Running in a rebuilt engine
Moderator: martauto
-
polsta
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 10322
- Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: portsmouth
Been having a look about on google etc and everything seems to differ
So what's the thoughts on here about how to go about running in a rebuilt engine ?
Mineral oil or semi synthetic ?
Keep the revs right down completely or after a couple of hundred miles give it a little in earlier gears but not in the higher gears as not not to let he rings get too hot ?
Should it be shorter journeys for how many miles and avoid longer journeys or are longer journeys good ? (To clock up more running in miles)
Appriciate any advice
Thanks
So what's the thoughts on here about how to go about running in a rebuilt engine ?
Mineral oil or semi synthetic ?
Keep the revs right down completely or after a couple of hundred miles give it a little in earlier gears but not in the higher gears as not not to let he rings get too hot ?
Should it be shorter journeys for how many miles and avoid longer journeys or are longer journeys good ? (To clock up more running in miles)
Appriciate any advice
Thanks
-
DanThe
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 28649
- Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Staffs
Foot down, job done
-
Topblag
- Old Skooler

- Posts: 7095
- Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: Fife - You got a problem with that ?
I've got the same issue with the rebuilt H35 lump. The last owner asked the guy who rebuilt it and was advised it needed to be 'run in'. I was thinking of putting it on a rolling road for a day or so to achieve the running in ? Advice welcomed.
1990 325i Cab auto in Alpine White II
1988 Alpina C2.5 moredoor in Black, 71k
1990 325ix, moredoor auto in Laser Blue. 51k
1984 Hartge H35 in Black
2004 996 C4S in Silver 43k manual
2006 Audi S6 V10 in Black 58k
1988 Alpina C2.5 moredoor in Black, 71k
1990 325ix, moredoor auto in Laser Blue. 51k
1984 Hartge H35 in Black
2004 996 C4S in Silver 43k manual
2006 Audi S6 V10 in Black 58k
-
DanThe
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 28649
- Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Staffs
Loads of threads on here giving the proper advice
-
GB69
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 245
- Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011 11:00 pm
- Location: Washington / Sunderland
Do a 5 min burnout smashing it off the limiter constantly. Its then run in perfectly. 
-
Kos
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 15448
- Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: London / Cyprus
Let it run on idle for 10-15 minutes, check for leaks etc then drive it to get it up to temp and then check everything again. There after do as dan said
-
Speedtouch
- Old Skooler

- Posts: 14123
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: Canterbury
I think initially you should keep the revs relatively low, but the main thing is to use all the gears to vary the engine speed regularly, and to not labour it in a high gear going up a hill.
Change the oil after about 1,000 miles or so.
Change the oil after about 1,000 miles or so.
///M aurice
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
-
polsta
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 10322
- Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: portsmouth
any links ? search function just brings up hundreds of unrelated threadsDanThe wrote:Loads of threads on here giving the proper advice
-
polsta
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 10322
- Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: portsmouth
as in- foot down and not worry ? , or taking it easy ? how many miles ?Kos wrote:Let it run on idle for 10-15 minutes, check for leaks etc then drive it to get it up to temp and then check everything again. There after do as dan said
etc, or in 1st few weeks should it be taken easy no long journeys to get things TOO hot and not keeping it in the top gears for too long periods (what some googled threads said)
as i was thinking about after getting it mot`d and an initial phase of ensuring everything is mechanicly sweet and a few miles done, taking it for a long (500 miles maybe) round trip, taking it easy to give it some good gentle running in miles
-
driftwood
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:00 pm
Start it, run it at a fast idle speed for a minute, take the revs up to 3000rpm for a minute or 2 to run in the cam then let it idle whilst you set up fuel mixture and timing. Switch it off and check for leaks. Check tappets and head bolts whilst you're at it. If it's in the car, go for a drive and use full revs in low gears a few times. Don't load the motor too much. Then drive it normally. Change oil and check tappets at 500 and 1000 miles. Make sure to give it a good rev through the gears every once in a while to run in the piston rings. Use the oil that you would usually use.
Or do what SAAB used to do: start the motor and immediately rev to 5000rpm. Hold the revs for 1 minute. Job done.
Basically, don't be a pussy.
Or do what SAAB used to do: start the motor and immediately rev to 5000rpm. Hold the revs for 1 minute. Job done.
Basically, don't be a pussy.
Not a purist.
-
Kos
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 15448
- Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: London / Cyprus
Here you go, it was only 3 or so posts agopolsta wrote:as in- foot down and not worry ? , or taking it easy ? how many miles ?Kos wrote:Let it run on idle for 10-15 minutes, check for leaks etc then drive it to get it up to temp and then check everything again. There after do as dan said
etc, or in 1st few weeks should it be taken easy no long journeys to get things TOO hot and not keeping it in the top gears for too long periods (what some googled threads said)
as i was thinking about after getting it mot`d and an initial phase of ensuring everything is mechanicly sweet and a few miles done, taking it for a long (500 miles maybe) round trip, taking it easy to give it some good gentle running in miles
DanThe wrote:Foot down, job done
-
driftwood
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:00 pm
Start it, run it at a fast idle speed for a minute, take the revs up to 3000rpm for a minute or 2 to run in the cam then let it idle whilst you set up fuel mixture and timing but not for too long. Idling for long periods is not a good idea. Switch it off and check for leaks. Check tappets and head bolts whilst you're at it. If it's in the car, go for a drive and use full revs in low gears a few times. Don't load the motor too much. Then drive it normally. Change oil and check tappets at 500 and 1000 miles. Make sure to give it a good rev through the gears every once in a while to run in the piston rings. Use the oil that you would usually use.
Or do what SAAB used to do: start the motor and immediately rev to 5000rpm. Hold the revs for 1 minute. Job done.
Basically, don't be a pussy.
Or do what SAAB used to do: start the motor and immediately rev to 5000rpm. Hold the revs for 1 minute. Job done.
Basically, don't be a pussy.
Not a purist.
-
maxfield
- Old Skooler

- Posts: 15185
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Mansfield
Get yourself on a long stretch of road. High gear. Foot to the floor up, taking it up the revs and then let the engine overrun. Do this a few times going further with the revs each time. Job done.

-
Kos
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 15448
- Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: London / Cyprus
Actually ignore all of the advise (you probably will anyway)
Run it in as per the recommendation/instruction of the person who built it
Run it in as per the recommendation/instruction of the person who built it
-
DanThe
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 28649
- Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Staffs
/\ 
-
hazd31
- E30 Zone Squatter

- Posts: 1689
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: west sussex, nr brighton
run it through 2 full heat cycles at a sensible rpm, then build up from there!
-
broadie
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 560
- Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:00 pm
- Location: East Devon
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Dont even run it up trailer it to a rolling road.
Dont even run it up trailer it to a rolling road.
-
jimbom30cab
- Tech 1 freak
- Posts: 7631
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: in the garage
yes, i would definately take advice from the chap who built it for you.
He knows how to treat an e30
He knows how to treat an e30
-
polsta
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 10322
- Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: portsmouth
whats the thoughts on this ?broadie wrote:http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Dont even run it up trailer it to a rolling road.
interesting reading as it mentions most important bit of sealing the rings is in the 1st 20 miles and to drive it hard ?
-
jimbom30cab
- Tech 1 freak
- Posts: 7631
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: in the garage
have you got your exhaust sorted now ?
-
polsta
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 10322
- Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: portsmouth
the rebuilder said just take it easy keeping it under 3/4 of the throttle for 1000 miles although when it comes to its 1st drive, hopefully this weekend, wel talk properly about it then
-
bss325i
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 24532
- Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:00 pm
- Location: London/Surrey
Has it had a new cam?
Has it had new rings?
If no to the above, drive it normally, no need to bed or run anything in.
Just keep eye out for leaks.
Has it had new rings?
If no to the above, drive it normally, no need to bed or run anything in.
Just keep eye out for leaks.
-
polsta
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 10322
- Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm
- Location: portsmouth
new rings but not a new cam, and new bearings and all the bottom end jazz
ive no expirience of running in a re built engine and as you can appriciate i cant have this go wrong so want to be 100% on what to do so all goes smoothly
yes jim the exhaust situation is sorted, new exhaust is at home, picked up the manifold bots and washers today from snows, all thats needed is fit the exhaust and bleed and check the brake system , then its good to go
ive no expirience of running in a re built engine and as you can appriciate i cant have this go wrong so want to be 100% on what to do so all goes smoothly
yes jim the exhaust situation is sorted, new exhaust is at home, picked up the manifold bots and washers today from snows, all thats needed is fit the exhaust and bleed and check the brake system , then its good to go
-
reggid
- E30 Zone Squatter

- Posts: 1984
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Oz
use mineral oil or running in oil, get it to temp and drive it like you stole lots of WOT no steady cruising. dont rev it high but drive it hard
E30 325is with M20B31

