Itinerant Air-Cooled

Got a couple of opinions at auto parts stores about what type of oil I should use for breaking in the engine. I hear straight 30W, no added zinc for the first 500 miles. What do you think?

Maybe you already know this; make sure you go through the proper break-in procedure. Don't put a load on it (drive the bus) until you've broken in the cam, etc. and changed the oil once. There is such a thing as "break in oil" - it's different than the typical stuff you use over the rest of the engine's lifetime.

Read this?
http://www.aircooled.net/gnrlsite/resou ... gnbrkn.htm

Wow! I do have a printed list from the machine shop about breaking in the cam but I did not know about the prep to run. So for my T4, do I still need to remove the spark plugs? Or am I just leaving the oil filter off? And then once I see oil coming out, I turn the engine off and install the oil filter? I've got my valves adjusted to .006 right now, so I guess I need to get back in there and re-adjust.

And actually, I do not know how to set the ignition timing on the engine so hopefully I can recruit some knowledgeable helping hands this week.

And once I do that first run at high RPMs and change the oil, do I change the oil filter as well?

Thanks!

misszora wrote:Got a couple of opinions at auto parts stores about what type of oil I should use for breaking in the engine. I hear straight 30W, no added zinc for the first 500 miles. What do you think?

I think you heard wrong, break in oil is just 30wt but all flat lifter engines need zinc. Brad Penn makes some, so does Raby.
I pull the plugs and spin the engine until the oil light goes out, then put the plugs back in and start it. The engine needs to run at 2000 to 2500 rpms for 20 minutes, do not idle the engine. This will break in the cam and lifters. I never then drain the oil but run it for 200-500 miles and then put in Brad Penn oil with the proper zinc.

Oil needs to be drained after the 20 min break in, it's full of swirlies and unknowns. Wouldn't hurt to change the filter too.
I don't think the brand of oil during break in matters a hell of a lot. Cheap stuff is fine, or use the same oil the engine will live on. I use Castrol.
There is much voodoo out there.

not so, as they deleted out the amount of zinc in modern oils as overhead cam engines don't need it. Even V8 engines need the right oil if its not overhead cam...thats really why Brad Penn oil is out there to fill the needs of the old V8 engines.

I have drained breakin oil before and its usually has just a piece of sealant in the oil screen. The filter stops the other stuff....metal pieces I haven't ever seen maybe cuz I use oil with zinc. Now I use to use non-detergent 30wt but I don't bother anymore.