Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 14:45:43 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Re: Amish and polution
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I am following a different breakin schedule than most might follow.
On a new engine, there is a certain amount of "Wearing in" that needs to
occur. On
a microscopic basis, parts need to "seat". That is, high and low points
need to
wear off so components fit closer together. This is especially true of
the seat of
the rings against the cylinder walls. Typically cylinder walls are
harder than the
rings and the rings wear to seat against the cylinder walls. To get a
sense of
this, some time rub your fingers over the honing marks in a new cylinder
barrel.
You can really feel the roughness. Then rub your fingers over the
cylinder interior
of one that is over 100,000 miles. It will be as smooth as glass.
Detergent oils on break-in are no-no's because they prevent the wearing
in from
taking place to the degree necessary.
So, I ran this new engine for two hours on 30 wt. non-detergent oil.
Then changed
the oil (again 30 wt) and filter. Oil wears out, and the long chain
molecules
break, reducing the oils lubricating efficiency. It is worse under new
engine
conditions because those rough parts are shearing the oil molecule more,
and there
are metal particles being sheared off metal surfaces that affect the
lubrication.
Changing oil now gives me fresh unworn oil with no metal in it plus a
clean filter.
Now I have run it 500 miles and things should be well seated. I am
changing filter
and oil, the new oil being 20w40 Mobil1. The change over to the
detergent oil will
increase the slipperyness and stop/reduce further wear.
I am following this procedure for two reasons.
One, it was recommended by Robert Lilley, who went through a special
engine
rebuild and break-in process to achieve a very long lived engine.
Granted, it's an
experiment, but it was logical to me.
Two, based on my own experience as an aircraft mechanic, it makes sense
to me. One
of the most onerous areas of aircraft engine overhaul work is getting a
good
break-in on a newly rebuilt engine. If parts don't seat in correctly on
that
initial run-in on a new engine, that engine will be crap for it's entire
life. It
will have a higher than normal oil consumption, it will run consistently
hotter,
and it will have a shorter life. And when a customer pays $12 - $15
grand for an
engine, you want to make damn sure that it is right. There is nothing
worse than
haveing a customer bad-mouth you all over the place for poor workmanship
on the one
hand, and on the other hand have to deal with an unending series of
ongoing
warranty problems because the engine was not broken in correctly.
Been there, done that.
So, I am applying what I know to my engine, hoping to extend the life of
it. When I
bought my "88GL it had approx. 76,000 miles on it. At 82,000 miles the
engine
failed. My 85GL had 205,000 miles on the original engine. Never any
major
problems...not even the leaky head gaskets. I am very easy on
machinery. I beleive
that if you take care of it, it will take care of you. Abuse it, and it
gets even
by quitting at the most inopportune time.
Over time my experiences in maintenance with the 88GL have told me that
it had been
abused. It was not obvious at first, but things began to happen, and
finally I had
the engine to blow. Actually a hole burned down the side of the #3
Piston. Looked
like the piston began to gall along one side of the cylinder wall and
finally it
burned through. That pressurzed the case, blowing oil seals and dumping
oil
overboard, making all kinds of smoke.
Ironically, the engine never ran hot (by the gage) nor did the over-heat
light come
on on the heat gage. The engine was still running smoothly when I
stopped, but
there were great clouds of smoke, and oil was all over the back of the
van and
dripping from underneath the engine.
So, I want this one right. I don't really expect to ever buy another
vehicle,
unless it's another vanagon...maybe a different model, but no other make
or model.
So I expect it to last.
John Rodgers
"88GL Driver
Dana Morphew wrote:
> John, why are you using 30 wt. oil for the break-in? Is it a
> non-detergent oil? My instincts tell me that a fresh tight engine would
> do better with a 10w30 on the initial fill.
>
> -Dana-
>
> > John Rodgers
> > 88GL Driver ---on the road again with the new engine and just past 500 miles.
> > Time to change from breakin 30 wt oil to 20W40 and a new Mahle filter.
> >
