# Blackstone oil analysis: 24 miles



## Jetfire (Jun 20, 2002)

Results look pretty decent. I'm pumped about lack of evidence of coolant and other contaminants. My engine is currently at about 160 miles; I think I'll change the oil at 200 and keep it in there for another 200.


----------



## Funf Dreisig (Mar 18, 2004)

This is a pretty interesting analysis. 

I'd like to get this done after I get my 530i engine assembled/installed. But I have a few questions...
* Is this Blackstone's $20 "Regular Analysis"?
* How long did it take to get the results back?
* Did you collect the 4 Oz sample without doing an oil change? How?


TIA - Funf Dreisig


----------



## Jetfire (Jun 20, 2002)

Funf Dreisig said:


> This is a pretty interesting analysis.
> 
> I'd like to get this done after I get my 530i engine assembled/installed. But I have a few questions...
> * Is this Blackstone's $20 "Regular Analysis"?
> ...


 Yes, this is the $20 analysis. Once Blackstone receives the sample, they usually take 1-2 days to process it. Results are either emailed or snailmailed back to you.

I collected the sample midstream during an oil change. I suppose it's possible to take a sample, then replace the drain plug, or use one of those topside oil extractors to get the sample. I would rather just change the oil at the same time.


----------



## Funf Dreisig (Mar 18, 2004)

Jetfire said:


> ...I collected the sample midstream during an oil change....


Thanks for the info. Sorry, I just assumed you hadn't changed your oil after only 24 miles.

The engine break-in routine seems to be an area of widely different styles/opinions. I'm always curious about how and why different people do it differently.
* Did you change your oil this quickly to check it visually (and do the Blackstone analysis) and/or to quickly purge any early break-in debris, etc.
* Did you use a 'break-in oil' or did you use the same oil you plan to run in the future.
* What oil(s) are you using.

FWIW my current plans are to use a 'break-in oil' (Quaker State 30wt) for the first 1,000mi. then switch to the conventional oil that I'll be using (Castor Oil 20w-50). I am planning my first break-in run to be about 50mi varying the engine speed: consisting of 3 - 10mi. 'work out' segments (with the engine under load/acceleration) separated by 2- 10mi. 'relaxation' segments (still varying the speed gently but not loading the engine). Frankly, I hadn't thought about how quickly I'd do the first oil/filter change. But I suspect I'll be curious enough to see the oil / filter that I'll change both after the first two break-in runs (100mi.).

-- Funf Dreisig


----------



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

A lot has o do withwha else is breaking in. With a new car, you are also breaking in the tranny, diff, limited slip pack, and other stuff. You are also maintaining the waranty coverage. 

For a high performance engine, I use an accelerated break in. run theengine at idle to check for leaks. Drive the engine moderately until fully up to temp, then let colol FULLY (vernight is best). Then drive to full operating temp, then do full throttle acceleration runs. Firs run is with a 3,000 RPM redline. Then the second run is with 3,500 RM, and so forth up to the full redline. Then change the oil and let the engine full cool.

Then drive it.

I do not use a break i oil I do use a convetional oil for the break in, then switch to a full synthetc.

This method is what I use, and is provided for information use ony. Any use of this information is at the risk of the person using the information.


----------



## Funf Dreisig (Mar 18, 2004)

Thanks Pinecone. 

I like your tip of letting a new engine cool down over night. This also gives the engine builder time to cool down, check for leaks and prepare for the break-in run(s). 

It sounds like your "full throttle acceleration runs" are similar to but more 'accelearated' than what I was planning as my "work out" segments:
Work out 1 - accelerating from 2-4.0k, 2-4.1k, 2-4.2k...2-4.6k in all gears
Work out 2 - accelerating from 2-4.6k, 2-4.7k, 2-4.8k...2-5.5k in all gears
Work out 3 - accelerating from 2-5.5k, 2-5.6k, 2-5.7k...2-redline in all gears

FWIW by 'break in oil', I meant any oil used during 'engine break in' if it was different from what you would plan to use for the rest of the engines life. In my case I plan to use Quaker State 30wt during break-in because I've heard it does a good job of seating rings.

-- Funf Dreisig


----------



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Realize that any oil that "helps in sealing the rings" does so by not supplying a proper oil film. 

I prefer to make sure the bearings are safe.

Do what you want, but the small increaments don't do anything for you. The only reason for the slow increase in RPM is for the new bearings. The rings are seated by the hgher RPM full throttle runs. 

The cooling periods are needed to let things shif do to the heating and cooling cycles. If the block and head are new parts, more heating and cooling cycles are needed until the engine is fully broken in and stable.


----------



## Jetfire (Jun 20, 2002)

I'm with Pinecone on this one. Aside from the heat cycles, the only parts that should really be wearing during break-in is your piston rings against the cylinder walls. Your bearings should have essentially zero contact with any journal; it takes very little effort to wear down those bearings, and the engine relies on the incompressible nature of fluids to prevent journal-to-bearing contact. If you have a spare bearing lying around, try rubbing against the surface with a paper towel for a little while.


----------



## Funf Dreisig (Mar 18, 2004)

Pinecone said:


> Realize that any oil that "helps in sealing the rings" does so by not supplying a proper oil film.  I prefer to make sure the bearings are safe. Do what you want, but the small increaments don't do anything for you. ....


 Yes the irony is that a good engine 'break-in oil' is not a very good oil. And there is the trade off of seating the rings (low static pressure, high velocity/friction) vs protecting the bearings (higher static pressure, lower velocity/friction).

FWIW my engine break-in plan came from a conversation with Jim Rowe (the Metric Mechanic) who sold me the pistons, rings and bearings for the 530i engine I'm rebuilding. I'm _guessing_ that his recommendation for a very slow ramp up of RPMs is to make sure the engine gets a thorough workout at varying RPMs (i.e. the engine passes though the same RPM range lots of times). Besides ramping up this slowly gives the driver something interesting to do for the couple of hours it takes to drive 50mi. at RPMs varying between 2k-6.5k 

Thanks again for the cool down tips. It's easy to focus on what to do while the engine is running during break-in and forget the importance of giving it time to 'settle down'. Since I'm replacing the head (the old one had two cracks), I'll add a few complete cool down cycles to let the engine bits shift into place.

-- Funf Dreisig


----------



## Funf Dreisig (Mar 18, 2004)

Jetfire said:


> I'm with Pinecone on this one. Aside from the heat cycles, the only parts that should really be wearing during break-in is your piston rings against the cylinder walls. Your bearings should have essentially zero contact with any journal; it takes very little effort to wear down those bearings, and the engine relies on the incompressible nature of fluids to prevent journal-to-bearing contact....


 I _think_ you just described why Jim Rowe recommended using the Quaker State 30wt for engine 'break-in' only. To provide a poor oil film on the cylinder walls (seating the rings) but adequate bearing protection due to oil pressure, etc. during the small number of hours/miles of engine break-in.

As I said previously, I'm certainly no expert on engine break-in. So I'm very interested in everyone's personal engine break-in technique. It will be a while before I get this engine back in the car. So I still have time to change my plans

-- Funf


----------



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

But using full throttle during break in provides a lot of ring sealing pressure to get through the oil flim. So break in oils are not as important as with a low throttle break in, like most street cars.


----------

