Engin breake in

Please give me your opinion on breaking in a turbo engine, lower compression equals lower cylinder pressure. So should you apply a little bit of boost to make up for the lower cylinder pressure to seat the piston rings properly? Thanks JJ

Johan, use it from the get go as you would normally use it.If sh*t is going to go wrong it will happen pretty soon.I would restrict initial boost to the lower settings but drive it normally. I do not believe in mollycoddling the engine when new. If you have the correct rings and bore finish for them, go for it. We would build brand new engines, put them into the cars and go racing after practice and qualifying on Fridays . Saturday full on race action. This is my opinion only, I know a lot of people would argue otherwise.

I definitely advise using a small amount of boost during break in of turbo or supercharged engines. During the early stages I would only advise using perhaps 3-5 psi and this will only require relatively low throttle opening (turbo size dependent of course). As you progress through the break in you can use a little more boost - Perhaps in the vicinity of 5-10 psi.

I'm of the school that if properly built and toleranced engine break-in periods have very little to do with breaking/wearing in parts and far more to do with creating situations and conditions that will allow the user/builder to catch any faults or mistakes in the build.

Hey Andre I recently rebuilt my motor top to bottom and I completed the initial break in procedure and i drove the car about 180 miles (no WOT long smooth pulls) I have a US Bmw 97 M3 with a N/a s52 motor Supercharger cams brand new installed. The plan is to install a supercharger once I’m comfortable with he break in process. My question is do you think 180 miles is enough with the break in oil and i should change it out for synthetic and install the supercharger?

https://www.hpacademy.com/previous-webinars/229-engine-break-in-myths-dispelled/

Motoman is quite the character, but he can be a wealth of knowledge. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

His advice is similar to what Andre's article recommends, with the evidence to prove what they are saying is true.