<VV> engine break in advice

[MarK Durham]

Michael, you will get varying opinions on this, but here is what I have
done with many similar air cooled aviation engines and my own Corvair with
Chrome Rings.

1. Pre oil the engine until you get oil out to the rocker arms. This helps
to prefill the oil filter, all galleys and the lifters which prevents the
clatter. It also pre-oils all the bearings, cam, and sprays a limited
amount of oil up into the cylinders.

2. Start the engine and run for about 3 minutes varying engine speed in the
1200-1500 range.  Shut off and let it cool. Check for oil and fuel leaks.
Note if it appears all cylinders are not running correctly, and look for
the problem. Is the engine making noises that are abnormal? Look for the
cause.

Since its the old cam and lifters, there should be enough ZDDP burnished
into the metal, but do make sure  you are using a good ZDDP oil as it helps
ring break-in/lubrication and cylinder to piston lubrication, too.

3. Start the engine after it has cooled and run another three minutes in
the 1200-1500 range. Check and set timing, idle and mixture at the end.
Shut off and let it cool down.

4. Start it up, make any necessary adjustments since its now cold, and go
drive it. (This is presuming you have taken care of any mis-adjusted
lifters that are tapping, etc. Do not lug the engine, keeping the rpm's in
the middle range for the first 5-10 miles, then do some smooth
accelerations up through the gears. Get it on the road and drive it at
45-55 mph for the first 100 miles or so, and the rings should be seated
enough for normal driving.

In my Corvair's case, it took 4000 miles to fully seat the chrome rings,
when the start up puffs of smoke quit.

Years ago as a aircraft mechanic, I tried this procedure on aircraft piston
engines. Of note, before trying this procedure, I would start an engine and
set the idle and mixture, and shut it down, and check for fuel and oil
leaks, then got a pilot to go fly the plane an hour. It would take upwards
of 45 minutes for the cylinder head temp and oil temp to drop, signifying
the cylinders had broke in and no longer were creating high friction and
temps.

When following the above procedure, which lets the rings "break in" or mate
to the cylinder walls cold, it only took 15 minutes for the flight break-in
before temperatures dropped to normal. Also, I had fewer ring related
failures later on in the engines life.

I suggest you change the oil and filter hot at 100 miles, then again at 500
miles, to get any break-in contamination out of the engine, since we don't
actually change all the oil on a oil change. Some stays in the oil galleys
and oil cooler.
Before you do the oil change, do pull the valve covers and do a running
valve adjustment. Some set the adjustment at 1/2 turn, I set mine at no
more than 1/4 turn in. The engine simply runs smoother with less preload.
Your choice, but pay attention as you do your adjustments and see. My
engine simply would not idle down properly under a 1/2 turn or 1/4 turn
preload. I backed the engine off to zero lash, then went 1/6 turn in, one
flat, and the engine ran smooth and would idle down. Course, I am running a
270 cam.

Use a good grade of SL oil, or per Richard Widman's suggestions in his oil
paper, which specifies some good diesel oil ratings to look for.

If you have questions, feel free to ask

Regards
Mark Durham
Hauser, Idaho
62 Monza coupe Red/Red 4 speed


On Tue, Aug 26, 2014 at 7:09 AM, Michael Kovacs via VirtualVairs <
virtualvairs at corvair.org> wrote:

>  Soon going to start up rebuilt 140. Freshly bored and honed +60 cylinders
> and appropriate sized pistons. I'm using cast iron rings for a fast break
> in as it is a show car and not a daily driver. Old cam, lifters, main
> bearings etc. Block not split.
>
>  All new  valves, springs, etc. Fresh oil and filter. Oil pump run to
> prime the oil passages.
>
>  Looking for RPM and minuets for initial static run then what to do on the
> road. Some highway and local roads available.
>  _______________________________________________
> This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are
> the property
> of the writer, please attribute properly. For help, mailto:
> vv-help at corvair.org
> This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America,
> http://www.corvair.org/
> Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
> Change your options:
> http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs
>  _______________________________________________
>