AnGeL_DusT

Hi Guys/Gals,

Just bought me a new engine... what should i do for start-up i've read a few bits an pieces here an there regarding break-in an what not... so far i got the following sequnce dialed in...

1) Warm with heat gun / hairdryer till warm...
2) Put some 3-in-1 to loosen up parts an give some lube
3) Start-up run one tank at slow idle
4) Run 2 more tanks slowly not more than 1/4 throttle
5)Run 2 tanks 1/2 throttle
6) Run 2 tanks with short bursts of full throttle
7) Start tuning...

so what you think good idea or not... another question i got is about after-run oil... would 3-in-1 be a good substitute, from my many years in paintball an mountain biking, 3-in-1 is a miracle solution to most but the most serious problems

avg_joe

I'm not sure I would use 3-in-1 in the engine. It says on the can lubricates, cleans, and prevents rust. If it has solvents or detergents in it, it might not be the best idea. It's good stuff, don't get me wrong. I'm looking at a can right now, that's how I know what it says on the can.
It would be better to use a regular after-run oil.(aro from now on)
Nitro fuel is hydroscopic...Meaning it will absorb water. Aro absorbs moisture, to keep it from rusting your engines guts. Other products, like WD-40(another great product!! Just not for aro), and possibly 3-in-1, just displace moisture, leaving it to settle someplace else.

As far as the break-in...You didn't specify what engine you bought. Not really pertinent info, but interesting trivia knowledge.
I prefer to break my engines in with the 'heat cycle' method. There are several ways to achieve this. The magazine XRC just did a write up with Adam Drake a couple of months ago, about how he heat cycles his engines.
You need a temp gun for this, and in a nutshell...All you do is run your engine up to minimum operating temp for 2 minutes, and let it cool completely. You do this several times, increasing minimum operating temp from an initial 200 degrees F. to ~250 degrees F. or so.
There is a step by step how-to that is well written, and gives credible reasons for doing break-in like this. A bit of searching should be able to find it....I used to have a folder with handy links, when I used to have my other computer[:@].

71+mph

Don't put anything in your engine. Run it as you planned. Once you have finished your 5 tank break in process, clean the air filter & put some after run oil in the carb & glow plug hole.

NitroNate

I second the Heat Cycling Method. It is a proven method and gives the engine peak performance and engine life.

motorhead91

you should put a little after run oil in the engine before you break it in...when you go to start it the first time....it wont have any lubrication until the frist bit of fuel reaches the engine

AnGeL_DusT

thanks for the feedback... i bought a dynamite mach 15, my lhs recomended it as the best value for money for what i'll be using it for, the 3-in-1 i was thinking about was standard light sewing machine oil but i hear ur point about the ARO, so will go get some this afternoon, i actually put fuel in the carb an the glow plug hole before i started the motor just to lube it up a bit an i think the warming up helped quite a bit with the starting.

So far i've run 3 tanks in a static break-in gradually increasing the engine RPM as i went along, the motor is not heating up much during the process probably due to the rich fuel content but i will be starting to run a dynamic break-in today tomorrow, i know i rushed the break-in on my last engine which is why it stuffed out so i want to do it properly this time to avoid any future problems. One thing i did notice tho is that during the 1st tank i forgot to fit the pressure line from the exhaust to the tank... an it ran the whole tank no probs, but when i noticed an connected the line it seemed to flood the engine with fuel more than anything else.

This problem i noticed on my last engine (HPI T15) where the motor seemed to run rich even with the HSN screwed all the way in, do you guys think i'm pushing too much pressure thru the line an subsequently flooding my carb?

ahawk65

My Feedback: (1)

Marvel Mystery Oil is just about the best ARO you can buy. You can get it at any local hardware store and it sells for about $4 a bottle, and it will last you forever. I would definitely NOT recommend sewing machine oil. Pre-heating the engine is an excellent thing to do, I still do it on cold days and such. I am not an expert on how the pressure line system works, but I do know that I haven't had a problem with them. Are you sure your engines are rich and flooded? Too lean can sometimes sound a lot like too rich, go to http://www.*********.org/cars_eng-tuning.htm if you need help. Its an excellent guide. Good luck!

avg_joe

A longer pressure line will absorb some of the excess pressure. Too long and the pressure will lag when you stab the throttle, though.

I have run my Dynamite 12spd without a pressure line for years. You have to plug the exhaust nipple and vent the tank, and it takes some attention to tuning.
My engines run fine, and I tune for performance with temps in the 230-260 degree range, and I usually get 3-5 gallons of fuel before I need to replace the piston/sleeve, which I consider acceptable for a lower cost engine.
I am not recommending you continue running without a pressure line, but I don't think you did any damage by doing so.

Remember to let the engine cool with the piston at BDC when you shut it off, to preserve the pinch of the sleeve.