500 miles on new build. Cool to switch to synthetic? Or naw
#1
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500 miles on new build. Cool to switch to synthetic? Or naw
Got 500 miles under the belt of my rebuilt engine. '95 block, 84mm JE pistons, B6T rods, BP4W head, in a fwd Mazda Protege. Been running pennzoil yellow bottle after 100 miles on rotella 30w. Been NA since first start, I didnt have all my turbo goods lined up and wanted to break in NA with a full exhaust so everything was quiet on first start up and I could hear the engine good.
Initial FM break-in followed. No surprises, running great. Pulling ~20in. vacuum at idle.
So, getting ready to swap on some kitty-power and I want to switch to synthetic. When did you switch to synth on your rebuilt engine?
I've read "wait until X miles, wait until this or that.. or do it now, oe cars come from the factory on synth" I understand that last viewpoint, but curious what you guys think on the subject.
Initial FM break-in followed. No surprises, running great. Pulling ~20in. vacuum at idle.
So, getting ready to swap on some kitty-power and I want to switch to synthetic. When did you switch to synth on your rebuilt engine?
I've read "wait until X miles, wait until this or that.. or do it now, oe cars come from the factory on synth" I understand that last viewpoint, but curious what you guys think on the subject.
#2
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Once the rings are seated, which if that doesn't happen in the first few min of operation.....they will never seat....there is no reason to not treat the motor exactly how you expect it to be treated for it's entire life.
I will make a few pulls from 2500 to about 5000 rpm, snap the throttle closed and let it coast back down. You do that 3 or 4 times and the rings are seated.
Change the oil at that point (literally like 10 min of run time) and put what ever oil you are going to run in it, strap it to the dyno and make full power pulls.
This pull was with about 20 min total run time on a brand new motor, was to I think 8300 or 8400 RPM and 25+ PSI.
I will make a few pulls from 2500 to about 5000 rpm, snap the throttle closed and let it coast back down. You do that 3 or 4 times and the rings are seated.
Change the oil at that point (literally like 10 min of run time) and put what ever oil you are going to run in it, strap it to the dyno and make full power pulls.
This pull was with about 20 min total run time on a brand new motor, was to I think 8300 or 8400 RPM and 25+ PSI.
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The ring seat and break-in aren't things I think I'm too concerned with now at this stage. The car hasnt been grandma'd around too much and has seen some WOT, redline and lots of engine braking. No highway. Its going well, cut open oil filters look unalarming. Oil pressure is always **** (BE pump +1 shim)
I feel its ready to turbo, I know I am.. but wondering on what the thoughts are here at going synthetic now at this mileage. Does it even really matter by now?
They are JE rings. Bottom end was machined/assembled at a local shop, a very long time ago. 5 years I think. Then sat sealed up in the garage lol. Shes going now though!
Last edited by 92dx; 09-28-2018 at 07:24 PM. Reason: spelling
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I wait 3-4 race hours or 1000 street miles out of an abundance of caution. The vast majority of the break-in happens on the first few pulls, but the moment you put synthetics in the motor, there's no more "break-in" happening, at least when it comes to the rings. I use Joe Gibbs BR 15w50 for the first weekend or two of racing and monitor oil consumption very closely. Once it stops burning oil, break-in is done and you can switch.
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I wait 3-4 race hours or 1000 street miles out of an abundance of caution. The vast majority of the break-in happens on the first few pulls, but the moment you put synthetics in the motor, there's no more "break-in" happening, at least when it comes to the rings. I use Joe Gibbs BR 15w50 for the first weekend or two of racing and monitor oil consumption very closely. Once it stops burning oil, break-in is done and you can switch.
#8
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I wait 3-4 race hours or 1000 street miles out of an abundance of caution. The vast majority of the break-in happens on the first few pulls, but the moment you put synthetics in the motor, there's no more "break-in" happening, at least when it comes to the rings. I use Joe Gibbs BR 15w50 for the first weekend or two of racing and monitor oil consumption very closely. Once it stops burning oil, break-in is done and you can switch.
#9
I did a swap with non-synthetic after the initial start and running it for just a few minutes to set the timing, and then another non-synthetic swap after the first 200 miles, and then went synthetic after 1,000 miles.
People from all over would say that was either overkill or not enough, you can find convincing arguments on both sides. But this worked just swell for me.
People from all over would say that was either overkill or not enough, you can find convincing arguments on both sides. But this worked just swell for me.
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