whats the precedure for starting a fresh engine?

[gasman]

i might have my engine ready to start by tomorrow night so how do i go about starting it for the first time and what oil should i be using? right now the engine has no oil, coolant or anything.

engine is a 20v 4age turbo. turbo wont be on when i start it since i dont have the oil lines yet but i just want to get it started to make sure ive wired in the link ecu correctly before i take it to get tuned.

[Dragger_Dan]

An important thing that most people overlook is getting yourself some oil pressure before you start. First make sure you have a working oil pressure guage. Then take out all your plugs. Crank away until you have a good oil pressure reading on your guage. Then put ya plugs back in. I also think it doesn't hurt to unplug your coils before you do this

[85AW20v]

Also, start it then drive it as soon as possible after checking for oil/water leaks. Set your timing round about right manually. As my AW is only a club car, I ran my 20v in at the Taupo 1.4km track over about 12 laps with the last 3 being flat out. Doesn't smoke or use any oil. Idling a new engine is the worst thing you can do - your bores will glaze up in no time.

[Crampy]

When my mate Deanis had his B18C rebuilt for the Drag racing season, the engine builders stuffed up the rebore and it smoked like a bitch.

He pulled the motor out on Friday, sent it away and got the bore redone properly. Started to put it together again on Saturday and to run it in he went to Meremere on Sunday for some drag racing fun hehehe.

Motor runs mints and make poo loads of horsepower. He just changed the oil and checked a few things before heading to the track and it was all good.

As for your engine, why bother starting it without the turbo? If anything, just start it and check for good oil pressure and no leaks. Also check for vacuum leaks and turn it off. Run it up again with the turbo on and drive it. As said, don't just idle the motor, it's not good for it. Dunno what oil to run it with to start with, but I'd say change it quite early on, so you can see what it's like on the new motor.

[IH8TEC]

i wouldn't even bother starting it until you've done anything, there is engine running in oil you can buy. change filter and oil after 1000ish kms with good stuff.

what you could do to check stuff:
if you've wired the link up right, you should be able to power it up, and do all the settings, i'm assuming you've got a g3 or g2 linkplus. you'll have to put all the inputs etc to what you've wired etc. take plugs out, make sure you turn fuel pump OFF, crank it over to get oil pressure, but also check your triggers and that the link isn't having any trouble with them. make sure it has no errors etc.

what are you planning to start it off? people suggested to me NOT to do it with the generic map it creates. and when you've spent this much on a mint motor etc, i listened and towed it to the tuner.

running in, start rev it to like 2-2500 for a few min checking stuff, then take it for a drive, dont go on motorway etc and just cruise at 100, have to vary it and work it, later on start bringing some boost on. different people have different methods

[gasman]

well i got some castrol gtx protec oil today and since i dont have the oil lines and stuff yet ill just build it up with out the turbo and put the na exhaust and stuff back on and run it on a base tune to drive it moderately hard to bed the rings in then ill do an oil change and put the turbo stuff on and go get a tune

[jaypines]

i remember motomans website regarding this... do it flat out the first time.

[Crampy]

i remember motomans website regarding this... do it flat out the first time.

Good read.
The point about not using synthetic oil to break in an engine is good too.

So, get it going and then send it to the dyno for a tune and some runs.

[79rolla]

i remember motomans website regarding this... do it flat out the first time.

has anyone actuly tryed that on here??

the key wen first running in is not to leave at same rpm for verry long... and then normaily dont drive relly hard...
main point.. dont let idol at same rpm and dont hold it in gears for too long

[IH8TEC]

i can see why you want to get it going right away, but damn, why not wait until its all done then do it? you've waited how long. and it's good to get the turbo working on there as well to give that a bit of run in. (assuming it's brand new, cause you have to build up oil pressure in all those lines, and turbo before you start it with all that too

[Crampy]

i remember motomans website regarding this... do it flat out the first time.

has anyone actuly tryed that on here??

the key wen first running in is not to leave at same rpm for verry long... and then normaily dont drive relly hard...
main point.. dont let idol at same rpm and dont hold it in gears for too long

Why not drive really hard?
Deanis had his engine put together in Hamilton, drove it to Meremere and then raced it all day at the drags. No problems.

[matt dunn]

has anyone actuly tryed that on here??

I ran the last engine I had in at the track using a very similar method.
A few slow laps building up to full pace, with a break or two to check under the bonnet.

Out of the three race engine's I've had that was the only one I had built myself and used that run in method,

and it's the only one that never used oil or filled the breather bottle with oil.

Matt

[Leon]

I've driven a freshly rebuilt motor to Manfeild (160km) then raced it all weekend. Went like buggery.

[gasman]

i can see why you want to get it going right away, but damn, why not wait until its all done then do it? you've waited how long. and it's good to get the turbo working on there as well to give that a bit of run in. (assuming it's brand new, cause you have to build up oil pressure in all those lines, and turbo before you start it with all that too

well i thought it would be safer to start it without the turbo first and run it in since there was no boost to worry about.

[IH8TEC]

boost is good (not much) to help bed in the rings. we did same with bazdas motor once we put the motor back in with the JE's and new rings. only difference is he had a map already, which i dont beleive you have.

i would suggest talking to the tuner (andre?) getting him to start it, run it for a bit on the dyno knowing it's fresh motor, so he can give it some safe timing and adjust the fuel a bit so you can drive it for a thousand kms or whatever, then go back and do full tune. OR, run it in on the dyno (costs bit more)

[gasman]

boost is good (not much) to help bed in the rings. we did same with bazdas motor once we put the motor back in with the JE's and new rings. only difference is he had a map already, which i dont beleive you have.

i would suggest talking to the tuner (andre?) getting him to start it, run it for a bit on the dyno knowing it's fresh motor, so he can give it some safe timing and adjust the fuel a bit so you can drive it for a thousand kms or whatever, then go back and do full tune. OR, run it in on the dyno (costs bit more)

that sounds like a good plan. i think ill run it in on the dyno tho to get the rings bedded in, in a similar fashion to motomans directions as linked to above.