Motor Break in

[David Love AI27]

I discovered that my rear main is leaking after extensive work sealing the valve covers and oil pan... plans are to work late every night and friday morning to do engine swap... The new motor is low hp (250) crate motor... I have heard NOT to use synthetic oil for break in... any suggestions???

Thought I would sign up for time trials to give me 4 sessions at "cruise" speed before the first race... HELP PLEASE!!!

[jeffburch]

Autozone usually has a couple different styles of RM seal.
I had a new RM leak recently.
I yanked it and compared to the others.
The simple brown one that was in there had smaller lipped areas at the crank surface. The one in there now is a black/blue combo. Much better.
Support the pan with a bottle jack and yank that tranny.

jb

[Todd Covini]

David,
I've heard the urban myth to not use synthetic to break a motor in, but have no data to back it up. My gut feel is to break the motor in with whatever you plan to run regularly. Synthetics just won't break down during the break in period.

More risk in changing oils midstream for us "weekend drivers" IMO.

-=- Todd

PS- Pls don't make me research the anals of Mobil 1 literature at work. :roll:

[ShadowBolt]

All Corvettes come from GM with Mobil One.

JJ

[Rob Liebbe]

I always heard the old rule that you don't use expensive oil on break-in because you're just going to dump it out before too long anyway. I prefer to protect my new engine with good oil.

[GlennCMC70]

most all engine builders tell me to use a straight 30wt and if you can get it w/ no detergents, get that.
i use Castrol 30wt. then its off to M1 bliss.

anyone use the RP XRP systhetic?

[Todd Covini]

i use Castrol 30wt. then its off to M1 bliss.



Just to extend your bliss a bit...Castrol gets all of it's basestock from ExxonMobil...(Mobil) in order to make their oils. They use their detergents but it's still at Mobil oil standards. 8)

[jeffburch]

I here talk these days of diesel oils such as Rotella are ideal for break in.

jb

[GlennCMC70]

i use Castrol 30wt. then its off to M1 bliss.



Just to extend your bliss a bit...Castrol gets all of it's basestock from ExxonMobil...(Mobil) in order to make their oils. They use their detergents but it's still at Mobil oil standards. 8)

M1 is the synthetic, the Castrol is not.

[Todd Covini]

...and they both have one high quality thing in common.

[David Love AI27]

Autozone usually has a couple different styles of RM seal.
I had a new RM leak recently.
I yanked it and compared to the others.
The simple brown one that was in there had smaller lipped areas at the crank surface. The one in there now is a black/blue combo. Much better.
Support the pan with a bottle jack and yank that tranny.

jb

2 piece, gotta pull the motor....

[donovan]

I was told that it also depends on how the engine was built and what type of rings are in the engine.

My 331 was torque plated and stressed while being machined, they high dollar rings were used. The engine never smoked while first starting like I have seen some others do, because of the way it was built/machined and the parts used the, rings were seated when assembled, not 50 miles later!

My engine builder said put the oil in that I plan on running and when I asked about any break in methods, he said "Run the shit out of it"

DD

[David Love AI27]

"Run the shit out of it"

DD

I did that... got two trashed motors to show for it... LOL..

Stay on subject... "break in", not break...

remember this is a GM product :evil:

[y5e06]

2 piece, gotta pull the motor....

are you sure about that? I did the 2-piece in my 'burb a few years ago when I dropped the pan. tapped the 2nd piece around to get it out, used anerobic sealant yada yada yada.
no way did I pull the 454 out of that beast. I suppose I don't see the SBC being that much different.

[AI#97]

My engine builder said put the oil in that I plan on running and when I asked about any break in methods, he said "Run the shit out of it"

DD

Same here... idled for about 20 minutes to check t-stat, trailered it to Cresson and beat the piss out of it.

[David Love AI27]

2 piece, gotta pull the motor....

are you sure about that? I did the 2-piece in my 'burb a few years ago when I dropped the pan. tapped the 2nd piece around to get it out, used anerobic sealant yada yada yada.
no way did I pull the 454 out of that beast. I suppose I don't see the SBC being that much different.

8 quart road racing pan with long tube headers... can't even reach some of the bolts... Too late any way motor is down to long block and will be out of the car by the morning... crate motor going back together tomorrow night, Jason playing hookie from school on Friday to put all back together before noon....

[David Love AI27]

I was told that it also depends on how the engine was built and what type of rings are in the engine.

My 331 was torque plated and stressed while being machined, they high dollar rings were used. The engine never smoked while first starting like I have seen some others do, because of the way it was built/machined and the parts used the, rings were seated when assembled, not 50 miles later!

My engine builder said put the oil in that I plan on running and when I asked about any break in methods, he said "Run the shit out of it"

DD

I did, I did... motor ran great... the clutch is a different story...