Motor Break-in

[Kevin Trudel]

Just curious too see how everyone breaks in their motors. On the stand, in the car? Any special tips or advice people have to share with each other?

[JB COMP]

I use the heat cycle method.

try the nitro FAQ that I posted, it has a link to one of the most helpful page I've seen.

[CEN_User]

i actually found an article in another magazine on how to break in ur engine. Its a method that adam drake uses, and u leave ur engine in the car for it.

[REVO of Rustler]

I use the Traxxas method where you leave your engine in.:)

[RcOneNitro]

1) Get a heat gun - warm up the motor
2) Get it to as close to 200 as you can with heat gun, then start it and let it idle for 1/2 a tank - stop engine and put piston bottom dead center - just so it is not at the top (this is key) this is called heat cycling- by heating it up, idling, and then putting to BDC and LETTING IT COOL DOWN TO BELOW 145!!! THis is a critical part of break in- you heat the sleeve, piston etc up so they expand (heat expansion) and then contract when you let them cool. LET IT COOL BEFORE RE-STARTING - do it again for 4-5 more HALF TANKS - in other words, run 1/2 a tank, before stopping engine and letting it cool.
3) Once you've run 3 tanks (6 heat cycles) through it, now you can take it off the bench of start running it around - KEEP MAX THROTTLE SET TO 50% ON YOUR RADIO. Run another 2-3 tanks this way- let it kind load up with fuel - just give it little tugs on the throttle- LITTLE... like 5 or 6, to kinda load up the engine with fuel- then give it a nice throttle snap to burn it through- pin the throttle (remember, ths will only yield 50% on carb, cause you set your radio that way!) ad hold it pinned for 2-3 seconds solid, so it burns through the fuel - blip it around the street this way - keep checking your temp- it's GOTTA be 200 or more for this - if its running at 160-170, lean out the main jet a bit then- to get it to 200.
4) Finally, adjust radio to let it go 100% throttle- you DONT HAVE TO PIN IT, just run it around, treating the throttle GINGERLY, but DO load it up and then give it some nice gas and run it aornd this way. REMEMBER TO KEEP HEAT CYCLING IN BETWEEN RUNS - PUT THE PISTON TO BDC AND LET IT COOL DOWN!!!

Hope this helps...

[etopsflight]

Silly question - how do you know when your piston is BDC? Do you remove the glowplug every time to ensure the position of the piston?

[JB COMP]

Silly question - how do you know when your piston is BDC? Do you remove the glowplug every time to ensure the position of the piston?


you take the pipe off and put the piston at BDC and mark the flywheel.

[quartz]

Silly question - how do you know when your piston is BDC? Do you remove the glowplug every time to ensure the position of the piston?

actually I do remove the glowplug every time I cool my engine, cause I always use after run oil when I'm breaking in my new engines. I'll pull the plug, drop some oil in it crank it (no plug) a few times and then I use a plastic ant tube with clean ar oil on it and move the flywheel with my fingers till I feel the piston bottom out. I don't do the 1/2 tank, but I do full tanks at 25%, then 50% throttle for a 2 second count then brake to a stop, for the whole tank, I start leaning the motor out after the 2nd tank, and I don't push it really hard until I'm at least 10 tanks into it and then I still usually run a little rich.

[Gt-bone]

I use a heat cycle also but it is a little differant than rcnitro ones method. Not to say yours is wrong rc nitro b/c there is tons of differant ways to do it and Im sure alot of them work fine.
First and formost always let it cool down inbetween each tank with the piston at bdc.
2 tanks idle
2 tanks 1/4 throttle (you can drive it)
2 tanks 1/2 throttle " " try and get it around 200
2 tanks 3/4 throttle " " " "
You should drive the vehicle for the last 6 tanks or it could and likly will burn your clutch up. So drive it.
If the motor doesnt get up to 180-200 you can lean it out a little but be concious of the outside temp when breaking it in (use tinfoil on head if cold out)
After the 8th tank start to lean it out a little bit at a time and get a good race setting by the 10th tank.
I know this seems like a really LONG break in and I thought the same thing too, but all the guys in my club do it so I tried it and I now have 2 gallons through my lrp spec 3 truggy motor and it still has just as much pinch as it did after break in.

[jonelzoe]

you can also get the car broken in at your local hobbie shop:D

[sean s.]

i leave mine in the car and then break it in from there, but i have heard of people using the breakin stand and they also work

[Gt-bone]

I have no experiance with stands