The definitive break-in procedure thread.

Finfan · #1 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 09:13 PM

No, I do not mean burglary!

I am looking to lump the ideas of all of you experienced riders to outline what you beleive is the proper method for breaking in a china girl engine and if possible tell why it should be so.

What I've managed to scrounge up is as follows:

Use Valvoline 2-cycle oil for the first 2 gallons of fuel then switch to synthetic.

Idle the engine for 10 minutes and let it cool before riding with it.

Do not run the engine more than 10 minutes at a time for the 1st 50 miles.

Do not run the engine full throttle or for more than 20 minutes for the 1st 500 miles.

Run the Fuel:Oil ratio at 20:1 for the 1st 500 then you can lighten up on the oil.

Am I right, wrong, or totally wacked?

Pablo · #2 (**permalink**) 10-03-2008, 11:21 PM

There is nothing wrong with getting on it hard fairly early in life. Some of that is whacked.....sure bogging it or constant RPM is not good early in life. OTOH, babying an engine too much just extends the time to properly seat the rings. I read this stuff about people taking 400+ miles for the engine to break in, and that tells me something isn't right.

MAYBE 20:1 for the first tank, but even....

In my case I never did that. My first tank was 30:1 or so, I was battling the usual HT tuning and set up issues, once I got that stuff out of the way, second tank 32:1 the engine started getting more power, maybe third tank power got up to the point where it is now. Nice and well broken in.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008, 06:14 AM

Now, for break-in.

24:1 fuel oil mix for a tank, then run 24-32:1 thereafter.
Don't beat on the engine, but don't baby it, and don't be afraid to rev it either.

VARY THROTTLE POSITION AND ENGINE SPEED REGULARLY (A LOT) during the first 10 minutes, and still use a lot of differing throttle settings/engine speeds for a couple hundred miles thereafter.

Idealy, for the first 10-30 minutes you should allways decellerate slowly, taking about twice the Amount of time in seconds you used to accellerate. ie 10 secs. speeding up, 20 seconds to slow it down ect.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #4 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008, 06:15 AM

Synthetic makes less smoke and carbon build up.

Dan · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 06:41 PM

Sad but true. To break in a chinagurl, I use what ever oil is in the shop. 6oz to a gallon, then 4. Keep it under 20 mph until the engine kicks up on power and check the mounts just as soon as they fall off. I have never replaced a stud but lots of nuts.
It just gets worse, so I digress.

In the great words of Mark Twain; "No man is a complete waste, he can always serve as a bad example"

deacon · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 06:56 PM

I live in an area with hills. I broke mine in full throttle up hill and half throttle down hill. I changed the oil mix otherwise I ride it the same now.

Saddletramp1200 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 07:09 PM

32:1 and common sense go a long way. A constant throttle for a new motor will not hurt it, it will not help it either. Vary your speed for the first 2 gallons if you can. Change the mix ratio after a few hundred miles. 20:1 is cool. Abuse is not a warranty issue. Use your common sense. That's why you have it. I use amsoil. others will work, I have never lost a motor using it. I use Castrol GTX in my other bikes. At 200 mph oil is something you don't need on your mind.