{"id":1954,"date":"2018-08-17T19:07:58","date_gmt":"2018-08-17T23:07:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/?p=1954"},"modified":"2018-08-18T03:05:50","modified_gmt":"2018-08-18T07:05:50","slug":"dispelling-engine-break-in-myths-with-high-performance-academy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/2018\/08\/17\/dispelling-engine-break-in-myths-with-high-performance-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"Dispelling Engine Break-In Myths With High Performance Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<header class=\"entry-header clearfix\" style=\"background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; height: 181px; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 30px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; visibility: visible; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">\n<div class=\"entry-meta\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px;\">\n<div class=\"avatar\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; float: left; height: 50px; margin-right: 20px; width: 50px;\"><a class=\"author crop crop-image_290_290\" style=\"background-color: transparent; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; box-sizing: border-box; color: #337ab7; display: block; height: 50px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px 0px 50px 0px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.enginelabs.com\/author\/gregacosta\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"80\" style=\"border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; box-sizing: border-box; height: 50px; object-fit: cover; vertical-align: middle; width: 50px; border: 0px none #337ab7;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.enginelabs.com\/wp-content\/userphoto\/gregacosta.thumbnail.jpg\"><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"byline\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #a5a5a5; display: inline-block; margin-top: 15px;\"> By <span class=\"author vcard\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box;\"><a class=\"url fn n\" style=\"background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c5c5c; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.enginelabs.com\/author\/gregacosta\/\">Greg Acosta<\/a><\/span><\/span> <span class=\"posted-on\" style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #a5a5a5; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;\">August 17, 2018<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"[HPA Q&amp;A] Engine break-in myths dispelled | Performance Engine Building\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MlmHOMm9gow?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Anyone who has been around high-performance engines knows the term \u201cbreak-in\u201d. In fact, it\u2019s not uncommon to hear people talk about \u201cbreak-in periods\u201d for brand new cars, even. What, exactly, is being \u201cbroken-in\u201d? What\u2019s the proper procedure? Ask ten people and you are likely to get ten different answers. \u201cThis is an area where there is a huge amount of confusion and a huge amount of misinformation,\u201d says Andre Simon of High Performance Academy, an online performance learning outlet.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\" style=\"background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #474747; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">First things first, what you\u2019re doing when \u201cbreaking-in\u201d a new performance engine \u2013 or any freshly rebuilt engine, for that matter \u2013 should be clearly defined. That is one of the largest pieces of misinformation in and of itself, according to Simon. \u201cWe must understand what it is we are actually trying to do. Some people think we are trying to bed in the bearings, or crankshaft, and that\u2019s just not the case,\u201d says Simon. \u201cIf you end up with metal-to-metal contact between the bearings and crankshaft journals [which would occur in a bedding process], you\u2019re going to cause damage. Once that contact occurs, no amount of gentile running is going to fix that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">What is actually being done during engine break-in is fairly simple \u2013 it\u2019s the controlled bedding, or wearing-in, of the new piston rings on the hone of the cylinder walls. \u201cWe are trying to bed those rings so that they achieve a correct seal against the cylinder walls, and we have a relatively narrow window in which to do this,\u201d relates Simon. \u201cOnce we achieve that seal, we end up with an engine that creates good power, has low blow-by, and has low oil consumption.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">\u201cWe\u2019re using the rough surface of the hone pattern to abrade the rings and make them seat,\u201d Simon explains. The crosshatch pattern of the hone in the cylinder like a file on the outer surface, creating a perfect fit within the bore. While that may sound simple \u2013 and really, the actual mechanics of it are \u2013 the process to actually achieve that is a delicate balancing act, as that crosshatch is only abrasive for a limited amount of time. \u201cThe reason there\u2019s a narrow window is because that hone pattern will be broken down in time,\u201d Simon continues.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" id=\"attachment_1024864\" style=\"background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0px; background-position-y: 0px; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 930px; width: 930px; border: 0px none #474747;\">\n<p><a style=\"background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff5d1f; display: block; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.speednik.com\/files\/2018\/08\/dispelling-engine-break-in-myths-with-high-performance-academy-2018-08-17_15-42-29_354800.jpg\" rel=\"shadowbox[sbpost-240352];player=img;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" class=\"wp-image-240354 size-large\" style=\"border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; height: 620px; max-width: 930px; vertical-align: middle; width: 930px; border: 0px none #ff5d1f;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.speednik.com\/files\/2018\/08\/dispelling-engine-break-in-myths-with-high-performance-academy-2018-08-17_15-42-29_354800-960x640.jpg\" data-lazy-loaded=\"true\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\" style=\"background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0px; background-position-y: 0px; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; border-left-color: #ff5d1f; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6a6a6a; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; padding-left: 15px; text-align: left; margin: 20px 0px 15px 0px;\">The proper cross-hatch pattern not only retains oil throughout the life of the engine, but the rough finish acts as a file to properly bed the rings in during the break-in process. However the sharp edges only last a limited amount of time. Once those edges are worn down, the ring bedding process is over, whether they\u2019ve properly bedded to the cylinder walls or not.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">Where things get complicated, is the proper way to maximize the effectiveness of that period where the crosshatch is essentially file-fitting the piston rings to the bore. \u201cMy process is one which I\u2019ve gone though and developed through my career. It works exceptionally well, and as with most engine builders, I\u2019m a bit superstitious about it,\u201d says Simon. \u201cThe worst thing you can do while breaking in an engine is baby the engine or allow it to idle for extended periods, particularly when it\u2019s hot. That will place almost no load on the rings and it will allow that hone pattern to be broken down without actually performing its job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">However, while you don\u2019t want a light load, you also don\u2019t want to go to the other extreme either. \u201cWhat we want to use is moderate amounts of load and moderate amounts of RPM,\u201d explains Simon. \u201cWhat happens with moderate loads, is that combustion pressure gets behind those rings, and pushes them out against the fresh hone pattern. That friction against the cylinder wall helps the bedding process along. However, that friction creates a lot of heat, so we need to be careful of that. You don\u2019t want to go straight to wide open throttle and 8,500 rpm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">Additionally, the lubricant used in the initial break-in period can have a large impact on how well the rings seat., and results in yet another balancing act. \u201cThe goal is to use an oil which will allow enough friction for the rings to bed in correctly. Common high-performance synthetic oil is so slippery it will actually inhibit the wear required to bed the rings in. So you don\u2019t want to use super slick full-synthetic oils to break the engine in,\u201d reveals Simon.<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">He prefers to use mineral-based oil, during break-in, as it will still protect the engine, but not be so super slippery as to be detrimental to the break-in process. There are a number of break-in specific oils on the market, which usually contain other additives to protect other parts of the engine in its early stages of life, and preferences on which one is best are about as varied as the varieties of oil themselves.<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">One final myth that Simon aims to bust, is extended engine break-in periods. \u201cAfter a couple hundred kilometers of use, your rings are as bedded in as they\u2019re ever going to be. After that, it\u2019s all downhill, so you might as well get out and start enjoying your engine,\u201d he says. \u201cExceedingly long break in periods are absolute rubbish.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Greg Acosta August 17, 2018 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Anyone who has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-techpost"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1954"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1954\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1964,"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1954\/revisions\/1964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}