Engine Break in Oil

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Interesting article. I think by saying synthetic is "too slippery" he means the synthetic holds up to the heat better and retains its lubrication film while the dino breaks down a little in the high temperatures of the piston ring area allowing a minuscule amount of wear which is beneficial for ring break in.
That thermal break down is probably no where near what it was years ago.

https://www.enginelabs.com/news/dispelling-engine-break-in-myths-with-high-performance-academy/
 
"One final myth that Simon aims to bust, is extended engine break-in periods. “After a couple hundred kilometers of use, your rings are as bedded in as they’re ever going to be. After that, it’s all downhill, so you might as well get out and start enjoying your engine,” he says. “Exceedingly long break in periods are absolute rubbish.”

For those of us not using the metric system (Americans) 200 km=124 mi 482.66 yds. Longer than 500 mi. would be more than 4 times actual ring break-in. Very interesting...
 
I think break in takes less time now with better methods such as torgue plate boring and plateau honing.

I don't know what facing oems use on piston rings now, but its probable not chrome faced like some aftermarket rings years ago. Moly faced rings have a reputation for holding oil and breaking in fast.
 
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The ring seating was important when the rings made the seal, but today the seal is made by the oil, the rings don't touch the wall of the cylinder. So I've been told by a knowledgeable mechanical engineer. That's for a normal engine, I don't know about racing engines, they may be different
 
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How ever; used oil analysis suggest that when you look at the complete engine, wear metals only stabilize after 5-7,000 miles usually. That kind of data indicates that the polishing and burnishing takes much longer than what is commended on above. Piston rings are not the only surfaces that need mating even though the rings don't touch the cylinder walls as some id10t self appointed expert suggested. Ed
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
I remember when Mobil 1 used to advertise every new Corvette was shipped straight off the assembly line with Mobil 1 in the crankcase.


So what does GM factory fill vettes with now?
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
I remember when Mobil 1 used to advertise every new Corvette was shipped straight off the assembly line with Mobil 1 in the crankcase.


Back in the "High Iron, I'm not using it" days!
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Oildudeny


So what does GM factory fill vettes with now?


The 2019s are factory filled with Mobil 1 ESP 0w40 Formula. My 2018 was supposedly factory filled with Mobil 1 5w30 however the first UOA showed it to have a slightly different add pack than the Mobil 1 5w30 we're used to seeing (it had double the moly and double the boron and half the magnesium)
 
"Synthetic oil is slippery" or it is more "slippery" than conventional ...

Is this true and can someone please explain that? What in synthetic makes it more slippery add packs, extra moly, ester?
 
as others have suggested, I have also read that rings don't touch the walls and you don't want a perfect mirror walls either cuz oil needs to hold on to somrthing
 
Originally Posted By: OilUzer
as others have suggested, I have also read that rings don't touch the walls ...
?? Maybe not at mid-stroke, but what could keep them from touching at the top and bottom turnarounds?

That said, the cylinder walls of my Mazda had no detectable ridge at the top of the stroke when the head was off at 476402 miles.
 
Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: Oildudeny


So what does GM factory fill vettes with now?


The 2019s are factory filled with Mobil 1 ESP 0w40 Formula. My 2018 was supposedly factory filled with Mobil 1 5w30 however the first UOA showed it to have a slightly different add pack than the Mobil 1 5w30 we're used to seeing (it had double the moly and double the boron and half the magnesium)


So what do you think they poured in your vette? I know my friends 05 vette has the Mobil 1 fill cap.
 
Originally Posted By: OilUzer

"Synthetic oil is slippery" or it is more "slippery" than conventional ...

Is this true and can someone please explain that? What in synthetic makes it more slippery add packs, extra moly, ester?


Uniformity of molecules is one factor that increases lubricity.
 
Originally Posted By: Oildudeny
So what do you think they poured in your vette? I know my friends 05 vette has the Mobil 1 fill cap.

Intelligent molecules of liquid engineering (now fat free)!!
 
Originally Posted By: Oildudeny

So what do you think they poured in your vette? I know my friends 05 vette has the Mobil 1 fill cap.


I'm really not quite sure what it was, it was definitely supposed to be Mobil 1 5w30, as mine also has a Mobil 1 oil fill cap:



 
Japanese car engines have been using 'break in oil' for years.
When they are getting 300,000, 400,000 and sometimes more with
few problems, it's hard to say they are wrong.

2nd point. After many years of used cars, I've now had a series of
new autos. Most all GM offerings. Each seemed to have two break in
periods. 3-5 thousand I could notice a change in smoothness and performance.
they around 25,000 there is/was another 'shift' in performance.


My 2¢
 
Originally Posted By: walterjay
Originally Posted By: OilUzer

"Synthetic oil is slippery" or it is more "slippery" than conventional ...

Is this true and can someone please explain that? What in synthetic makes it more slippery add packs, extra moly, ester?


Uniformity of molecules is one factor that increases lubricity.
The hydroisomerised [sp] oil do well in the sippery department.
 
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