What's The Best Way To Break-In A New Engine?

[Kev m]

Do what you like.......... When I picked up the new Dodge Avenger in 2012 with that Pentastar engine, I proceeded to run it very hard immediately. After 38,000 miles she runs strong and burns no oil.   

Don't doubt that , most modern motors don't need any real break in . However , I will bet  money that following the manufacturers guidelines will give the same results . This guy making claims that pro mechanics have torn down engines that employed his method sounds like internet BS .

  Dusty

I can help you win that bet.

Our 2012 Grand Cherokee Limited with the 3.6L Pentastar was broken in according to manufacturers recommendations and at about 50k miles purrs like a kitten and doesn't burn a drop of oil in between the 8k oil life monitor recommended changes.

And I picked up a 2016 Wrangler Sahara Limited last night that has the 3.6 Pentastar also that I'll be making the same bet with.

[Lank]

I doubt that on the street you could be too hard on a new engine, speed limits, traffic, roads etc...warming up then loading the rings generally does the job....never saw an engine damaged by "improper break in" and I seriously doubt if very many have 

[Cool Runnings]

 

[Cam3512]

Actually, they're better.. airplane engines are an antique design.

Take it from a guy that put an airplane engine in his motorcycle!

[Cool Runnings]

Don't doubt that , most modern motors don't need any real break in . However , I will bet  money that following the manufacturers guidelines will give the same results . This guy making claims that pro mechanics have torn down engines that employed his method sounds like internet BS .

  Dusty


I can help you win that bet.

Our 2012 Grand Cherokee Limited with the 3.6L Pentastar was broken in according to manufacturers recommendations and at about 50k miles purrs like a kitten and doesn't burn a drop of oil in between the 8k oil life monitor recommended changes.

And I picked up a 2016 Wrangler Sahara Limited last night that has the 3.6 Pentastar also that I'll be making the same bet with.

[erik_w]

Try breaking a Ural that way, you will end up will a pile of molten slag 

I have actually broken in my Ural twice due to failure the first time around.

1st time I babied the engine way too much and ended up running at too low RPM's, the result? Scored pistons and scored cylinder walls due to light seizing.

2nd time I was more agressive and let the engine run higher in RPM's, the result? No scored walls and no a much better ring seal against the bore!


After this I would adher to the "break it in like you gonna ride" school. I definetly think that excessive babying of the engine during break in could be harmful.

That said, the Ural is a very low RPM machine to start out with, the recommended max RPM is 5500, so anything above that is going to ruin the engine no matter what.

You also might want to take it easy and allow for a decent cool down after the first couple of miles since the rings run alot hotter due to the higher friction of totally new rings. But after that, ride it pretty much like you want to.

Aslo, DON'T use fully synthetic oil during break in!

[Kev m]

LOL, that would make a Wrangler a death trap... I'll keep the motor stock thanks!

[Kev m]

I have actually broken in my Ural twice due to failure the first time around.

1st time I babied the engine way too much and ended up running at too low RPM's, the result? Scored pistons and scored cylinder walls due to light seizing.

2nd time I was more agressive and let the engine run higher in RPM's, the result? No scored walls and no a much better ring seal against the bore!


After this I would adher to the "break it in like you gonna ride" school. I definetly think that excessive babying of the engine during break in could be harmful.

That said, the Ural is a very low RPM machine to start out with, the recommended max RPM is 5500, so anything above that is going to ruin the engine no matter what.

You also might want to take it easy and allow for a decent cool down after the first couple of miles since the rings run alot hotter due to the higher friction of totally new rings. But after that, ride it pretty much like you want to.

Aslo, DON'T use fully synthetic oil during break in!

The problems with generalizations is that they may be generally true, but they're almost never universally true.

I.E.

There are exceptions.

Like - don't break it in with synthetic oil? But that's what dozens of manufactures around the world do from high end cars to not so high end motorcycles.

Don't baby it - well, maybe there are motors that require it more than others. You've seen a case where not babying it seemed beneficial (can you prove that was the only variable that changed)? And even if you can prove that was the variable, what differences are there between that Ural motor and something else?

For me, I generally find a moderate point somewhere between babying and beating, that usually falls within the manufacturers parameters.

Works well enough for me.

[oldbike54]

What is the best tire when you find yourself counter steering through an oil spill and does it make a difference if the oil is synthetic or dino?

There, that ought to do it!

 
 
 Dusty

[lschultz]

Man you fellows are some smart  opinions like arseholes we all got em. carry on.