Re: 1949 288 Straight 8 Break In

Posted by Wat_Tyler On 2022/6/16 6:06:05
When they put the engine upgrade kit (including new barrels, pistons and rings) on my big Harley, they ran it a bit and drove it around the lot and gave it to me to break in. They said to avoid steady constant speed, full throttle acceleration, and to keep it under 3000 RPM. I did all that plus used a thing I had read online about driving it in 3rd gear (out of 6) and running it up to the 3K number and then letting it slow down to around 2K and then to do this again. And again. The man's theory is that it allows the rings to have moderate pressure applied to them from both directions, so to speak, to aid their seating. After 500 miles, I took it back for a final tune and they got some impressive torque numbers out of it on the dyno.

I just finished doing my 282 engine break-in. The guy who built it and from whom I bought it drove like an old woman, so I didn't worry about what he had done (or not done) much. I made it a point to do some of those accel/decel things in high, basically between 25-40/45 MPH. I don't have anything else, like another Packard, to compare it to at the moment, but it does seem to be a happy engine. I'm happy with it, let's put it that way.

I try to stay away from 3000 RPM and would during the break-in period, especially. Save that for horsing around once it's dialed in and has (at least) 500 miles.

Or drive it like you stole it. It's yours, after all. 'Murrika!!!

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