Initial break-in after engine re-assembly...

jfinnan

Ok..I have done a search on this topic, but can't quite find the right info on this. What is the best course of action when breaking in an engine that has undergone a complete top-end rebuild? I had my cylinders honed, and I used new rings and seals.

So far, I have a total of 2 miles on the newly rebuilt engine. I would have more, but I just finished this project last weekend, and had to travel out of town this week for work....bummer.....

So, this gives me a good opportunity to get some advice from the folks here on how to proceed when I get back home and actually start riding and putting on miles.

Also, any suggestions on oil for the initial break-in? For now, I put in some Rotella 15w-40 that I have been using all along with good results. I know some have mentioned that it may no longer be a good choice because of a forumulation change. Any word on that? I read something about it needing to have an "SL" designation for use in these bikes? It does have that designation on the label. Also, bear in mind that I live in Minnesota, and therefore extreme heat isn't exactly a big issue, except for a few weeks out of the year.

Thanks. And feel free to just point me to other postings if you know of specific ones that answer my questions...I won't be offended.

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

deleted

xsjohn

Most metal parts have sluffed off at 50 to a 100 miles according to what I have read.....won't hurt to change it early.....1200 PPM zddp with VR1 and others at 20-50 for the hot summer and spring and fall I mix one in a quart of 10 or 15/40.......

The will het totter for the first 100 or 2 so I always take it easy and try not to let it get hot.........

billion opinions on this one...........

xsjohn

nj1639

The will het totter John?

xsjohn

"""""""The will het totter John?"""""""

That's code for .....the whole fricken thing will lock up and catch fire.............. Laughing

xsjohn

jfinnan

I might need to suit up in nomex......

jayel

this is what you need the nomex suit for............

www.nytimes.com/2009/0...ss&emc=rss

Retiredgentleman

Its my understanding that Shell Rotella 15W40 Diesel has lost most of the ZDDP. ZDDP is an anti-wear additive that is good for our engines.

I've been using Castrol GTX 15W40 Diesel because it is rated CI-4 and SJ. This means it still has the high amount of ZDDP.

I'd say its very important to re-check the torque numbers as you put on some miles. Leave the top engine mounting bracket off until the re-torques are done. If you don't retorque properly, your oil consumption can be enormous, from oil being sucked into the cylinders from the camchain tunnel.

xsjohn

Even Rotella is pulling it out. The EPA is giving "credits" to car manufacturers for early implementation of new standards for catalytic converter life. They want them to last 150,000 miles. The manufacturers have pressed the oil companies to remove substances from motor oils that would shorten the service life, including the proven EP (exteme pressure) additive ZDDP (zinc dialkyldithiophosphate).
ZDDP has been an important additive to engine oils for over 70 years, and has an excellent track record at protecting the sliding metal-to-metal cam lifter interface. ZDDP protects by creating a film on cams and flat lifter contact points in response to extreme pressure and heat at contact point. The film of zinc and phosphorus compounds provides a sacrificial wear surface protecting the base metal of the cam and lifter from wear.

Patrick Burris of Royal Purple Synthetic Oils says: “Oils for the street are usually formulated to meet one of the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) engine service classifications. Racing oils, however, don’t follow the API guidelines for additive content and are typically formulated with more robust additive packages.”

The combination of zinc and phosphorous is limited to a maximum of 800 parts per million in API/SM classification.”
Zinc dialkyl-dithio-phosphate (ZDDP) is not a lubricant until heat and load are applied. Zinc must react with heat and load to create the sacrificial film that allows zinc to protect flat-tappet camshafts and other highly loaded engine parts. “Not all zinc additives react under the same level of heat and load. Some zinc additives require more heat and more load to activate than other zinc additives. As a result, not all ‘High Zinc’ oils have the same activation rate,” says Speed, who notes that their Break-In oil uses a proprietary “Fast Burn” ZDDP that activates quickly.

“Reducing the level of phosphorus containing ZDDP can compromise protection of engine components, most notably in flat tappet camshafts,” says Ed Newman, Amsoil. “Current API/SM and ILSAC GF-4 specifications for gasoline engines have maximum and minimum phosphorus levels of 800 ppm and 600 ppm, respectively, for SAE 0W-20, SAE 5W-20, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-30 and SAE 10W-30 motor oils. All other gasoline SAE grades do not have a mandated phosphorus limit. This means that high performance vehicle owners need to do their research to find oil formulations containing the level of protection required for their application.” Racing oil can have up to 2500 PPM where many passernger car oils can be as low as 600 PPM…………

jfinnan

well then...a few more miles on odometer, and I'll be moving away from the Rotella at the first oil change since the rebuild. Sooner, rather than later. Thanks

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

In the short run, I might worry about this. In the long run, the engineers will find a way around it. Good engineers can do just about anything.

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