Break in oil a joke ? or real ?

Lately theres been lots of buzz about using specialty break in oil for motors. Any truth to that or just use good oil right away and you'll be fine ?

 

What you read here, is most likely fact.

 

I think if you use a good zinc type oil...and change it after you run in the cam, you'll be OK...however, I'm always open to learning in something new.

R-

 

Man it is like this....For every scientific Study Done There is another one that says something diffren't......I have never used any speical break in engine oil and have never had any problems.......Sounds like a BS story to get some suckers to pay 5 times the amount for a quart of oil....But hey what do I know?.....LOL

 

I am with StudeDude I think you will be fine with a quality oil that contains zinc.

 

Ive never used a break in oil and I havebroke in many a race motor. Just make sure it is a good quality oil. Ive always heard you want zinc in it but Im not a chemist.

 

Zinc isn't nessesary if you have a roller cam. It is if you don't!

 

This could be a total wag, but someone told me that in days gone by break in oil was also used to flush out any debris remaining in the motor. I suppose the damage would already have been done, but the logic was to change it after only a few miles to see what might have collected in the pan. That and examining the filter elements. Gary

 

I use diesel motor oil for that very reason. High zinc content.

 

I think its b.s .i don't use anything special in mine except the cam lube on the break in ,after that just normal oil.So far so good.

 

Never used any special break in oils,,always used the cam lube on the lobes and lifters faces,,never anything else.
All my engines have been great ,,except one,,and that was my fault,,,cranked on it for an hour or more,,,,wore a couple of lobes a little,,,still my fault.
Had water in the gas,,I didn't mask off the fuel line when I washed the engine bay,,before painting.
When we finally checked the carbs and removed a bowl screw,,the bowls were full of water.
Drained them all,,,,turned on the pump,,it lit up as soon as the key turned,,man what a dumb kid mistake,,,Like I said,,it was my fault.
If you lube the lobes good,,,and the lifters spin freely in the bores,,,you should be golden.
I always turn mine at 3000 for about 10-12 minutes,never any problems,,except what i just noted,,,LOL.

Good Luck.

Tommy

 

I guess I would rather be safe than sorry. With all the $$ I'm putting in rebuilding the motor, I'd just as soon spend a few bucks more to make sure things seat and wear in right than not. call me paranoid if you want, but I WILL be using a good quality break in oil and change it out after the initial break in. Just my .02

 

Just picked up 7 quarts of Brad Penn break in oil today $5 bucks a quart and im running a solid roller regardless its important to have the additives in your oil ecs. for break in time,
You spend all the time and money on the engine why not spend a few bucks on a great breakin oil ecs when it helps put all the zinc yo uneed in the right places!

 

I think it a case of drawing lube into the cylinder bores, which the old Hasting ring set papers mentioned the practice: of speeding up and slowing while underway several times at moderate speeds, to seat the rings. Certainly a proper cam startup lube is important too. Break-in? Not for me. Just a change after 500 miles.

 

if you build a new motor and have trash in it you did something wrong. if you break in a motor and drain the oil and have trash in it you have a problem. more then a simple oil change will cure.

i would run in my dirt car motors in the shop. then tune them. first night at the track run some easy hot laps. check the tune. run the quilafier. then the main. never had a motor problem. the motor would last all season.

 

I use this.

 

I think all you guys are not familiar with break in oil its not to flush or clean out the engine its to ad the proper amount of zinc and coated protection to your bearings and important internal componets during that first break in period!

 

Not true, better start checking the ratings on it. They took a lot of the zinc out of the diesel oils as well.

 

Pro 48 ,,True,,but not needed for a roller,,,still,, it won't hurt to use it.
By the way,,bearings should never touch the journals,,they ride on a hydro dynamic wedge of oil,,just as the old ads say.
Still,,it doesn't hurt to be careful,it just cost more money.

Tommy

 

My Dad was an auto mechanic in the 50's and he always used straight grade 30w Non Detergent oil in his overhauls.

 

7k in engine, $45 for break in oil which I am going to drain in about 500 miles.

7k in engine, $36 for regular oil which I would still have to drain at about 500 miles.

Did I say 7k in engine.

I would gladly spend the extra $9 bucks every time wether needed or not.

I guess it helps that I am independently wealthy and can part with an extra 9 bones.

 

Just make damn sure you're running oil with zinc additives or you might lose a cam...

 

Yes, I have broke in MANY new engines with standard oil, HOWEVER over the last few years the oil companys have had to take the zinc out of the oil, including diesel oil.

NOW it is a good idea to use a high zinc oil if you have a flat tappet cam.

Roller cams do not need the zinc like a flat tappet cam, however it is still not a bad idea.

 

You can't go by the old rule of thumb any longer as EPA and Government regulations have made oil companies change their basic formulations. This is a fact. One of the properties that has changed, like some of the post have stated is the ZINC content. So now the average run of the mill auto store oils you used to buy that did the job, no longer adequetely do the job they used to (FOR OLDER ENGINE DESIGNS. Remember almost all new car engines have hydraulic roller cams now.

The issue that first brought about awareness was on new engine builds or cam swaps with hydraulic flat tappets or mechanical/ solid flat tappets, guys were losing cam lobes on break in. Not enough zinc properties to provide the needed protection. Do a google search and you'll find all types of information on the subject.

Brad Penn offers some of the highest zinc content in their oils and it's a very affordable insurance program.

GM also offers a bottle of ZINC additive that you can purchase at the dealership from the parts counter.

If you run a hyraulic flat tappet or a solid flat tappet, it's cheap insurance, Dil

 

Well said, can I have a dollar for agreeing with you?

 

In the mail. By the way that just cost me a 1/4 gallon of gas.

 

When you got millions like that you won't even miss it, It's the Hope and change thing,,,, I've got and now some change. Thanks

 

Bingo.

 

I just got my 235 stuff back from the machine shop family owned for 40 years and the old man who owns it told me run 30w oil with a zinc additive 8oz. run for 1000 miles then change it and run an oil that has zinc in it.You can put to much zinc in and then it gets abbrasive.

 

I recently bought a crate motor,,,installed a Comp Cam, flat tappet.....i broke it in with 20/50 Valvoline racing oil..VR-1......I also used the comp break in oil and I have nearly 16K miles on the engine now I still use the Valvoline oil with the extra zinc and I still put in a bottle of Comp break in oil....still running good.