Proper Engine Break-in procedure

We may earn a small commission from affiliate links and paid advertisements. Terms

There are two main battles about break-in.

First, is the easy break in. Personally, I don't buy this anymore. But, for the record- here it is anyway.

Let the engine idle for 10 min then idle at 2000 rpm for 10 min. turn car off and let it settle for about 5-10 min.

0-200 miles.
Try to keep the highest rpm under 3000 rpm. Every 15-20 miles, spin the engine to 4500 rpm in first and sometimes in second gear.

200-400 miles.
Try to keep the revs limited to 3500 rpm. Raise the revs rpm to 5500 with the same frequency as above.

400-600 miles.
Go to 4000 rpm for driving limit. Raise the revs to 6000 - 6500 rpm and include 3rd gear pulls, same frequency as above.

600-800 miles.
4500 rpm driving limit. rev it to 7000 rpm and include partial 4th gear pulls.

800-1K miles.
5000 rpm limit with revs to 7500 with some pulls all the way through 4th and partial fifth gear pulls.


Use non synthetic oil for the first 500 miles, change oil with non synthetic,(it is not necessary to change the filter) then once you meet the 1000 mile mark go ahead and change it with a full synthetic and a new oil filter.

Using regular - non-synthetic - is also at your option, but pick one or the other to use from this point forward. Changing back and forth is NOT a good idea.

I personally find synthetic too weak for my motor. It doesn't have enough umph and VTEC engagement doesn't happen because of the oil pressure factor not being there. This will depend greatly on the motor and what you have done to it, however.



The other option- Break it in on the dyno. WITH a wideband and a good tune- not a basemap.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
personally, i feel that synthetic oil isn't good for any motors that have already been driven on. use castrol or valvoline 10w-30 and change your oil often. synthetic oil is often to slippery and too thin which can lead to premature engine wear. plus, as brian stated oil pressure may never reach high enough levels so vtec will engage.
 
I disagree. Synthetic oils will withstand harsher environments. I run 12.6:1 compression, and Mobil1 10w30 full synthetic oil works great for me. The engine run well, the oil handles the high heat in the head from the compression, and VTEC always engages at the correct point. I tried a non-synthetic oil on a recommendation (Valvoline VR1 Racing 20w50), and I torched one entire quart in 100 miles. The engine ran rough, and the oil couldn't withstand the high stress conditions.

Synthetic and regular "dino" oil are each appropriate for different applications. Run synthetic if you're using a turbo, have ridiculously high compression, or have an engine that's built significantly beyond stock specs. For all other applications, regular oil works just fine.

Always use regular oil for engine break-in, and new engine component break-in, like camshafts, rings, etc. The synthetic oil will not allow the new parts to 'wear in' or 'scrub in', so it should NOT be used for break-in processes.

NOTE: The above break-in procedures were borrowed from the now defunct www.crvtec.com .
 
Ageed, I alos run Mobil 1 synthetic and I never have any VTEC problems. The boiling point of synthetic oils is substanialy higher than natural oil so it lubricates the motor better than natural oils at higher temps.
 
Just to make a final point 18 months after the start of this topic....

chet and I are both from a colder climate than lsvtec and calesta. as such, our temps are much different throughout the year. Only you can decide what is best for your motor based on your climate, and your tolerences of your particular build design.
 
Back
Top