New Engine break in

[cannarella]

Thanks Randall. That is what I was thinking. Run at PTO speed and when I am on and off the hydro drive that will help vary the load as I speed up and slow down.

So to get the general concensence let me reiterate what I have read and sum it up.

1. Bring engine up to operating temp before loading it.
2. Vary RPMs if possible but load variation on the engine is more important.
3. No Max RPMs for the first 20-50 hours.
4. No Lugging (heavy load at low RPM). (I learned a new term)
5. Change oil and filter after break in. Typically earlier then what MFG states.

Am I missing anything that has been generally said?

Andy

 

[TripleR]

So can I hog with it for break in? What defines full throttle? I am assuming anything over PTO RPM.

I am breaking my M8540 pulling a pretty heavy load mixed with fairly light load with a Woods DS1260 10' rotary cutter. I cut ten foot saplings and brush to grass no more than 12". My PTO speed is 2250 while max is close to 3000. Like others, I allow a good warm up before loading it. I do cool down cycles, vary load as well as RPM.

Breaking one in is really not all that inconvenient and with the exception of the regular cycling no different from the way I would run it normally.

 

[dex3361]

I would also keep a close eye on the guages and check the oil level frequently.

I take lugging the engine to mean applying a load more than what the engine can supply enough power to keep the RPMs steady. So lugging the engine would mean that the tractor is loosing RPMs and if the load isn't reduced it would stall the engine. Like trying to climb a steep hill in to high a gear the engine will start to lug as it slows the RPMs.

 

[kuboman]

It is still beneficial to vary the rpms to alter the wear patterns, but I agree that the load is the most important thing. They aren't always mutually exclusive. Load = increased combustion pressure = rings seating, as opposed to just filing themselves away on the cylinder honing which leads to bigger ring gaps and lost compression.

I always go easy on new engines during warmup, then once it's warmed up, I work it good. You can load it without using full rpms (thereby obeying the manual), you just don't want to lug it. Lugging = too much load at too low an rpm = bad.

Diesels take a long time to completely break in, and the worst thing you can do for the rings is baby it all the time.

Ditto. I guess what I meant was that just the normal operation of a tractor gives enough variation in rpm.

 

[cannarella]

Engine break in update.

All is going well. Spend about 4 hours last week hogging and then just driving around at different RPMs and loads. So far so good. I had the return hose coming off the steering orbital valve come off and drain about a gallon of hydro on my feet. Not fun. I caught it quickly and all is well. I am going to get a better hose clamp b/c the one on it is messed up some how...

 

[TWD]

Engine break in update.

All is going well. Spend about 4 hours last week hogging and then just driving around at different RPMs and loads. So far so good. I had the return hose coming off the steering orbital valve come off and drain about a gallon of hydro on my feet. Not fun. I caught it quickly and all is well. I am going to get a better hose clamp b/c the one on it is messed up some how...

Wow. Lucky it wasn't super hot.

 

[cannarella]

Wow. Lucky it wasn't super hot.

Yep. Really just a big mess. Will work on it tomorrow and hopefully put some more hours on it.