You don't need any fancy break in oil. Just use the cheapest stuff you can find with a new filter. Ask the shop that did your engine what oil weight they would recommend you to use. Start the car and let it idle for at least 30 minutes. Turn it off and change the oil and filter. Use the same viscosity oil as the one for break in but a better oil like Moble One. It's said to use the car for daily driving for about 500 miles before you really start to beat on it but any race car builder will tell you that's bullshit because they build engines and race them rite out of the box.

 

I disagree with this. Idling is the worst thing for it.

With modern day ring materials, and machining processes, there's no need to "break an engine in." Prime the oil pump before you start it, then fire it up. Check for leaks, and listen for any abnormal noises. I never do any first starts with open headers, so I can hear the engine. Once you check for leaks, set your timing, and go drive it. I usually drive it like a normal driver the first 50 miles or so, but not to break it in. I do it for a shakedown, just to make sure everything is good. No noises or anything. After your confident in it, drive it just like you want to. If you want to beat the hell out of it, go for it. if the cylinders have the proper hone, the rings should be seated after 1-2 heat cycles.

You don't want to use Mobil 1, or other synthetics for the first few oil changes. Use a decent quality Dino oil, like Valvoline, Castrol, ect..... Change it almost immeadeatly to get the metal, and assembly lube out. I usually change mine 5 times or so in the first 2000 miles.

If you insist on some sort of break in procedure, don't let it idle a bunch. Get it going, then vary the RPMs. All youre doing is trying to seat the rings, and idling will glaze the cylinder, and remove the crosshatch. You're hosed at that point.

with the hydraulic cams you dont need to break it in, only on flat tappet cams. I think ill do what hotmustang 95 said..

A cam can be hydraulic AND flat tappet at the same time. You're taking about 2 different things. You're looking for roller or flat tappet. There's no cam break in for a roller cam.

 

my mechanic told me to use 10-40 shell, i think ill go with castrol cause there is no mobile one here. There is a national oil which is the cheapest and i could go with that one, but ive heard to run the 500 miles with the first oil, and then change to a better oil. Is this correct?

 

but Ive heard to run the 500 miles with the first oil, and then change to a better oil. Is this correct?

I've heard about doing it that way to and I did it that way years ago when I rebuilt my first engine. If you think about it though a new/rebuilt engine probably has contaminants in it like very small pieces of metal or anything it might have picked up so running it for 30 minutes would allow the filter to catch most of it. I'm actually putting a new motor in my car now so the question about how long to run the break in oil has come up. I'm having a professional engine builder do most of the work to it and he also races his car. He told me that changing the oil after about 30 minutes is how he's done it for years and he was taught to do it that way from another really good engine builder.

 

I read that you want to put load on the engine to help the rings seat. A couple pulls to high RPM and letting it engine brake. I did that on an engine I rebuilt and it seemed to work great.

 

I though it was 10 min at some rpm then 10 at another or something like that. There's probably a thousand different ways people break them in

 

i think thats typically for breaking in new cams

 

with the hydraulic cams you dont need to break it in, only on flat tappet cams. I think ill do what hotmustang 95 said..

 

I don't think that is accurate. I think it's the roller cams that don't need a break-in period. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong though...

 

^^ so i should just put some cheap oil in, run for 30 minutes.. take that oil out and pour some new good oil?? I sure never saw or heard anyone do that here but i believe more in your pro engine builder than the mechanics in my country. ill do it your way, might be expensive buying so much oil at once but thats how it is i guess..

 

Use valvoline. 410,000 miles on the stuff and havent had a problem yet. Their 300,000 mile guarantee is no BS

 

^^ uuh ok.. think we got a little off topic here, well went to the shop yesterday, my car is almost ready. Spoke with my mechanic he told me first to buy the cheap national brand oil i said before in previous posts. He said i should get 20-50 cause its a little thicker and just so for the rings to be seated. He then said to get some 10-40 in shell after the break-in. Does this seem right?

 

I think we've kind of proved here there are a million different ways people break in engines. I would go with what your mechanic says.

 

Always do what the builder tells you.

 

well ok guys, just wanted to get some info... thanks to everyone

 

I agree with Fastback here, you only need to drive the car a little and then change it, do not let it idle for long periods of time, especially till you know that the car is cooling, letting a car idle for 30 mins unless it is diesel is never a good idea, runs hotter and also not getting as much oil to neccessary parts... With todays modern alloys the rings almost instantly seat, not like in the old days when it took a while... Drive it like it was meant, again like stated nothing strengthens up over time, if anything it will weaken up or loosen up!!

 

Just got mine rebuilt .30 over. At about 500 miles right now and about to change the oil again soon. Haven't had any problems with mine but only gotten the engine to about 3500rpm so far.

 

Mine is also out and have only drove it for 60 miles. Its running great and driving it like a granny but have pulled to 4000 rpms once.. not going to do it again until i reach the 500 miles. Nice mod list you have there, lots of stuff you have there that i also want.

 

Have about 750 miles now and got on it a little last night. Pulls real hard past 3000rpm. Next mods are BBK longtube headers, BBK x pipe, Eibach sway bars, and SR strut tower brace. Havent installed the chip yet. Maybe doing that today. Let me know how yours is doing after you get on it a little.

 

ive been really busy with work so i havent drove the stang these days, this weekend ill try to get some more miles on it. youve got more mods than me so you sure must feel some more power, how much of a difference do you feel with the 3.73 gears? And what is the chip for, i mean what tunes did you get installed?

 

how much of a difference do you feel with the 3.73 gears?QUOTE]


A world of difference. Recently I had the chance to see the difference for myself. My brother got himself his first stang, a 95 just like mine. It already had a top end kit installed, aluminum heads, cam and carb. His combo was better then mine so it should have felt better, not the case. My car already had 3.73's when I bought it and I learned how to drive stick in it so I never knew what a stock geared car felt like. I drove his car and it felt sluggish to me. I told him for sure my car would eat his. He already had a rear end sitting in his garage from a previous car that had 3.73's so I convinced him to do the swap. Unbelievable difference when I drove it again. Before the car could barely spin the tires. Now it would lite them up. A gear change from stock to 3.73's or like has to be the mod with the biggest seat of your pants feel. I tell everyone from now on to do a gear swap if possible.

 

Gears will be my next mod, but still cant decide if 3.73 or 4.10s. My car is manual but i never go on long trips with this car and in my city we dont have long highways, its mostly city driving, alot of traffic lights, there arent places where i can be driving for hours at 60 mph like in the U.S.

So should i go with 4.10s?

 

Gears make a huge difference. I like my 3.73's but I also commute 60 miles a day to school and work. I haven't driven a car with 4.10's yet so I can't tell you for sure but my 3.73's are very responsive! On the interstate running 70 I can get around 20-22MPG if I keep my foot out of it. The chip was given to me by my buddy who had a 94 GT. It's just a mild tune that ads 10-15 RWHP with 3 MPG.

 

With 3.73's I was spinning tires well into third yesterday and wasn't even on throttle but maybe 70%

 

60 miles is alot in one day, maybe in 4 days ill make that mileage. From what i heard, 3.73s are better for a manual and 4.10s for an automatic.

Which brand should i choose and what other parts do i need for the install?

 

1994-1998 Ford Mustang Gears at AmericanMuscle.com - Free Shipping! idk if they do international shipping but if they do I would buy from them. I would get Ford Racing. name brand and the cheaper but its personal preference mainly I think. I haven't personally installed rear end gears but American Muscle sells the stuff you need to do it.

 

Fastback is right on all accounts. Get a load on that motor...don't let it idle for 30 min. Youll wish you didn't The load on the motor helps the cyl air/gasses get behind the rings and push them out into the cyl walls to help the rings wear/seat to the cyl and provide a good seal. This doesn't happen in the first 500 miles like most think...it happens in the first 500 seconds of first start up and the next 2-3 times...

Rings seat way way faster than most think...

start it up...check for leaks. Shut it down...Take the bitch down the road...with a cell phone handy, and the first heat cycle, 50-75% throttle...no spinning the tires...get the rpms to about 4-5k...then let the motor drag your speed back down. Do this 1-2 more times...

Take the car home. Let it cool ALL the way. Change the oil and filter. Inspect filter. New oil and filter on...repeat first part again...but take it 100% throttle and let the motor drag you back down to speed...do this 2-3 times...take it home...let the car cool ALL the way again...change oil and filter again.

Good to go. Drive it like you want anytime after that...put whatever oil back in it after 100 or so miles...

 

^^ too late bro, at the shop we gave it alot of revs and then it was left at idle for a long time, and now im just driving it like a granny, ive maybe reached 4000 rpms max. My builder told me to drive it in a moderate way for 500 miles, and then we will change the oil for a better one. Your process seems good but i prefer doing it the moderate way then beating the crap out of it and then having some issue.. you never now and i already spent alot of $$$$.

 

I always heard that the granny driving is the most hurting thing to the piston rings...

Not saying what you did is wrong because I actually did almost the same when I got my 07 F150 , I granny it for 5 mints off the showroom , then WOT it all the way haha

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i told my builder about the process of doing the high revs and letting the motor stop the car, and he told me that he never heard about the process and that i should just drive it like he said and that is what i am doing.

 

Oh and my current machine shop and friend...machines all my motors and customers motors and he tell me damn near the same thing. DOnt go easy on it or let it idle a lot. Get a load on it...I trust it coming from a guy that builds 3000+hp motors and goes 3s in the 1/8th

Look at my sig...NA...more power than most make with blowers.

 

Look at my sig...NA...more power than most make with blowers.

well, except pushrod motors