break in oil questions - IDI Engine - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• break in oil questions by deepgrooves74 on 28 Dec, 2014 12:15
• Is it alright if I ask in this thread what you guys have used to break in a newly built motor?
  
  I have a mechanical 1.6 turbo diesel. It has all new pistons and rings, and bushings…
  
  Thanks for letting me drop in this side topic!
• #1 by theman53 on 28 Dec, 2014 12:53
• Brad Penn 10w-30 diesel rated or Rotella 10w-30 conventional
• #2 by deepgrooves74 on 28 Dec, 2014 12:57
• 
  

  Quote from: theman53 on 28 Dec, 2014 12:53

  Brad Penn 10w-30 diesel rated or Rotella 10w-30 conventional
  

  
  Should I use that for the break in period? Is there one on this motor when it's being reestablished?
  
  I know when I was breaking in American V8 motors at the machine shop that I used to work at in high school (1 million years ago…) they would start up the motor for a certain amount of minutes, and then dump the motor oil and put in new oil and filter.
• #3 by theman53 on 28 Dec, 2014 13:04
• I run it for a few oil changes. After 20 miles running I put a new filter on and top it up. I change it fully at a few hundred miles and 1,000 miles after that. Then every 3,000 for a few changes. It is a bit much but I have not had any issues.
• #4 by deepgrooves74 on 28 Dec, 2014 13:08
• Thanks for the suggestion! So I don't need to run the motor at a specific RPM when I first fire it up? I can just start driving it if it's timed correctly?
• #5 by sgnimj96 on 28 Dec, 2014 13:39
•         I think i've read break in period should be (after warm up) of a varied rpm's and to actually drive with some "hard" accelerations to help seat the rings.     Varied rpm's means, for example,  to not get on the highway and drive at the same speed for long periods of time.       I'm sure you can find a lot of discussions on engine break-in if you want more info/opinions.    I do know a lot of metal particles are visible in those first oil changes of any new engine.
• #6 by deepgrooves74 on 28 Dec, 2014 15:08
• 
  

  Quote from: sgnimj96 on 28 Dec, 2014 13:39

          I think i've read break in period should be (after warm up) of a varied rpm's and to actually drive with some "hard" accelerations to help seat the rings.     Varied rpm's means, for example,  to not get on the highway and drive at the same speed for long periods of time.       I'm sure you can find a lot of discussions on engine break-in if you want more info/opinions.    I do know a lot of metal particles are visible in those first oil changes of any new engine.
  

  
  Yeah thanks for the input… I will definitely start looking into what other people have done to decide.
• #7 by TimpanogosSlim on 28 Dec, 2014 21:05
• engine break-in is a matter of much argument, even among guys with engineering degrees.
  
  I did some research and settled on rotella t1 straight 30 weight dino diesel oil, plus a 2oz bottle of zddp max.
  
  I have something like 35 miles on the build so far (no exhaust!) so perhaps I'm gonna put a new filter on it soon.
• #8 by deepgrooves74 on 29 Dec, 2014 10:10
• I love it you guys took my questions out and made a new thread… Thank you very much!
  
  I have now done a bit more research on the matter… most of the threads are in agreement that you need to put pressure against the rings so that they are pushed against the cylinder walls to help them seat.
  
  If the motor is allowed to idle for too long during the break in process it will have an adverse effect. The hatch marks that are left behind on the cylinder walls when it's originally bored will get filled in with a heavy duty carbon that is very difficult to get rid of once it's there. Thus allowing for oil to pass by and to be burned in the combustion chamber at an early age.
  
  Bad things happen... So I guess without getting too technical (which I will let the articles that I have below do that) you have to have a load on the motor at an early age to break it in.
  
  Here is the article that I read that talked about not allowing your motor to idle (or run very gently during break in) otherwise you will get a glazing on the cylinder walls
  
  http://www.foleyengines.com/resources/product-guides-forms-tags/how-break-remanufactured-deutz-engine
  
  From the diesel stop.com:
  
  http://www.thedieselstop.com/contents/getitems.php3?Breaking%20in%20a%20Diesel%20Engine
  
  From my turbo diesel.com:
  
  http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/engine-break-in.htm
  
  
  
  Here is an article about the additive zddplus
  
  http://zddplus.com/how-it-works/
  
  Rosella oils:
  
  http://www.shell.com/rotella/products/t1.html
  
  The one concern I have about using the additive above would be whether or not you could use the additive with that oil…
• #9 by theman53 on 29 Dec, 2014 21:12
• Rotella and Brad Penn especially have zinc in them.