What's The Best Way To Break-In A New Engine ??

[kirb]

Can we merge this into a Break-in, oil, and tire thread?

[RedRupert]

Thank you Northyork, the info is interesting.

I wonder if you can help diagnose my high(?) oil consumption.

My bike is a 2004 950 with 90,000 km (about 56,000 miles).

During it's early life, oil consumption was acceptable - I mean, it needed topping up with <1 litre between 6-7000 km oil changes. So about 2 litres per 14,000 km (8700 mile) season. (0.14 litres/1000 km).

Over time the oil consumption became worse: 4 litres over 12,000 km, so 1 litre/3000 km (0.34 litres/1000 km).

At 74,000 km, I had to strip the engine in order to replace the selector drum. While the engine was apart I replaced the (serviceable) piston rings and honed the bores lightly. After honing the ring end-gaps were all around <0.30 mm (limit 0.5 mm). I did not have the correct tools to measure the bore and piston accurately.

I also changed the oil seal in the ignition casing (the balancer shaft oil seal).

I ran-in on semi-synthetic oil for over 1500 km on twisty roads not being too gentle - using plenty of acceleration and engine breaking - but oil consumption remains hight.

16,000 km after the rebuild, I measured compression and found 16.5 BAR (240 PSI). And carried out a leak-down test and found around 30% leakage, front and rear.

KTM state:
0.3 - 0.6 litres/1000 km: normal.
>1.0 litres/1000 km: there MUST be a serious technical defect!

My bike is ridden hard, but 0.34 litres/1000 km does seem a bit steep! Is it, despite what KTM say?

Looking at the leak-down and compression test results, could it be that the bore/piston/rings are at fault, or should I be look for another reason for the oil loss?

Any info will be gratefully received.

Thank you.

[Northyork]

Originally Posted by alongat

For what it's worth (and granted - you'll get no fewer than 1000 opinions on the subject), for me, break-in is all about avoiding a constant engine rpm and load. Vary your throttle input and keep moving through the gears. Mix up highway versus city and ride the shit out of it. KTM does a hell of job building these engines - the LC8 is a well developed and refined engine. It just simply works...

By the way, for servicing, if you're planning to take it to GP Bikes (noticed that's where you bought it), ask for their lead KTM tech Peter. He's fantastic and meticulous.

Yeap, GP is where I bought it. Thanks for the tip.

[Northyork]

Originally Posted by RedRupert

Thank you Northyork, the info is interesting.

I wonder if you can help diagnose my high(?) oil consumption.

My bike is a 2004 950 with 90,000 km (about 56,000 miles).

During it's early life, oil consumption was acceptable - I mean, it needed topping up with <1 litre between 6-7000 km oil changes. So about 2 litres per 14,000 km (8700 mile) season. (0.14 litres/1000 km).

Over time the oil consumption became worse: 4 litres over 12,000 km, so 1 litre/3000 km (0.34 litres/1000 km).

At 74,000 km, I had to strip the engine in order to replace the selector drum. While the engine was apart I replaced the (serviceable) piston rings and honed the bores lightly. After honing the ring end-gaps were all around <0.30 mm (limit 0.5 mm). I did not have the correct tools to measure the bore and piston accurately.

I also changed the oil seal in the ignition casing (the balancer shaft oil seal).

I ran-in on semi-synthetic oil for over 1500 km on twisty roads not being too gentle - using plenty of acceleration and engine breaking - but oil consumption remains hight.

16,000 km after the rebuild, I measured compression and found 16.5 BAR (240 PSI). And carried out a leak-down test and found around 30% leakage, front and rear.

KTM state:
0.3 - 0.6 litres/1000 km: normal.
>1.0 litres/1000 km: there MUST be a serious technical defect!

My bike is ridden hard, but 0.34 litres/1000 km does seem a bit steep! Is it, despite what KTM say?

Looking at the leak-down and compression test results, could it be that the bore/piston/rings are at fault, or should I be look for another reason for the oil loss?

Any info will be gratefully received.

Thank you.

Sorry Rupert, I do not know enough about engines or this bike in particular to help you out

[TheNaker]

[QUOTE=Northyork;20663819]Can't wait to ride it, I am just waiting for the streets to be clear of snow and salt. It was delivered around 3 weeks
ago. The odometer still reads 0KM.


Nice Bike! Congrats. I'm waiting to pick up my new Blue 2012 from the boys at Apex Cycle in Kitchener. Should be in a week or two. I'm in the same boat trying to decide on break-in.

Sean

[DirtJack]

After seeing the YouTube videos of KTM engine assembly and chassis assembly with dyno runs after each of those steps, I'm thinking the rings are likely already seated when you get a new bike. Change the oil and ride it.

[HeatXfer]

Wait: There's oil in the engine?

[Katoom72]

'What's The Best Way To Break-In A New Engine ??'

Ride it like u stole it. Just heat it up first.

[Northyork]

A bit of background on the bike

Bike is new, odometer reads 0.7Km
Engine was most likely run at the dealer during PDI
The day I received the bike it was -14C, still I could not resist and rode the bike to the corner and back.
Engine has not been run since
Yesterday I changed the oil in order to follow mototune and others break-in advice (Castrol Grand Prix 4 stroke 10W40)
In the picture that follows you can see a load of metal shavings that had settled to the bottom of the oil drain pan (oil drain pan was cleaned with water and soap before starting the oil change)
This proves to me that waiting 1000Km to do the first oil change is nuts.
I will be doing another oil change before the bikes hits 75Km