I have been told that I should run in for 500 miles. Keeping it under 3k rpm. Then an oil change at 500 miles. Then increase the rev range by 1k rpm every 10 - 15 miles.

 

It's been mentioned that engines should be run in differently and I would like to hear from those that have run engines in and the reason you did it that way.

 

Just for refernece the engine build on mine:

Has been rebored to 3.1,

It has weisco forged pistons,

JWT530bb turbo's,

Nismo 555 injectors,

Greg Dupree Downpipes,

Greg Dupree Manifolds,

Greg Dupree Flexi pipes,

Under plenum by pass,

ERG removal and blanking,

RPS Max clutch,

Billet Flywheel,

Single carbon fibre Driveshaft

 

All the other stuff that's been upgraded was done before.

 

What are everyones views on running an engine in with this work done to it ?

Hi Stu,

 

There are lots of varying opinions on this, but I think an oil/filter change should be done after the first 100miles and then at 500, and a final one at 1000, also mllers do a specific oil for running engines in!

ive nearly finished running mine in. ive had forged pistons, 555s, 360-degree turbos, divorced downpipes and a handful of other stuff.

for me it was, run in for 500 miles with no boost and under 3k rpm

then oil change, run for another 500 miles, boosting up to 3psi or so and under 4k rpm

then oil change, run for another 1000 miles, boosting up to 11psi (then backing down to 7) and still under 4k rpm

as i hit 2000 which i will do shortly, its a matter of ramping things up until im at 17psi and full rev range

I ran my Z engine in for 1500 miles. It's not just about keeping the revs low, its about keeping them varied and not letting the engine labour.

500 on running in oil then a few hundred on mineral then change to the oil of your choice always works for me.No boost restrictions, just no labouring of the engine or hard revving without load and she wil be fine as long as you have faith in your engine.

then oil change, run for another 1000 miles, boosting up to 11psi (then backing down to 7) and still under 4k rpm

 

I don't think there is any way I could hit 11 psi before 4k rpm.

I mean don't get me wrong my trubo's start spooling at 3k rpm, but I just can't imagine hitting 11psi and keeping it under 4k rpm.

This gets me very confused, what is it you think your bedding in for 500 or a thousand miles ? how many new cars come with stickers saying please only drive to 3k for the first 300 miles, change the oil drive another 200 miles change the oil, go to 5k and another 100 miles going to 6 k whilst eating a muffin holding a cross and reading the bible backwards ??

 

just about every component in the engine is protected from being damaged and or causing damage by a thin film of oil, the only thing your bedding in is the piston rings into the bores, any metal to metal contact on any of the bearing surfaces will result in engine wear and or damage, you don't want to run an engine in with fully synthetic oil as if you drive it very carefully you can glaze the bores stopping the piston rings bedding properly, that's why you can buy oil to run an engine in.

 

It pays to be careful to make sure you don't pop a loose hose and to keep a check nothing is a miss but if you do some quick maths how many times do you think the pistons have travelled up and down after 20 miles let alone hundreds.

I was told you can rev the tits off an engine straight from a fresh build but youl have a slightly looser build, you think race car engines are worn in for thousands of miles before a race?

Obviously i would take it easy on a fresh build coz i want my engine to last well thats what im planning to do anyway :D

I ran my Z engine in for 1500 miles. It's not just about keeping the revs low, its about keeping them varied and not letting the engine labour.

 

Thats what I did too Jonno.

The thing is you have many more 000's of miles to do in that engine, why screw it up becuase of your own lack of patience, if anyone wants their engne run in and wants to pay the petrol I will drive it around for them :)

you think race car engines are worn in for thousands of miles before a race?

 

Race car engines get rebuilt all the time =)

Race car engines get rebuilt all the time =)

 

And the performance engines in every performance car that leaves a mass production line how come they don't have a 1000 miles put on them before they are sold, do new Nissan's spend a week going round a track before they are handed over ?, what suddenly makes a home or professional rebuild so fragile ??.

 

Don't get me wrong I'm not after an argument I just don't see the logic

I've not owned a Z32 from new but when I picked up my brand new Impreza STi last September I was instructed by the dealer to run it in for 1500 miles, in exactly the same way that I was told by Peter Rosenburg of SE Nisstek to run my Z32 engine in. After both engines were run in the oil was changed by Subaru and Nisstek respectively.

 

These guys are the experts, not me. If they say drive around listening to only Boney M at exactly 90db then that's exactly what I'll do =)

We'll I'm keeping to what I was told, I was just after other opinions.

 

500 miles under 3k rpm then an oil/filter change.

After that I can start to increase the revs in moderation, not sure what this means, but I'm thinking maybe 1k rpm every 200 miles. I'm going to keep the boost low for now but I'm thinking about the rolling road day at the end of june. I'm not going to be able to do 1500 miles by then.

And the performance engines in every performance car that leaves a mass production line how come they don't have a 1000 miles put on them before they are sold, do new Nissan's spend a week going round a track before they are handed over ?, what suddenly makes a home or professional rebuild so fragile ??.

 

Don't get me wrong I'm not after an argument I just don't see the logic

 

The manufacturers use larger tolerances on ring clearance than machine shops do to account for the fact that joe public will drive it like he stole it fresh out the showroom.Every 300zx was run up at the factory from new and taken to its max speed before delivery.

also Stu, when you do your final oil change PLEASE use some good oil, go for a 10w/60 or something along them lines.

We'll I'm keeping to what I was told, I was just after other opinions.

 

500 miles under 3k rpm then an oil/filter change.

After that I can start to increase the revs in moderation, not sure what this means, but I'm thinking maybe 1k rpm every 200 miles. I'm going to keep the boost low for now but I'm thinking about the rolling road day at the end of june. I'm not going to be able to do 1500 miles by then.

 

You have a limited time period in which to use the honing of the bores to bed the rings in. Have a look on http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm - once the honing is gone thats it......

So you got to rip the crap out of it for the first 20 miles till the honing is gone? sorted........

Debatable really, combination of the 2 would be good. Main thing is DO NOT use any oil that costs more than £6 per 5l (unless you live down south in which case call it £25 lol). The worse the oil for running in, the better. Boost, good question but I would stay away from high boost - just give it plenty of load low down and frequent oil changes :)

One other thing - the bearings (bottom end, rods and mains) do NOT require running in - there should never be ANY metal-metal contact down there so there is nothing to actually run in.........

One other thing - the bearings (bottom end, rods and mains) do NOT require running in - there should never be ANY metal-metal contact down there so there is nothing to actually run in.........

 

No metal to metal only after the engines been sitting for a while at a cold start up.

 

 

So lots of low down throttling and over run. :D

You have a limited time period in which to use the honing of the bores to bed the rings in. Have a look on http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm - once the honing is gone thats it......

 

I did read this site as it wa linked from tt.net but it seemed a little contriversal, the Americans on TT.net can't decide the best way either lol.

 

I think I'll go get some real cheap oil from halfrauds tonight and order 4 or 5 oil filters. I've done 150 miles so far with no oil change as I was told to change at 500 miles, so I'll do an oil change this weekend.

 

What sort of oil should I be putting in for the rest of the run in period? 10/40 ?

 

I usually use magnetec and probably will do once the engine is run in unless you reccomend something else.

also Stu, when you do your final oil change PLEASE use some good oil, go for a 10w/60 or something along them lines.

 

Don't worry about that mate, I take care of my car like it's my 2nd child.