New Ring Break-in Procedure?

[downsy]

Nessism is spot on , all this technical stuff about how to break in new rings etc, just get out there and ride it like you stole it !

[downsy]

Sorry I think it's the Kool aid kid that said just get out there and ride the thing !

[Nessism]

I went there and could not make heads nor tails of it. I have read an article where he does actual data collection on different oils, but darned if I could find it or anything like it using the link you provided.
Sorry, I just got my first computer last Christmas, so I'm still learning.

I don't have one article link that definitively explains all the pros and cons of the various oils, but this one is pretty good...http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html

Choosing a Break-In Oil for Your Motorcycle

The theory that synthetic oils should not be used during break in is the same as the theory that your engine will break in better if you use synthetic oil but add a dinner candle to your four quarts of engine oil. Frankly, I find this theory, um, questionable. Oh, hell, laughable. Corvettes and Porsches come from the factory with Mobil-1 in their engines. Remember, these engineers have designed world-champion engines for F1, Indy, Le Mans 24 hours, etc.

There's a lot of mythology surrounding break-in oil. It's simply not the case that synthetic oils are more "slippery" than conventional oils.

I recommend you change your break-in oil at 75 to 100 miles, 100 to 150 kilometers. Your engine does shed a fair amount of metal particles in the first 20-50 miles, and I really can't understand why you would want this stuff floating around your bearings for the first 600 miles, 1000 kilometers.

I put Shell Rotella "synthetic" (87% group III) oil in my DL650 at 75 miles. It burns no oil, gets great gas mileage, and runs great. I recommend you switch to a good synthetic at your first oil change.

Synthetic oils are better than dino oils in a few key areas, but reducing friction is NOT one of them, except under specific situations (such as high heat).

The Bob Is The Oil Guy forum is full of great info on oil. There are countless oil analysis reports where you can read for yourself actual usage reports measuring how much wear metals and such are remaining in the oil after usage. You will find that engines running synthetic oil do NOT have less wear metals in the oil, in fact, my observation is they often have more (particularly when people use M1). The main advantage of synthetic is the base stock does not shear down as quickly as dino oil so you can extend the change interval. It also doesn't thin out as much at high temps, which is great for air cooled motorcycles stuck in traffic on a hot day.

[koolaid_kid]

Thanks, Ed, that's a good read. I like how he addresses motorcycle engine requirements in great detail, including break-in oils. I really hated throwing away my oil after 50 miles, but the articles I read basically said the same thing, just not in such detail. I have read in other places that the shear qualities are also important, just as he states. I currently use Rotella T 15w 40, which meets CI-4 Plus, so it sounds like I am doing pretty good for dino fluid.

[7981GS]

If it is not less friction and does not make more horsepower,
why do you think that every hi-performance car and race cars at NASCAR use it?
Because it costs more? LMAO!

Have any of you seen dyno pulls with the same engine, before and after changing to synthetic oil?


Daniel

[koolaid_kid]

So, you are saying there is no advantage, only disadvantage? IDK, I have always been too cheap to pay the price. But I have always wondered if they were worth it.

[7981GS]

I have been using synthetic oil since 1976 after reading an exhaustive study proving the value of it.
Up to a 10% increase in fuel economy, parts that were tested after 100,000 miles and only 4 oil changes meeting factory NEW specifications,
being able to use a lower grade (octane) fuel without detonation just because of the friction REDUCTION of an oil change, etc.
Many benefits with no disadvantages except for initial cost.
It is and will always be a WIN, WIN for me.
I have even left it in a GS Suzuki for over 10,000 miles with no ill effects.
I even sold a BB V-8 engine after 310,000 miles that only required a hone and new rings to be new again. I am sold!
With the GS Suzuki's, I change the oil every 6-8,000 miles when I adjust the valves.
Often, only one or two shims even needs a look. LESS FRICTION.

After break-in with a quality diesel dino oil, synthetic only for me. Since 1976.

Daniel

[49er]

Ah oils and religion..........so many people believing they all have the right answers.

I use synthetic oils exclusively because of their purported superior performance, under extremely hot running conditions. I appreciate not having to change oil as regularly too, due to synthetic oils greater resistance to shear down than dino.

Daniel has bought up an interesting point about being able to run lower octane fuels whilst using synthetics. I wasn't aware of this, but I have been able to run 91 RON on my 850 at 10.5-1 CR without detonation. Even did a few runs at a track day, no oil cooler, still no detonation at 24 deg C ambient temp.

I change oils and filters annually, on all my vehicles. Oil contamination can become an issue though with longer change intervals.