My 2.7i Build

[SpecM]

OIL LEVEL, that's right! The oil level sensor connector is fubar and I'm waiting for another one to come in. Thanks for making me remember.

no prob, I know how it feels!

[Jordan325iC]

So what break-in procedure does everyone recommend here? I've read so many different things...

[kenika65]

Once you start it be sure to hold 2k for at least 3-5min to initially break in the bearings. and new seals, don't just let it idle.

Then of course always be checking for leaks and fluid levels.

Then drive it around town for about 500miles and change the oil and filter.

I sent you a PM.

[nando]

Once you start it be sure to hold 2k for at least 3-5min to initially break in the bearings. and new seals, don't just let it idle.

Then of course always be checking for leaks and fluid levels.

Then drive it around town for about 500miles and change the oil and filter.

I sent you a PM.

you are an idiot, do NOT sit there and rev the engine, that's a CAM break in proceedure. That is a great way to glaze over your rings. You don't break in bearings, either, if something is touching your bearings you've got a fucked motor.

The proper way to do it is to start it up normally and check for leaks and other issues. I bet you find at least one. fix it, and once the car is warm, immediately drive it away. Make the first drive short, probably 10-15 minutes. Do not hold a steady RPM (vary +/- 500rpm), and do not redline it. Come back and let it cool down, check for additional leaks and issues.

You can change the oil, but I'd leave the filter alone. You don't want to starve the engine of oil pressure this early on. Warm it up again and drive "normally", except a few conditions:


-do NOT hold a steady RPM for the first 100 miles (this pretty much negates sitting there and idling at 3000rpm for a half hour like the retard above suggested).

-drive it like you stole it. The idea is to load the rings - you'll want to be full on the throttle, and then off all the way.

-You will want to slowly increase your max RPMs. start at ~2000rpm a high gear (3rd or 4th probably), and floor it until you reach 3000-3500 or so. Then hit the brakes and slow back down to 2000rpm. repeat and max out at 250rpm higher, then slow back down.. add 250rpm higher, then slow back down.. etc until you hit around 5500-6000 or so.

-redlining the motor isn't going to kill it. But you need to be careful that you don't stay there long, because the rings will glaze over before they are seated. in the first 100 miles, don't try to top out the car, and don't go over 6000rpm in anything but 1st and 2nd gear.

-properly done the rings will be broken in by 100 miles

-after 500 miles of driving it like this, you should be able to do whatever you want.. track, top speed runs, bounce off the limiter. I'd change the oil after 500 miles. I switched to synthetic at 1500 miles. I did my first autox at about 400 miles.

-don't drive like a granny. I've done it that way and it sucks. your engine will be weak because the rings will never seat right. It's scary after all that work you just put into it, but it's really better to drive it harder. When they break engines in on the dyno, they don't play around. it's no different in your car.

hope that helps

[Jordan325iC]

you are an idiot, do NOT sit there and rev the engine, that's a CAM break in proceedure. That is a great way to glaze over your rings. You don't break in bearings, either, if something is touching your bearings you've got a fucked motor.

The proper way to do it is to start it up normally and check for leaks and other issues. I bet you find at least one. fix it, and once the car is warm, immediately drive it away. Make the first drive short, probably 10-15 minutes. Do not hold a steady RPM (vary +/- 500rpm), and do not redline it. Come back and let it cool down, check for additional leaks and issues.

You can change the oil, but I'd leave the filter alone. You don't want to starve the engine of oil pressure this early on. Warm it up again and drive "normally", except a few conditions:


-do NOT hold a steady RPM for the first 100 miles (this pretty much negates sitting there and idling at 3000rpm for a half hour like the retard above suggested).

-drive it like you stole it. The idea is to load the rings - you'll want to be full on the throttle, and then off all the way.

-You will want to slowly increase your max RPMs. start at ~2000rpm a high gear (3rd or 4th probably), and floor it until you reach 3000-3500 or so. Then hit the brakes and slow back down to 2000rpm. repeat and max out at 250rpm higher, then slow back down.. add 250rpm higher, then slow back down.. etc until you hit around 5500-6000 or so.

-redlining the motor isn't going to kill it. But you need to be careful that you don't stay there long, because the rings will glaze over before they are seated. in the first 100 miles, don't try to top out the car, and don't go over 6000rpm in anything but 1st and 2nd gear.

-properly done the rings will be broken in by 100 miles

-after 500 miles of driving it like this, you should be able to do whatever you want.. track, top speed runs, bounce off the limiter. I'd change the oil after 500 miles. I switched to synthetic at 1500 miles. I did my first autox at about 400 miles.

-don't drive like a granny. I've done it that way and it sucks. your engine will be weak because the rings will never seat right. It's scary after all that work you just put into it, but it's really better to drive it harder. When they break engines in on the dyno, they don't play around. it's no different in your car.

hope that helps

Well, most of the break-in procedures I have read online actually do follow a break-in procedure similar to what Kenika suggested. Most of them say to hold it at 2000-3000 rpms for the first 15 minutes, then drive with varying rpms but no redline and no full throttle for the first ~1000 miles. My engine builder actually told me no constant RPM for the first ~1000 miles (no highway driving) and no boost at all. By the way, the camshaft and rocker arms were also replaced in the head and have no been broken in.

Everybody tells me different stuff. I like your suggestion Nando because it means I could drive the hell out of it, but it is contrary to most everything I have read and heard.

[nando]

yes, they do, but that is a BAD idea. you can easily glaze the rings over in 15 minutes holding a constant RPM.

if you want to break in the cam, you can still do it without glazing over the rings. what you want to do is idle for 15 minutes, however do not let it drop below 1500rpm, and vary the rpm between 1500-2500rpm. Change the oil afterwards and then follow the rest of my proceedure.

the reason you drive it hard is to load up the rings and force them to seat on the cylinder walls. the vacuum (off throttle) and WOT (atmospheric pressure) changes the load back and forth. you avoid sustained periods of high RPMs because you have a constant force at a high speed, the rings will get too hot and you'll glaze them over.

Car manufaturers will do most of the break in of your engine before it leaves the factory - BMW for example dyno tests every car that comes off the assembly line. They usually don't let you drive it hard at first for warranty purposes, not because of the engine break in.

[Jordan325iC]

So 1500rpm-2000rpm good, 2000-3000 bad? It's a fine line I'll be walking.

[nando]

you can go up to 3000rpm, the important part for the cam is not to let it go below 1500rpm for the first 15 minutes. I'd stick in the 2000-3000rpm range to be safe. make sure you have somebody there to help you with any leaks and to check on things while you focus on the throttle.

[Jordan325iC]

you can go up to 3000rpm, the important part for the cam is not to let it go below 1500rpm for the first 15 minutes. I'd stick in the 2000-3000rpm range to be safe. make sure you have somebody there to help you with any leaks and to check on things while you focus on the throttle.

Ok, so anything from 1500rpms to 3000rpms is fine, as long as the throttle is constantly being modulated. Got it.

[kenika65]

Cool info on how to seat the rings!

I was speaking on cam break in and getting oil to all bearings and seals because he spoke on not pre oiling in a previous post.

[Jordan325iC]

The car still doesn't run. It will crank and crank, sputtering occasionally if I give it gas, but it won't catch and idle.

Spark plugs are sparking
Fuel pressure is good (47psi).
Fuel is getting into the cylinders (all plugs smell like fuel).
Both head and bottom end were at TDC when new belt was installed correctly, spun a few times.
I assume compression is good, since the bottom end is freshly rebuilt.

It ran fine before I pulled the engine out. I've double checked all the connections and grounds and everything seems great. I swapped out the chips just to see if maybe it would help (and it didn't).

I have a few more possible ideas, but at this point I'm open to suggestions.

[nando]

well you're getting fuel, so how about spark? is the coil getting power? are the plug wires on in the right order?

[Jordan325iC]

well you're getting fuel, so how about spark? is the coil getting power? are the plug wires on in the right order?

I labeled all the spark plug wires before I uninstalled them, and reinstalled them in the same position. The coil is also plugged in so I assume it's getting power. As I said, the plugs are definitely firing. It's weird because I have all the ingredients for a running engine, they're just not coming together right for some reason. I'm going to buy a timing light on Wed. and double check my timing, but I doubt that's it because everything was double checked when I put the motor back together.

[nando]

double check the plug wires anyway. it sounds dumb, but it's pretty easy to mix them up. I've done it before.

also, just because the coil is plugged in doesn't mean it has power. check it with a voltmeter.

[Jordan325iC]

OH SHIT. It just occurred to me. The coil is supposed to be grounded, right!?




I can't really see any grounding going on there. I don't remember grounding it.... I think the mystery is solved.


Edit: Fuck yes.