Engine running in.

[nallac]

I just finished installing a 1200 kit into my sporty.
The owners an workshop manual both state to keep it under 2500rpm/80kph for the first 80k's.
Then 3k rpm/90 kph for the next 750k's.
seems abit overboard.

What does everyone think/do when running in their engines??.

I've only done about 40k's on it so far, and have already taken it above the recommended revs/speed.well i couldn't help myself......

My thoughts are ride it sedately for a couple of hundred K's,
then get in to it.

[H00dz]

from experience its worth the pain running it in as per recommendations.
Two of my mates brought the same bike within days of each other...... one ignored the running in and the other didn't. long story short one is now a piece of crap and the other is still a pearler......dont be in a rush specially if your wanting to keep it for a while :headbang:

[Shadows]

I just finished installing a 1200 kit into my sporty.
The owners an workshop manual both state to keep it under 2500rpm/80kph for the first 80k's.
Then 3k rpm/90 kph for the next 750k's.
seems abit overboard.

What does everyone think/do when running in their engines??.

I've only done about 40k's on it so far, and have already taken it above the recommended revs/speed.well i couldn't help myself......

My thoughts are ride it sedately for a couple of hundred K's,
then get in to it.

That's only about four or five tanks of petrol. Not too much to ask is it?

[Usarka]

two choices, do it as the manufacturer says or do it according to someone else.

whatever you do the thing most people agree on is to a) vary the revs and b) not labour the engine.

[motorbyclist]

never hurts to follow the manufacturers specifications, but they will have tolerances so revving her once or twice shouldn't hurt.

just commute for a few weeks and 750km will go in no time (my peak commute length in 55km per day, or 275 per week, so 750km in less than three weeks - and then count the non-commute cruises)

[psyguy]

do a search on these forums - the topic has been covered in depth before
there's a lot of argument and evidence in support of going hard at it from the first minute - mainly that the higher the pressure inside the cylinder the better the initial imbedding of the rings (and that if the revs are kept low the burnt fuel mixture gets past the rings - microscopically damaging their surface - eventuating with poorer rings seal)

[nallac]

cheers for the replys guys,

My commutes only 20ks to work an back 3 times a week.
dont get much other time to ride with 3 young kids and my shift work.

Hopefully going for a ride this sunday to clock up some ks.

Looks like i will have to do a better search on breaking it in, and
see if i can find out more about the thrashing way..

[scumdog]

Stick fairly much with what you've been told:

Don't rev it heaps.
Don't labour it
Don't leave it idling for long

And above all don't sit at a steady speed at fixed revs for long period, vary the revs/load regularly - doing most of your running where there is a few hills would be a good idea, varies the load on the engine without you having to think about it.

Or ignore all the above and when the engine turns to crap get on KB and moan what a piss-poor job the engine builder did - it's the KB way!!

[NordieBoy]

When we pulled my 1979 XR250 apart 4 years ago it still had the factory honeing marks.
The run-in had been so gentle it hadn't pressurised the rings enough to clean up the barrell.

Took it out to 2mm over and ran it in over a couple of hours winding it open and lotsa engine brakeing with minimal use of the brakes and you could feel it getting stronger.

Check out www.MotoTuneusa.com and ignore the crappy site design.

[nallac]

Don't rev it heaps.
Don't labour it
Don't leave it idling for long

And above all don't sit at a steady speed at fixed revs for long period, vary the revs/load regularly - doing most of your running where there is a few hills would be a good idea, varies the load on the engine without you having to think about it.

Or ignore all the above and when the engine turns to crap get on KB and moan what a piss-poor job the engine builder did - it's the KB way!![/QUOTE]

been doing mostly that
probably reving to about halfish throttle.(ive havent got enough self control not to)
not labouring it.
an not letting it idle.

re the engine builder,it twas me
so can't blame it on me ,i would have to blame all the bad
recomendations i got about running it in..
or the KB pistons........

[nallac]

When we pulled my 1979 XR250 apart 4 years ago it still had the factory honeing marks.
The run-in had been so gentle it hadn't pressurised the rings enough to clean up the barrell.

Took it out to 2mm over and ran it in over a couple of hours winding it open and lotsa engine brakeing with minimal use of the brakes and you could feel it getting stronger.

Check out www.MotoTuneusa.com and ignore the crappy site design.

that site makes for some interesting reading..
the barrels i pulled off my bike (1992 )30k ks still had the crosshatch in mostly good condition,a few scuffs on the bores.

[psyguy]

Check out www.MotoTuneusa.com and ignore the crappy site design.

yea, that's what i was going on about earlier on...
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

i did it that way after the rebuild... will see how long it lasts :confused:

[doc]

Stick fairly much with what you've been told:

Don't rev it heaps.
Don't labour it
Don't leave it idling for long

And above all don't sit at a steady speed at fixed revs for long period, vary the revs/load regularly - doing most of your running where there is a few hills would be a good idea, varies the load on the engine without you having to think about it.

Or ignore all the above and when the engine turns to crap get on KB and moan what a piss-poor job the engine builder did - it's the KB way!!

Yep don't flog the livin daylights out of it .....Yet

Keep the revs up

Let it cool down to stone cold couple of times...

Change oil before say 100km and maybe 1000km.

If it pinks (What sort of heads) rotate backing plate 2mm to 3mm.

Best to use factory 1200 heads solves the problem.

If this don't work txt me for my acct details, we can fix it, do you have the money. Type of deal

[Conquiztador]

Speedway bikes I used to run full noise no oil for 30 seconds. After that they were brilliant, no smoke!

The guys who did the slow slow, careful, their bikes used to smoke forever.

Does not exactley fit to road bikes. But I stll do the same to them too and all well for heaps of years.

All to their own.

[motorbyclist]

yea, that's what i was going on about earlier on...
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

i did it that way after the rebuild... will see how long it lasts :confused:


Speedway bikes I used to run full noise no oil for 30 seconds. After that they were brilliant, no smoke!

The guys who did the slow slow, careful, their bikes used to smoke forever.

Does not exactley fit to road bikes. But I stll do the same to them too and all well for heaps of years.

All to their own.

yeah i can actually see the merit in the "fang it" approach, but remain skeptical until someone explains why the manufacturers take the "gentle" approach to break-in

[nallac]

Yep don't flog the livin daylights out of it .....Yet

Keep the revs up

Let it cool down to stone cold couple of times...

Change oil before say 100km and maybe 1000km.

If it pinks (What sort of heads) rotate backing plate 2mm to 3mm.

Best to use factory 1200 heads solves the problem.

If this don't work txt me for my acct details, we can fix it, do you have the money. Type of deal

been keeping the revs up.

stock 883 heads, reverse dome pistons,SE 1200 ign module,S&S carby

doesnt sound like its pinking.

Wouldve like to have gone +06 1200 heads and flat tops for xtra power but lacking in the funds for them..

[nallac]

yeah i can actually see the merit in the "fang it" approach, but remain skeptical until someone explains why the manufacturers take the "gentle" approach to break-in

i was in the same mind ,run it in as per man specs or ride it hard?????????

In the end my lack of self control with the new found power got the better of me.
still not taking it to full throttle yet, that can wait a couple hundred Ks more.

[NordieBoy]

yeah i can actually see the merit in the "fang it" approach, but remain skeptical until someone explains why the manufacturers take the "gentle" approach to break-in

The same manufacturers who redline it on the dyno through each gear on the factory floor.

The gentle break-in approach is more of benefit to the rider.
Gets them used to the bike as well.

There is also a greater margin for error in the gentle approach.
If they wind it up through the revs a couple of times it's not going to cause problems whereas if you're breaking it in harder and wind it on too much you may cause problems.
You've got to control yourself more with the harder break-in.

[Pancakes]

You may think my bike has no relevance but with so little power it's WOT all over the place and any extra power is noticed, probably more than you'd notice on a 1200cc bike cos a tiny bit more throttle would mask any difference.

As soon as I got mine home I ditched the semi-syn it came with and used mineral I got from a rally engine builder mate.

I ran it in according to his advice, up to 80% of max revs from the get-go, full load runs thru the rev range and engine braking. As little idling as possible and no sitting on the same revs.

I went for 2 200 K rides and he recons that was enough distance to do it. ei, it would still be "running in" it's whole life but that first bit matters most.

From sitting beside other Hyosungs I notice a bit more speed and a guy on the exact same bike I was riding with on the weekend said I got alot of speed out of my bike, was pulling away from him.

[Conquiztador]

Used to run in speedway bikes by 30sec no oil. The logic here is that any metal against metal will wear in and then allow for a as little restistance running as possible. When doing the top oil and slowly slowly technique it will take much longer to get all surfaces nicely worn in. This was, in my opinion, clearly demonstrated with the speedway bikes that kept on smoking forever. Mine never did after I adopted the no oil 30 sec method. (OK, have to admit that I never got to 30 seconds, I always chickened out before that...)

I suppose that with a speedway bike that you rebuild at least once a season the longlivety of the motor is not the main emphasis. But when having a road bike that you want heaps of K's from, then the slowly slowly method might give you more K's outta her before rebuild is needed. Would make sense as it is when surfaces get too worn that a rebuild becomes a must.

So the way I see it: If you want fast and quick response then go for the "trash her straight away" run in. But if you have heaps of HP and you will never use them all or you are just gonna cruize, then perhaps the slowly slowly technique is that will serve you best as you should, in theory, get more K's outta her.