I'll be getting my R back out of the shop on Tues w/ newly installed valvetrain (Spec B's, gears, springs, retainers, head gasket, PE belt) and was wondering if there was any sort of break in period on them? Anything like a clutch or new engine say where you should take it easy for the first 300-500 miles then slowly start to get on it? Just wondering. Thanks for the help guys.

 

...cams are plug and go.

everything you mention is plug and play.

 

 

I would take it easy for 500-1000 miles. You have just changed a very important part of your engine. Take it easy and make it last

 

well thats sound advice but i dont see a reason for a break in period, asides mistakes made?

 

I'd be easy on them for about 50 miles assuming they were put in with assembly lube. Just to make sure it gets rubbed off and has an opportunity to get coated with oil. Letting the journals seat slightly before going up to 8k+ RPM would also be a smart idea.

 

isn't break in period for cams 20 min idle time???

 

Yea, I think that's what I'm going to do. Go easy on it for a day driving around town, shiftin in between 3-4k, nothing too wild, JUST to play it safe. (Knowing MY luck, something would go wrong if I didn't ) Then it'll be time to let her rip and enjoy my mAd mIdRaNgE y0!

 

Um, I'm not an engine building expert but something tells me when you assemble a system of new and used moving parts, you don't want to go out and whale on it at it's operational limits first thing out.

From the information that I have found the thing to do for cams is to run with your old springs (if you're using some insanely high valve spring rates). After a healthy dose of assembly lube and fill with regular oil, start the car and do not let it drop below 2k rpm. THis helps makes sure oil is coating the moving parts as they get to "know one another" again. Vary your RPMs between 2-3k during the 20-30min (popping your hood and keeping a fan on it would probably help with keeping engine temperatures under control). Change your oil and filter. Change back to your intended springs (if you changed 'em) and check your valve lash and fill it up again with regualr oil. It would be a good time to torque down your cylinder head again (and make sure everything under htere is tightened to spec). Easy on the streets for the first 500 mi and start easing into it the next 500mi. CHange your oil again to whatever you like and have at it.

For the TODA set up, their springs will be fine for the break in (I don't think their spring rates are THAT high) and for the secondary profile break in, just no prolonged stints in VTEC (ie SilverState Classic re-inactments or track days) for the first 1000mi mentioned above.

It may be a little paranoid, and the amount of money involved isn't that much, a few extra oil changes and that's about it.

Hopefully that helps. If any of the real engine gurus out there find something wrong, please chime in!

-Geo

 

jus to be on the safe side, i did a bit less than 1k miles....

gradually revving higher every 100 or so miles.....


had the same stuff installed

everything went fine.........


however, my toda's were scrapin mah rocker armz...

wear and tear
go figure

 

Just going by what Yack told me when he installed them. Certainly couldn't hurt anything. Enjoy the low-rpm torque gain for a few weeks

Oh, and do a valve adjustment after 1000 miles. I believe that is per Toda's recommendation.

 

Sounds good with me.

 

Nice advice Splat!

 

Had mine installed in a hotel parking lot friday night, was running VIR Full saturday morning.

 

when a shop installs cams they install they dyno tune them think about it

 

tAkE dAt ChIt To 11K y0o0o0o

 

 

the only concern anyone should have about breaking in, would be on the rings on the pistons...

Most everything else in your motor is "torqued" down, and is not going to move.

And if you have the right ring package, you don't need to break it in over a few hundred miles, if that!

Jeff

 

So how many miles do you think would be required for a proper break in after doing an expensive rebuild??

 

from 200-800 miles depending on ring package.

 

I always try to keep a constant load on the engine for the first 400 miles to help the rings seat...no highway cruising. rip through 1st and 2nd every once and a while. Then change oil at 400 miles. Also, with brand new bearings...on the first startup i like to let it idle at 1500 rpm until the engine is warm, and then shut it off and let it cool all the way. I let it go through a couple heat cycles like this, then i take it out on the road. This is supposed to let the bearings "shed". After about 500 miles i consider the engine broken in and proceed to the dyno.