Going too fast for too long???

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madwheels37

madwheels37

New Member
Jul 27, 2010
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Bradenton, FL
Could anyone tell me how long I should be riding my motor before I let it cool off? Mine is broke now, but if you could tell me from the beginning to end of a new motor for break in time and too how fast I should be taking it before and after break in period, and also how long on that time? Thanks.
 
2door

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Judging from what has been reported here by newbies and old timers alike...there are no hard and fast rules.
Some will tell you to baby them from the start going to WOT to a slow cruise then back to a wide open for a few moments.
Then there are those who say, "kick the tires and light the fires". Or in other words run the heck out of them right from the start and take no prisoners.
Some of our most successful builders fall into the second catagory so it's sort of up to the individual on how to treat their engine.
As for cool down times; I've never worried about that. When I stop, for whatever reason, that's when the engine gets to cool, but if the ride is 25 miles, in summer heat, so be it. Most will tell you that stopping just to cool the engine isn't necessary. As long as you're using the right fuel/oil mix and don't sit and idle for long periods, cool downs aren't necessary.

Break in periods are another nebulous thing. It is generally suggested that a couple of gallons will be sufficient but I've found that the little Chinese engines just seem to run better and better as they accrue more miles. They get smoother and produce more power as they age.
Tom
 
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skiball83

New Member
Nov 18, 2010
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Chicago
What I like to do is run them semi easy for the first gallon of gas. Here and there rip to WOT then settle back down and cruise. I would do it for short amounts of time no more than half an hour at a time till you run through that first gallon. After the first gallon go a little nuts. Dont take it on long runs, but beat the heck out of it for the next gallon going from cruise to WOT alot, it will help seat the rings. After your first 2 gallons then you can pretty much do what you want to it. Pro motorcycle riders swear by beating the kaka out of them when they are new but I dont agree. Maybe they know more than me but Im not taking that chance with MY money.
 
Goat Herder

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
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N.M.
The piston rings have to break in properly . This is not achieved by idling the bike around or simply revving it. Doing it this way lets the rings rattle around two much making a weaker running engine in the long run with less compression . If you are climbing a hill to me this achieves a steady load on the rings which will let the rings break in properly. Leaving a more powerful motor in my humble opinion.

I for the record find me a nice long incline but not a severe one. This to me is perfect but I live where I can easily find nice long ''mellow'' hills to climb. Once again rings with no load on them rattle this is acceptable after break in but ''not'' at all for break in.

For me a steady load like a nice long hill just does it for me . Shoot I can coast down a few miles [motor off] and go right back up. About three good 3 or 4 mile up hill runs is about my own prescription to myself with the varying throttle that traffic will allow.. But right out side my house is greeted with the perfect up hill run!
 
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Hammond Egger

New Member
Oct 23, 2010
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Tucson, AZ
After the first time one of mine starts and warms up enough to take the choke off it rarely sees anything but WOT. I use cheap oil at 20:1 for the first gallon and then synthetic at 50:1 after that.
 
LS614

LS614

Active Member
Dec 22, 2009
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CT and MA
Give her all ye got! Rev like there is no tomorrow. It annoys the heck out of the neighbors and it makes the engine run better. Cheap oil is a good thing to start with too. Lubrication that is too good will not give enough friction for proper break in. Am I making sense? just my piece of advice.
-LS
 
2door

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Annoying the neighbors is not a good way to promote the hobby. I'd shy away from that if possible. What if they wanted to play Andy Williams or Amy Grant music real loud and make you listen to it? :)
Tom
 
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LS614

LS614

Active Member
Dec 22, 2009
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I was kidding about annoying the neighbors ;) Though they do ride their atv's in our yard, blow their leaves into our yard, have a lot of annoying dogs, and play the drums loudly, I would still not try to annoy them!
 
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matthurd

New Member
Dec 13, 2010
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manchester NH
LS614 said:
I was kidding about annoying the neighbors ;) Though they do ride their atv's in our yard, blow their leaves into our yard, have a lot of annoying dogs, and play the drums loudly, I would still not try to annoy them!
Click to expand...
i'm assuming you've asked em not to do that kind of stuff (dog+atv specifically).

do the dogs end up in your yard at all or just the atvs n leaves?
if it wasnt for the dogs i'd say take a few 1x6's load em up with nails at an angle and line the edge of your property with em in the grass, they'd learn to stay off your property real fast.
 
LS614

LS614

Active Member
Dec 22, 2009
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The dogs never get out, they are yappy, behind shock fence, kick-me dogs, you know that kind right rotfl
That's not a bad idea about the nail traps, either that or I could rent a back hoe and make some pitfalls :D lol
 
camlifter

camlifter

Active Member
May 4, 2009
1,033
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acme labs marion ohio
heres the procedure i use, upon first start up i run it easy maybe going up to 1/2 throttle, just to make sure everything is tracking true and nothing is trying to fall off. i do that for about 20 min. letting it get to full temp, then shut it off and let it sit for about an hour to cool all the way down. after that it's run it like normal, full throttle or what ever you want to do. i also use walmart syntech at 32-1 right from the start.
 
wayne z

wayne z

Active Member
Dec 5, 2010
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louisiana
It's pretty well doccumented by all professional engine rebuilders, that the worst things to do during break-in are to run the engine easy, and to use synthetic oil
 
wayne z

wayne z

Active Member
Dec 5, 2010
1,743
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louisiana
matthurd said:
i'm assuming you've asked em not to do that kind of stuff (dog+atv specifically).

do the dogs end up in your yard at all or just the atvs n leaves?
if it wasnt for the dogs i'd say take a few 1x6's load em up with nails at an angle and line the edge of your property with em in the grass, they'd learn to stay off your property real fast.
Click to expand...

we throw out handfulls of simplex roofing tacks where the atv's abuse our property
 
M

matthurd

New Member
Dec 13, 2010
817
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manchester NH
wayne z said:
we throw out handfulls of simplex roofing tacks where the atv's abuse our property
Click to expand...
thing is you cant walk in your own yard with no shoes on, or roll your own bikes or w/e through your own yard id you do that. with my idea all the sharp objects are in 1 place and not going anywhere, need to move something through? just move those pieces of woo and you're good to go, when you're done just drage em back into place :)
 
James912

James912

Member
Apr 12, 2011
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Florida
Starting up old posts.. but.......
I agree with the wood with the nails in them thing. That would work great!!!!!!!
 
Nashville Kat

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
1,501
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48
Jacksonville, Florida
This is why I like my 36 tooth rear sprock- It cruises so much nicer at less revs- I don't even run many long stretches, but I'm sure it would make even more a difference on long runs.

I wouldn't run anything over 40 teeth if I could help it- my second build came with a 41 I haven't replaced.

i ride mostly flat terrain and always on pavement.
 
James912

James912

Member
Apr 12, 2011
584
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Florida
Me too. I'll probably get a 40 tooth. I love the torque of the 44 though. Does a smaller sprocket increase gas mileage? Just curious.
 
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chrisme

New Member
May 30, 2009
423
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Maine
This is how I break in engines, my chainsaw, MB, car engines I build... whatever.
Start it up, if it's water cooled I let that circulate for a bit to make sure it doesn't have air.
Then drive it. Not high RPMs, that's bad for bearings when they're new.
WOT and high RPMs are different.
You want to wear the ring into the cyl wall as fast as possible to insure the best seal.
So run it up to about half RPM near WOT, then let off the gas and decelerate. On the 2-stroke give it a bit of gas on decel to oil the bearings. The point of decel. is to suck metal shavings from machining out of the engine. And to cool it. New engines heat up very quick.
I usually let engines go 50 - 100 miles before I run them up to redline, but WOT is acceptable pretty early on.

But this is a little 2-stroke. Accel up to about 15 MPH a few times, do it faster and faster each time. Let it cool for a bit. Fastest way to do that is to ride with the motor off. A brand new engine gets hot very fast, and needs time to cool. Then do a few pulls at WOT to 15 or 20mph. Go up some steep hills, etc. Then just ride it like normal, try to avoid really high RPMs for a while... Also DO NOT use synthetic oil for break in.
 
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