Take a look at this link and tell me what you think…all the major bike/car forums in the West provide links to it…so it seems most Car/bike freaks seem to agree with it. What do you think?
Breaking in a new engine:
mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Is it different for 2 strokes and 4 strokes? The article said it specifically applied to 4 strokes.
MJB has described something like this before.
[quote=“MJB”]Two strokes tend not to last as long as 4-strokes simply because it’s so busy in there. 1,000km for the break-in is pretty standard, running your engine up a mountain before your piston rings have seated is a definite no-no! The reason that so many rebuilds fail, especially here, is that they give you no details (other than go slow for 1,000km) on how to break in your motor. Over the last 13 years, I have rebuilt my engine at least ten times and changed 4 different heads.
The secret to a good break-in is simple. You want to slowly torque the engine where you can access it’s powerband without stressing your new rings. Simple right? The easiest way to do this is to only let your engine go in it’s powerband in 3rd gear and then only slowly. Then upshift into a high enough gear that the engine is doing almost nothing in order to let all of those minute peices of metal wash down to the bottom of the engine. This alternating stress, coast routine should be done for at least 300km before you take a passenger or head for the hills. In all honesty though, 80% of your ring-seating is done in the first 50km, the rest is for reliablilty…it’s even possible to underrev to the point where the rings will ‘glaze’ and fail to seal! The result will be a motor that is way underpowered and has no powerband to speak of. If you break it in hard, it will run like a bat out of hell for about 40% of it’s normal life span and then keel over.[/quote]
I broke my engine in using the more traditional method; very slowly, low revs for the first 100km, then fairly slow, low revs for the following 900km (well, almost 900; I got so tired of being overtaken by grannys that I finished the process 50km early). The engine is still going strongly nearly two years later.
I’ve bookmarked the link you gave though, and will consider it again when I face breaking in an engine next time.
It’s not a new idea, in fact this is how I broke in my small block V8 back in the early 80’s. I did have the advantage of being able to do so on a dynometer though, which makes it much easier than trying to do it on the street.
One thing the article does point out though, is that the new cylinder bores are so finely honed and to such exact tolerances, that you can get away with this aggressive type of break-in. I wouldn’t try that on a small displacement engine, 2 or 4 stroke, that’s been bored locally. I remember the first time I had my RZ rebuilt at 35,000km, the Yamaha boys were insistant that I break it in slowly over 1,500KM!
I do less than half of that now, and have had good luck with my increasingly hard punches (only in powerband) and alternating coasting. I also take the bike for a spin right out of the shop for maybe 20km, and give it several decent raps (again slowly through powerband in third gear). I then return to the shop and change the oil. I usually consider the job finished by 500km, and it’s worked well so far.
I wouldn’t try this guys methods on a two-stroke though…
[quote=“MJB”]I also take the bike for a spin right out of the shop for maybe 20km… I then return to the shop and change the oil.[/quote]I also changed the oil fairly early on – after 50km I think. Interesting; for the first 50 I was recommended to use non-synthetic oil and thereafter synthetic. Is there any particular reason for this?
I hear that you want to use a cheaper oil for break in because you want the “loose” bits to wear away and flake off so when you get the first oil change the engine is effectively “cleaned out”. Synthetic being the superior oil would in theory slow down the “breaking in” process.
That’s my understanding of it anyway.
yep old news that moto-tune guy… thrashing the hell out of your new engine during the first 20km on the road, due to the advice of some crackpot web mechanic, instead of the advice of teams of the world’s best engine development engineers and technitions?.. good luck with your 100,000 mile service 
…
Teh winnAr
Well the majority of people don’t wear their socks inside-out. But that’s the correct way. Just because it isn’t done by the majority doesn’t make it wrong. A lot of mechanics/ pro-riders agree with this guy…don’t be so quick to judge. If he wanted to kill your engine he wouldn’t reccomend oil changes 580 miles before you are supposed to…
I’m not being quick to judge I’ve read what the “moto-tune dude” has to say about breaking in engines in great detail years back when I also heard about it was an alternative to factory recommended break in technique…
like MJB and everyone else who understands anything at all about engines says about this “thrash it from the 1st km” idea [quote]“If you break it in hard, it will run like a bat out of hell for about 40% of it’s normal life span and then keel over.” [/quote] sure you’ll get a great seal on the piston rings and the advantages that brings that the moto-tune guy harps on about are real enough, problem is for the “moto-tune dude” pistons aren’t the only thing getting thrashed when you redline a bike right out the box… every other major and minor system, every bearing, belt, cam, chain, pump, sprocket, spring, valve, gear, cable… everything, goes from being fresh off the parts shelf to getting the hell thrashed out of it… that is what means that various sub systems and/or the bike as a whole will die an early death…
“pro riders” and “race mechanics” have a lot in common with “boy racers” in that they think liberating 3% peak HP is “like awesome dude!..” and an end that justifies any means… to someone interested in using a bike/car, even a performance bike/car in a normal non race, standard lifetime capacity, the best way to break it in is according to the manufacturers recommedations, taken with a pinch of salt… ie. it wont really take 100miles to scrub your tires in, and it won’t self destruct if you let it creep over 6Kprm for short blasts during the first 1000km… manufacturer recommended break in methods aren’t right becuase they are “done by the majority” they are right beause they are the methods prescribed by the engineers and technicians who developed, designed and manufactured the engine and the bike as a whole… not some small time race mechanic with a website…
the thrash it off the showroom floor method may be nice for racers, race mechanics and the huge sea of pretenders to who own DVD copies of fast and furious and whatever the bike version of that movie was called… but it’s a bit like saying smoking cigarettes is a good idea because nicotine keeps you alert, it may be true but it’s ignoring the big picture that smoking causes cancer…
All hail plasmatron. Off topic, are you a mechanic? If so, where is your shop? I’ve been trying to find a competent English speaking mechanic. Sure there are some, but none that I would trust my bike with. I’m really picky about things like that. I cringe when I see mechanics haphazardly take apart bikes just to locate minor problems. Also, very few shops have the right tools or computer equipment to properly do diagnostic checks on big bikes (and I don’t mean Dynos). Let me know if you know of any trustworthy guys.
Well I never said I belived the guy…just said a lot of people do. You make some good points about the other parts of the bike taking a beating. But then again…I saw on A&E that with new plane engines…they take them up to red-line and hold them there for something like 12 hours straight. Before even putting them on the plane. The moto-tune guy also counters your arguement in the article…he says…some people say “what about the other parts that could come lose…etc.” his reply " if they break after a few hours of hard riding then the part was faulty to begin with and wouldn’t last the 1000s of hours of hard riding that come after break in…and better to find it while the bike is still under warranty" I’m paraphrasing of course, but you get the jist.
[quote=“Mordeth”]I saw on A&E that with new plane engines…they take them up to red-line and hold them there for something like 12 hours straight. [/quote]You’re still missing the point. An aero engine is not going to be put into use until it fails or obviously needs an overhaul. A aero is torn down and rebuilt with new components at a given number of service hours, not when the owner feels like it, it starts making smoke, the peak power drops off by 0.01% or any other factor barring early failure. Race engines are also torn down and rebuilt after a given number of hours, or even a single event. A street engine OTOH is going to be expected to run as long as possible without failure. It will get overhauled if and when it needs it.
Thus:
Race/aero engine: Hammer down from first turn = get that last 0.01% of performance potential from the motor and accept that early, scheduled overhaul is mandatory.
Street engine: Gentle break-in, gradually increasing load and speed to ensure maximum possible service life before overhaul.
Go ahead and thrash your streetbike motor from new if you like, just accept the fact that it’s going to need overhauling early.
I find it interesting how you state “facts” You say “just accept the fact that it’s…” The guy who wrote that article has supposedly used his method on hundreds of engines…and when he takes them apaprt to check they have less wear and tear than one’s that are broken in according to the manufacturer. He says lawnmowers should be broken in this way…do you think he’s trying to get .01% more HP out of his lawn mower? . He says it’s the best way to break it in for HP and for longevity. He has comparison pistons of from bikes that were broken in gradually and from ones that were broken in using his method and if the pics are to be trusted…and I’m assuming they are since most car/bike forums have links to this guy…and no one has called him a fraud yet…then the pistons that use his method have a longer life. And he doesn’t say to “thrash” your bike…he actually gives some advice like an oil change at 20 miles…when the manufacturer says wait till 600. Did you even read the whole article?
Whatever. I have my own stack of parts from 25 years of overhauling and tuning engines of all sizes, and they tell a different story.
Yes I have heard this advice before, it’s been running around longer than I can remember. I’m an engineer, so it’s not in my nature to go jumping to conclusions without some data. I have my data, and the conclusion I draw from it is that for a long life street motor a normal break-in is best. I do understand the idea of a first change at 20km, but actual wear particles will not usually show up at this time, just any crud from parts not properly cleaned before, or junk entrained during assembly. Very rare in these days of clinically-clean assembly rooms.
It’s your motor, and I don’t care enough about it to argue with you. Do whatever you like with it, and be happy.
I think there is no absolute right or wrong way to break-in your engine. Go on any bike forum and you will find the same debate. They are usually long and to no resolve. In the end it’s your bike, break it in or break it whatever you desire. For me, I’ll stick with the manual, and take it above the limits every so often, and then pound it after 600km. I think the manual gives you some margin for error. And for the most part, the take it easy for the first 1000km is really to protect youself. I think it is right. It usually takes me about 1000km with a new bike before I’m comfortable and familiar enough with it to go fast and lean it over in turns. But to each his own. Here are some other discussions on this topic.
zx-10r.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6548
zx-10r.net/forum/showthread.php?t=445
(Very interesting about the point that Yamaha has black boxes that records how you break in your bike. Wonder if my Kawasaki has that.)
[quote=“KawasakiRider”]
(Very interesting about the point that Yamaha has black boxes that records how you break in your bike. Wonder if my Kawasaki has that.)[/quote]If you already have a computer managing the injection and ignition systems, and providing diagnostics, it’s not much work or cost to add some datalogging. Many (most?) cars these days record peak values of many parameters available under OBD-II and these will be among the first things consulted when warranty claims on the powertrain are being made. It may just be Yamaha trying to find another weapon against warranty abusers, and it may be a useful hint as to how important the break-in procedure is. Mind you, Yamaha have a long history of implementing technology in a way which shows they have a lot more faith in their machine than they do in the operator. Remember the old XJ’s and the oil light? They had a warning light for low level, not low pressure…
Interesting, I’ll have to look into that some more. I’m wondering if I have the black box stock on my bike.
hsiagogah already pointed this out but plane engines and their maintainence and preparation have got sweet bugger all to do with bike engines… not just apples and oranges, apples and albino kangaroos…
again “moto-tune guy” playing three card monty with logic and reason, luckily for him his target audience aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed… parts and even more so, sub systems on a bike do not exist in a binary state of either “broken” or “not broken” things can get damaged without failing, minor damage can compound faults that accelerate wear and tear… the effects of red lining or near red lining a new engine /bike therefore need not manifest instantly but more likely later in the life of the engine and/or bike…
even if he was right, good luck claiming on that warranty, I’m sure Honda will be very interested in replacing your destroyed bike and paying your hospital bills, when you point out that you discovered the crank shaft was faulty and caused the engine to seize whilst you where red lining the bike at 250km/h 5 mins after you left the showroom…
anyway, Kawasaki Riderand Hsiadogah are right… each to his own… I don’t much care how other people want to break in their bikes, but I do know how I will continue to break in every new vehicle I’ll ever buy, and it’s uncanny that every person I’ve ever met who knows anything about engines and mechanics does the same…
BTW @ Kawasaki Rider, I’m not a mechanic by trade sorry… and I can confirm there are no mech’s in Taichung that I’d vouch for as being worth much at all… When I had the Z1000 I just bought the service manual and did all the services myself… :eh:
[quote=“hsiadogah”]
It’s your motor, and I don’t care enough about it to argue with you. Do whatever you like with it, and be happy.[/quote]
You’re taking this too personal…or thinking that I am. There is no “my motor” I don’t own any new bikes right now…I just thought it was interesting and wanted to hear some other peoples views on it…didn’t know we were “arguing”…I never said once that I believed the guy. he just sounded like he knew what he was talking about…and I wanted an equally intelligent response from someone in the forum to either deny or agree…either way.
Personally, I think that anyone who hasn’t swapped out all the nuts on his bike for those cool shiny blue ones is just a wimpy little nerd that knows bugger-all about bikes.