New engine prep and break - in .

[Tom Foley]

I thought this subject deserved some contribution from boaters out ther since it popped up on the Mac thread . Several methods have been discussed and all are slightly different . I guess I am an old fashioned traditionalist when it comes to break - in , so lets hear from some more top boaters and engine builders and add to the spectrum of knowledge out there . Thanks , Tom .

 

[Norm Doerr]

I am not an engine guru. But I know a few VERY accompished boaters and once in a while I learn a trick or two. This method works the best for me:

I take the water line off and throw it in rich as Bill Gates. I run the boat around full throttle and lean down the mixture until it takes about half a lap to clean up, then it will run the other half almost "squeaky" then I will back off the throttle until the motor cools, (usually half a lap), then do it over again. The key is to back off when the engine starts to get "squeaky". Now if you have telemetry you can heat cycle it just by looking at the temp reading on the display.

I bet you will never guess where I got that idea?

 

[Krusty 181]

Glad you started this Tom , i was under the assumption with a boat to run it rich and take it easy , leaning it out and pushing more and more over the next 4-5 tanks

Also as i read in the MAC thread about guys pulling down a new engine to check for crap left in it from assembly/ machining in the factory , i must be pretty trusting i have never pulled a new engine down , at around$600 AU for a new engine IF i did find anything in one it would be going straight back .. i feel for that sorta money you gotta get some degree of quality control ... you would think anyway ....

and in the case of the CMB thread i started , a lot of people talked about them needing some dremel work .... what kinda dremel work are we talking ?? matching ports or altering timing??

can some one head back to basics and fill me /us in on what should be done with a new engine ...

 

[RaceCraftBearings]

Hey Andrew, most motors from the factory should never be turned over before disassembly and inspecting for and removing burrs from the liner. one hundred percent of the Picco's I bought had burrs and flashing that would have destroyed the piston and liner if not more if I had not torn it down and cleaned it out before running it in.

I agree that for the money we pay we should not have to do this. I run all Macs now and I have never had to remove any flashing or burrs of which I thank Andy and John for!!!

CMB's I have never ran but from what I gather they have poor alignment of the case to the ports and must be opened up to make good power.

Ron

 

[anthony_marquart]

I've always used the heat cycle method. Whether it be on the bench or in the water. Run the engine rich till it get's up to temp, then let it cool with the piston at BDC, then start over,... I do this 4-5 times then start running the engine and slowly lean it down. I've had good luck with this.. The 4-5 temp cycles seems to get things fitted well enough that I don't usually have too much problems with the new engine. (stopping in the water)

I'm running .12 car engines now and I've only seen one engine that had nasty burs on the sleeve.

But then again,.. I'm definitley not an engine guru.,... but this has worked for me.

 

[Don Ferrette]

I will heat cycle the motor once or twice on the bench with full cool down between. Then it goes in the water fairly rich for one tankful, kind of a wash out run. I have always checked inside a motor before running for any machining fragments. To date my Picco's were always the worst followed closely by CMB. As for all the MAC's, I've checked them & never found a single scrap, likewise for the K motors. Anyway, after the first rich tankful & cool down I will run again leaning motor down enough to where it will just get on pipe when I pull wide open. I will then run 3 or 4 tanks with pulling the motor hard around the turns & backing off to a cruise in the straights. After that it'***** the needle(s) & let 'em rip. I've had great success like this with the wear patterns on the sleeves like I want to see. B)

 

[Krusty 181]

Thanks Ron and Don ,

Don , the heat cycling you are talking about on the bench i gather you are just running the engine gently , unloaded in the boat(or in a mount ) , how hot are you getting it ?? is it like running it for about 30 second then letting it cool???

i have a new CMB 67 here i will let you know what i find in it when i check it

Andrew

 

[RaceCraftBearings]

Thanks Ron and Don ,

Don , the heat cycling you are talking about on the bench i gather you are just running the engine gently , unloaded in the boat(or in a mount ) , how hot are you getting it ?? is it like running it for about 30 second then letting it cool???

i have a new CMB 67 here i will let you know what i find in it when i check it

Andrew

Andrew I have a friend who is a CMB Guru and I will check with him to see what he says needs to be done to get em right.

PS I dont in any way claim to be an Engine Guru just someone with mechanical apptitude and abilities. My Mac motors are stock, never anything other than out of the box and into the boat. When I ran Picco's they had to have tear down, clean up and an RPM rod. Thanks Mr Richardson for for the help along the way!

OOPs I did have one Nova Rossi moded by Andy that was a bullet in my 20 seaducer a quite few years back, the only mod motor I have ever owned.

Ron

 

[Krusty 181]

Thanks Ron ,that would be great if you could talk to your mate , id happily buy a MAC as for me $$$ does come into it and they are similar $$$ to CMB, its just that i can actually get a CMB at the moment, and im an impatient sod, not wanting to wait.....

as you can tell im no engine guru , but i can surely clean up a liner etc if need be

you mate might just have to explain in simple terms

thanks

Andrew

 

[RaceCraftBearings]

Thanks Ron ,that would be great if you could talk to your mate , id happily buy a MAC as for me $$$ does come into it and they are similar $$$ to CMB, its just that i can actually get a CMB at the moment, and im an impatient sod, not wanting to wait.....

as you can tell im no engine guru , but i can surely clean up a liner etc if need be

you mate might just have to explain in simple terms

thanks

Andrew

Andrew, I talked with my friend Gene about the CMB's but did not focus on any size or style in particular. In general he states that the CMB's need the ports matched up out of the box. What he means by matched up is that they dont align well enough between the case and the sleeve. He stated that most of the work is needed on the case however he works the sleeve as well. He uses some carbide and diamond tip cutters. This isnt to say its all Gene would do inside a motor but it is a step in getting them to run better than they do out of the box. I jokingly stated that if you wernt comfy doing this that I might suggest you send them to him and he said that would be fine. Guess I should have asked what he would charge but I dropped the ball on that one Sorry!

I can say that he and Jerry Crowther, also a friend of mine are the best at getting power from a CMB. I was unable to get Jerry to see what he had to say on the matter but rest assured Gene Mongar knows motors very well!

Hope this helps!

Ron

 

[Don Ferrette]

Thanks Ron and Don ,

Don , the heat cycling you are talking about on the bench i gather you are just running the engine gently , unloaded in the boat(or in a mount ) , how hot are you getting it ?? is it like running it for about 30 second then letting it cool???

i have a new CMB 67 here i will let you know what i find in it when i check it

Andrew

I'll start it up & give just enough throttle to keep it running. Hold other hand on the cylinder head & shut it down when it gets too hot to hold on to. No water used thru the head BTW.

 

[J_Moore]

I will heat cycle the motor once or twice on the bench with full cool down between. Then it goes in the water fairly rich for one tankful, kind of a wash out run. I have always checked inside a motor before running for any machining fragments. To date my Picco's were always the worst followed closely by CMB. As for all the MAC's, I've checked them & never found a single scrap, likewise for the K motors. Anyway, after the first rich tankful & cool down I will run again leaning motor down enough to where it will just get on pipe when I pull wide open. I will then run 3 or 4 tanks with pulling the motor hard around the turns & backing off to a cruise in the straights. After that it'***** the needle(s) & let 'em rip. I've had great success like this with the wear patterns on the sleeves like I want to see. B)

Hi Don

Are you runnning water through these on the bench or in the water at all? Thanks

Jeff

 

[anthony_marquart]

No water on the bench.. Let it get good and hot.. Then shut down an move the piston away from TDC..

Man, I don't know about you guys, but it bothers me that you can buy a new engine and the ports don't line up. These engines are very expensive,.. At least to me.. I can't really afford them anymore, hence the "A" hydros I'm doing.. But if I could,.. I would not be happy to know that i have to buy it, then finish building it for the manufactureer.. I work in engineering, if my division of alcoa did that, or any other place i worked did it,... we would not be selling products for long..

 

[Krusty 181]

No water on the bench.. Let it get good and hot.. Then shut down an move the piston away from TDC..

Man, I don't know about you guys, but it bothers me that you can buy a new engine and the ports don't line up. These engines are very expensive,.. At least to me.. I can't really afford them anymore, hence the "A" hydros I'm doing.. But if I could,.. I would not be happy to know that i have to buy it, then finish building it for the manufactureer.. I work in engineering, if my division of alcoa did that, or any other place i worked did it,... we would not be selling products for long..

i agree i think its shocking if the quality control is that poor...

I work for a big Aussie airline in engineering .. how would you like me to do a half as#ed job???

BTW i dont ...

 

[mike_savoie]

What a great topic! I've yet to pick up my engine, but after reading this I've narrowed it down to a MAC or OS. I'm sure I'll have many more questions when I do get it, like everyone else I'd hate to drop that kind of cash on one and have it blow up on me.

So to clean out the microscopic crud, would you simply flush the engine with oil? What type of oil is used? I've always used auto trans oil or diesel fuel to clean out car engines, or would they be too thick for something this small?

I know this is probably common knowledge around here, but do you guys run in salt water at all?