Break in Theory- What oil | FerrariChat

Break in Theory- What oil

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Gary48, Mar 31, 2005.

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  1. Gary48

    Gary48 Guest

    Dec 30, 2003
    940
    Standard practice says use dino oil for break-in, but why? Why not use your highest performing oil in your arsenal, for ultimate protection? What does Ferrari and Porche use to break-in, when they send the cars full of synthetic.

    Tnx Gary
     
  2. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall

    I've seen them pour it in at the factory. Same stuff as in the book 5-40 Shell syn.

    It used to be felt that rings would seat faster with Dino oil, before that we thought it would happen faster with non detergent. Bottom line, with modern machining technology most of the ring seating required is done while I am rotating the motor over by hand timing the cams. By the time the car starts for the first time it's done.
     
  3. Darolls

    Darolls F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Jul 2, 2003
    7,782
    Full Name:
    Sparky
    Break-in periods on modern engines are virtually nonexistant.

    Drive it from day 1, the way you intend to drive it the rest of its life.
     
  4. Gary48

    Gary48 Guest

    Dec 30, 2003
    940
    The whole ring break-in thing just has not made sense to me. Lets see, lets put in our lowest performing oil in a new rebuild so we can advance the wear of carefully prepared clearances, just to seat the rings. This thinking assumes that the rings never will seat if synthetics are used, right! If the oil is that good you'll never have to do a re-ring. I just don't by it until I've tried pure syn. myself.
    Has anyone tried synthetics from the get-go on a rebuild, and what were the results?

    Best regards

    Gary
     
  5. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall

    Works fine.
     
  6. Gary48

    Gary48 Guest

    Dec 30, 2003
    940
    rifledriver, Thanks, looks like no dino for me on start up! What syn do you recommend for my 246.

    best regards

    Gary
     
  7. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall
    Redline, but Mobile One is a good product too. I agree with a great deal of what Mr Hass has said here about oils but I don't tend to be as bold about the thinner weights as he, in my climate 40-110 degree temp range year round I use 5-40 in a street car. For a special purpose car or situation I might modify that.
     
  8. Gary48

    Gary48 Guest

    Dec 30, 2003
    940
    Rifledriver, just for the sake of discussion, if a car is driven regularly but is always put back into a 65 degree garage, then might you not have different oil considerations than if the car was parked outside in different temeratures. That being said would Redline 40-W racing oil be a canidate for break-in oil? This is a non-detergent oil but one of the highest scoring oils.
    Polymers are added to oils to make multi-viscosities, the higher the viscosity split the more polymers the oil contains. So a 5-40W oil contains more polymers than a 5-30W. Polymers are not a bad thing but they are not lubricants, hense they are subject to shear at higher temperature and elevated rpm's. Straight weight oils contain no polymers so get higher marks for performance applications. I know that the oil companies don't recommend racing oils for street applications, but so much of this information is disclaimers so they don't go against O.E.M. recomendations and leave themselves liable. What do you think? How about the good Dr. Ehaas?
    Thank you in advance.

    Best regards

    Gary
     
  9. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall

    I would PM Dr Haas on that one but I do have a couple of comments. Even though they are not labeled as such the Redline racing oils are considered by Redline to be multi vis. We use the 50w at Bonneville and I think it has a rating 15-50. I have heard and participated in discussions on the polymer issue and as near as I can tell it does not become a practical issue within the parameters we are operating. I have to admit also that our car is partially sponsored by Redline (it was a result of that exposure to their products that I became very sold on the product) and we were told by them to never use the racing oil we are provided in street cars. I never questioned why but I am sure they will give you all the advice you could ever want by calling them direct, they are very helpful. Also within the parameters of a break in situation you will be so far from the limitations of the street oil that any consideration of the polymers is I think an intellectual exercise only. If anything if you want to reduce the range I would suggest going down to the 0-30. That would be much better than a higher straight weight.
     
  10. Gary48

    Gary48 Guest

    Dec 30, 2003
    940
    Rifledriver, very good thoughts, many thanks. 0-30W for break-in and 5-40W after, looks to be in order

    Best regards

    Gary
     
  11. AEHaas

    AEHaas Formula 3

    May 9, 2003
    1,458
    Osprey, Florida
    Full Name:
    Ali E. Haas
    Many fully synthetic motor oils possess the properties of a multi-grade mineral based oil but without the use of viscosity improvers. It is not Red Line's oil but all synthetic oils that have this property. Some oils (one cannot tell by the grade span) do have very small amounts of viscosity improvers. Modern mineral based oils do not thin as much as they used to and synthetic oils do not thin at all but for fuel dilution.

    Many modern high performance cars now come from the factory with a synthetic fill. Also, many high performance engines are actually broken in before they get into the car.

    'Best bet is to use the oil that comes with the new car for 1,000 miles or so then go to whatever you feel is best for your driving situation.

    I use 0W-20 Mobil 1 in my 575 Maranello and can safely go thinner based on all parameters including chemical oil analysis.

    aehaas

    p.s. - I am contemplating the use of 5W-20 Red Line for the first oil change in my new Maybach.
     
  12. Gary48

    Gary48 Guest

    Dec 30, 2003
    940
    AEHaas, thank you for your response and information. I have been following your threads on oil with keen interest. Gary


    "I will never let my schooling interfere with my education"
     

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