New Motor - Piston Ring Break-In/Seating???

[AutoXRacer]

No, no breathers yet.
Lito will be adjusting the tune...

 

[DiMora]

I am a strong believer in a catch-can vs. breathers. I like the air circulation an intact PCV system provides.

I get that much blow-by. Only some if it is oil. It is pretty thin - most of it is un-burnt hydrocarbon.

Check compression and/or perform a leak-down test to confirm the rings are good and sealing correctly.

My BMW M3 burned a full quart every 3,000 miles. Pretty common on a high compression or PD application.

 

[AutoXRacer]

So did you guys check your oil before every use of the vehicle...?

 

[one eyed willy]

on a new motor, i usually check it every time i drive it for about 5k miles

 

[AutoXRacer]

OK, so week 2 of the oil separator....still waiting on the breather catch can.

This is roughly 300 miles; 5 days of puttering around town/commuting.
This week I was more aggressive driving.

0.75 oz of oil (its oily like oil).

 

[HellsBells]

Your only solution now is to go dry sump

 

[AutoXRacer]

Your only solution now is to go dry sump

I love the idea... I wouldn't do it though. I wonder if it would have been an option during the build.

What would be the benefit?

 

[HellsBells]

I love the idea... I wouldn't do it though. I wonder if it would have been an option during the build.

What would be the benefit?

For you, so many! Higher oil capacity, way better oil cooling, you could potentially mount your motor lower to lower the center of gravity.

Downside is I don't think anyone makes a kit for the 3v motor so you'd have to build it. Requires multiple pumps, external reservoir, it's costly to build and maintain. Overall, from my limited experience with dry sumps, the performance aspects are unquestionable. It's just a cost-benefit analysis.

I was being more sarcastic than anything I think you're okay on the blow-by. If your compression checks out, I wouldn't be too worried. Just check the oil before you race and every now and then if you still daily drive it.

 

[Carbuff91]

What about a turbo charged engine? Just run it like you stole it to break it in?

 

[aleborjas]

stainless rings just beat the engine i go to the track or dyno run thats the only way they seat beat it and let the engine to cool down and again you my have to do it few times...

also i see too much gap for the oil ring

 

[AutoXRacer]

stainless rings just beat the engine i go to the track or dyno run thats the only way they seat beat it and let the engine to cool down and again you my have to do it few times...

also i see too much gap for the oil ring

Are you saying from the build sheet?

 

[AutoXRacer]

So I went to Race Wars this past weekend... Here is another oil data point:

I started off the day with this oil level on the dip stick:

I drove 175 miles each way; 350 miles total. Plus 4 passes on the 1/4 mile and lots and lots of hot weather idling.

Came back home, let the car sit over night and checked the oil level...

This is all the oil I caught in the oil separator; I started the day with it empty:

This came out to be 0.75 oz.

To return the oil level to the previous full of earlier that day, it took 13 oz.

So, 13 oz minus 0.75 equals 12.25 oz...where did this oil go?

 

[Back@itagain]

Who's cylinder heads do you have??? And don't count on small volume a/o separators to really do a great job. A dedicated tank w/ baffles would be ideal.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Who's cylinder heads do you have??? And don't count on small volume a/o separators to really do a great job. A dedicated tank w/ baffles would be ideal.

FRPP Stage 1 heads...basically stock 08-10 heads.

 

[Back@itagain]

FRPP Stage 1 heads...basically stock 08-10 heads.

So....basically a set of Livernois cylinder heads correct? My first set poured oil into the combustion chamber through the valve guides/seals. Second set is still suspect. Might be worth pulling the blower and taking a look at the back side of your valves. Just my experience with their product. I know not everyone has had problems but its a possibility and it fits your equation.

 

[AutoXRacer]

So I pulled the bank 1 plugs... sigh
The redish crusty stuff is Torco with I ran it for a very hot drag racing event and the following week to a track day. Just ran it to prevent any possible knock.

As I was removing the intake tube, throttle body and elbow, I noticed they were coated in oil. Even had a little puddle in my supercharger elbow. Since I have an oil separator on the driver side, I was surprised to see this much oil come out of the passenger side.
I know there is no way these plugs look like this due to the passenger side dumping oil into the intake... I will be hoping so...but something tells me my troubles are about to get serious.


Plug 1 - Question, why would only one side of the plug be wet? Is that oil coming out of the valves and splashing onto the plug?

Plug 2 - This one is practically dry...wish they all looked like this.

Plug 3 - This is my worst nightmare right here... sigh

Plug 4 - This one is OK borderline to me... I could live with this...

I am worried about plug number 1 and 3, why are they wet!!!???

I am so panicking now!!! Looking to buy a leak-down/compression test tools now. sigh

What is your opinion? What is my next move? I will be pulling Bank 2 tonight hopefully... I'm hoping they come out clean and somewhat indicate its a head-valve stem seal issue-over a short block issue.

Why?? Why?? Why couldn't this build be trouble free...?? Well its been sort of...except for this oil issue. sigh
Maybe I should have gotten a crate motor from Ford.

 

[Back@itagain]

Some plugs are going to be wet. When you shut the motor off every cylinder is in various stages of the 4 strokes. Some are in the intake or compression stroke with the air-fuel charge in the cylinder but you shut it off before the spark ignited it.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Some plugs are going to be wet. When you shut the motor off every cylinder is in various stages of the 4 strokes. Some are in the intake or compression stroke with the air-fuel charge in the cylinder but you shut it off before the spark ignited it.

Words of hope... lol

The last time I ran the motor, before pulling the plugs was three days ago and I only ran it for 7 mins...maybe less from a cold start to just bleed my brakes. Then shut it down and let it sit for 2 days...then pulled the plugs.

 

[HellsBells]

Some plugs are going to be wet. When you shut the motor off every cylinder is in various stages of the 4 strokes. Some are in the intake or compression stroke with the air-fuel charge in the cylinder but you shut it off before the spark ignited it.

That doesn't seem right AT ALL. Just because they are at different stages of the combustion cycle doesn't mean they should be wet at ANY point...It's not like there is supposed to be oil in the combustion chamber.

I'm no expert but none of those plugs look right to me. Something isn't sealing right in my opinion and oil is just being dumped into the cylinders.

 

[Tron]

you could pull a plug and have it wet from the fuel the injector just sprayed that wasnt ignited due to shutting down the car.

those plugs look like shit. lol.