Engine break in (Follow Manufactures direction) or (Heat Cycle IT)?
 

I've seen and heard about many nitro engine break in methods but what do you feel based on your expereinces really is ultimately the best. I would think the the manufacture of the engine would know the best, rather than some people that feel they are nitro engine gurus . what has worked best for you?

RE: Engine break in (Follow Manufactures direction) or (Heat Cycle IT)?
 

I follow the manufacturer's instructions. Sometimes it can be a pain, especially the regimented routine that Traxxas recommends. Losi on the other hand just says to take it easy for the first five tanks ful and not go full throttle, also, to watch the temperature. Very easy.

RE: Engine break in (Follow Manufactures direction) or (Heat Cycle IT)?
 

Heat cycle it. most of these engines are basically the same with how they are build and the materials used. If the manufacturers know best how to break in an engine then why don't all manufacturers recomend the same breakin mtheod? the engines are all basically the same.

RE: Engine break in (Follow Manufactures direction) or (Heat Cycle IT)?
 

Someone once asked:
"on the o.s engine i bought the break in method said to let it idle with the wheels off the ground through a tank, so thats what i did, then i read what fuelman was saying about not letting it free idle, but why would o.s. have that be one of their steps in breaking in if its so bad?"
The answer was:
"Warranties are short and replacement parts are expensive!!!!!!
All the car engine manufacturers (and rc car/truck manufacturers) could give away the primary product and still make money on the replacement parts. Its called design obsolecence."

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RE: Engine break in (Follow Manufactures direction) or (Heat Cycle IT)?
 

EVERY break-in method is some form of heat cycleing, period.
The important thing is that the engine gets a break-in period. Whether that is a factory reccomended method or some other form is really, really subjective. If you want to be able to tell a manufacturer, with a clear concenious, that you followed their break-in if you have a problem then do the reccomended break-in. Personally, I use a form of the heat cycle method that I have put togeather from the many, many different ones out there that gets me up and running pretty quickly while still giving the engine a good break-in. In the 47 years I've been in this hobby I've never had an engine fail from a lack of, or poor, break-in, and I have a couple of engines that are 25 years old that still run strong...

RE: Engine break in (Follow Manufactures direction) or (Heat Cycle IT)?
 

Pre-heat engine to 200

Have head wrapped

idle engine for 5-10 minutes to seat bearings ( fast idle, above 200 and rich as possible )

put car on ground...drive it around under load...aboce 200 and as rich as possible....slowly push the engine harder and harder, adjust tune as you go along...the more you run it, the more you lean it and the more you push on it.....

thats it...don't even bother shutting down, its a waste of time and just beats up your OWB and roto unit....