New motor break-in
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New motor break-in - 8/9/2006 8:32:01 PM
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z3080
Posts: 36
Joined: 3/1/2006
Status: offline
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I've just started my new 289!!!!! I've got a new Water pump, thermostat, hoses..etc, My question is....the motor seems to run hot after 10 minutes. It's up to about 7/8 on the gauge, it's a factory installed gauge w/o numbers. I still have the car up on jack stands and the motor is timed and idles beautifully at about 450 RPM. I'm getting a lot of smoke from my new exhaust manifold to pipe donuts but I',m told this happens. How should I proceed? The manufacturer says run it at 1800 RPM for 20 min. I don't like that. My fluid levels are correct and I'm running the motor at 5 min. intervals to see if I can bring the temperature into acceptable limits...Should I drive it? How fast and how far? Can I hook up the A/C? Any other tips from you guys-what-knows-lots-more-than-me? Feel free to PM me I need all the help I can get!...THANKS!!!!
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RE: New motor break-in - 8/9/2006 8:45:59 PM
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67Sally
Posts: 1947
Joined: 3/14/2006
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Give it a shot at what your builder says. If he's wrong and something goes wrong on the motor he's going to have to fix it.
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RE: New motor break-in - 8/9/2006 9:12:23 PM
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Scott H.
Posts: 2147
Joined: 5/7/2005
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First, you need to get some air over the radiator, a big industrial fan would help. the A/C condensor makes it dificult for a fresh engine sitting stationary to pull a good amount of air through so anything you can do to help it is going to be a plus.
Second, unless you have a roller cam, it is imparitive that you follow the engine companies advice and run it at 1,800-2,000 rpm for 20 minutes. This is how you "break-in" a non-roller cam. Failure to do this will result in wiping out the cam lobes, and void your warranty. So quit doing the 5 minute stints and follow instructions! Hopefully you haven't all ready damaged the cam.
It's going to get hot running at that rpm for 20 minutes, so you need to have the car in the driveway and keep a water hose running, get a mechanical temp gauge and temporarilly install it in place of your electric sending unit, then just zip-tie it over to the side, somewhere where you can watch it. If the engine gets over 200, use the water hose on the lower half of the radiator to keep it under 200. If you can't keep it under 220F shut it down and find out whats wrong. Keep a sharp ear out for strange noises, especially whistling noises, that's a very bad sign, and you need to shut it off quickly.
Not to worry though, if it starts that whistle noise and you don't catch it, it will shut itself off permantly... in short order. 
After 20 minutes of running at 1800-2000 rpms, bring it back to idle for a couple of minutes then shut it down. Let it cool off until the engine is flat cold. Look for leaks, and clean things up.
As to break in, go ahead and hook up the A/C just keep an eye on your temp gauge. The key to proper break-in is "load-unload" and heat/cool cycling. Follow the engine manufactures instructions. I prefer to keep the first 500 miles to short stints of less than 50 miles of driving followed by a complete cool down to ambient temperature. But that is mostly so I can get 200K+ miles without any issues. Most rebuilders are not that stringent.
Oh, and congratulations. Now don't mess it up!
Good luck,
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Scott Heath
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2400202
New year, new projects...
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RE: New motor break-in - 8/9/2006 9:16:04 PM
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mustanglover66
Posts: 1214
Joined: 3/28/2006
Status: offline
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first thing your idle is way to low it should idle between 800 and 900 rpm. at 450 you problelly have next to no water flow not to mention the fan is not pulling any air thru the radidator ether. I work at an engine shop and when a new engine hits the dyno after timing and and all that it runs at 2000 rpm for an hour before we do any pulls on it.
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66 Fastback, 68 302, MSD with 6AL, 600 Holley, Grab-a-trac performance package, 6 banger to V8 converted
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