Rebuilt with forged pistons - 500miles before synthetic?

[Thatwouldbegreat]

There's probably a lot more info that would help before advice is given....but if you ran the engine WOT you might as well switch to Redline.

I would normally have said drive easy for 1000 miles, and just pull full vacuum and slightly lug the engine to work the rings. I'd change the oil at 100, 1000, and switch to syn at 3000.

But dyno runs and WOT sounds like the 'drive it like you stole it' break in method...which can also work.

 

[Winston]

WOT runs are OK. The bad thing is that when you approach redline, the oil filter bypass opens which may allow break-in material to flow through your engine. Still, probably not too big a deal.

 

[ringmaster]

quote:

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Originally posted by Winston:
WOT runs are OK. The bad thing is that when you approach redline, the oil filter bypass opens which may allow break-in material to flow through your engine. Still, probably not too big a deal.

---

I changed the oil and filter at 50 miles, 250 miles and then for the last time at 400 miles. After this weekend I will have approx 700 miles on it and I'd really like to drain and fill with RL 5W30.

It was a bit of the drive-it-like-you-stole-it break in

 

[Mr Nice]

What mods do you have to your LS1 ??

If it were my car, I would change to syn at 1000 miles.

 

[JAG]

Listen to what Redline says:
http://www.redlineoil.com/tech_faq.asp
"Can I break-in my engine on Red Line Oil?

We recommend using petroleum 10w30 motor oil on break in to ensure proper piston ring seating. If you allow 1500 to 2000 miles in a street engine or 20 to 30 minutes on the dyno at low rpm, the rings will have had sufficient time to seat and the high initial break-in wear will have occurred."

 

[bulwnkl]

I agree with Red Line as to when to switch to their oil

I have a factory-new engine at present with several times as many miles as yours and there's some indication that the rings may not yet be sealing as well as they ultimately should/will. At present I'm sticking with dino (probably until ~10,000 miles, though I don't presume to say you should wait that long).

 

[427Z06]

I'd do another 1,000 mile run of 10W30 dino and UOA it to insure all is well. Preferably a brand that is easy to interpret.

 

[Curious Kid]

Some where in my reading, high combustion loads cause the rings to push out against the cylinder walls, creating a tighter seal and providing some wear-in. I guess that would back-up redline's advice..."allow 1500 to 2000 miles in a street engine or 20 to 30 minutes on the dyno at low rpm, the rings will have had sufficient time to seat...". Referencing "street engine," I take that to mean low to mid load from point A to B operation unlike WOT dyno runs.

I really don't think one is hurting anything by running dino a little longer, unless you feel it's holding you back from running the engine the way you truely intend to

, even so.

 

[ringmaster]

quote:

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Originally posted by 427Z06:
I'd do another 1,000 mile run of 10W30 dino and UOA it to insure all is well. Preferably a brand that is easy to interpret.

---

Thanks for the tip. Which brand of 10W30 dino would you suggest for good protection and the UOA?

 

[427Z06]

quote:

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Originally posted by ringmaster:
Thanks for the tip. Which brand of 10W30 dino would you suggest for good protection and the UOA?

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Almost any SM/GF-4 dino would do. Havoline, Castrol, MC, Pennzoil, etc. I'd avoid the ones which show Na in the VOA...makes it harder to interpret.

 

[ringmaster]

I have a newly rebuilt LS1 V8 with forged pistons that I intend to run on Redline 5W30. So far I have logged 500 miles with 10W30 dino oil but I want to get the RL in there ASAP!

Since these Corvette LS1s were factory filled with M1 5W30 and I haven't exactly followed GM's suggested break-in (I've done lots of dyno time and WOT runs!) is it safe to change to RL synthetic with so few miles on this fresh engine or is there an advantage to waiting longer?

 

[LargeCarMan]

I personally would change it this weekend. And if you read into Redlines guidelines...I am sure you have 20 minutes on the dyno. LCM

quote:

---

Originally posted by JAG:
Listen to what Redline says:
http://www.redlineoil.com/tech_faq.asp
"Can I break-in my engine on Red Line Oil?

We recommend using petroleum 10w30 motor oil on break in to ensure proper piston ring seating. If you allow 1500 to 2000 miles in a street engine or 20 to 30 minutes on the dyno at low rpm, the rings will have had sufficient time to seat and the high initial break-in wear will have occurred."

---

 

[carock]

THere would be no problem running some Redline right now, like one or two quarts. If it were me, I would run full Redline right now. If you want to be scientific, you can do a leakdown test. If you are running 97%, for sure you can switch now, your rings are seated.

 

[Volvohead]

The last two have it correct.

This is not a factory new or reman short block, but a field rebuild. An ENTIRELY DIFFERENT animal done an entirely different way. Ignore all the "factory synthetic" parroting drawn from the new car sales brochures. It absolutely does NOT apply here.

It's all about the rings and the cylinder honing. A field rebuild presents a very different, and typically longer, seating in process.

Go to a really good full syn too early on a field rebuild and you will retard or prevent full break in. If the glazing is severe enough, you will have a burner on your hands.

As we don't know the ring specification or honing pattern applied by the machinist, it's best to play it on the conservative side. I'd stick with a conventional straight weight for the first 500, and a conventional multivis until you reach at least 3,000. After that, you should be able to run whatever you like without too much consequence.

Again, boys and girls, this is a FIELD rebuild.

 

[427Z06]

quote:

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Originally posted by Volvohead:
Again, boys and girls, this is a FIELD rebuild.

---

Thanks, Dad.

Seriously, "lots of dyno time and WOT runs" plus 1500 miles should cover 99.99% of the requirements of aftermarket rebuilds of this engine.

 

[pair of Blazers]

i just had one of my Blazer engines done w/some mods . my builder said drive the pi$$ out of it and it'll be fine. since I have a lot more tuning to do on it I ran it easy for 3K on Havoline 10-40. will go to a strait 30 next change for the summer. builder recomended 40wt for it but that seems a little heavy. going Amsoil.
on a side note I have been using Fp60 in my fuel for a road trip I took w/truck and had a best mpg of 22.5. this on a new moded not exactly tuned rolling brick. :bowdown:LCD my toys

 

[KJA426]

The whole waiting until 3,000 miles thing is a myth. 500 miles is plenty of time to seat the rings. I switched my truck over at 500 miles and I'm getting very close to 100,000 miles with no problems.

 

[Mitch Alsup]

The question as to when it is realistic to switch to synthetics has a lot to do with the selection of the piston rings and a lot to do with the cylinder finish that the piston rings sweep, and absolutely nothing about whether the piston is forged, hyperutetic, or cast.

So, what surface finish was put on the cylinder walls?
What piston rings? what ring gap, what pinning pressure? and did you build the engine with lube on the rings or not?

 

[dwendt44]

The cylinder finish on todays factory engines is very good. Engines break in quickly.
A rebuilt engine is a little different. Boring and honing are not as good as the factory new finish; therefore, a rebuilt may require a longer break-in period.
Still, 1000 miles should do it.
One well experienced mechanic said to drive it easy, with an occasional quick acceleration(like an on ramp). This on a warm engine.

 

[mechtech]

I agree with Volvohead.
I'd give it longer to seat in.
Factory bore finish is superb compared to aftermarket technniques.
Ok, you can get a very fine aftermarket finish, of course, but it's tough to duplicate the factory quality nowadays, and they do break them in somewhat at the factory.