Engine Guru's: Break-in period? A few Q's

[SpeednV6]

1: I put my engine together. The rings are non-file fitted. I nursed the motor for 200 miles. On the x-pressway, I couldn't resist the temptation of trying my new TE-45A turbo (nice at 10 psi!!! ). Anyhow, I started it up and rev'd it a few times in park. I noticed a small puff of white smoke. I did it again, and none. Did I ruin the seal of the rings by boosting it early? How many miles are needed to seat the rings?

2: My egr hose was connected to the source vaccum. Is the hose
from the big outlet of the egr selenoid supposed to be hooked
up to the egr? The 7/32 hose doesn't fit to the egr, I have to
use a tie-down to keep it in place.

3: My vaccum is 14*. Is this good?


Thanks---SpeednV6.

 

[OConnor]

I have always been told not to do expressway driving on a fresh motor do to sustained rpm, that it was not good for seating the rings. I am not saying that it did anything to the motor but Myself I would not do it.

 

[77tech9]

I have heard that rings seat quickly under boost.

 

[DR BOOST]

do an easy 500 miles and then let loose. even if you dont need 500 to break it in, any hidden gremlins from the install would have shown up by then. it would suck to find out that you had a loose hose clamp at 100 mph.


surej

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by SpeednV6
1: I put my engine together. The rings are non-file fitted. I nursed the motor for 200 miles. On the x-pressway, I couldn't resist the temptation of trying my new TE-45A turbo (nice at 10 psi!!! ). Anyhow, I started it up and rev'd it a few times in park. I noticed a small puff of white smoke. I did it again, and none.

They're probably pretty well seated in by now. I still wouldn't be *in it* for more then a few moments at a time for some more miles.

Sounds like there was just some condensation in the pipe, and when you first blipped it, it left as steam.

Personally, on any restart, I let the engine run for 30 secs or so before touching the gas, and if cold a full 2 minutes. Start ups are tough on any engine. Let alone, starting it, and then doing throttle blips. Even on a hot restart, there's addition advance that takes a lil bit to decay out.

Aren't 45s, fun?.....

 

[SpeednV6]

Thanks for the replies. The puff of white smoke smoke did happen when I first started it, not on start-up. It was probably condensation like Bruce said.
Oh yea, The TE-45A is fun At 10 psi on the x-pressway, the car felt like my Te-44 at around 17 psi. It doesn't spool as quickly, however, it pulls hard in 3rd.

Thanks for the input

 

[Mike Licht]

The ring guru at Sealed Power to us at a seminar that todays rings are sealed before the motor even fires. A few rotations is all it takes.
Mike

 

[Grandnat]

put it this way.... I started it..... brought it up to temp, checked for leaks made a couple full throttle passes out front and went to the track.

people worry WAYYYY to much about break in.


I have always done it that way and I have never had a problem.

I believe that it is how you put the motor together that counts.


now if it is a new cam and it is a flat tappet.... definatley do the recommended break in, but as far as the rings go. 17 psi makes them seat in a hurry



disclaimer: you do whatever makes you feel comfortable, I am just telling you what works for me and I have never had a problem. My theory is that if the rings don't seat once the car is up to temp the first time... then something was wrong with the assembly.

 

[OneLethal87GN]

Wow, I got excited for about ten seconds when I read the first part of your post Grandnat. Then I read the part about having a new flat tappet cam and got depressed again. I have a newly rebuilt engine with about 10 miles on it. It is .030 with forged pistons, Sealed Pro rings and a new Comp Cams 206/206 cam. I also just put some self-ported heads with bigger valves on it. I'm dying to get 500 miles on it to test the new TE-63-1 that went on at the same time. I also have a new alky kit that I really didn't get time to tune before the engine started making noise and got rebuilt. I just have so many new parts on it and having to wait another 490 miles may kill me.

 

[1badTTA]

Originally posted by OneLethal87GN
Wow, I got excited for about ten seconds when I read the first part of your post Grandnat. Then I read the part about having a new flat tappet cam and got depressed again. I have a newly rebuilt engine with about 10 miles on it. It is .030 with forged pistons, Sealed Pro rings and a new Comp Cams 206/206 cam. I also just put some self-ported heads with bigger valves on it. I'm dying to get 500 miles on it to test the new TE-63-1 that went on at the same time. I also have a new alky kit that I really didn't get time to tune before the engine started making noise and got rebuilt. I just have so many new parts on it and having to wait another 490 miles may kill me.

I'll go ahead and say it, if you have 10 miles on it then the cam and everything else should be broke in by now. The cam should have been broken in before you ever put it in gear and were able to get .1 miles on it.

 

[Grandnat]

Originally posted by 1badTTA
I'll go ahead and say it, if you have 10 miles on it then the cam and everything else should be broke in by now. The cam should have been broken in before you ever put it in gear and were able to get .1 miles on it.

I agree.... the cam break in is only a 30 min ordeal at the most anyway.

that 500 miles stuff is just unecessary self deprivation!

 

[OneLethal87GN]

The bad part is the guys that put the engine back in didn't break it in correctly I believe. They were supposed to keep it at @ 2,000 rpms for 20 minutes. When I came to check out how the install went the guy breaking the cam in was just letting it idle while giving it revs every few seconds. I just want to make sure the engine lasts at least until I decide to sell the car or whatever. By the way, I did have new CC 980 springs installed with the CC 206 cam. I've put those 10 miles on it driving it home from the shop. It has been parked since I got it home back in mid March. I've only cranked it a few times since then to wash it or just see how it is running.