Engine Break-In

[oledawg]

This View seams to be shared by many in the engine world! ;)

http://www.dansmc.com/engine_breakin.htm

[ringadingh]

I agree with that fella for the most part, except for changing the oil that often. I think thats a bit overkill. On most vehicles with a filter I change the oil between 600 and a 1000 miles the first time.When I start a new motor I'll allow it to warm up a few minutes while Im checking for leaks and making adjustments. Then I drive it like normal, which for me is usually a bit on the faster side.
On my last new snowmobile I started it, allowed it a couple minutes to warm up while I put on my helmet and gloves and then rode it. Within a couple hundred yards I was over 85mph.
Its best to vary the speed rather than baby it constantly.

[cajun2wheels]

Works for me.Been doing it that way for years.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

On my Nomad and previous bikes I tried to vary the speed. A little hard running thrown in now and then. I changed the oil at 600 miles or so and then at 3,000. Have changed the oil every 3,000 or less depending on the amount of months it has been. And that works for me.

[cnc]

The frequent oil changes in the beginning help eliminate metal filings from the break in from circulating with the oil. Is it over kill on his part, maybe on an engine with an oil filter, but the filter won't catch everything. After a rebuild on a tractor I have, I changed the oil after the first hour and again after 5 hours running time, but it has no oil filter.

[blowndodge]

On my way home from purchasing my Nomad I ran it up to 100mph several times and hauled butt most of the way home.

When I got home 25 miles later I drained the oil, changed the filter and have been running synthetics ever since. Today my Nomad uses not one drop of oil between changes and is one of the quieter ones I've heard.

[ringadingh]

A couple years ago I took a tour of the Harley plant in York Pa. Its a very interesting tour where you can watch them building the Electra Glides as they go down the line.
When they are finished assembling each bike gets checked over and started. They strap the bike onto a couple of rollers just like a dyno and connect a remote fuel supply to the the bike.
The guy starts the bike and tests all the lights, horn, radio, switches, etc, the bike has been running less than a minute so far.
Then he puts it through the gears quickly and takes it up to about 75 mph indicated by a large speedo mounted on the wall, and holds it there for about a minute steady. He shuts it down checks for leaks and if all is well the bike gets shipped.

[dank]

Originally Posted by Blowndodge "Darksider"

On my way home from purchasing my Nomad I ran it up to 100mph several times and hauled butt most of the way home.

When I got home 25 miles later I drained the oil, changed the filter and have been running synthetics ever since. Today my Nomad uses not one drop of oil between changes and is one of the quieter ones I've heard.

;)Oh come on, BD... You worked hard to get it to stop pinging!!!! I followed the manufacturers recommendations for break in and mine didn't burn oil, got 42-45 mpg, AND didn't ping! There you go...proof positive which way is better. (Nothing like the power of a sample size of 1 for good solid conclusions.)

Then again, Brad, maybe you are right. Yours must have been quiet. You had to debaffle it so you could hear it, right?

[blowndodge]

EXACTLY DAN!!!

That and the piss for gas we have in the southwest.

[VulcanE]

It all depends on which school you went to. My school says pretty much the same as in the link, except the first oil change was at 500~600 miles, and use dino oil, and run it 1500 miles, then change it again with dino oil, run it for another 1500 miles, THEN, if you want, you can either keep running the dino oil, or switch to synthetic. If you run dino oil, change it every 3000 miles, and I went with the synthetic, and change it every 5000-6000 miles. Mine doesn't use a drop of oil between changes, and I get a consistent 44-45 mpg. Up in the mountains riding 2-up, I have gotten 50-51 mpg over 3 or 4 tank fulls. (when riding 2-up, I have to take it a little easier. ;) )

[Sin City Stan]

I had a 300 mile ride to get my new bike home. Ran 65-80 MPH all the way home. I stepped up/down the gear every 10-15 minutes and varied from 4th to 6th. FWIW, after 14,000+ miles its never used a drop of oil between changes.

A break-in period is for scuffing cylinder walls and knocking off metal flashing. The main thing is warm the engine up and to vary your RPM, not speed.

The point? There's more than one way to break in an engine.