Engine break in

[sickoffthe206]

Ok this might be a stupid question but is there any way you can break in a motor so it will be more performance oriented later on?

Again sorry of this is a stupid question.

[Dutchaccord]

let it warm up and let the engine know who's the boss... so step on it. dont rev past 4k tough no long journeys @ one fixed speed. when braking, also use the engine (also not letting it go over 4k)

U can go past 4k, but not to often... after 600 miles u can drive it like u want... always let her warm up

[HondaFan81]

Ok this might be a stupid question but is there any way you can break in a motor so it will be more performance oriented later on?

Again sorry of this is a stupid question.

This is not a stupid question, but rather a highly controversial topic. DutchAccord has the same idea I have on breaking in motors based on my extensive research. You will get mixed reviews on how to because you have old school people telling you one thing, then new school people telling you another because engines are built better than they were tolerance wise, etc. Anyhow, I plan to break my engine in similar to what DutchAccord stated.

[starchland]

I completely agree, there has been somewhat of a heated debate over the years as to the proper way to break-in an engine. There seems to be two schools, one of the thought that todays engines are built to such high precision as to not requiring an break-in or to let the parts 'seat' and that right out of the box it should be driven hard and in turn will produce later on (maybe 30k) more power than one that has been babied. The other is that an engine should be babied to let the internals seat properly. I believe in the latter idea. Either way we will never be able to really tell what is best. Honda puts in extra quantity of 'moly' in their factory s2k fill, you may want to try something similar with a conventional mix.

[koolkoreanked]

I always say it depends on the motor. If its a performance motor then a break in period is needed, but a normal car engine is in no need of a break in.

[TheTempest]

I always say it depends on the motor. If its a performance motor then a break in period is needed, but a normal car engine is in no need of a break in.

I actually disagree. Everyone I've spoken to, a few mechanics I know and trust, plus some people that work at honda. They all say go easy on a NEW motor for about 600 miles. Don't rev over 4k they say. If you do, bad things happen with seals.

I know this is true because my friend bought a 02 accord with 15,000 on it (this was a while back) and he was driving and white smoke started comming out the back and it was LOUD as shit!

Took it back to the dealer (still under warrenty) and they said the original owner didn't break the motor in correctly.

So, just my two cents. Why even risk it, just take a nice drive to the beach or something. =)

[koolkoreanked]

I actually disagree. Everyone I've spoken to, a few mechanics I know and trust, plus some people that work at honda. They all say go easy on a NEW motor for about 600 miles. Don't rev over 4k they say. If you do, bad things happen with seals.

I know this is true because my friend bought a 02 accord with 15,000 on it (this was a while back) and he was driving and white smoke started comming out the back and it was LOUD as shit!

Took it back to the dealer (still under warrenty) and they said the original owner didn't break the motor in correctly.

So, just my two cents. Why even risk it, just take a nice drive to the beach or something. =)

The reason I say a non performance motor doesn't need breakin is cause most normal people dont rev past 4k. Hell before I got my accord I doubt the last couple that drove the car revved past 4k. Now on perfomance motors there is a breakin period cause the buyers of these vehicles are going to drive the car harder and faster than most. So if your going to drive hard then yes give the motor about about 600-1000 miles before getting on it. Other than that just drive like normal.

[fast93accord]

well heres how i've always done it, and it works great. I read up on this method, and this is the way to do it.
If you baby a new motor the rings never properly seat and the engine will always consume some oil into the chambers.
I like to run the engine from 1500-2500rpm for 10-15 minutes. The most common mistake is for people to shut the engine off before it is really fully warmed up. Keep the motor running and go out for a testdrive. Keep your revs low. Basically you just want to do some hard accels and decels. When your cruisin the piston has a tendencly to rub more on one side of the cylinder wall. When you accel it shifts, and when you decel it shifts.
After a nice long testdrive of this, i will let the car idle for like 5 minutes. Shut it down, and change the oil.
I will drive the car for maybe 200 miles of being pretty easy on it most of the time, but making sure to do some hard accels and decels. And reving it higher, maybe 5000-5500... Then i change the oil again... From this point i put half synthetic oil in it and drive it, and in 1000 miles i switch to mobil 1 full synthetic.
This is the way i've done it on every engine i've broken in...

[Fearit22]

I pretty much agree with what most of you are saying. Definitely have to let it warm up good, but if you don't rev it somewhat then the seals won't work as well. fast93accord's method is how I've planned on running mine when I get my engine built.

[sickoffthe206]

So what your saying is on the first start up, let it warm up give it some revs then go drive around under 4k?

By the way thanks for all the info

[HondaFan81]

well heres how i've always done it, and it works great. I read up on this method, and this is the way to do it.
If you baby a new motor the rings never properly seat and the engine will always consume some oil into the chambers.
I like to run the engine from 1500-2500rpm for 10-15 minutes. The most common mistake is for people to shut the engine off before it is really fully warmed up. Keep the motor running and go out for a testdrive. Keep your revs low. Basically you just want to do some hard accels and decels. When your cruisin the piston has a tendencly to rub more on one side of the cylinder wall. When you accel it shifts, and when you decel it shifts.
After a nice long testdrive of this, i will let the car idle for like 5 minutes. Shut it down, and change the oil.
I will drive the car for maybe 200 miles of being pretty easy on it most of the time, but making sure to do some hard accels and decels. And reving it higher, maybe 5000-5500... Then i change the oil again... From this point i put half synthetic oil in it and drive it, and in 1000 miles i switch to mobil 1 full synthetic.
This is the way i've done it on every engine i've broken in...

Sounds good. The first 10-15 minutes as he explained at 1500-2500 rpm (keep it fluctuating, not constant) is good if you happen to have a camshaft that needs breaking in as well. So this method will break-in the camshaft and break-in the motor. When you take it out for the first testrun, don't keep the RPMs constant, do some hard accelerations (don't need to get rev happy) and also after accelerating, let the engine coast down (decelerate) by itself (no braking). Keep repeating this. I too have heard to change the oil after the first testrun. I like the idea of changing the oil after 200 miles as well, to keep flushing out the metals that wore in, etc. I also have heard after 1000 miles on your rebuilt motor, then change to synthetic. It's nice to hear a few of us have similar ideas/methods in mind. Gives me more confidence in how I plan to break it in.

[sickoffthe206]

So when you say let the motor slow itself down do you mean shift from like fourth to third and let it slow down like that?

[HondaFan81]

So when you say let the motor slow itself down do you mean shift from like fourth to third and let it slow down like that?

Just let the engine coast down (let off the gas).

[turboh22aakkord]

Ok this might be a stupid question but is there any way you can break in a motor so it will be more performance oriented later on?

Again sorry of this is a stupid question.

like everyone said, there are many opinions on how this is to be done, but some input that i have is.. dont use synthetic oil durring the breaking period...

[wed3k]

this is kinda confusing but i need to know this because i have a brand new motor to put in. i kinda scared on reving it hard on its first star-up