at the same time, permits bedding-in to take place. Wide span multigrades use a base oil in line with the cold temperature viscosity that is then thickened with polymers. Ideal running-in oils are monogrades with only moderate levels of performance additives.
Monograde oils have the disadvantage of relatively poor cold flow properties which hinder cranking speed and lubrication of remote engine components. With the advent of hydraulic valve lifters, heavy monogrades would be unsuitable. An ideal initial fill oil is one with a viscosity equating to SAE 20W/30 by using high viscosity index (HVI) base oils. This provides high film strength for maximum component protection, yet with reasonable flow properties to overcome other problems, plus additives which provide protection but do not inhibit the bedding-in process.

 

[chuck hahn]

Use the regular oil you plan on running in it.

 

[tkent02]

Before you do anything, read this:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

 

[Chuck78]

I really want to do this right, as this is my ultimate 4 cylinder GS kicker motor build with some scarce old new&in-box 72mm 920cc MTC Engineering pistons with some nice head work on my hand picked best parts with mostly OEM rebuild parts.

Anyhow, I am glad I didn't rush to get it on the road last Friday, as I would have followed the typical factory break-in method of slow and steady and under 4000rpm for 500 miles. An ancient post on here had links to 3 different but similar break in approaches that are the complete opposite of the tame factory instructions. (Search herefor the mototune method)

It has been proven that the taking it easy method basically never allows the rings to fully seat in with the hone pattern on the bores, as the ridges from the hone pattern get gently worn off rapidly and will no longer be there to help wear the piston rings in to the proper seal/fit. The proper methods go something like - get jetting and tune pretty spot on with best judgement or advice, start bike up and warm up to temp, then ride it 20 miles or so and constantly accelerate and decelerate, never holding the throttle constant for long at all. The first 20 miles or so will have the rings wearing off the sharper ridges on the cross hatching hone pattern and aggressively seating them in under pressure from the constant acceleration & deceleration. If you dont miss this window of opportunity of utilizing the hone before it's gone, your rings will be seated better than any babied engine or any that missed this initial treatment, and also beat the time frame it takes for the oil and combustion byproducts to form a protective glaze on the cylinder walls that will further protect the rings and prevent them from wearing in smoothly to the surface of the cylinders.

 

[Chuck78]

I always use Rotella T 15W-40 Diesel Oil, and so when I saw this Warren 15w-40 diesel oil that was cheaper than a gallon of the cheapo autozone oil, I sprung for it. Now the talk of heavy duty fleet use & pictures of semi trucks has me thinking I should save this and the Rotella for beyond 500 or 1,000 miles snd use something cheap and basic. I dont remember ever seeing 20w-30 as mentioned from that older article. Ideas on best oil to allow rings to wear in quickly?

Thanks Tom, was just typing about that as you posted. Dug that up Sunday.http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=124524&highlight=engine+break

 

[Steve]

If that is what you plan on using next year, put it in now.

It is not just choosing the proper viscosity, it is also choosing a proper additive package.

Just about as important is KEEPING that additive package. I have a feeling that all the different additive packages that can be found in all the different brands of oil are not necessarily compatible with each other. In other words, if you want to use Castrol, get Castrol. When it runs low, replace it with Castrol. At your next oil change, you guessed it, Castrol. If you are out on a trip, find your oil level low and can't find Castrol, go ahead and put in some of whatever you can find, because having a mix of oil brands is better than not having any oil.

I have seen the results of oil mixing in cars where the owner just bought "whatever is on sale", and they were not pretty. I have seen the inside of an engine that had exclusively used what I had considered to be an inferior oil and was pleasantly surprised. That is when I came up with my "don't mix the oil" theory, so it is purely speculation, but based on experience.

.

 

[eil]

An oil thread and a break-in thread... at the same time?

I'll make the popcorn.

 

[Nessism]

I think engines are a lot more fault tolerant to break in technique than that mototune method would suggest. I do believe in loading the engine right away, but don't think you need to get carried away.

To break in engines I run the vehicle assertively though a city driving cycle. Accelerate up through the gears, liberal use of throttle, minimize light throttle cruising. Nothing crazy, just use some throttle. After 25 miles of this the vehicle can be exposed to some higher loading; out on the freeway for some mid throttle pulls. Say 50 to 75 mph and then back again. Again and again. No redline yet, and just 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. Once you cross the 50 miles mark the engine should be ready for some limited full throttle pulls, occasionally up to redline. At 100 miles you should be ready for sustained high rpm use.

Some high zinc/phosphorus oil is good. Brad Penn racing oil would be ideal. Rotella would be fine too.

 

[Big T]

The best type of running-in oil is one that provides mechanical protection yet, at the same time, permits bedding-in to take place. Wide span multigrades use a base oil in line with the cold temperature viscosity that is then thickened with polymers. Ideal running-in oils are monogrades with only moderate levels of performance additives.
Monograde oils have the disadvantage of relatively poor cold flow properties which hinder cranking speed and lubrication of remote engine components. With the advent of hydraulic valve lifters, heavy monogrades would be unsuitable. An ideal initial fill oil is one with a viscosity equating to SAE 20W/30 by using high viscosity index (HVI) base oils. This provides high film strength for maximum component protection, yet with reasonable flow properties to overcome other problems, plus additives which provide protection but do not inhibit the bedding-in process.

Where did you get this quote? 1968?

Monogrades were scarce when I worked in auto parts back about 1980

 

[Chuck78]

I requoted that quote from the old technical forum section from the early 2000's.

If monograde means straight weight oil, as in 30w not 10w-30, then they still sell that stuff, & I have heard from two younger mechanics that it is good to use as break-in oil.

 

[Guest]

An oil thread and a break-in thread... at the same time?

I'll make the popcorn.

+1. Might be post of the year for causing the most anarchy with the least amount of typing.

I think engines are a lot more fault tolerant to break in technique than that mototune method would suggest. I do believe in loading the engine right away, but don't think you need to get carried away.

Despite the mototune site looking like a cheap infomercial designed by a schizophrenic off their meds his info is sound. Race bikes are often broken in on a dyno in the fashion he suggests and it works very well. I broke my GSXR1000 in by doing a number of 3rd gear roll ons on a local back road and it has been strong and oil tight since.

If I were OP I would use Rotella or whatever non-synthetic oil he favours and do the mototune break in or as close as he can get to it. Change the oil immediately after the running in process and then enjoy the bike for years to come. The price of a few liters of oil is very cheap when amortized over the life of the engine, I wouldn't cheap out on that myself.


Mark