Heat cycle? Warm up time? Enrichener?
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Mass
I full choke to start let it run 15-60 seconds depending on temp. reduce choke to where it will hold fast idle for 15-30 seconds. Close choke feather throttle until idle holds. A few easy miles and all is well.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,081
Likes: 2,159
From: Ohio
D1gger, info on the heat cycle question and breakin articles with some personel hands on opinions.
Heat cycle
http://www.sscycle.com/techtips/tech...p?x_catagory=4
Hastings ring procedure
http://www.hastingsmfg.com/ServiceTi..._procedure.htm
Attached some reading information below that adds another view to engine breakins, Engine breakin can be a very contraversial subject.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
After all the reading it came down to: don't let it idle for extended periods, vary your speeds and rpms on a straight stretch, apply loads without lugging, close the throttle fully when deacellerating, don't go past 5500 rpms, NO SYNTHETIC OIL FOR 5000 MILES, multiple oil changes during the breakin period.
We use a full load, no idle breakin with massive diesel engines, heat is needed to seal chrome moly rings which is current in Harley engines.
On a Harley I've followed the S&S heat cycle method before and looks they are just trying to build heat at initial breakin, on my current engine that has a looser piston fit, built up some heat without idling and ran it like any other day of riding.
Do your homework, choose a path, don't second guess yourself, don't be so uptight that you can't enjoy the new engine and ride the h$ll out of it, make it an enjoyable experiance.
Heat cycle
http://www.sscycle.com/techtips/tech...p?x_catagory=4
Hastings ring procedure
http://www.hastingsmfg.com/ServiceTi..._procedure.htm
Attached some reading information below that adds another view to engine breakins, Engine breakin can be a very contraversial subject.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
After all the reading it came down to: don't let it idle for extended periods, vary your speeds and rpms on a straight stretch, apply loads without lugging, close the throttle fully when deacellerating, don't go past 5500 rpms, NO SYNTHETIC OIL FOR 5000 MILES, multiple oil changes during the breakin period.
We use a full load, no idle breakin with massive diesel engines, heat is needed to seal chrome moly rings which is current in Harley engines.
On a Harley I've followed the S&S heat cycle method before and looks they are just trying to build heat at initial breakin, on my current engine that has a looser piston fit, built up some heat without idling and ran it like any other day of riding.
Do your homework, choose a path, don't second guess yourself, don't be so uptight that you can't enjoy the new engine and ride the h$ll out of it, make it an enjoyable experiance.
Last edited by 1997bagger; Apr 29, 2012 at 11:18 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 11
From: Northern Ontario
Using the enrichener is going to depend on the carb and its setup, but once its running and I can let go of the enrichener and just hold the throttle I keep the idle at about 1000 or so untill I can let go and put my helmet glasses and gloves on, I then feel the rear cylinder and it should have some heat and the carb should blip pretty smooth.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Attached some reading information below that adds another view to engine breakins, Engine breakin can be a very contraversial subject.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
.
This dude knows his ****......makes a lot of sense.
The no synthetic oil comment makes me laugh.
Harley sends the CVO bikes out from the factory with syn 3 in the bikes so using a synthetic oil for break in isn't detrimental.
Now syn oil is expensive and when breaking in a new engine you should change the oil at around 50 miles or so,then again at 300 or so,then again at 1000 miles or so. Frequent oil changes during break in will remove any potentially damaging shards of metal from the inside of your new motor,which,to me is a good idea. So since you should change it often it makes no sense to use an expensive syn oil just to dump it so quickly,but that doesn't mean you can't.
Harley sends the CVO bikes out from the factory with syn 3 in the bikes so using a synthetic oil for break in isn't detrimental.
Now syn oil is expensive and when breaking in a new engine you should change the oil at around 50 miles or so,then again at 300 or so,then again at 1000 miles or so. Frequent oil changes during break in will remove any potentially damaging shards of metal from the inside of your new motor,which,to me is a good idea. So since you should change it often it makes no sense to use an expensive syn oil just to dump it so quickly,but that doesn't mean you can't.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,081
Likes: 2,159
From: Ohio
While your laughing, reread the post as that statement is a nutshell off all breakin methods engine builders document, I don't use synthetic oil period as it isn't needed in a non lean running engine and thank you for additional info of why it shouldn't be used during breakin periods.
Heat cycles, accelleration, loading the engine is a method to seal a chrome moly ring by heat and pressure, synthetic oil is known to disapate heat so I can see why engine builders recommend not to use synthetics and all in theory of someone that does it for a living.
We all know Harley has made some mistakes; inner cam bearings, chain tensioners. scissored cranks, weak cases, over priced Tiawan chrome, I guess putting Syn3 in CVO's is an engineering marvel but that is a theory to constitute a 32,000 showroom Harley, imagine non-synthetic oil to a potential buyer at that price.
Heat cycles, accelleration, loading the engine is a method to seal a chrome moly ring by heat and pressure, synthetic oil is known to disapate heat so I can see why engine builders recommend not to use synthetics and all in theory of someone that does it for a living.
We all know Harley has made some mistakes; inner cam bearings, chain tensioners. scissored cranks, weak cases, over priced Tiawan chrome, I guess putting Syn3 in CVO's is an engineering marvel but that is a theory to constitute a 32,000 showroom Harley, imagine non-synthetic oil to a potential buyer at that price.
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: southern Alberta Canada
Geez you guys make this warmup deal sound like it's easy, I still haven't figured it out on mine. I let it warm up for a minute or 2, ride easy for the first little bit, constantly try to push the choke down or off, and it constantly lets me know it doesnt like this by stalling, or backfiring or hissing and growling. So I end up letting it idle longer with the choke on and riding it longer with the choke on or half on It seems strange to me but my bike seems to take a long time to warm up. I was told that the big cam and rejetted carb have something to do with it.