1FZ-FE Break In Procedures/Tips/Advice (1 Viewer)

[Wompom]

Yes - I searched. There are about two threads that I could find that really cover this. I'm hoping to pick some peoples brains who have broken in their motors with a similar rebuild on them.

Planning on getting my fresh 1fz in the truck this weekend. It has a rebuilt head (same cams - important for needing a zinc additive or not?), fresh rings, original rods and pistons, new main and con rod bearings and fresh seals all around.
This is my first time building the bottom end of a motor but not the first time pulling/installing one. With the amount of $$$ put into this rebuild (yes i know i could have done a V8, I didn't want that) I really don't want to blow it by doing something like not ensuring the rings seat as well as possible.
A lot of people say with the same cams that were previously in the motor that they're already "broken in" and just straight 5-30 mineral oil is good enough and to go vary RPMs for an hour or so and do oil changes at 500, 1000 and 3000 miles, then switch to synthetic if wanted.

Here is what i was planning:

1. after verifying and pressure testing both cooling and fuel system start and let the truck come to operating temp in the garage, shut down and inspect for leaks again. Check any CEL's and make sure everything is set up how it should be.
2. start back up and go drive varying RPM for ~1 hr with some almost WOT and sudden deceleration per some recommendations.
3. change oil due to the mass amount of assembly lube (permatex red stuff) i know i used and is floating through there.
4. use conventional oil for the first 5000 miles changing at:
-after first long drive
-500 miles
-another 1000 miles
-3000 miles
-switch to T6 synthetic and run at 5k intervals

Thoughts, recommendations, tell me im an idiot?

With an engineering background its hard to believe there are no thorough published tests for the most effective motor break in procedures (that i could find).

 

[-Spike-]

I might feel different if I had just plunked down a chunk of change and time for an engine rebuild, but I tend to believe 'breaking in an engine' is a myth, at least for production engines. I've never heard a manufacturer suggest any particular maintenance for new cars over and above regular oil changes. Ideally, nothing wears at all. I'm probably totally wrong about that though.

 

[Wompom]

I might feel different if I had just plunked down a chunk of change and time for an engine rebuild, but I tend to believe 'breaking in an engine' is a myth, at least for production engines. I've never heard a manufacturer suggest any particular maintenance for new cars over and above regular oil changes. Ideally, nothing wears at all. I'm probably totally wrong about that though.

To an extent yes, but at the same time its a fact that rings wear down on the walls of a fresh cylinder hone. The main break in as far as im concerned is the rings. Bearings in theory should never contact the surfaces they encase since its a high pressure oil film.

 

[COYS]

Sounds to me your plan is as good as anyone else’s that will be responding here. People even debate what the manufacturer writes in the manual regarding break-in procedures in Porsche 911 and BMW M land. It’s a lost cause with an abundance of qb oem internet engineers.

Go with your gut and enjoy. Congrats, dude!

 

[MoJ]

Search for a somewhat recent thread on one of Robbie/powderpig’s 4.6 rebuilds. It has some break in advice based on the first 500 miles.

 

[ALX4X4]

If its only really a re-ring and not bored/honed I'd just drive it per normal. Most of the recommended bedding in is rings to bore if you didnt hone the block or change the cross hatch then the rings will find their way pretty quickly, bearings are good from day 1 in my books. Hope it all goes to plan !

 

[Tools R Us]

Way over thinking this. I would be easy on it at first, progressively giving it more boot. At first, avoid constant RPM cruising, slight throttle, slight compression brake, like driving in traffic. If cruising on the highway, go back and forth between 3rd and 4th, OD on for a bit, then OD off, repeat, allows for varying RPM, while maintaining somewhat even speed.

...
4. use conventional oil for the first 5000 miles changing at:
-after first long drive
-500 miles
-another 1000 miles
-3000 miles
-switch to T6 synthetic and run at 5k intervals
...

Unless you made a complete s*** show in the motor, like enough to quickly clog the filter, I wouldn't change the oil till ~500mi, then ~3000mi, then normal changes.

 

[NewbyColorado]

I had my engine rebuilt (top and bottom) with Robbie (aka Powerpig). Here were his directions:


Break in period. Drive easy for the first 1000 miles. Try to avoid high rpm runs for long time periods. Best to take short drives followed by longer drives to make sure it all works well.

Change oil after 1000 miles, use a conventional oil again for the next 4000 miles. Move the magnet (he placed a magnet on my oil filter) from the old oil filter to the new one. Drive normally for this time period.

Change oil again(after 5000 miles total), run for the next 5000 miles of normal driving. After 10k miles of total miles after rebuild, run Synthetic oil and filter made for extended mileage.

After break in period, and using Syn oil, do 10k miles oil changes. (Robbie likes Rotella but I have been using Mobi1)

Runs perfectly!!!!

 

[Wompom]

If its only really a re-ring and not bored/honed I'd just drive it per normal. Most of the recommended bedding in is rings to bore if you didnt hone the block or change the cross hatch then the rings will find their way pretty quickly, bearings are good from day 1 in my books. Hope it all goes to plan !

There was a hone to go with the rings, hence the worry.

Way over thinking this. I would be easy on it at first, progressively giving it more boot. At first, avoid constant RPM cruising, slight throttle, slight compression brake, like driving in traffic. If cruising on the highway, go back and forth between 3rd and 4th, OD on for a bit, then OD off, repeat, allows for varying RPM, while maintaining somewhat even speed.



Unless you made a complete s*** show in the motor, like enough to quickly clog the filter, I wouldn't change the oil till ~500mi, then ~3000mi, then normal changes.

Cool. Im sure i am overthinking this. Thanks for the advice.

I had my engine rebuilt (top and bottom) with Robbie (aka Powerpig). Here were his directions:


Break in period. Drive easy for the first 1000 miles. Try to avoid high rpm runs for long time periods. Best to take short drives followed by longer drives to make sure it all works well.

Change oil after 1000 miles, use a conventional oil again for the next 4000 miles. Move the magnet (he placed a magnet on my oil filter) from the old oil filter to the new one. Drive normally for this time period.

Change oil again(after 5000 miles total), run for the next 5000 miles of normal driving. After 10k miles of total miles after rebuild, run Synthetic oil and filter made for extended mileage.

After break in period, and using Syn oil, do 10k miles oil changes. (Robbie likes Rotella but I have been using Mobi1)

Runs perfectly!!!!

Awesome. I had read that somewhere but couldn't find it again.


Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[Wompom]

So - all has gone ok so far except an o2 sensor issue which is being resolved tonight with a new magnaflow downpipe and denso o2 sensor.
Looking for consensus on this:

the motor has 80 miles on it.
I need to get to Portland tomorrow (175 miles each way) and this is now my only vehicle.
Should I take the train or am I probably fine? Most say to avoid highway stretches til ~1000 miles. with a 6 mile round trip daily commute, that is gonna take a while for me.

 

[scottryana]

I think you are way better to do a 175 mile trip than thirty 6 mile trips. Just vary your speed a little. Shift in and out of OD a few times. Just don't sit at one RPM for more than say 10-15 min.

 

[Wompom]

I think you are way better to do a 175 mile trip than thirty 6 mile trips. Just vary your speed a little. Shift in and out of OD a few times. Just don't sit at one RPM for more than say 10-15 min.

That was my thought but was hoping someone like yourself with a few more builds under their belt would chime in.

Thanks!

 

[spencer arndt]

That was my thought but was hoping someone like yourself with a few more builds under their belt would chime in.

Thanks!

How did everything go? Any advise you’d give that was different from anything posted on this thread?

Just finished a very similar rebuild. All new bearings, but I went with oversized rings and pistons. Hoping to crank it next week.

Also, did you have any issues at all? Leaks or anything like that, stuff I should triple check before filling.

I’ve also seen a ton of different methods of refilling with coolant before running. The only engines I have rebuilt have been old pushrod engines and they all had a horizontal thermostat housing so I would install all hoses and radiator then pop off the water neck and fill behind the thermostat. I obviously can’t do that because the thermostat housing is vertical. I was just going to fill from all of the heater hoses before I hook them up to the firewall, or just take the thermostat out and fill it up from the radiator. Just curious how you went about it though and if you had any issues.

 

[Vision19]

I haven't read any other suggestions here, so sorry if this is duplicate info.

I am an aircraft mechanic/pilot, and when we break-in new cylinders or whole engines, we run a mineral oil for the first 25 hours. The first 5 hours of flight we run the engine pretty hard and hot, changing power settings every 30 min. The goal is to prevent glazing the cylinder walls. I have never seen one glazed, but apparently the oil consumption is absurd. Pretty much all your break in happens in the first couple hours. Hope this helps.

 

[Kernal]

 

[COYS]

Facts.

Since my post, I commissioned and installed a new 1FZ-FE with all new factory parts except the valve cover. Even the oil cooler a$$embly. Even the lifters. Even the shims. All Toyota new. I know because I sourced and ordered every dot single dot part.

24k miles and 2 years later, more power and not one drop of oil added between engine oil change intervals at 3-5k miles. 90 mph on 37” MTs. Up and down the Grapevine. Multiple trips up and down the West Coast and out to SLC. Most miles piled up in I-10 traffic heart of LA.

Toyota 5w-30 conventional first 500 miles. Varied revs. Easy driving. No long hwy cruise.

A few more full synthetic oil changes before 5K miles with normal driving.

If your 1FZ-FE is buttoned up right, expect nothing less. The end.

 

[spencer arndt]

Facts.

Since my post, I commissioned and installed a new 1FZ-FE with all new factory parts except the valve cover. Even the oil cooler a$$embly. Even the lifters. Even the shims. All Toyota new. I know because I sourced and ordered every dot single dot part.

24k miles and 2 years later, more power and not one drop of oil added between engine oil change intervals at 3-5k miles. 90 mph on 37” MTs. Up and down the Grapevine. Multiple trips up and down the West Coast and out to SLC. Most miles piled up in I-10 traffic heart of LA.

Toyota 5w-30 conventional first 500 miles. Varied revs. Easy driving. No long hwy cruise.

A few more full synthetic oil changes before 5K miles with normal driving.

If your 1FZ-FE is buttoned up right, expect nothing less. The end.

View attachment 3481413


View attachment 3481414

Oh that is just beautiful. I thought mine looked good!!!

 

[spencer arndt]

Facts.

Since my post, I commissioned and installed a new 1FZ-FE with all new factory parts except the valve cover. Even the oil cooler a$$embly. Even the lifters. Even the shims. All Toyota new. I know because I sourced and ordered every dot single dot part.

24k miles and 2 years later, more power and not one drop of oil added between engine oil change intervals at 3-5k miles. 90 mph on 37” MTs. Up and down the Grapevine. Multiple trips up and down the West Coast and out to SLC. Most miles piled up in I-10 traffic heart of LA.

Toyota 5w-30 conventional first 500 miles. Varied revs. Easy driving. No long hwy cruise.

A few more full synthetic oil changes before 5K miles with normal driving.

If your 1FZ-FE is buttoned up right, expect nothing less. The end.

View attachment 3481413


View attachment 3481414

Any chance you remember how much oil you ended up putting in the new engine? I put 8quarts in mine and it’s still low. I’m wondering if I have an issue here with the engine and oil is escaping somehow, or if it really just takes more than that to refill a dry 1FZ.

 

[Malleus]

This is for oil changes only; 8.5 quarts dry. Is your dipstick seated properly?

 

[spencer arndt]

This is for oil changes only; 8.5 quarts dry. Is your dipstick seated properly?
View attachment 3499920

That would sound about right I guess I’ll add another half quart. But yes that was the first thing I checked actually, thanks man!