Rebuilt 2.5 motor break in

[harnishclan]

Just got my rebuild back and will install this weekend. What I am lacking is break in procedures for a track only boxster. Motor was a complete rebuild with new bearings, rings, crankshaft, valve job, timing chains, tensioners, and connecting rods. How to I break in this motor on a track only car?

[Flavor 987S]

Look into one of the quality break in oils from Joe Gibbs like BR30. Then after a few hundred miles (or 1-2 sessions??), switch over to one of his race proven oils like XP7 or other XP series oils. How does your engine builder recommend it get broken in?

***I see you are in Houston.....God speed.....take care****

[Nine8Six]

Hi Brian! No specific performance exp with Porsche cars here, they look good! Your sig has a whole lot of them, your 1st pcar involved at the track?

[Nine8Six]

best ever advice I've had...

Cycle/warm-up at the same time of the day (if you can loll), at the same temp and for the same duration, before load (be accurate and consistent). If its 30min before your first session that you normally warm-up the engine, then warm-up 30min before your session for the rest of that engine life. Equally important to keep a consistent cool-off routine.

Should last forever.... if your eng builder have not forgotten to refill the windshield washer fluid of course, which I doubt he would have forgotten anyway.

Alloys loves routine. it rarely gets tired of it

We want to see hot pics only, post some when you get it out there

[Gelbster]

The best tools for Break-in are a large sheet of cardboard and your ears.
The cardboard to identify leaks and your ears for bad noises.
Be particularly zealous about 'ticking'.
Don't check the oil until it has all drained back otherwise you'll overfill.
I hope the rebuild is a success.

[harnishclan]

Originally Posted by Nine8Six

Hi Brian! No specific performance exp with Porsche cars here, they look good! Your sig has a whole lot of them, your 1st pcar involved at the track?

No not first track car, third one. First Boxster track car after switching from 944. After eating 2 motors in a year, starting to wonder if that was a good idea. This motor is a solid rebuild, so I have hope it will last for a while.

[Nine8Six]

2 engines in a year... wow :/

Makes me question whether the stock "flat"-6 design is an handicap on the circuit you normally go too (mass moment of inertia). Do you have many corners exits that requires very long & hard acceleration? Just wondering because others seems to have pretty reliable results when tracking their M96 eng on other (smaller?) circuits.

If that'd be the case anyway (I doubt mind you), beefing up the assembly would be remedial to this F6 design issue

Have you found the answer to breaking-in the engine? I'd expect quite a few very fine particles in the oil for the first few flushes. Unavoidable, although the filter would catch most of it if not all.

[Flavor 987S]

And install a magnetic drain plug. L&N makes a good one. Torque spec is very low. 19ft.lbs. FYI

[Boxstard]

Not Porsche-specific, but I followed the break-in procedure in the link below:

Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power

It felt scary to push a newly rebuilt motor but it makes sense to load piston ring against cyl wall under vacuum. I rebuilt 2003 SAAB 2.3 turbo motor and broke it in this way, it is running strong with over 80K miles since.

I'm curious, how much cost for a full 2.5 rebuild?

[thstone]

Contact the shop who did the rebuild. They should have a recommendation for the break-in procedure for one of their engines.

[mikefocke]

Have you identified a common cause for the engine failures?

Considered a deep sump with baffles, oil pump kit, etc or was that part of your rebuild?

[Qmulus]

From what I have seen from guys endurance racing Boxsters, the ONLY way to keep one alive for a long time without eating bearings is a dry sump system. With a dry sump, it should last a very, very long time. Tracks with long right handers are particularly tough on these cars. Look at this thread. The data doesn't lie.

Getting a dry sump system together isn't cheap, but neither is losing multiple engines to oiling issues. You can try all the "bandaids" (deep sumps, X51 baffles, etc.) that don't work, or you can just go dry sump and not worry about oiling anymore.

P.S. Here is the best thread if you want to learn about Boxster oiling. Chris knows his stuff.

[Gelbster]

Q's advice is good but it is good for a Track car.
Many will miss that in the first Post.
For a road car, less extreme oiling upgrades may be sufficient.

[Nine8Six]

So... to break-in a track car engine you just need to omit to install a performance sump to it, and it'll break just fine LOLL Although I'm sure our new friend Brian has/had that deep/dry sump already... he is a 3rd time world champion with exp (i.e. 3rd pcar he track).

[harnishclan]

Thanks. Doing just that with the oil

Got lucky in Houston, this time around.

[harnishclan]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Have you identified a common cause for the engine failures?

Completely different. First motor lasted two event after I bought the car, poor maintenance is likely as the first oil change was bad. Ate the main bearings. Second motor (used no history) lasted 10 events and broke timing chain coming out of turn 9 at Houston Motor Sport Ranch. ALL valves are open and about half are bent.

Considered a deep sump with baffles, oil pump kit, etc or was that part of your rebuild?

Mantis 1.2L pan, S oil cooler.

Originally Posted by Flavor 987S

And install a magnetic drain plug. L&N makes a good one. Torque spec is very low. 19ft.lbs. FYI

Done

Originally Posted by thstone

Contact the shop who did the rebuild. They should have a recommendation for the break-in procedure for one of their engines.

While very experienced, he just did the M96 class and doesn't have solid info to run in a track motor.

Originally Posted by Gelbster

Q's advice is good but it is good for a Track car.
Many will miss that in the first Post.
For a road car, less extreme oiling upgrades may be sufficient.

Its a track only car, heading towards SPB (though budget and build slightly derailed by an extra 10K in motors) so there are limitations to what you can modify. Dry sump might be a step too far. Accusump is about as far as it seems you can go.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by harnishclan

While very experienced, he just did the M96 class and doesn't have solid info to run in a track motor.

Hmm. They didn't mention run-in during the rebuild class? As a M96 rebuild class participant, couldn't he just contact Jake to get more information?

With that being said, I have two friends that had their engines professionally rebuilt recently and they were told that the break-in period was 1,000 miles. During this time they were supposed to drive the car at varying speeds (streets and highway) but avoid rev's over 4K rpm. Oil was supposed to be changed at 500 miles and again at 1,000 miles.

I can't say with any confidence whether this applies to your engine or not, but it is what others are doing.

[harnishclan]

Might have a plan

[harnishclan]

Wont do public muck raking, not my style since I am huge believer in Karma. Been doing a lot of research and investigating and plan on doing this:
Driven BR30 oil
Turn over by hand 10-15 revolutions, then starter motor without starting
Start and run to full operating temp while checking for sounds and leaks
Change filter
Warm up, run 15 minute session without lugging motor and varying RPM up to 5K.
Change oil and filter
Warm up and finish DE weekend, lots of varying RPM up to 5K
Change oil and filter
Drive it like it was meant to be driven