WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot:
I pretty much agree with most of your beak-in comments (especially the yelling one LOL!)

But Motoman claims, and explains that the hard break-in allows the rings to seat, thereby helping to eliminate blow by which will later on destroy bearings from contamination, etc.

So HIS point is that a hard break-in not only gives you the most power, it ALSO gives you longer engine life.

He goes into great depth on explaining why mating parts and bearing break-in is not an issue these days with modern engines.

 

I would say just break it in the way you are gonna run it. If your gonna run it full throttle any way then BREAk it in hard and see if it will blow while its still under warranty. If you are going to idle around and cruise then break it in that way. I have seen many engines that are idled along that run great. But when you stomp on the gas they don't run right and stuff breaks. Why is this? Its because the parts are all broken in that way and running them harder stresses them differently. Now an engine thats always been run through the full rpm range will accellerate smooth, have more power and just run better.




If the engine is built right it will never blow if you let it warm up. If there is a problem like a fracture or defect in the casting of the parts it will show up under load. It's best at least for me to "BREAK it in" good under warranty.

 

thanks tango for the info. is there anywhere on the net that i can find performance parts or accessories for the 2005 rubicon(most sites are for the 2004). and for anyone looking for itp tires. ebay is the cheapest i got four new stock itp mudlights for 188 bucks including shipping. also my top speed with those mudlites i got to 56mph!

 

Thomas, I should (?) have mine by this weekend. How are you liking yours?

As to specific listings for performance parts available for the '05, I am going to go out on a limb here (I do not have specific facts, just an assumption) that catalogues and websites ahven't beein updated yet. I would furhter assume that other than plastic parts or anything in anyway connected to the front brakes that all is about the same.

As for wheels and tires, I am itching to get a set of rims and Bighorns for the machine that I do not even own yet. I am hoping that my stock tires and wheels will fit on my son's Rancher (an upgrade for him) and that I would then have to go out an get wheels and tires. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I know it's off topic, but does anyone have experience running aluminum wheels in rocksy terrain???

Lastly, I do understand that the referenced site touts a hard break-in to better seat the rings and ancillary to that is less blowby and therefore less wear on bottom end parts. I can readily buy into the rings sealing notion, but I'm still pondering the lower end bearings concept as I do not know how many bottom end problems stem from improper lubrication attributable to rind blowby. Most engines I have had experience with seem to need a top end long before a bottom end and only get a bottom end when things rattle or things blow.

Let me throw out just one other thought. In the time leading up to that first oil change, there is particluate moving with th e oil to hopefully be trapped by the filter or hung on a magnet at the drain plug. I question whether or not that's the time to be hard on the engine or to wait until at least the first oil change. Sure, you could change sooner than the forst recommended time period but both the Honda dealeership we deal with and the Yamaha dealer I bought the four stroke outboards on my boat recommend against that. I do not really understand why (what dealer would turn down work or at least an oil and filter parts sale?) they said that but Honda said DO not change the oil before 20 hours and Yamaha told me that it's better actually wait a little longer than the recommended interval for the break-in first oil change. Go figure!

Lastly, I do not want to be accused of picking the fly poop out of the black pepper, but one can load the rings without bashing the engine. Roll-on throttle, especially up hills or on long steady accelerations will load the rings. Running up against the rev limiter with a comparatively lesser load on the engine does not necessarily help seat the rings. Roll-on/roll-off, kinda like the the waxing technique to Grasshopper!

 

I agree fully.
The whole purpose is to keep a load on the rings. Never while breaking in the motor are you supposed to hit the rev limiter and leave it there. Loading the rings is the key. Full deceleration while in gear is also supposed to be done.

 

I've worked with Honda for over 20 years, and I've never heard any mfg. rep say DO not change before the recommended first interval. They may say it's not necessary to do so at the strongest. Go ahead if it makes you feel better. Use the right weight oil for your local outside temperature (owner's manual will give you that spec). I totally agree, you don't need to bump into the rev limiter to break in your machine, and I think if you read Motoman's testimony carefully, he does too. The tightest clearances in your machine are probably in the tran, and break in for that is largely unknown.

 

tango, i absolutely am crazy about my rubicon! ive climbed hills, been in the mud a little but not too much. i take care of my stuff. i like hunting and fishing so i use it alot. i like the low range option on it. if you are trying to be quite riding around looking at deer or turkey its perfect cause u barely have to give it throttle for it to go and its REAL QUITE! they barley know you are coming. also i like the selectable four range option. you can be going about 9 or 10mph and if you run into some mud you don't have to stop and put it into 4 wheel. you can be rolling and put it into 4 wheeldrive. feels like all four wheels pull instead of differential. but thats what honda says that it is differential lock. excellent towing, i couldn't believe it pulled that boat. i got off the four wheeler to tip the boat empty of water and i couldn't even turn the boat around much more than tip it over. like i said it had nearly a foot of water in it and it was a 12ft boat not a 10ft! excellent top end ( i didn't buy it for speed but its got it if ya want it bud). thats another thing , you can tell it has alot of power you dont have to shove the trottle to get its power but like i said you know its there if you want it! awesome ride, but the itp tires are just a little stiffer ride than the stock ones but still rides very well. starts well when its cold out . i think hondas are cold collard but just bump the choke and its ready to go. oh yea, man the lights on it are brighter than my truck lights. just as clear and clean as you get. ( if you or anyone could find out what size the lights are id be really appreciative. they have some on jcwhitney but the size and part number are confusing. i like the ones i got but i like those white looking lights that come on those new cars like the maxima's. plus it may have a less terrifying affect to deer at night just maybe. nice storage and braking. oh, the four wheel drive on the 2004 models is like wrestling a grizzly bear. i don't know why they are like that, but the 2005 is just as easy as it gets to stear. no prob turning them on asphalt either. my uncle has a 2004, it is really hard to stear and stays in four wheel drive all the time. if you get it youll be happy! abernathy's price is about 6185 ( not with the gps, i don't need the gps anyway). i ended up financing about 7500 because of insurance you have to have and four year warranty that covers everything. sounds high but i wouldn't take 8000 for mine right now. if you can get to abernaty's from wherever your located at. youll save money noone can beat there prices. not on just honda's its everything. i guess they order in bulk or something to be able to sell them that cheap. if you didn't get my website address its www.abernathycycles.com! check it out. it'll be worth it!

 

my 4 stroke is new. It smokes a little now and then....when the motor is below operating temp i think. It's been cold...around 30 to 34 deg. I have loaded it a little here and there as well as got the r's up some. It's only got a couple of hours on it. I 'm not real thrilled about breaking it in in cold weather but i wanted to ride. I should probably wait for the temps to rise some since it's air cooled machine with fan assist... (all the time) I'm guessing. I'll have to check into it.