Break in ?

[Chaplin]

Since I have a few more months before I pick up my car, I still have plenty of time to ask questions. So here goes:


I would think that during the break in period you would want to bypass your oil cooler to keep whatever metal fragments in the oil that don't get caught by the filter from circulating through the oil lines and oil cooler.

Did anyone do this? If so, how many miles/oil changes did you go before hooking up the oil cooler?

[Rich]

A lot of race cars have an additional in-line filter to protect their oil coolers. It's just one less thing to replace in the event of a catastrophic failure.

http://www.pitstopusa.com/EARFILTERS-VALVES.asp

Rich

[Wayne Maybury]

My engine was run on the dyno so I guess you could say the break in period was very short, about 10 minutes before it was wide open.

My remote filter is before the cooler so there should be nothing in the oil to get stuck in the cooler.

Wayne

[wilf leek]

I suspect, although I am prepared to be proven wrong, that this is a "precaution too far".

Whilst you may indeed get minor pieces of metallic debris in the oil during break-in, it will have gone through the oil pump before it gets to the cooler (assuming cooler is "seeing" unfiltered oil - depends on the configuration).

This means it would be minced pretty fine in any case, so unlikely to get "hung up" in, or block, the cooler.

If you have any metallic particles large enough to cause problems after the filter, then you are in a world of hurt anyway, junk oil cooler the least of your problems.

I would, personally, think twice before introducing an additional restriction to flow, in the shape of a screen or filter before the oil cooler.
I would just change oil and filter regularly during break in.

Of course, race practice, where engine blowups ae more "accepted" or "expected", is different.

Just MHO.

[xlr8or]

Wilf I believe the flow of oil goes from the pump to the engine and the returned oil is what gets filtered and cooled then returned to oil pan for pickup. So the pump only gets filtered oil and the big chunks that land in the pan.

Could be wrong but I believe that is the path taken.

Scott

[Hotfingrs]

There is also a screen you can get and place on top of your oil filter...called a break in screen. You'd be surprised what one of these things will pick up....even after a block has been cleaned and washed there is still a ton of crap in an engine. You only use the screen during break in... then take it out and change oil and filter...

[niles]

Scott:
Your right, you have it backwards. Review the Butcher's write-up on his blown engine; he figures out how the oil flows.

Hotfingers: where do you get those "break-in " screens?

gn

[427 S/O]

Engine, filter, cooler, engine. I epoxyed (spell) four small magnets in the oil pan, just trying to protect this 35 year old FE.
Magnets from radio shack.

[Hotfingrs]

Not really sure where to get them, my engine builder gave me one to use, after he built the engine. You might check with a hipo engine builder in your area....and as they are reusable I have since given it back to him.

[Wayne Maybury]

Scott

The pump picks the oil up from the pan pushes it through the filter then it goes to the engine where it finally drips back into the pan to go round again.

In my Cobra, the oil exits the pump and goes to the remote filter, then through the cooler and then to the engine. There have been several discussions here about covering or bypassing the oil cooler in cool weather since the oil possibly does not get hot enough.

I change my oil and filter about every 500 miles in the Cobra.

Wayne

[Back in Black]

to 210 in not too much time... so it depends on the HP and heat generated by each motor.. by the way, my car has an oil cooler down along the frame under the car, we deducted the thermostat, a good move since I obviously don't need it.