running in a full rebuilt motor

[aznstyler]

how should i run in a full rebuilt motor, some say take it easy keep revs under vtec, some say give it to it under load .. hoping i get some good info from honda owners cause all my mates have turbo cars T.T"

[dougie_504]

Run a non-synthetic oil. Drive normally for 500-1,000 KMs. Change oil soon after the first drive, maybe within the first 100-500 KMs. Ask a good mechanic mate but opinions will always vary.

[Egcivicduty]

start flogging it post-haste
maybe :D

[Johnie]

I would drive it normaly. under the speed limit and not reving it too high ussaly shift at 2000-4000revs max

[Newtype]

Drive it normally shifiting below vtec around 3-4k revs. Check in with your mechanic after 1000km and see how its doing.
Pretty sure he will have all the answers. If he doesnt get a better mechanic lol

[curtis265]

I don't know how true this is, but here's an interesting read.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[aznstyler]

Have new cams aswell.. so no vtec?

[TODA AU]

I don't know how true this is, but here's an interesting read.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

It's all true & it works... :thumbsup:
Or if built with cams etc & the tune is out the window.
Get it to stoich asap & get on with tuning it on the dyno.
1st oil & filter change is critical - within 1st hr of operation.
Don't **** that up.
Once tuned, she's run in.
Change the oil again & do your worst.
Pissing around with long km run in period is just b/s from people who don't really know.
Run it in hard & it will last a lot longer, make more power & use no oil.
The reverse is true for engines that are babied.
How the pistons & rings were installed also makes a difference.

[curtis265]

so what about when you get the car brand new and they tell you to baby it for 1000k's? Conspiracy?

I don't think anyone takes their brand new car home and changes the oil?

[mugen_ctr]

What about running and breaking the engine on the on a dyno? i know many tuners and race teams do it, but would it be worth the dosh if any one with a rebuilt motor does it? or waste of money an jus do the old fashion on the road lol

[TODA AU]

so what about when you get the car brand new and they tell you to baby it for 1000k's? Conspiracy?

I don't think anyone takes their brand new car home and changes the oil?

Most manufacturers are a step ahead anyway with new cars,
The car comes off the production liine & straight on to a rolling road where it is run in.
Takes about 20 minutes, they just drive a program, checking temps etc along the way.
Oil & filter are then changed the its off for delivery.
Ferrari even track test each car before delivery.
The 1000km conspirators are pretty much just the salesmen who really have no idea in the 1st place.
Watch Megafactories on discovery & see for yourself.

[TODA AU]

What about running and breaking the engine on the on a dyno? i know many tuners and race teams do it, but would it be worth the dosh if any one with a rebuilt motor does it? or waste of money an jus do the old fashion on the road lol

Yes, its worth it.
The engine lasts longer, uses less fuel, makes more power, is quieter & doesnt use oil.
The "old fashioned way" is not the best way.

[e240]

Was at the Ducati Factory few years back and watched brand new superbikes roll off the production line. First stop was the dyno room where each bike was checked and then redlined several times.

[Egcivicduty]

yeah, as stated
most cars and some bikes are driven the hardest they will in their life before they even leave the factory

[hondapop]

A key factor in this running in process, and how it applies to the OP's question, seems to be how finely were the bores on his engine honed, as all of the talk seems to relate to new engines. Have reconditioners caught up with these improvements? Obviously Toda has, but what sort of difference would it make to using this method if the bores were'nt up to this standard ? (I was going to say "scratch", but thought that just didn't sound right).

[tinkerbell]

It's all true & it works... :thumbsup:
Or if built with cams etc & the tune is out the window.
Get it to stoich asap & get on with tuning it on the dyno.
1st oil & filter change is critical - within 1st hr of operation.
Don't **** that up.


mine was done this way, still has 260psi across all 4...


How the pistons & rings were installed also makes a difference.

yeah, you need to know this as your tuner needs as much information about the insides of the engine to know exactly how to manage it...

[hondapop]

[Quote]How the pistons & rings were installed also makes a difference.[Quote] Apart from making sure the rings are gapped correctly and the gaps are spaced evenly around the piston, what other steps can you take to install correctly ?

[IEVAQ8]

It's all true & it works... :thumbsup:
Or if built with cams etc & the tune is out the window.
Get it to stoich asap & get on with tuning it on the dyno.
1st oil & filter change is critical - within 1st hr of operation.
Don't **** that up.
Once tuned, she's run in.
Change the oil again & do your worst.
Pissing around with long km run in period is just b/s from people who don't really know.
Run it in hard & it will last a lot longer, make more power & use no oil.
The reverse is true for engines that are babied.
How the pistons & rings were installed also makes a difference.

regarding the forst start up/first hour of operation....wat sort of oil are we using????
or is it the same as wateva u will use for the life of the engine???

[Bludger]

regarding the forst start up/first hour of operation....wat sort of oil are we using????
or is it the same as wateva u will use for the life of the engine???
I would say use the normal oil of choice.

since you're running it hard/tuning it on the rollers.

[trism]

First start up/first hour, you wanna use a an oil with a high zinc content.

Why? Because the zinc is an additive that bonds to the microscopic metal filings and draws them away from the friction surfaces. So on first start up, the fresh rings are gonna grind up against your pretty cross hatching, and wear the most they ever will. You want this zinc to pull this worn off metal away, and get it down into the sump, and caught in the oil filter.

As for the mineral or synthetic, HSV use Mobil 1 straight from the factory, which is a group 4 full synthetic oil. So use that to determine.

If you rebuild a motor to stock specs, and run a stock ecu etc, pretty much start it up, let it come up to temp, then go for a 20 minute smash, making sure you rev it out a few times.

Then go home, and change the oil and filter straight away.

[tinkerbell]

this old HT post from Earl is a very useful one:

http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=878397

and formed the basis for this: http://www.laskeyracing.com/shop/breakin.htm

and you will be hard pressed to find anyone who recommends using synthetic oil in a new engine...

(regardless of what HSV does)

i used this one on mine: http://www.penriteoil.com.au/products/specialty-automotive-products/running-in_oil

[TODA AU]

Apart from making sure the rings are gapped correctly and the gaps are spaced evenly around the piston, what other steps can you take to install correctly ?Further to gapped correctly & spaced evenly,
The gaps must be exactly at right angles to each other from the side veiw & parrallel from above
NB: square corners with just the sharp edge removed - do not champher (round) the corners
2nd ring requires a larger gap than top ring (0.05~0.010mm over the top ring gap, less than this can lead to high oil consumption & blow-by)
Eg: Top 0.25~0.30mm, 2nd 0.35~0.40mm
Installing the rings to the pistons with your fingers IMO is better than using a ring expander & less chance of damage to the ring or piston.
(This is not always possible on larger engine though)

Piston & bore prep before piston installation...
(If the engine is going to be used shortly after completion)
Method A) - Bores oiled then wiped near dry, skirts lightly oiled & wiped near dry - rings dry
Method B) - Bores wiped & cleaned dry then dusted with "Quickseat" - Pistons & rings installed dry
(Qickseat is a Total Seal product - http://www.totalseal.com/Tools.aspx)
Look up Quickseat in the selection box
Clocking the rings - per manufacturer's spec. Toda's is as below...
http://www.toda-racing.co.jp/en/product/piston/piston-ring-fig.gif

Piston installation.
Pistons should only be installed using a piston sleeve, slider or non adjustable ring compressor.
This eliminates any chance of ring breakage, piston skirt damage etc as the piston can easily be inserted with your thumbs.
No need for the hammer handle etc.
http://www.toda-racing.co.jp/en/product/piston/slider.html
http://www.totalseal.com/Tools.aspx - Non adjustable ring compressor
http://www.wiseco.com/PDFs/Wiseco-CompressorSleeves.pdf

NB: If the engine is going to sit around for a long time before use,
Use Total Seal assembly lube on the bores together with quickseat.

As for bore finnish etc,
The break-in procedure is the same, but without a plateau hone, the 1st oil change is even more critical.
I use a torque plated plateau hone for acuracy becasue the forged Toda pistons I use run 0.0009" to 0.0011" piston to bore clearence. (Ref Toda Honda pistons)

[hondapop]

Thanks for that answer. Certainly won't find that info in the average w/shop manual (or as they're now mostly called "service manuals") and the usual rebuilder probably wouldn't be as precise either. Good info regarding ring compressors as I know when I've used the adjustable ones, easy to get a ring end crossed.