Author Topic: Breaking In (Read 6644 times)

TPW · « **on:** May 07, 2008, 09:09:44 pm »

I've read here that it may take a few thousand miles to break in a rebuilt engine, but is 10 miles a quart excessive? New bore in block, new pistons and rings, rebuilt head, and I replaced the turbo. This one is not leaking oil like the last one. Any ideas?

thedeezel · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2008, 09:34:17 pm »

You are burning/losing a quart every 10 miles?
That is excessive to say the least, did you assemble the engine or did you have a shop do it?

TPW · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2008, 10:13:33 pm »

I assembled it myself, but I had a shop doe the block to specs based on the new oversized pistons that were there to measure when the work was done. I had a similar problem with the old block that I used gapless rings with new pistons. Replacing the turbo helped, but could there be a problem with a small crack in the head?

jimfoo · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2008, 10:22:52 pm »

If you were burning that much, you should have tons of smoke and I'd think your engine would be pretty much running away. You sure it isn't leaking out of the engine?

TPW · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2008, 10:55:23 pm »

There is a ton of smoke, especially when I push the pedal. I vented the valve cover to the underside of the car to help prevent a runaway. There are no leaks out of the engine.

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2008, 11:23:38 pm »

Houston I think you have a problem :cry:

A fresh engine will have a bit extra smoke/noise/oil consumption... but only a bit.

If you're seen tons of smoke and huge amounts of smoke it's probably worth some serious investigation... compression test might show a problem cylinder (it will read low but should be pretty consistent)

Any strange noises ??

TPW · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2008, 11:28:57 pm »

No noises, starts easy, and run swith pretty good power.

thedeezel · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2008, 10:05:50 am »

What color smoke are you getting with the loud pedal?
Blue or Black?
I agree with doing a comp test to see if you have a problem cylinder, but even if the ring gaps were lined up creating a clear pass to the combustion chamber for the oil, a quart in 10 miles is huge, there is something else going on.
Have you checked the cooling system for oil?
The only places it can be going is burned up, blown out, or pushed into the cooling system.

jimfoo · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2008, 10:36:57 am »

You put on new valve seals, and used something to protect them when you put the valves in?

thedeezel · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2008, 10:45:27 am »

Also, you say it doesnt leak, and you vented the valve cover to under the car, have you let the car idle for any length of time sitting still?
I would park the car on a concrete surface and run the idle up to 1500 - 2000 rpm and let it sit and run for 10 min or so and see if you are getting and blowby or leaks under increased idle.
Any evidence of blowby under the car, the floorpan would be coated with oil at 10 miles to a quart.

TPW · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2008, 07:39:48 pm »

I have a catch can that the vent off the top of the valve cover goes through. It catches about half of the oil that vents off the top. There is a lot going out the tail pipe too. There is no oil collecting in the coolant reservoir. The shop that welded the head installed new valve guides and seals, although the new viton seals take more abuse than rubber ones. The part that leads me to believe that something could be wrong with the head is that I had the very same problem with the last block and pistons. Could there be a crack in the head between the swirl chamber and the oil passages that builds pressure in the block to push the oil out the valve cover, and leaks oil directly on top of the pistons? Would a compression test indicate this possibility?

jtanguay · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2008, 01:38:43 am »

is it a turbo?

TPW · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2008, 07:06:57 am »

TPW · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2008, 07:08:09 am »

Yes, mentioned in first post that it was replaced. I tested it , and it is not blowing oil into the intake manifold.

TPW · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2008, 11:05:01 pm »

Another thing that I think is odd is that when the engine is cold there is very little oil mist going out the valve cover, but when it warms there is more.