Hey guys and gals, would love to get your input.
Would you do a break-in tune on a new engine build then do the break-in procedure, or would you just tune it for full power then do the break in procedure and keep it low rpms/boost for the first 1500-2k miles?

Here's my situation:
Had my evo built at a reputable shop from inside out. Engine transmission transfer case bolt-on's ect. The engine was built at a different shop and put together at my local shop period. The tuner is well known and has been doing tuning for twenty years on evos specifically. I did the basic Evo new engine procedure. Break-in tune. Change oil at 100, 250, 750, 1200. Then oil and tune at 2500miles. The The engine began making noises around 5500 Miles, so I brought it back into the shop. Found some metal shavings in the oil comma and the lifters were getting rubbed with clear wear. Kristen ringet also popped out at some point and scraped up my engine block. Fingers were pointed both ways. Engine builder said we should not have done break-in tune. Tuner and shop said improper assembly.

Engine builder recommends no break-in tune and just drive it. Shop & tuner recommend break-in tune and procedure. I'm thinking a blend: no break-in tune, then break procedure for 2k miles.

I've read a lot about engine break in process. Bunch of new vehicles these days do not have a different tune. Put in after the breaking process. Most manufacturers just recommend conservative driving for the first two thousand miles to let the engine wear in But no post breakin tune necessary. Some people attribute this to better machining. And that the grooves within the engine block After machining are Way smoother than they used to be ten years ago That's not needing a different To let everything wear into place.

Would love some feedback and thoughts.

 

Some of your wording about what happened is a bit odd so I am not sure exactly what happened but when my motor was built, I did a basic gate only tune to get it driving, put like 500-1000 miles on it and then sent it. This seems to be pretty standard for most engines.
That said, there are a large number of shops that will build a motor, get a little idle time on it and strap it right to the dyno and send it.

I would venture that the break in had nothing to do with the engine breaking and it was likely poor assembly and/or machine work.

 

I tend to agree with you. I went for 1 spirited drive at about 3k miles. The engine build shop said that it may have gotten starved with oil but the only that could happen is that there was a leak and i never checked oil levels. I changed oil at 2500 then again 5000 and always check oil levels. I don't want to send it right off but I don't want to have to keep going back to the tuner for different tunes.

 

modern motors only really need to break in the rings, and that happens under load. I'm of the position that I will break in an engine the way it will be driven. couple heat cycles to check for leaks (other nuances) and change the oil, then full send either street for stock or dyno otherwise, changing the oil at 100miles. Done. This baby it for 3k is old school loose american block procedures.

 

Most reputable tuners will provide the base map as part of buying a tune through them, at least in my experience.

You had a fresh motor and weren't checking the oil like it was a job? I wouldn't advise that lol. I check mine every time I take the car and mine has been together for years lol.

Also, RobbieOh has a point but driving it light for a few miles isn't going to hurt anything so that still seems to be pretty standard practice.

 

my buschur 2.0 spun bearing#4 autocrossing at 8300 revlimit, i think i got less than 5k street miles since I only drove it to put break in miles for engine/trans, took it to track and autox events. got it rebuilt with all-new OE crank and internals, cleaned all the oil passages, new turbo/oil cooler etc, did a 1k miles break in, several oil changes, tuned, did just 3 autox events, on the last one I hit 8500 rev limit (for an extended period, same track) and it spun bearing #1. I have the kigly, crank scraper, IE pan, oil pressure gauge, underdrive oil pump pulley, nothing going into the catch cans. I got that motor built under warranty (had to pay for some parts). we did 2k firkin break in miles, put cheapo conventional oil every 500miles. tuned but lowered my rev limit to 8k. I also re-installed my OE oil pan this time since I just wasn't as unlucky when I had it lol. I've done 2 autox events so far, so fingercrossed, I havent sat on the rev limiter tho. I'm inspecting my oil filter now. I doubt I'll catch anything until it happens

 

Is this an EvoX or an 8/9? Can you post pictures of the failed parts?

A "break-in" tune just means the tune was done for good drivability and fuel trims, and maybe super low boost (wasetgate pressure) so the car could be driven safely for break-in. Once broken in, the boost gets turned up. I don't do it that way, but it certainly won't cause catastrophic failure.

 

I prefer the break in tune method but mostly to make sure there is not other issues with assembly or build that need to be addressed. The engine still needs load to break in the rings in properly so it should have some power to do that. It’s also a good idea to do oil labs to keep track of wear metals.