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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Questions @ new engine break-in

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/10/2005 : 16:18:17

Hi All,

I have my new Nissan 9.8 4stroke installed and am going through the manual for proper break in procedures. According to the manual, the break in time is 10 hours. This is how that break in period works: Zero to 10 minutes, idling or trolling; 10 min to 2 hours, throttle less half open; 2 hours to 3 hours, throttle 3/4 open; 3 hours to 10 hours, normal operating.

Pardon me if this is silly, but do I have to do all this in one session? Seems to me like spending 10 hours motoring around would be a long day, especially on my little reservoir. Or can I do the first three hours, then do the "normal operating" in a couple sessions thereafter?

I was planning on doing the break-in today after work, but after re-reading that part of the manual I decided to hold off until I better understood what I could and should not do.

Thanks ya'll

Ben
Beneteau 361
Viking Kitty
Columbus, Ohio

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 06/10/2005 : 16:43:29

Ben,

I don't see any reason not to split up the breakin procedure into any number and size time intervals you find convenient. Just don't give the engine any more (sustained) throttle than recommended before you reach the total accumulated times recommended.

-- Leon Sisson

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cclark
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 06/10/2005 : 17:12:56

Okay, Maybe I am missing something here, but I don't see this as a 10 hour break in period. I can understand the first three segments. 0-10min, 10min-2hrs, 2-3hrs, but 3-10 hours at normal operations? Isn't that by definition broken in?
JM2Cs
Chris
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ben
 
I have my new Nissan 9.8 4stroke installed and am going through the manual for proper break in procedures. According to the manual, the break in time is 10 hours. This is how that break in period works: Zero to 10 minutes, idling or trolling; 10 min to 2 hours, throttle less half open; 2 hours to 3 hours, throttle 3/4 open; 3 hours to 10 hours, normal operating.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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matsche
Captain

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USA
280 Posts

Response Posted - 06/10/2005 : 18:15:24

Ben:

It took me a month to finally break mine in, an hour here, an hour there, etc... Be sure to allow for a sufficent warm up each time and vary your engine speed.

Chris:

It's been a while, but I think that last 7 hours precludes running wide open for anything more than a few short burst.

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 06/10/2005 : 21:42:07

Thanks everyone. That makes a little more sense.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2005 : 10:02:53

Ben, I have the same engine, but read the chart a little differently.
The way I read it is, 0-10min idling, 10min-2hrs throttle less than half, 2-3hrs throttle less than 3/4 with full throttle allowed for one min. every ten, 3-10hrs throttle open 3/4 with full allowed for 2min every ten and after 10hrs normal operation.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2005 : 15:16:54

Then at 10 hours, I'd change the engine oil and lower unit oil. Most of the wear the engine will ever sustain happens in the first few hours.

10 hours for me is a couple years worth of use. Lucky to put 20 minutes or so on the engine per trip.

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2005 : 15:27:53

Ben,

Frog and The General's post describes a good break-in procedure. The idea is to very slowly increase the average amount of power output with very brief and intermitant excursions to a higher level. Obviously the slow increase allows all moving parts time to slowly smooth each other's (microscopic) rough spots without creating a damaging amount of friction, heat, and oil film break down at those points in the mean time. As I understand it, the occasional bursts of full throttle encourage the piston rings and cylinder walls to wear in and develop a good seal before they become permanently work hardened. And along those same lines, when the manufacturer says "after x hours go to y/z throttle", they don't mean for you to run significantly below that throttle. If you "baby" the engine too much during the break-in period, then the needed break-in wear doesn't take place. (Piston rings being the most often cited example.)

If the engine is a 4-stroke, don't forget to change the engine oil at the end of the break-in period, and maybe check the valve clearances too.

-- Leon Sisson {who can so seldom afford a brand new engine of any kind, that he's obviously not writing from first hand experience

}

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2005 : 09:42:42

Thanks for all your replies everyone. Frog, so I need to spend 7 hours at 3/4 throttle? That is a loooong time. According to Leon, I should be able to break that up. So does this scenario sound acceptable:
Idle speed out of the marina.
Throttle at 3/4 for 15 minutes with the 2 minutes of full throttle after 10 min.
Idle speed back into the slip.

I spent two hours out on the water yesterday with excellent wind, motoring!!!! I'm sure all the other sailors thought I was nuts!

Anyway, I loooove the engine so far. Started right up (push start) and seems MUCH more powerful than my Johnson Sailmaster for some reason. Good stuff. The little woman is going to be so pleased.

You guys are the best.

Thanks as always,

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2005 : 10:32:10

To ensure proper ring / valve seating, yes, you do have run the engine hard for a couple of hours. half to 3/4 with bursts at full throttle. This could be accomplished at the slip. You could even work on other projects while getting it done. Just bite the bullet and you will ensure trouble free operation for years.

Tom.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2005 : 15:01:00

You have got the idea. The important item, as Tom and Leon say, is to to insure the the rings get seated properly. If you are on a landlocked lake it will take awhile. The total time it takes is not important. What is, is that during the actual first ten hours of engine run time you follow the procedure. What I did was take a long cruise down the river following the breakin procedure as I went. I would also recommend that if you cannot get the breakin run time required before you haul for winter, be sure and change the oil once a season regarless.

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