Motor Break-in

Question? How should I break it in: 1. take it easy for a while or 2. work the devil out of it?

I plan to run the oil for about 15 to 20 hrs, then change it and the filter.

Any Ideas are helpful

Thanks
Bubba

The only thing that needs breaking in is the rings and cyl walls. The rings must have enough pressure to expand against the cyl walls to seat well and any no load condition will not do this.

Do not run the engine at idle for more than just a few seconds to look for leaks.

DO NOT EVER run an engine at high idle or high speed without a load. This will ensure that the rings never break in and that the cyl walls will have a permanent glaze that will result in poor compression and high oil consumption. I understand that there is one exception to this for racing engines. Never had anything to do with them so can't say one way or another.

The posters who advised you to put it under a medium load know what they are talking about.

Run it for about a half hour under medium load and watch the temp. Do not let it overheat for more than a minute or two. Sometimes new engines will get hot from blowby but only for a short time. Once the rings set that will end.

I have used this method on tractor, auto, truck and airplane engines and it has always worked. In the case of airplanes we pull them out to the runway, start them up, and take off. They are even harder to break in because they are air cooled.

That break in worry is kind of a thing of the past anymore. Here's the way the big boys tell you to do it:

After the engine is warm and set to specs, pull the throttle wide open and run for 10-15 seconds then back to idle and run for another 10-15 seconds.

Repeat this procedure for 10 cycles.

Then just use the outfit as normal.

Allan

We used to break in tractors hauling manure. Light load,heavy load. Broke in a Super M on a 3 bottom plow in alfalfa. Otherwise in later years broke them in under normal use. Never worked any of them real hard at first.

steveormary

We used to break in tractors hauling manure. Light load,heavy load. Broke in a Super M on a 3 bottom plow in alfalfa. Otherwise in later years broke them in under normal use. Never worked any of them real hard at first.

steveormary

Gene

30 minutes about 1/3 governed speed, no load
20 minutes 2/3 governed speed, no load
20 minutes 1/2 governed speed road gear on level road
20 minutes full throttle road gear on level road
30 minutes full throttle 1/3 load
30 minutes full throttle 2/3 load
30 minutes full throttle full load (not overloaded) engine should maintain rated RPM 90% of the time.

After the above, work the tractor like normal varying load and engine speed and avoiding prolonged idling and overloading the first 100 hrs or so. I like to use light oil (10-10W) the fist 10 hours changing oil and filters at 10, 50 and 100 hours. After 10 hours use oil you normally would use.

Good luck.

I have noted that prolonged light loads especially on diesels does not seat the rings very well.