Oil question
- Thread starter Zoliaster
- Start date
scot w.
GNSperformance.com
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
Break In Miles
I was told by an engine builder who iv'e seen his work and drove in his cars. NOT to break a motor in on synthetics, 10w30 for the first 100 miles then go to synthetics if you wish. and my buddies motor has around 6,000miles on it now and it still has 45lbs of oil pressure at idle while hot... not a single problem... just my .02 worth
Scot w.
I was told by an engine builder who iv'e seen his work and drove in his cars. NOT to break a motor in on synthetics, 10w30 for the first 100 miles then go to synthetics if you wish. and my buddies motor has around 6,000miles on it now and it still has 45lbs of oil pressure at idle while hot... not a single problem... just my .02 worth
Scot w.- Joined
- May 26, 2001
No "old wives tale".......
New cars have "new" technology engines. The Buick V-6 was designed 40 years ago and have different parts and materials than are used todays engines.
The cam suppliers, and even some oil company engineers, say that the "new" synthetic oils do not have the EP additives necessary for "old" technology engines like ours with flat tappet cams.
Also, the synthetic oils will "drain" away from bearings and cylinder walls after a few days and make for a dry start up on cars that are not run often.
In the "old days" even when these cars were new, most Buick service departments still recommended just 30W oil be used.
My own experience in installing over 100 aftermarket flat tappet cams in Buick turbo motors, only 2 have ever been a problem and needed to be replaced - both were on a steady diet of Mobil I?
Terry_H said:
New cars have "new" technology engines. The Buick V-6 was designed 40 years ago and have different parts and materials than are used todays engines.
The cam suppliers, and even some oil company engineers, say that the "new" synthetic oils do not have the EP additives necessary for "old" technology engines like ours with flat tappet cams.
Also, the synthetic oils will "drain" away from bearings and cylinder walls after a few days and make for a dry start up on cars that are not run often.
In the "old days" even when these cars were new, most Buick service departments still recommended just 30W oil be used.
My own experience in installing over 100 aftermarket flat tappet cams in Buick turbo motors, only 2 have ever been a problem and needed to be replaced - both were on a steady diet of Mobil I?
Breaking in a motor is really all about seating the rings. They claim synthetic oil keeps that from happening during initial run in. We break motors in on the dyno with 30W and after a few pulls switch to synthetic. I personally would not take a chance with synthetic oil on break in especially when the motor is installed in a car (alot of work to R&R). Run it in on 30W it's cheaper, then change to synthetic after a few hundred miles. Good luck.
Okay, I have seated a motor with Mobil 1 without problems, but I am going to backtrack a little and recommend dino oil for the first couple thousand miles to be safe. Here is an article where even synthetic manufacturers don't agree.
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Using synthetic-oil in engine break-ins
By Road & Track, Technical Correspondence Column, July 2000 issue
Many readers have questioned us on engine break-in procedures when using synthetic oil. Conventional wisdom has it that a new or freshly rebuilt engine should be broken in using mineral oil, then, once enough mileage has accumulated to ensure rings and cylinder walls have lapped themselves into harmony, synthetic oil can be used.
Readers have correctly pointed out that several major brands come from the factory with synthetic oil, among these being Corvette, Mercedes-Benz and Viper. How can these engines break-in if run on synthetic oil from day one, they ask?
To find out, we spoke with Mobil and Redline Oil companies for their take on the synthetic break-in question. Mobil's response was that engines break-in just fine on synthetics, and that any wear point in the engine significant enough to be an interference, and thus susceptible to rapid wear, would be a wear point no matter what lubricant is used.
Redline, on the other hand, has found it best to recommend a mineral oil break-in. Occasionally an engine will glaze its cylinder walls when initially run on Redline, they say, so by using a mineral oil for 2000 miles, verifying there is no oil consumption and then switching to the synthetic, glazing is eliminated.
Cylinder-wall glazing is not a deposit left on the cylinder wall, but rather a displacement of cylinder-wall metal. This happens when the high spots of the cylinder wall crosshatch are not cut or worn off by the piston rings, but rather rolled over into the valleys or grooves of the crosshatch. This leaves a surface that oil adheres to poorly, against which the rings cannot seal well. Compression is lost and oil consumed, and the only cure is to tear down the engine to physically restore the cylinder-wall finish by honing.
Why is glazing not a problem for the major manufacturer? Because they have complete, accurate control over their cylinder-wall finish and ring type. Redline deals with a huge variety of engines and manufacturers, both OEM and from the aftermarket. Cylinder-wall finish and ring type thus vary greatly, and glazing can therefore occur, albeit rarely.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Using synthetic-oil in engine break-ins
By Road & Track, Technical Correspondence Column, July 2000 issue
Many readers have questioned us on engine break-in procedures when using synthetic oil. Conventional wisdom has it that a new or freshly rebuilt engine should be broken in using mineral oil, then, once enough mileage has accumulated to ensure rings and cylinder walls have lapped themselves into harmony, synthetic oil can be used.
Readers have correctly pointed out that several major brands come from the factory with synthetic oil, among these being Corvette, Mercedes-Benz and Viper. How can these engines break-in if run on synthetic oil from day one, they ask?
To find out, we spoke with Mobil and Redline Oil companies for their take on the synthetic break-in question. Mobil's response was that engines break-in just fine on synthetics, and that any wear point in the engine significant enough to be an interference, and thus susceptible to rapid wear, would be a wear point no matter what lubricant is used.
Redline, on the other hand, has found it best to recommend a mineral oil break-in. Occasionally an engine will glaze its cylinder walls when initially run on Redline, they say, so by using a mineral oil for 2000 miles, verifying there is no oil consumption and then switching to the synthetic, glazing is eliminated.
Cylinder-wall glazing is not a deposit left on the cylinder wall, but rather a displacement of cylinder-wall metal. This happens when the high spots of the cylinder wall crosshatch are not cut or worn off by the piston rings, but rather rolled over into the valleys or grooves of the crosshatch. This leaves a surface that oil adheres to poorly, against which the rings cannot seal well. Compression is lost and oil consumed, and the only cure is to tear down the engine to physically restore the cylinder-wall finish by honing.
Why is glazing not a problem for the major manufacturer? Because they have complete, accurate control over their cylinder-wall finish and ring type. Redline deals with a huge variety of engines and manufacturers, both OEM and from the aftermarket. Cylinder-wall finish and ring type thus vary greatly, and glazing can therefore occur, albeit rarely.
