Guest GTR--J Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I just bought a brand new engine from the factory in Japan for my 1990 GTR.How should I "break in" the engine?My friend at the local autopart store said I should use regular oil for the first 1,000km's and then switch to synthetic.He also said I should add a bottle of EOS (engine oil stabilizer),this oil contains magnessium or some other metal he said is needed for the cams???He said as soon as I get the car running and up to temperature to take it on the highway and put the car in 3rd gear and drive it up to 5,000 rpm and coast back down to 1,000 rpm then step on it again to 5,000rpm.He said to do this about 15 times in a row.Now he told me to do this because it would seat the valves properly and wear in their grooves,is this correct?My car also came over from Japan with a MINES ECU.I did some research and this ECU has advanced timing and a more agressive fuel curve.My car only has complete exhaust ,intake and Splitfire coils.The gas I run on is 94 octane should I retard my timing a bit,or just make sure it is at the factory setting?When I pulled my spark plugs they looked fine.I will attach a picture with the spark plugs the car came with and the new ones I out in.The picture is the # 3 cylinder,I only attached 1 picture but they all look like this.I put a 1,000 km's on the old spark plugs and 1,000km's on the new ones and they were both a heat range 6.The reason I am asking all these questions is because my valves were foating and the engine no longer has compression.I think it was the oil pump issue or detonation because of the ECU.I am leaning more towards the oil pump issue because the plugs look fine.The engine will be pulled out in a couple weeks,and I really won't know until then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Dude, if you want to chat about the car, swing by my shop in Vic. http://www.zensport.ca and there is a map on the site too. I can answer most of your questions in person, and would be interested in seeing your car! Is that photo taken at Clover Point? Looks like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myplasticegg Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm read that and give it a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GTR--J Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 I checked out the link and that is exactly what my friend told to do.Do you just do that on the first day?What about everyday after that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GTR--J Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I talked to local machinist with 20 years excellent experiance,the local Nissan service manager and they said..... -fast idle after first start up @ 2,500 RPM for first 20 min. -don't lug the engine for at least 800 KM's -use mineral oil for the first 1,000 KM's -little or no boost for the first 800 KM's -NO steady constant driving for the first 1,000 KM's,keep varying the load on the engine -DON'T rev the engine up to 8,000 after intitial start up..NEVER!!!!! -DON'T raise RPM's above 5,000 RPM for the first 800 KM's -after all this go for it! -if it were a rebuilt engine for racing though they said to rev the snot out of it after intial start up.......so there is some truth to that I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheftrd Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I talked to local machinist with 20 years excellent experiance' date='the local Nissan service manager and they said..... -fast idle after first start up @ 2,500 RPM for first 20 min. -don't lug the engine for at least 800 KM's -use mineral oil for the first 1,000 KM's -little or no boost for the first 800 KM's -NO steady constant driving for the first 1,000 KM's,keep varying the load on the engine -DON'T rev the engine up to 8,000 after intitial start up..NEVER!!!!! -DON'T raise RPM's above 5,000 RPM for the first 800 KM's -after all this go for it! -if it were a rebuilt engine for racing though they said to rev the snot out of it after intial start up.......so there is some truth to that I guess.[/quote'] That's funny because every GT-R that rolled off the line has been to redline in every gear before it left the factory... When you buy a GT-R and ask the dealer about break in, they just laugh. The first line is the first clue to BS; 2500rpm for 20 minutes is to break in flat tappet cams in a SBC. They require the elevated rpm because the cam is splash lubed and actually wears in to the lifter. Somehow, this ended up being the break in procedure for every engine known to man. Engines I build put down many hundreds of full throttle, high boost hp with less than 10 miles on the ticker, and some have shown <5% leakage after three years of serious abuse. Break in, Shmake in. Here's what I do: Warm it up to operating temp and get the computer all trimmed out for some drivability (on mineral oil). Change the oil (mineral oil) and filter. ECU tuning runs at full throttle with minimum boost. It may take a few pulls to actually get it to red line. Tuning to 3000, then 4000, then 5000, etc. Once the base trim is good, up the boost a little. Up the boost a little. Up the boost a little. Up the boost a little. Once the power trim is complete go on the road for some drivability tuning. Change the oil to a synthetic. Less than one day, start to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Break in' date=' Shmake in. [/quote'] Yeha, don't mess with the man, he knows what he's talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GTR--J Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Even the local machinist guru told me not to go above 5,000 for the first 1,000KM's.This is not going to be a track car.I don't want to chance this $10,000 ordeal,this car is like a child to me.I waited 6 months for the car to be delivered and 2 more months so far to get an engine from a Nissan dealership in Japan.I do agree with your quick break in procedure if it is a track car.Thanks for the comments but I think this way is best for my needs. Hey cheftrd I wanted to ckeck out your site,when is it going to be back up?Do you specialize in RB engines?I have ordered the engine from Kanagawa Nissan in Japan.It has been 5 weeks since I paid and ordered it and no word yet.Is this normal?Why are they sooo slow at the dealership?Does this engine get tested through the whole power band at the dealer ship before it gets shipped? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george.bryant Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 How much was taht brand new RB26DETT from Nissan? And what currency? Can you get RB20dets etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HakosukaJD Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 The last time I checked it was 740000 Yen, including turbines. Factory rebuilds are 480,000 Yen. How much was taht brand new RB26DETT from Nissan? And what currency? Can you get RB20dets etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheftrd Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Even the local machinist guru told me not to go above 5' date='000 for the first 1,000KM's.This is not going to be a track car.I don't want to chance this $10,000 ordeal,this car is like a child to me.I waited 6 months for the car to be delivered and 2 more months so far to get an engine from a Nissan dealership in Japan.I do agree with your quick break in procedure if it is a track car.Thanks for the comments but I think this way is best for my needs.Hey cheftrd I wanted to ckeck out your site,when is it going to be back up?Do you specialize in RB engines?I have ordered the engine from Kanagawa Nissan in Japan.It has been 5 weeks since I paid and ordered it and no word yet.Is this normal?Why are they sooo slow at the dealership?Does this engine get tested through the whole power band at the dealer ship before it gets shipped? New engines are not tested. Delivery time depends on Stock. If Nissan has them in stock, it's usually less than a week for the dealer to receive it. Want me to check stock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Man, must be spiffy, brand new factory motors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 If you want to know the correct break in procedures, call the factory, or a licensed dealer. Get it from the horses mouth instead of trusting anecdotal advice from others. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 If you want to know the correct break in procedures' date=' call the factory, or a licensed dealer. Get it from the horses mouth instead of trusting anecdotal advice from others.Tim[/quote'] I wonder if SoCal Nissan dealers even know what an RB26 is. Some really ignorant parts guys around I'll say that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Find someone in Japan, or someone local who can speak the language and call the factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheftrd Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 If you want to know the correct break in procedures' date=' call the factory, or a licensed dealer. Get it from the horses mouth instead of trusting anecdotal advice from others.Tim[/quote'] an.ec.dot.al (adjective) 1. Based on anecdotes or hearsay. Consisting of or based on secondhand accounts rather than firsthand knowledge or experience or scientific investigation. I believe the advice I provided was: 1. Based on firsthand knowledge. 2. Based on experience and scientific investigation. That's hardly anecdotal or hearsay. Being a new-car (Japanese) buyer every few years, I can also tell you that the dealer gives no break-in procedure when you pick up the car. When asked about it, they will tell you that there is no specified break-in. The first oil change/service is scheduled at one year or 15,000km (6 months or 5,000km for turbo engines); same as the regular maintenance interval. All Toyota new-car salesmen in Japan must be former Toyota mechanics. You work your way up to sales. However, just to verify, I called Nissan Genuine Parts and a Nissan new-car dealer to ask about break in on new uninstalled engines. Result? They didn't know. In fact, they had no documentaion referring to break in. They just change them, and off you go. If it's so important, I can't imagine why Nissan wouldn't make it a point to publish it. From an engineering stand point: On the RB26, the only part of the engine that actually wears-in or seats is the piston rings. Most of this occurs in the first 30 minutes to one hour of engine operation. The more you load the rings, the better sealing surface they make with the cylinder wall. That's my advice. Take it or leave it. Use it or not. However, it's sort of offensive to have it called anecdotal when I've spent the better part of my life and hundreds of thousands of dollars on actual hands-on R&D on exactly this kind of subject; then pass it on to others for free in a time when the industry is more tight-lipped then ever due to cut-throat competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 [edit] Nevermind....so terribly sorry to have offended you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george.bryant Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 id leave his advice if i was u... always run in a new motor for 1000km Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheftrd Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 id leave his advice if i was u...always run in a new motor for 1000km Just curious, but is this advice anecdotal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 If you haven’t been to Japan or built an import motor then your advice is Hearsay!!!!!!. Matt’s Advice is gold if you ask me. The only kind of break-in advice I had ever heard from anyone in Japan (lived there for 11 years) that builds motors (pros) was to change the oil in certain increments. Nothing about keeping it at this rpm for a certain amount of time yada yada. I’d leave his advice if I was u...Always run in a new motor for 1000km What kind of import motors have you built and "run in" I'd be interested in your background. One of the complaints I have had about this RB forum is that there is allot of speculation and allot of young kids putting in there 2 cents when they don’t know what the hell they are talking about (please know one take offense). I can assure you though if it comes out Matt’s mouth you can take it to the bank. Rb motors are relatively new on US soil and not too many people know allot about them. People like Matt, and some other’s I can’t think of right now are what makes this forum such a good resource. I will get off my soap box now sorry for the rant. BTW GTR--J you do whatever makes you feel comfortable. And congrats on your purchase. Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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