Honda rebuilt break in procedure, your opinions?

[LSVTEC 91 Civic]

Well, I just finished with my freshly built LSVTEC. This engine is a 200whp+ 12.4:1 compression motor.

On first startup, I let the engine idle for about 5 minutes at 2000 RPM, making sure to vary the idle speed, up, and down.

I shut it down, checked for leaks, none.

Next, I took the car out on the road.. and made about 10 75-100% throttle pulls to 6-6.5k, after each pull allowing the motor to decellerate back down to 2000-2500 RPM. I drove the car normally back to the shop.

I drained the oil, and put a fresh fill in.. right now I'm at about 80-90 miles est. Engine is running great, no oil burning.. none. The highest I have taken it so far is only 7000 RPM.. I have been dying to take her all the way to redline.

Oil pressure is about 20psi@ 1000rpm, 60psi at 3000rpm, 80psi at 4000rpm..

I am using Shell 5w-30 (cheap stuff..) for break-in. I'm trying to decide when I want to switch over to GC. I hear so many different rumors about break-in and synthetics. What is your opinion? I plan another oil change at about 300-400mi.

 

[PandaBear]

Uh ha, LSVtec on BITOG too.

I guess you would get more result from honda-tech.com (or I think you came here from there anyways).

IMO if you want to emulate what the stock honda breakin, you would be using a dino oil with lots of moly, so that would be havoline of 5w30.

When you say you build it, did you rehorn the cylinder? or just take parts out and swaps, add new parts, etc.

If your ring and block is not redone, then there really aren't anything to break in. I'd think a 5w30 oil with lots of additives and varying rpm is the key, looks like you did it right already.

 

[tuong]

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

seems like your doing ok

 

[m2200b]

You aren't going to be happy with GC or any near 40 weight oil. Too thick.

 

[Nick29]

I've done a little research on this topic. Some people seem to say to stick with dino for a couple thousand miles, while others say you can go straight to synthetic after the initial ~30 minute break in, and some say to use synthetic right from the beginning.

When my engine is done, I think I'm going to let it go with dino for at least 1000 miles just to be safe. There doesn't seem to be much of a downside to switching later than necessary, but switching too soon (assuming there is a "too soon") would keep your rings from properly seating

 

[JohnBrowning]

I would put Delo SAE 30 or 15W40 in it for the next 1500-2000 miles. After the run-in with Delo I would go right to synthetic and would probably go with one of the following Synergen 3W30,Delvac-1 5W40, Amsoil Series 3000 5W30, Redline 5W40,Mobil-1 15W50 etc.......

 

[LSVTEC 91 Civic]

quote:

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Originally posted by JohnBrowning:
I would put Delo SAE 30 or 15W40 in it for the next 1500-2000 miles. After the run-in with Delo I would go right to synthetic and would probably go with one of the following Synergen 3W30,Delvac-1 5W40, Amsoil Series 3000 5W30, Redline 5W40,Mobil-1 15W50 etc.......

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Wouldn't an SAE 30 or 15w-40 be a little hard on startup?

Just a personal pref, I won't run anything thicker than a 10w-x.. I'd prefer to stick with a 0w-x or 5w-x

 

[forcedtalon]

stay with a good quality thin oil

 

[Schmoe]

I'd stay on the thin side since your pegging 80 psi at 4K rpm. If you take it up to redline, that's going to be a lot of oil pressure on the head gaskets.

 

[Jay]

Stick with your present schedule. You're doing fine.

 

[LSVTEC 91 Civic]

Update. I now have 360 miles on engine, and I've done 3 oil changes so far.

On the last oil change, I looked in the old oil (in a clean pan), and I cut the filter open.. Found nothing.. Everything is looking great.

Is it time to switch to a Synthetic? What do you all suggest for a thin syn? RP 5w-30 or M1 5w-30?

 

[Winston]

The M1 SM 5W30 is not thin anymore. The SL was 10.0 Cst the SM is now 11.3 Cst. The M1 EP is still thin at 10.3 Cst.

 

[Matt_S]

I'll say this in the nicest way possible: you're nuts.

Obsessed would be putting it way too mildly.

That break in procedure you ran with the repeated WOT runs was designed specifically to seat the piston rings. That being done, I'd say you can switch any time. That being said, keeping dino in for the next few thousand certainly won't hurt anything, especially at the rate you're changing it. I'd suggest you throw some Havoline 5w-30 in, leave it for a couple thousand, then switch to synth.

 

[Papa Bear]

"Is it time to switch to a Synthetic? What do you all suggest for a thin syn? RP 5w-30 or M1 5w-30?"

"L"......I suggest you send me your waste oil so I can run off the other 10K left in it.

P.B.

 

[LSVTEC 91 Civic]

Why am I nuts, I don't like break in oil in my engine.

680 miles on the clock, switching over to RP/M1 before my dyno appointment/track night

She sings at 8200 RPM

Papa Bear, I'll send it your way..

 

[Mr Nice]

Too bad you live far, I would be willing to get rid of a few cases of SL rated Mobil 1 for free since you are military.