Topic: Is he stupid?
in Forum: General Non-Vette Discussion
How is this guy able to pick up a wrench?
Read this:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Basic run down: He claims that: HIGH RPM, MORE FRICTION, MORE HEAT, HIGH OIL PRESSURE is a better break-in for the engine VS. a smooth correct match up, non-overhating break-in....
What do you think?
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Louis, first remember, I have repaired and taught cars for 35 years. After fixing them for 25 years I now teach others. I am an ASE Master Auto, Master Truck, and Master Paint and Body Certified, as well as Advanced Engine Performance, Block Machinest, and Engine Assembly certified. I started getting paid in a shop when I was 14, doing engine repair, brakes, suspension, and tune work.
So what do I do? I put the engine together, start it up, warm it up, double check all my fluids, make all my adjustments. Then I go for a drive. I give it about a mile or less fairly easy, the I nail it to the wall! WIDE OPEN! I wind it up to near red line, then back off. Drive easy a short time, and wide open again. In the first 20 miles, I flog it. Just be sure to let it rest a bit inbetween hard pulls and not overheat the unit. This is EVERY engine I have ever put together.
The reason? All of the things stated in the article you linked. The guy is 100% correct. But there is even more than he stated. As the rings and cylinder walls break in, they wear in the cylinder wall and create a ridge at the top of the cylinder. Anyone who has torn down an engine has seen this ridge.
The pistons travels further at high rpm, and under heavy load than it does at light throttle and less rpm. This causes the ridge to start to build at a lower point in the cylinder wall. The heavy load/high rpm wears the ridge higher.
A lower ridge actually restricticts piston travel. It will slow down the operation and slow down the engine, and reduce peak power after break in. Break it in hard, and it will perform better later.
Now let's answer the other question. "Why do the manuals tell you to break it in easy and slow?" Answer...Mass production. If the engine machining or assembly is not quite right, but almost close enough, breaking in the engine easy and slow will allow the slightly bad spots to wear down and smooth out before applying large stress to these components. If these rough spots are present, a hard break in will create a failure. The engine will damage it's self, and could blow up. The easy break in is designed to compensate for slightly off or poor work and assembly.
The key is making sure to put it together correctly in the first place. If the work is right, the engine will hold, and perform better. So do you want to look at it from a mass production point of view, or a quality assembly point of view. Either one is good. If you are not sure of your machinest, or parts, or the person doing the assembly, break it in easy. It will still run well, just not quite as good. But the safety factor is something to be considered and respected. It's not wrong, but it's not for me.
Do I recommend wide open? No. Why not? Not everyone is sure all the steps can be trusted. As the article stated, the new machining processes are much better, and can be trusted more that in the past. Manufactures have also come a long way.
When I put the crank, cam, lifters, bearings, timing chain in my C3 it's first 20 miles spent almost as much time with the four barrel open than not. It travelled less than 2 city blocks before it went wide open.
Which is right for you. I don't know. That's a question you have to answer for yourself.
Great explanation Ken. My engine guy has always told me to break it in like I'm gonna drive it! Another guy I used a while back also told me to thrash it from the beginning, his explanation was; if my motor is gonna come apart, I want to know right away!
It doesn't have to of course, as the combustion pressure is acting at right angles to the ring pressure. The simple analogy here is a mouse trap, where much spring pressure is restrained by the latch which is at right angles to the spring pressure. The latch itself therefore
only needs a passing draught (!) to activate it despite
the relative tremendous pressure it is holding back.
And I cannot quite figure out how the combustion gasses
somehow go past the ring in order to get behind the ring
in order to apply "huge pressure" outwards from the ring
to the cylinder wall. Seems like a total crock to me.
Just think about the friction issues involved !
... and consequent heat, and wear
And exactly how do these gasses get past the very ring they are supposed to be sealing so well with all this
pressure ?
Sorry troops, dodgy dodgy dodgy from this reader !
Kiwi Chris
I don't know much about this subject, but I do know one thing..................
[QUOTE=kstyer]I have repaired and taught cars for 35 years. After fixing them for 25 years I now teach others. I am an ASE Master Auto, Master Truck, and Master Paint and Body Certified, as well as Advanced Engine Performance, Block Machinest, and Engine Assembly certified. I started getting paid in a shop when I was 14, doing engine repair, brakes, suspension, and tune work.[/QUOTE]
Ken can I adopt you for about 5 months 
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