Is it possible to seat the rings later in a cars life? A series of Italian Tuneups perhaps?
So what if someone flubbed the breakin and it consumes oil?
- Thread starter TallPaul
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If the engine consumes oil I don't think the breakin is the problem. What vehicle ? how old ? what is the oil consumption? miles ?
It was sort of a general question, but with the wife's Aerostar 3.0 (1992) we bought used in 1995 there has been high consumption without blue smoke and the engine runs great. Typically it will use a couple quarts in a 3000 mile OCI. This has been the case from the day we bought it at 27,000 miles to now at 107,000 miles.
But I really should not complain. At least I have fun topping up every now and then. You know how dry it gets running a whole oci with a vehicle that never needs topping up.
Need to play with motor oil!
[ February 24, 2005, 01:27 PM: Message edited by: TallPaul ]
But I really should not complain. At least I have fun topping up every now and then. You know how dry it gets running a whole oci with a vehicle that never needs topping up.
Need to play with motor oil!
[ February 24, 2005, 01:27 PM: Message edited by: TallPaul ]
TP - The engine may have been oil deprived, or lubrication challenged, in it's past life. That would be a more likely scenario.
It would be very difficult to break an engine in wrong, nowadays. They are 85% there, from the factory full throttle test bed runs [concerning rings/bore].
It would be very difficult to break an engine in wrong, nowadays. They are 85% there, from the factory full throttle test bed runs [concerning rings/bore].
You need to post more info as noted.
Generally, unless you are using moly rings or the final honing on the cylinder walls is not correct, the standard replacement cast iron rings seat almost immediately. Moly rings can take up to several thousand miles to seat sometimes. This is all assuming that it is not a question of loose valveguides, poor valvestem seals or some other mechanical gremlin.
There used to be a general procedure for ensuring that the rings seat by taking the vehicle up to 40, 50, and 60 mph under load (highest gear), then coasting down to about 20 mph. I have not found this to be necessary and I simply drive normally and avoid flogging the engine for a couple of thousand miles. The main issue is that the cam is broken in correctly at initial startup - rings have not been a problem.
If you have several thousand miles on the vehicle and oil consumption is a problem, driving like a maniac on the highway won't do a thing except cause a wreck or a ticket.
Generally, unless you are using moly rings or the final honing on the cylinder walls is not correct, the standard replacement cast iron rings seat almost immediately. Moly rings can take up to several thousand miles to seat sometimes. This is all assuming that it is not a question of loose valveguides, poor valvestem seals or some other mechanical gremlin.
There used to be a general procedure for ensuring that the rings seat by taking the vehicle up to 40, 50, and 60 mph under load (highest gear), then coasting down to about 20 mph. I have not found this to be necessary and I simply drive normally and avoid flogging the engine for a couple of thousand miles. The main issue is that the cam is broken in correctly at initial startup - rings have not been a problem.
If you have several thousand miles on the vehicle and oil consumption is a problem, driving like a maniac on the highway won't do a thing except cause a wreck or a ticket.
roller cams dont need a break in period btw.
and i concur, standard piston rings seat themselves within the first few seconds the engine is running.
and i concur, standard piston rings seat themselves within the first few seconds the engine is running.
TallPaul: Is that the Vulcan 3.0? If so my brothers 92 Ranger with the same engine does the same thing. It didn't burn a drop until after 100k. I believe it is inherent with this model year. I think it may be related to gasket changes like those in the Toyota 3.0 of the same vintage. Just add oil and drive is all I can tell you.
Just an FYI on the subject of oil consumption...I had a 99 Saturn SL1 that used about 3 qts of 10-30 oil between 3000 mile oil changes ( using 5-30 was a useless task). I started using 20-50 just to slow it down a little and was actually thinking about dumping gear oil in it and driving it through the dealer's show window before I got rid of it. Now mind you this problem started right after I bought the car and got progressively worse as the miles went by. I showed up at the dealer every other week insisting they do something and the answer was always the same: " General Motors considers oil consumption of one quart within 800 miles to be NORMAL oil consumption". The owners manual states that some oil consumption is normal.
No, If glazeing took place you are SOL! You would have to rehone the walls of the cylinder and put new rings in. Like other has said I doubt you problem would be break in related. More then likely the rings, guides or seals are worn out. You could try Auto-Rx but it will not solve the problem if it a mechanical issue!
Unless maybe you introduce some fine gritty material into the air stream and then change the oil in about 500 miles.
Bon Ami works wonders at gently scuffing up cylinder walls. This practice has been around since at least the mid-50's (Chevy shoebox owners know what I meanquote:
Originally posted by TallPaul:
Unless maybe you introduce some fine gritty material into the air stream and then change the oil in about 500 miles.No, don't worry I am not going to try it as the side effects may be worse than the assumed (but unlikely) cure.
Well I think you ought to do a leakdown and/or compression test before you decide the oil is going by the rings. It may be just valve guide seals.
I have posted this experience before, but on my VW Scirocco I managed to burn a valve and so did a valve job, turns out the car had "bogus" oil seals installed on the valve guides. Replacement with the correct seals took oil consumption from about 1 qt in 800 miles to about 1 quart in something like 5000 miles. This is Mobil-1 10-30 "multi-vehicle formula" FWIW.
But from what you describe, hey, I would just top off the oil and not worry about it.
I have posted this experience before, but on my VW Scirocco I managed to burn a valve and so did a valve job, turns out the car had "bogus" oil seals installed on the valve guides. Replacement with the correct seals took oil consumption from about 1 qt in 800 miles to about 1 quart in something like 5000 miles. This is Mobil-1 10-30 "multi-vehicle formula" FWIW.
But from what you describe, hey, I would just top off the oil and not worry about it.
Thanks M3 Mitch. Well given the way this engine is wedged in under the dashboard/cowl, there's no way I will mess with the valve seals anyway. Guess I could run Auto Rx though. The bright side is it runs great and the top ups will replenish the additives, so it's not that bad. Just thought it there was an easy way....
In the ‘50s Chevrolet had a problem with the small V-8 rings seating. A service bulletin recommended adding Bon Ami to the cylinders to force them to seat. It’s been discussed here before:
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000961
As far as I can tell it works.
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Yes, at 43, 73, 94, and 105 thousands of miles. Van now has about 1500 miles on last PCV valve, which was a Motorcraft purchased at the dealership.
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