1979 SC Chewed a Valve - Total Rebuild

[stownsen914]

How many break in oil changes are you planning on doing?

[OsoMoore]

Originally Posted by stownsen914

How many break in oil changes are you planning on doing?

The red book says:
1) Fill with 10'ish quarts
2) Run 20 minutes first break-in, change the oil again.
3) Three short drives, change the oil again.
4) After 500 miles, change the oil again.
5) After 1000 miles, change the oil again.

I have a front oil cooler too so... lots of oil.

[mikedsilva]

Originally Posted by OsoMoore

While I wait for shipping to and from Supertech, I'm working to get the rest of the steps ready to rock. Exciting things like meticulously cleaning all my rocker arm barrels.

I realized I'm going to need a ton of oil for the break-in oil changes. Like 45 or 60 quarts-worth.
Any recommendations on how to best get that much 20W-50 dino oil?

60 quarts?
I must be doing it wrong.

[OsoMoore]

Yeah, it seems like a lot to me too. I am more than happy to hear other directives, that's just the source I've been mostly working from to date.

[PeteKz]

That's overkill. If you use a "break-in oil," then follow the manufacturer's recommendation on when to change it to regular oil. After that, change the filter once or twice before you get to the regular change interval. Done.

Yeah, I know, there are videos by Lake Speed Jr. and others that say you should use a break-in oil (but remember, they are in the business of selling oil and oil-related services and products). I've spent way too much time chasing down rabbit holes about oil and reading SAE papers and the like, and the conclusion I've come to is that there is a lot of misinformation about oil. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for break-in (Porsche) and you'll be in the right ballpark.

Note: Porsche does not recommend a special break-in oil.

[OsoMoore]

Originally Posted by PeteKz

That's overkill. If you use a "break-in oil," then follow the manufacturer's recommendation on when to change it to regular oil. After that, change the filter once or twice before you get to the regular change interval. Done.

Yeah, I know, there are videos by Lake Speed Jr. and others that say you should use a break-in oil (but remember, they are in the business of selling oil and oil-related services and products). I've spent way too much time chasing down rabbit holes about oil and reading SAE papers and the like, and the conclusion I've come to is that there is a lot of misinformation about oil. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for break-in (Porsche) and you'll be in the right ballpark.

Note: Porsche does not recommend a special break-in oil.

I'll look around and see if I have that spec somewhere. Or if you have a link, that would be appreciated.

[stownsen914]

My 911 is a racecar, so granted, my oil change intervals are different. But for my engine, Im going to run break in oil for one track day (~60 minutes running time), then change to my regular oil and proceed with regular oil change intervals.

[OsoMoore]

Collecting some break-in related videos to watch later:

Klassic Training School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym3O_AhCa-E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFqRYOylpQk

"Joe Engineer"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UXaRDUjFNQ

Our very own Mike D'Silva
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mVAl5OYeH0

Planning a little watch party later tonight.

[PeteKz]

Originally Posted by OsoMoore

I'll look around and see if I have that spec somewhere. Or if you have a link, that would be appreciated.

I don't have the owner's manual for your car, and the online references want me to buy one. Look there first. But if it's like most of the ones I've seen, it isn't explicit about oil or changes. It basically tells you how to drive the car for the first 3000Km.

[OsoMoore]

I did find the owner's manual page on breakin for the SC. But I wonder if the engines had some initial break-in at the factory before arriving at the customer.

EDIT: It was a Carrera, but probably similar.
https://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/852691-whats-best-way-break-new-motor.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com#post8498237

[PeteKz]

Only if they ran them on a test stand before installing in the car. It's common for manufacturers to do that nowadays, especially on high performance engines, but whether Porsche did it in the 1980's I don't know. At any rate, the oil that was in the car when it rolled out of the factory was the recommended oil for that car, and most of them had fewer than 10 miles on them when the customer bought the car.

You're overthinking this. I know you're concerned about doing the "best thing" you can for your new engine, but you're obsessing about it. Just put in the oil you are gonna use and go drive the damn thing! A thousand miles from now, it will be running great and you won't care.

[brighton911]

Oso, listen to all the voices of reason, that hyper oil change regime is just bunk. Porsche never has suggested such a thing on their new cars, and the care you have given your engine assembly is likely as good or better than the factory. An oil and filter change after the 500 mile spirited break-in and then the regular interval is all you need. And cutting open the oil filter for examination of the media is a good idea too.

[911 Rod]

I used break in Brad Penn and drove it for 1 hour on a hilly road going from 20 to 50 miles per hour putting lots of load on it. Then changed it to my regular oil.

[Henry Schmidt]

I still use 30 non-detergent when possible. The detergent reduces friction and the point of break in oil is to allow the components to create a working relationship.
30 minutes of stationary time time varying the rpm constantly, adjusting the tune and checking for leaks. Change that oil to your oil of choice, I'm a fan of VR1 20w50 and then a 1 hrs road trip to maybe a favorite restaurant. Let it cool while you eat, maybe a hour and a half or two, then the trip home. Check for leaks, check the timing, do a valve adjustment and drive it to the next oil change.
Removing the plugs to do the valve adjustment allows you to get a feeling for how your combustion is performing.

[OsoMoore]

Thanks for all the advice folks! Sounds like the synopsis is:
1) Start with normal oil. Run stationary 20-30 minutes 2K+ RPM to help new rockers/cams wear in properly. Check stuff.
2) Change oil, adjust cams, new filter, go for a moderate length drive. Check stuff.
3) Change at next interval (Spring in my case).

Tangentially Oil-related question - When Cylinder 3 boomed, one of the effects was a lot of oil in bank 2's exhaust header. They're decently drained, but still a bit oily. Any recommendations besides letting it smoke out at first startup?

[PeteKz]

I'd make a half-hearted attempt to clean out the wet oil with a solvent--say paint thinner or kerosene, or even gasoline. Then I would put the things on and go drive the piss out it (after breaking it in, of course). If it smokes for a few miles, so be it.

Remind me, are you installing the cats? If so, I'd try a little harder to clean out the oil. But not much harder.

[OsoMoore]

I have a CAT... although come to think of it, it may be a bypass. I'll take another look.

UPDATE: its is a straight bypass. Nothing inside it.

[Henry Schmidt]

Most automotive machine shops have a hot tank (high temp, power washing cabinet) for cleaning larger parts like heads and engine blocks. There is nothing in the exhaust (except the cat) that will be negatively affected by the caustic soda generally used in this type of equipment. One side effect is often the removal of old paint leaving you great looking heater boxes.