Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2004 14:21:23 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Break-in.......new engine (your opinion?)
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You hit on a couple of interesting things:
First that any new engine should be turned over until it gets oil pressure
built up. I'm afraid we often overlook giving that instruction in stating
how to break in an engine. We're just hoping that it has been done.
Secondly, I've been using big stick on magnets in all my Air Cooled VWs,
Porsche engines for about ten years and the magnet will catch a considerable
amount of the ferrous materials that are generated during break in periods.
That's not to say that the filter wouldn't have caught them as well. It's
just been my practice to use the very strong magnets and I can't see that
use of the magnet could hurt anything.
On the last four engines I've built I've run them in on an engine stand for
the first twenty minutes then after the initial oil/filter change, I run
them in for long enough time at 2000 rpms to burn 5 gallons of gas, Which I
equate to about 200 miles of highway driving since the engines aren't under
load.
Greatfully I must have done something right because the engine buyers never
called back or notified me of any problems.
Stan Wilder
----- Original Message -----
From: "Calle Fallberg" <calle.fallberg@TELIA.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: Break-in.......new engine (your opinion?)
> A few comments - and one question - on this
> First I´d say I´ve never had a new WBX, my experiences are with I4
engines -
> hence the question....
>
> When I started the Volvo I4 up for the first time I let the starter turn
> the engine for a couple of seconds before the coil was connected in order
> to start building a little oil pressure even though everything had been
> soaked with oil during assembly. I had the engine running at 1500 rpm for
a
> couple of minuits while listening for odd noices under the bonnet then a
> little coolingperiod. Repeted this 4 - 5 times.
> Took a 20 minuit ride at 2-3000 rpm, letting the revs go up and down a bit
.
> Then a loooong drive, about 250 miles with a 1 hour break about halfway.
> At the end of the drive I could feel the engine "loosen up" and
occationally
> took the revvs up to 4-5000 rpm.
> The next morning I changed oil and filter, RE TORQUED the head bolts -
> never seen anything about this in the WBX, is it not neccesary there ???-
> changed plugs and set the timing again .
> ..
> After that, it was used and maintained the normal way with oil and
> filterchanges every 10000 miles but for an additional oil and filter
change
> after 500 miles too .
> I used 20W50 good quality mineral oil but have changed to syn. later since
> the engine was buildt with highpreformance cam, head and bigbore pistons (
> up from 2.0 to 2.4 litres)
> It has dual carbs, would easily revv 7.500 rpm and is still running good
> today after 150 000 miles
>
> I found a good investment in a magnetic drainplug, caught lots of metal
> there that probably would have clogged the oilcooler othervice !!
>
> Calle
> -88 Volvopower Vanagon
> Mullhyttan, Sweden
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "The corruptor"
> > Fist, i do appreciate your suggestions and comments, just so you guys
> know.
> >
> > But i don't agree on somes points:
> > 1)-i would never run a new engine more than a few minutes for the first
> > start... just to see if everything looks and sound right. of course
hydro
> > lifter may not be pumps fast the fist time so noise is normal, but they
> > should pump quickly, i would say 3 minutes at most. Second, the cooolant
> > system is not bled, so overheat may come form there instead of overheat
> from
> > the new engine parts. i would start the van again in the optimal
bleeding
> > position (front raise, bleeder screws open), keeping a good look on the
> temp
> > gauge and using an infrared temp gun. Of course, make sure to fill the
oil
> > filter as much as you can before the first start, fill oil as needed
after
> > the first few minutes start.
> >
> > 2)-if the lifter noise is not gone after a few minutes on the second
> start,
> > i would check and adjust those. Concentrate on bleeding the van first
wile
> > keeping low temp (am cheking the exhaust temp with infrared gun
> >
> > 3)-this procedure (bleeding) should take about 15 to 30 minutes on the
> > parking lot, so yeas, the fist 20 minutes.
> >
> > 4)- Time to drive the van, slowly in small street around the house,
check
> > temp every 15 seconds, at any sign of overheat stop the engine. You
won't
> > like the following..... am driving the van with both bleeder srews open
> for
> > the fist mile or so.... after i close both and open them every 10
minutes
> of
> > so to monitor the coolant pressure and do a proper bleeding, of course,
> this
> > is done going up and down an overpass.... if the engine is still
> overheating
> > a lot, go back home and get the van on ramp and try to bleed some more.
> >
> > 5)- When bleeding is ok, i hoping for a slight overheating (a bit above
> the
> > cooling light), this will be a normal and good sign.
> >
> > 6)-Am not changing the oil yet and far from it, engine have a oil filter
> > design for that matter.... Bleed again if neccesary and when satisfy, go
> for
> > a normal drive of 25 to 50 miles....if everything look normal, go for
> > another 100 miles+ drive monitoring the temps very often... after that i
> > would change the oil and filter. Now it's time (when cold) to make a
> second
> > lifter / valve clearance check.
> >
> > 7),ake some small 50-100 miles trip inside your AAA /CAA card region, ha
> ha
> > ha ha....
> >
> > Cheers
> > Ben
> >
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