Funny, if the rings seat at 100 miles what is the point of break in procedures up to 1K?

This is always a hot topic....you need enough cylinder pressure and heat to get the rings to seat. Babying it is not the same as breaking in a motor, babying generally results in the rings not seating and thus burning oil.

 

My impression is that modern metalurgy allows rings to seat rapidly, perhaps even quicker than 100 miles. As for prolonging the break-in period, I always follow strict procedures as a precaution and to allow other components to wear-in properly. I don't think this is as necessary as it was in the old days, as modern machining allows closer tolerances and better fit of components.

 

Did both of mine at 300 miles,

Rings are seated way before that,

A mentioned, Harley puts Syn3 in the CVO's at birth,

 

LOL, and now you have a very clear answer to your question..................I did mine at 1k.

 

If you have a way of measuring the temps. of your engine when new, and again after it breaks in there is a deal if difference in the temperature of it. The cylinders have a cross hatch pattern in them to microscopically seat/wear in to the shape of the rings and vice/verse. When that occurs the friction is reduced and the BREAK IN is completed. In the mean time small parts of metal fall into the oil and need to be removed. Not by the filter. It.s only 5 Micron. 1 micron= .000039 That's .000195 or about .2 thousands of an inch. So the slurry of fine metal particles are floating around in the oil to you drain them out.

 

Iclick has saved me from typing. Syth is too good. Engine needs to wear some first. Go with dealer recommendations.

 

I wonder if you bought a CVO Model (that comes prefilled with Synthetic) what the dealer recommendation would be?

 

There used to be a link to an article on this site regarding break in with pictures to show what rings and pistons looked like when broken in the right way or the wrong way. Babying you bike too much is almost worse than breaking in too hard. The recommendation was to run the RPMs up a little in each gear, then let the bike slow down with engine braking to get the deceleration pressure also. If done right the break-in will be done within the first 50 miles. I started by running mine up to 3k rpms in the first 3 gears, then letting it slow without using other brakes, then up to 3.5k, then up to 4k and finally just under 4.5k. Then I just rode it more or less normally up to 100 miles.....then changed the engine oil and filter myself to get rid of any metal in the oil. Then the dealer did the 1k service and switched everything to Syn3. According to the article the most critical part of the break-in is the first 20-50 miles....don't redline it, but don't baby it either.

 

That just sounds like excellent advice! Thanks! Just in time too because I pick up my 09 tomorrow and will follow your guidelines. It just makes sense, including the engine braking part. Accell and decell and I also will drop the oil too because I am a firm believer in ridding that first batch early...

 

On my last 4 bikes Ive done the same just as I did on my present bike 08 Electra Glide Classic at 1K service dealer put in Synthetic in all three holes never had a problem the bike is going in for 5K this Satutday, doesnt burn oil or skip a beat!!
My 2 Cents Ride Safe BV