Proper Engine Break In Procedure 

Tell us your experience with breaking in new motors 🤘

Who just got a new engine lol

I have been researching this topic for a while and amazed how different the advice is!

Followed this guide to a T two years ago when I first started up my tiny 1.6L VW motor w/ forged internals. It does not burn a drop and has an outstanding 260PSI across all four cylinders. Factory spec for new is 240 ;)

60k miles on a M42B18 rebuilt engine and I didn’t really do much of a break in. Covered cams in oil before I put the valve cover on, poured some down the timing chain, a little on the cylinder wall and it was fine. Drove around for 100 miles varying streets and highest speeds at 30-40, then 65, 70, 65, 75, 70, 80 mph. No burning oil, no issues after 60k miles

I built a trailblazer motor with red valvoline wheel bearing grease. I thought i had a tube of assembly grease and didn't realize i did it until 6 months after finishing the engine. It runs great with now 35,000 on the motor. Guess it didn't hurt anything and boy did i luck out....

One of the most complete and correct break in videos I've seen. Would like to see You do one on engine assembly. Prep. Cleaning. Assembly tips. Installation. Thank you again for your time and knowledge.

I'm about halfway through building my Ford 302 and this is another topic I've been itching to know more about since it's such a critical step in this process. Raising the compression to about 10:1 static and 9.1 to 1 dynamic. New one valve relief pistons made of forged aluminum and AFR 185 enforcer cylinder heads. Should get about 400 horsepower on the high side and I'm just stoked to get it running!

I did my first oil change after my cam break in. Than put about 500 miles on my jeep just to be safe than started romping on it and playing with the tune. Been fine since. 2k miles later, still perfect.

We broke in a Mazda V6 KLZE with a mild build on it. We did the first 30 minutes of idle and heat soaking the engine, then did a 50 mile break in on conventional Shell Rotella which is a truck oil for semis with a high zinc content. Then we switched over to Mobil 1 full synthetic 5w-20 and ran that 500 miles. Everything was golden. This is an engine that now has 12000 miles on it and some of those miles were full tilt track days and flat out top speed runs and it's fine. No oil usage, no metal in the oil, just a good all-around engine. We're going to use this video to swap in a fully built KLZE with MAPerformance parts! We bought a Precision turbo from you guys and once we get it broke in we're adding the turbo stuff. Shooting for 700whp it's going to be a riot.

You are amazing guys ...you've done a great job, keep on the good work greetings from Egypt

Great video. Using this for my built N54 (first full motor build for me), currently at mile 300 of the 500 break-in interval. Stoked to get back on your dyno, nearly 5 years later, to see what it puts down!

Great info guys 👍

I just assembled a K24 Hybrid, geared for boost. I enjoy looking at RealSt, DSPORT, MAPerformance videos on this topic 🤙

Great stuff! Thanks for the tips!

Awesome information man!! Come it come.👍

Just rebuilt my LS3 so excited to start her up!

Great and informative video. Can you tell me if this is the recommended procedure for roller cam lifters as well?

Do you do this same process for new factory car engines?

Map performance is sick i evo 8 swapped my 3g thanks to them

Should you change the oil filter along with the oil on all these initial oil changes

💪💪🔥🔥this very helpful an I haven’t even finished the video yet . 🙌

I saw a ring company say you want the break in oil during your 20 min anxiety fest. Something about the higher zinc, and if you get blowby you are doing more damage not using the thin specifically designed oil. After 25k of upgrades I'm good dumping $50 of oil.

Your break-in procedure is very clear and concise. Excellent job. I will use yours to break in my rebuilt Miata. Thks

Thank you

Correct me if I’m wrong lmao. But I’m pretty sure running normal oil to brake in the cam doesn’t heat treat it as well at all because there’s not much zink in it. Therefore it would increase the speed pitting occurs because the camshaft is soft.

Doing my very first engine build/rebuild on my 4.6 4v Cobra. I'm just getting parts in, so it's a long road, but is exciting. Man I just hope she's lives a long happy life. Hopefully the new tools, and probably hundreds of hours of research and learning pays off. Lol

Should you coat the cylinder walls with atf prior to the first start?

Personally i fire it up and beat on it never had a problem. Supermoto break in procedure! To each there own

Brilliant video 👏

Do you guys do in house engine brake in? I live in north dakota and would be willing to travel for a tune after a break in.

Hi I got my short block back from getting forged internal I’m going to be storing it for 6 months what’s the best to store it

Excellent video

Is the high zinc engine break-in oil bad for the catalitics?

Great video and tips on running in a rebuild engine. After the 500 miles run in does the engine head need to be tightened again especially allow heads like Honda?

Does apply to flat tappet sbc or roller cam to

I messed up my break in process on a datsun L20b rebuild by using synthetic oil, it glazed the cylinder walls and now I have to rehone and re-ring the pistons due to excessive blowby.

That e39 galant doe 🤩😍

Which mineral oil to use at first- viscosity? Will be breaking in my cobalt SS 2.0l turbo LNF engine in couple days...

subaru owner - I put an oil pressure sensor on both the front and rear oil gallery . You can crank the motor without plugs/fuel/spark until you actually see like 50psi of pressure. (Obviously do not run starter motor for too long in 1 shot, but without compression it is not a lot of resistance). Also, a trick for Subaru oil priming is to crank the motor WITHOUT an oil filter until you see a small stream of oil coming out of the oil filter port (It should not be long, like 10-20 seconds). THEN add a pre-filled oil filter and crank again until you get oil pressure. This will get it primed and pumping more quickly.

I just built my firs engine, b20vtec and as of this coming Saturday I will be doing my first start up. I’m extremely nervous that something could go wrong but I am hoping for the best. 🤞🏼hope it turns out good for me after investing a lot of money, time and scars into this built🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼..

is it the same for dirt bike motors?

Great video!!! I sure learned a lot. Now a concerning question: Some of the engine remanufacturers only recommend that we use conventional for entire first 1500 miles of break-in period. I like to know why do you suppose that is? And what's your take on that. Thank you!🙂

Very excited to get my DSM motor back from MAP. Nervous about it, but hopeful.

So If I already had stage 2+ tune with e85 with FBO should I keep the tune during thr first 500 miles break in and tune it later?

A lot of good pointers here. Very relevant for me as i'm starting my first fully built 4g63 in a few days. The only conflicting info I hear everywhere is the intervals of the initial oil changes. Many are saying it's not necessary to change the oil after the first 20 minutes, and that it's good for the first 100 miles. Where you would then switch to your oil of choice. It's the first hour or so of driving where the crosshatching files the rings (metal shavings) and seats them. Correct me if i'm wrong, but it seems that all the contamination is going to happen over that first drive, not upon startup? Wouldn't it make sense to use break in oil up until 100 miles, then do an oil and filter change until the car hits 500 miles, where it would be done again?

Can I use conventional oil instead of engine brake in oil or it has to be brake in oil thanks

Nice video

Have a new engine and oil cooler. Would you recommend keeping the oil cooler disconnect for the first 20mins ?

Any special considerations for a jeep 4.7l stroker engine?

When you say 20 min of break-in, do you mean literally rev the engine between 2k-3k with no load for 20 min? Or take it around the block for 20 min varying between 2k and 3k?

I just sleeved my motor and is ready to to put it in back in and actually break it in right

Just got my 347 stroker ford v8 (in a1960 british ford zodiac kustom hot rod) build through its cam break in, oil change and first 200 miles. I put comp cams break in oil additive in with the first sump of cheap mineral oil to try and give the new cam its best chances. Then after 30 mins at 2,000 to 2,500 rpm to splash lube the cam properly, drained and refilled with 10/30 comp break in oil. I don't normally worry too much if its a customers engine at work I've had in bits but on my own £2,000+ investment it just makes me feel uneasy and hypersensitive to any noises. I think I more enjoy builds like my drift car where its just a scrapyard engine transplant that even if it threw a rod out I can replace the whole engine for £300. Built the drift car and immediately dynod it and then took to the track without any worries. (saab b204 rear wheel drive spaceframed Ford mondeo eurocar. 840 kilos wet. 296 hp with slightly bigger turbo and a remap. Completely stock engine.)

I changed my water pump timing chains guides and tensioners on a 3.5 L ford....is there a break in for just timing components

after the 50 mile break-in can you take it on the highway for the 500 miles or still stay with city driving for the 500 miles

So what is the process if you have a different turbo and cams and compression and bored over and new clutch. Are you able to light load break in process like this video while watching fuel air ratio?

About to break in my 477ci BBF tomorrow

Ik this video is a year old but I have a question about my build so its a fully built engine with a stage 2 turbo cam and will have a turbo on it since it is a NA car. Would I need a base tune before starting it up and breaking it in? What is the best approach in my situation?

Great Video: Thanks! Now show me how to burn in a new camshaft without hurting my new engine. Or, is that's just old school?

Hey mapperformance. I just watch your video and i really learned a lot. I rebuilt my 2002 D17A2 honda civic ex with no experience of what i was doing and i think didn't do it right even though its driving and not burning any oil. The piston rings, i certainly know that they dont gap the way they should and i didn't know that i should put the rings in the cylinder housing and measure it with a feeler gauge also i didn't know that the engine needs to be break in.so, please,can you give me a website for a good brand rings.? The honda dealer charging me $70+ for one set of rigs.

I’m in an area with cold winters. My mustang is nearly finished and I am getting ready to start it. After the 20 minute break in would it be possible to let it sit until the weather is better? Or should I just wait until the spring. Don’t want to damage it.

So do you guys think it's okay to use stock cylander heads after they have been machined and cleaned? Or should you get aftermarket cylinder heads and what's the main difference?

RPM of my new car always below 2000 (generally around 1500 while driving at 100km/hr). Do I need to push little hard to rev it between 2000 and 4000? How do we know the idea RPM range for a breakin period of a specific car? I am driving Hyundai Santa Fe 2022 2.2D Diesel.

I need a good braking oil brand for LS

For my fully built EJ25 I did 20 minutes - oil change. 50 miles under 30% no boost - oil change. 150 at 50-70% no boost oil change. Now I’m on normal oil at 200 miles and running 8-10 psi 50-70% throttle. 250 miles I’m sending it.

After those 500 mile break in, now i can tune the car to 20-25psi? or i need to go up gradually?

Any advice on break in on a inboard boat engine

What happens if you have changed the injector size and cams and bored it large. Should I still start it before I take it to the tuner

any difference if it is an Atkinson motor on a hybrid?

Can i have my turbo installed during break in? Or will break in oil damage the turbo?

I did 1200 miles on my new engine, not going over 4k rpms. It felt fine but for some reason it feels like everything has settled in more after I did a few redline pulls

So if I buy conventional oil and just use it to clean my engine that's fine?. There's no extra steps after that right? Just put the oil in drive 20 or 30 clicks at a slower past then change it back to the oil I had in it be for?

Just got built 3v

Would this engine break-in process include if I buy a new car from a dealership? Shall I do the same procedure?

why do you take the crank position sensor out before priming?

Hi. Can i please ask a question and get your opinion? I bought a brand new CF MOTO 450RS motorcycle and from new, gear changes were rough and it had vibrations. After the first service, the bike felt a lot worse, and engine was over heating sporadically. At 1400klm I realised when the dealer said that it was normal and I had taken the bike back 6 times, back to the dealer, I investigated the problem and found the dealer was filling the oil to below the empty level. When I toped up the oil, it took 750ml to get it to the full line. That's 1/3rd oil missing since new. In the cf moto user manual it states that the oil should only be filled to below the low line, but in doesn't say if this when the bike is on the side stand or upright on a service stand. Turns out they were filling it up on the service stand in the upright, and those instructions were for the bike being on the side stand. So dealer was filling my bike and some others short of oil. Engine now sounds rough compared to new bike and I am hearing a slight ratting sound. Can you please tell me, during this crucial run in period, what is the potential damage to the engine and gear box? I think during the crucial 1000klm run in, period not having enough oil to meet even the bottom line of the low😊 indicator mark would have caused damage, but dealer said no, it's o.k..

If my built motor starts using more oil than OEM I've got a problem bc my current OEM burns a good amount of oil. Also, a side note, does strengthing up my OEM motor count as a built motor if I'm replacing everything but the things like the crankcase and cylinder head?

The machine shop told me to drive 1000miles with Conventional oil to brake in the motor.? Im also at 500 now I think should do the good brake in oil? But how many miles you think till I can pull at trailer??

Hey mate, Which oil for the first 20-30 when starting the car And which oil from 0-500km 500-1000km? Cheers

Cheap oils will still have friction modifiers and detergents in it. Stick with running in oil which doesn’t have those additives but does have high zinc.

Im going to be installing a 5.7 hemi and I was wondering what oils should I use to break it in my engine calls for 5w20.

What is a Good air fuel ratio for break in

I have asked around and its funny how varying the advice is to breaking in a newly built engine. This one seems very logical...let it warm up, inspect for leaks, use a break-in oil to put it under real world load for 50'ish miles, drain, run new break-in for roughly 500 miles, drain and put in your synthetic oil of choice. Others have had zero issues running a warmup cycle for 20min on conventional oil, dropping in their preferred oil and just sending it without any issues. But why take the chance i guess? I have a 2.0l ecoboost out of my 2016 Focus ST that was big turbo, bent a rod at about 430whp. its rebuilt with all forged internals and is ready to fire up this week. I think Ill take the extra time and cost to do it like its laid out in this video. I'd rather not have to yank the engine out again just because i overlooked debris in my oil cooler or something

I saw on one of RHD Kev's videos that he didn't press the clutch on his brand new engine. Something with thrust bearings. Can you elaborate?

I know this video is older so idk if I'll get a reply. But I have just first fired my built engine. However it's a full drag car running on c85. So my question is... since I can't drive it. And dyno day is two weeks away, what's a good way to get it ready without being able to drive the car on the street.

I can't relate since I'm on a stock motor 😂 but what i did when i bought it brand new was not rev it more than 3-4k for the first 500-600 miles

Does this go for a high performance 454 also?.. no tuner stuff, just meat and potatoes.. where the parts come from, they say run @ no less than 2000rpms for 20mins.. any other input on that is welcome.. thanks..

At 500 miles when covering this. Do you need to also vary the engine Rpm or you can do a wide throttle opening

This is helpful, I'd hate to destroy my fresh build

What happens if you don’t prime?

living in a country where you can take a freshly built car immediately onto the road sounds lovely.

Question, is ok for my motor to say stft 3, -6, 6, -8, 5? My ltft is saying the same thing, random and not stable. I've heard that it's supposed to vary but it's it by that much?

why does my engine need to be driven 4800 km to be fully broken in before i can dyno it ?

I want to let you know but my 1970 Monte Carlo 454 break in periods is the same as my 2014 Corvette which is at 500 and 1500 miles and not over revving your engine

When I install the pistons, do I need to apply any sort of lubricant on the pistons or cylinder walls, or does the process of turning the engine over until the oil light goes away takes care of it?

Can u reuse the break in oil if there is no metal in it

So by letting the engine slow u down u just let off the gas??

Varying rpm 'under mild load'

Hello I started my new engine without putting oil into the cylinders is that going to cause any problem to my engine or person rings thanks so much

I’ve just got my 5.7 hemi engine rebuilt and i see blue smoke The mechanic says it’s normal and I shouldn’t be worried and give it time 3- 7 days Is that true?