Oil changes post engine rebuild

[grenpayne]

My R300 spec 1800 K Series has been rebuilt of late due to loss of compression on 2 cylinders. When it was opened up there were a fair few things that needed sorting out, so lots of things have been either replaced or fixed. Briefly (and this isn't everything) it has had: Omega forged pistons and rings, new liners, new cam followers, all new bearings and new valve and seals.

Things have gone great so far and the engine is a credit to Nigel Keats who did the work. I'm up to almost 500 miles with the engine being run-in on Valvoline VR1 20w50 mineral oil. Whilst Nigel has been very helpful with advice on oil changes I'd like to see what the consensus of opinion is on oil changes from now on ie change this oil now (if so to what?) and again at say 1500 miles, or leave it to 1000 miles and just change it for fully synth.

So what are you thoughts?

[one eyed mick]

An oil and filter change won't hurt any thing but your pocket and if it sets your mind at rest is the way to go!

[downsman]

When I had a Honda Civic Type R, I knew the mechanic quite well, and he told me Honda didn't let them use fully synthetic until 20,000 miles.

Feel free to change the oil as much as you like, but I wouldn't go to fully synthetic at 1000 miles. The Honda was run in on semi synthetic and never used much.

[EFA]

Read this. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I always drive a new engine hard to get the rings properly bedded as quickly as possible. How you cover the first 10 miles will effect the rest of your engines lifetime.

[grenpayne]

Luckily I did read that before I drove it the first time and I did follow the advice. I've also just done another oil change today and so far all is well

[Farlig]

EFA said:

Read this. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I always drive a new engine hard to get the rings properly bedded as quickly as possible. How you cover the first 10 miles will effect the rest of your engines lifetime.

Yup, this is good practice... I've also read somewhere it's good to put the pistons & rings in bone-dry or as a min with a spray of WD40 or similar - this initial dry period on start-up allegedly really helps run in the rings...

I remember many (many!) years ago a survey in Performance Bikes magazine where a bunch of CBR900 (Fireblades) were dyno tested. Without fail, the ones that had been heavily thrashed out of the crate developed the most power..

Conversely, in my junior days, the 2nd (sprint) engine I built I put together with Mobil 1 and ran it in fairly gingerly... the fker never ran in & was always smoky... doh!

[EFA]

Oh, and don't forget - NO SYNTHETIC OIL !!

I use this http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-60229-millers-oils-cro... which as long as the break in does not involve prolonged high revs (it shouldn't - it is the acceleration of the engine which provides the best bedding in)500 miles is fine before moving to 15/50 Mobil 1.

[one eyed mick]

Don't agree with the dry build at all never known it in nearly 50 years of engine build !. But certainly never let a new build labour or bog for a while ,used to run 6/8 litre air cooled deisels up to 95% full speed for a couple of hours ,after carefull warrm up and evidence of full spec oil pressure