Anybody ever used this method??? Running the engine hard right off to seat the rings??? http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I have always used the "heat cycle/baby it at first" method, and my engines last forever and a day. Seems to me, perhaps the "ride it hard" method might be best for a racer, where you want maximum power (racers are going to be doing top ends often anyway!). And, the "baby it" method perhaps best for the recreational rider, where engine longevity is the goal. The ride it hard method should result in a tighter engine, while the baby it method would result in slacker tolerances, but longer times between rebuilds.

Any opinions??? Any experiences??? I have a new TRX450R to break in. Wondering which way to go!!!

 

I have been doing this for about 35 years and have always used the heat it up, let it cool down method while running it easy. I just don't have problems at all. I used it for bikes, quads, jetskis, trucks, everything. That works for me[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

My cousin and I got 2 02 raptors at the same time, ooff the same truck. We both babied them for about the first hour. thn our dads gpt excited and started racing each other. About a year later we had gotten rid of the 02, and then missed it. So we got an 03. Babied that for the firstt few trips down the driveway, then the racing thing started again. we ended up with 2 very quick stock bikes. when my cousin and i would go places we would raced stock and piped/jetted rappies and beat them. we were still bone stock, right down to the tires. 2 strokes demand a different procedure but i swear by motoman's advice.

 

PIN it until it blows up.

 

A buddy of mine who's been riding since the early 80's swears by the procedure of breaking it in the way you'll ride it later - in other words - if your gonna ride it hard, break it in hard - if your gonna be easy on it - break it in easy. Don't know if he knows what he's talking about but he always seemed to have some nice bikes...

 

I use the heat up and cool method aswell.

 

You need to get the cylinder pressures up to help the rings seat. If you baby it too much the crosshatch pattern will wear away before the rings seal and it will have low compression 4-ever and dump fuel into the oil, contaminating it. You have about 20-30 miles before the hone starts to get too smooth.

Popular beliefe is that the rings have spring tension that holds them to the cyl wall. This is correct to a point but it's compression pressure behind the rings that force them into the wall to seal

I'm not saying to rev it to the moon but do make it work some. Pulling hills will load the rings against the wall.

Remember the powerline rd near my house we rode up? That is where I take the bikes I just rebuilt up to seat the rings. Lots of mid to full throttle pulls at a meduim rpm with the ocasional down hill w/o any gas.

The downhill w/o gas will create lots of vacuum and help cool any hot spots. The vacuum will also pull oil into the cyl to cool and lube the rings. I'd change the break-in oil and filter after 3-5 hours to remove any metal particles.

 

The local dealer here told me not to even worry about breaking it in, just get on it and ride.
I have a 2000 blaster and havn't blown it up yet, and i ride that thing hard.