59AB Break in

[topchop]

Guys a quick question.
Breaking in new 59AB V8, bored .060, new pistons, rings and valves. Cam is not new. Using 10-30 Valvoline oil with by-pass filter.

After the first 25 miles, changed oil and filter, as oil was very black.
Motor running very well. Have 125 miles on motor now, and oil is very black again. Suspect that the rings are not fully seated yet. Just a wisp of smoke out of right bank, and consumed less than 1/2 quart of oil.

Question: Would it be too soon to change oil again? Pro's and con's of changing Oil and filter now?

By the way, weather is real nice today and want to put some more miles on before winter sets in.

Thanks.

[JSeery]

I know of no negative for frequent oil changes during breakin. Clean oil is always good! I would make sure the engine is under some degree of load during this piriod (don't baby it).

[Bored&Stroked]

Are you using break-in oil . . . or regular non-detergent stuff? I always run break-in oil for the first 500 miles or so, then switch over to what I'll be running for long term.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by topchop

Guys a quick question.
Breaking in new 59AB V8, bored .060, new pistons, rings and valves. Cam is not new. Using 10-30 Valvoline oil with by-pass filter.

After the first 25 miles, changed oil and filter, as oil was very black.
Motor running very well. Have 125 miles on motor now, and oil is very black again. Suspect that the rings are not fully seated yet. Just a wisp of smoke out of right bank, and consumed less than 1/2 quart of oil.

Question: Would it be too soon to change oil again? Pro's and con's of changing Oil and filter now?

By the way, weather is real nice today and want to put some more miles on before winter sets in.

Thanks.

Who performed the engine rebuild and assembly?

R

[felix37]

since you have already changed the initial oil after only a small amount of run time, run this oil for 4 or five hundred miles.

[Kurt in NJ]

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If the oil gets black quick perhaps you have the mixture too rich-- how are the plugs burning

[topchop]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

Who performed the engine rebuild and assembly?

R

Motor was rebuilt by Mark Moriarty in Warsaw, NY.

I will check the plugs again, but after the first change they were light brown.

[G.M.]

I put a brand new army surplus engine in my 39 33 years ago. I put Castrol 20/50 in
from the first startup, change it in about 2,500 miles. It ran black and used a little for a few years when it ran up near 200 degrees. About 16 years ago I installed Skips high flow pumps that deliver almost twice the flow of the original and after market pumps. As soon as the pumps were installed it ran at 165. I since added Bob Shewmans stats and it runs at 178 to 182 in 90 plus temperatures driving. As soon as the pumps were installed the oil cleaned up and is now a dark yellow. It now has over 130,000 and sounds like new and doesn't use any oil between changes. I did switch to Valvoline Cummins Blue 15/40 a few years ago because I like the additives in it. I don't know how many miles these tuff engine will go with these new oils?? I might add I use MMO in every tank of gas.Trying to use non ethanol gas as much as possible. G.M.

[topchop]

Pulled a plug from each side.

Compared to my "plug read" chart they don't look too bad. Center is light tan.
Autolite 216 plugs set at .025.

Carb is Model 59 with 51 (.050) jets.

What do you think?

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by topchop

Pulled a plug from each side.

Compared to my "plug read" chart they don't look too bad. Center is light tan.
Autolite 216 plugs set at .025.

Carb is Model 59 with 51 (.050) jets.

What do you think?

It is hard to read plugs with today's gasoline, but they look pretty good to me. I don't see any oil soaking, they don't appear too hot . . . so I'd say run em! Also, no need to change them out - if they are working fine, keep using them.

[Bored&Stroked]

Oil Turning Black: There are a lot of additives that under heat, turn dark . . . depending on the brand/type of oil, some oils will turn quite dark the first time they really get hot. Also, keep in mind that detergent oil is supposed to pickup the crap the engine produces, so one needs to think about the fact that the oil is most likely doing it's job. You should use a break-in oil . . . so the rings have a chance to break in and leave it in for the recommended length of time from the manufacturer. Then, when you you switch to your final "running oil" - change it at whatever interval makes you happy.

Also, as some said earlier . . . don't just baby the engine during the break-in period. It needs some load on it to help seal the rings. Run it up to higher RPMs under load, through different gears - flog it a bit to help the rings wear into the bores.

[jake197000]

i dont disagree with running it under load.but with proper cyl wall finnish and a true cyl. it should be broken in almost right away.i wouldnt b to worried.

[quickchange34]

The reason the oil is black or dark in color is the guy that built the engine use assembly lube on the parts, Drive it.

[FLA48]

I agree with quickchange34. My oil was very black at the first oil change. Since then, it has had a normal appearance. I changed the breakin oil as recommend. Since you changed the oil early, it will probably clear up after the next oil change.

[topchop]

Thanks for all the opinions and words of wisdom, and believe me, much appreciated.

Rest assured, it’s being driven under load.

I feel a lot better, as this break-in is progressing. Before the teardown and rebuild, I was relegated to the “back of the pack” by the rest of the guys because of oil consumption. Seems that after every time we cruised somewhere, I was always buying someone a car wash. (Four quarts of oil on a 100 mile drive probably drove the corvette behind me CRAZY).

[Bored&Stroked]

Great - sounds like you are on your way to having some real fun . . . at the FRONT of the pack!