Break In Period

[Vettefan87]

Ok here is where I am at the shop putting the engine back in ran into a couple problems. They did not have an EGR gasket and I guess those are very hard to find, so they had to order one. So they put it back on without the gaskets to run it for the 25 minute period, but it was running very rough. When they put it on there machine and it was an oxygen sensor, all of the parts will be in tomorrow and the car should be done by 11 or so. Now how should i break the car in? The rebuilders said put regular conventional oil in which I am doing and run it for 1500 miles then change it over to synthetic. I have been told to pretty much baby it for the first 1500 then I am all set to go. Does this sound about right? Thanks


Justin

 

[1995 RedVette]

From past experience with other makes of car (not corvettes) I was always told to change the oil at 1000 miles, cut open the filter to check for big stuff, then continue to be easy on the car till 3000. Then change the oil again, this time you can use synthetic or conventional, and begin to really drive the car. I was told that this gives the rings ample time to seat and burnish against the cylinder walls without inducing unnecessary wear and scratching on the cylinder walls.

Brett

 

[firedawg]

What's the deal with putting conventional oil in? just out of curiousity, I was wondering why they said do that. Didn't C-4's come off the line with Mobile 1 syn in them?

 

[Vettefan87]

I guess conventional oil helps seat the rings better, I am no expert I just listen to people smarter then me lol. I dont think they came off the line with synthetic oil??

 

[firedawg]

I was just curious, I'm no expert either, that's why I'm here! :L I think LT1's came off the line with synthetic, but I'm not positive, guess I should have read what year you have first. :duh

 

[Vettefan87]

Yea me too, I am glad I asked because i had planned on running mobil 1 synthetic from the get go, and that probably wouldnt have been good, so i just ran castrol 10w40.

 

[Vettefan87]

I went to finally pick up my car, and when I picked it up I asked them what they set the timing to and they said 6 degrees advanced which is factory specs, and I said ok even though before this i was running about 10 and the car ran fine. So as I start to drive it I notice when i come to stops it doesnt idle smooth, it kind of surges like from 450 to 7. So I thought maybe it will come out of it, but tonight after I got off work I dropped the top and went for a little cruise, and it did the same thing but stalled twice and was doing the same thing but was a little more frequent. Is this due to the timing being at 6 degrees? and should I leave it at 6 degrees until 1500 miles when the motor is broken in? Thanks


Justin

 

[c4cruiser]

I think that factory motors have a different honing pattern to the cylinder walls so they can use synthetic oil as the original fill. There should be no problem with using dino oil for break-in and then switching to Mobil-1. Use a high quality oil filter like a K&N or Mobil-1 filter.

Did they check the TPS voltage when they got the motor running?? May be a bad sensor or out of adjustment that can cause idle speed "hunting".

 

[Vettefan87]

If it was a bad sensor would'nt I be getting a Check Engine Soon light? I am getting no codes at all.

 

[Radar]

I would look for a vacuum leak somewhere. With all of the work you had done, the shop may have disturbed a lot of hoses and one might have a split or crack now. Also, with all of the electronics and wiring, maybe a sensor wire or harness connector is loose. I do not think timing setpoint will cause the problem you have.

Should not the shop that did your work be resposible to solve this problem for you?

Radar

 

[Vettefan87]

There were vacum leaks and the shop fixed it the PCV valve hose had a tiny crack and the 9 injector was not set properly. To put it in carberation terms the car at idle almost acts like it is flooded with to much fuel.

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

1000 miles on the brake-in oil and you are set to go. I always send a ½ lt. of the brake-in oil to the lab.
The only negative report we have received was on a Yamaha XUP, it showed some aluminum traces. 2000Mi later the Oil pressure dropped slightly at idle. When we tore the motor apart we found that a single tread in the Oil pump housing had broken lose and passed through the impeller. It chewed the impeller up just enough that at low RPMs the pressure dropped. When we cut the filter open we found nothing, the motor would probably run forever without any problems but then again…

 

[Vettefan87]

I dont have the break in oil per say that came in it with the motor they ran it for 30 minutes and drained it. Now I just have regular Castrol 10w40 in it, if thats what you meant im going to change it at 500 miles then change it in another 1000 miles then run synthetic.

 

[Moonunit 451]

I dont have the break in oil per say that came in it with the motor they ran it for 30 minutes and drained it. Now I just have regular Castrol 10w40 in it, if thats what you meant im going to change it at 500 miles then change it in another 1000 miles then run synthetic.

Wow, this got a little off topic here. I thought you would get a lot more commentary, so, as I suggested before.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

 

[Vettefan87]

The people that rebuilt the engine for me and the people that put the engine back in which are people that I know are very trustworthy told me to take it easy and not to get on it for extended lengths of time, so that is what I am going to do. Thank you for all the responses.

 

[vetteboy86]

Justin,

By not getting on it, that doesn't mean you have to drive like grandma. I imagine running it up a little wont hurt.

See you soon
craig