Use Proper Break-In Oil For Peak Performance
Whether you are buying a new car or new boat it is vitally important that the engine be properly broken in to maximize long-term peak performance. Ironically, proper engine break-in takes advantage of metal-to-metal wear. And it is for that reason that Royal Purple has formulated different oil than its standard product specifically for engine break-in.
 Royal Purple makes a special oil for the engine break-in period. Always follow the engine manufacturers’ recommendations. |
Usually the proper break-in period is from three to five hours and it involves taking the engine through several “heat cycles”, which means running the engine under load, turning it off and running it again several times. Buy doing this, piston rings have a chance to “scuff and mate” in the cylinders and the cams and cam guides have a chance to “mate.” If engine rings don’t “scuff and mate” or “scuff and seat”, the pistons my have a little blow-by later which not only burns oil but also robs power. Generally speaking we are talking about small percentages here, perhaps the loss of 3% to 5% of your compression, something that won’t bother many people, but will upset the performance purists.
Owners of high-performance boats and race boats and people buying crate engines for repower will want to be sure they are properly breaking in their engines.
Some engines are already broken-in before you buy them so you always need to find out from the manufacturer what procedure you should follow when starting with a new engine.
The Short Strokes
When breaking in an engine some wear is actually what is needed. The geometry of every set of piston rings and cylinders is slightly different, even if it is a miniscule difference and one within the engine builders’ tolerances. Those differences from the theoretical perfect shapes are what cause the “scuffing”. The “mating” which is the reciprocal imperfection created in the properly executed break-in process insures a good “seal” of piston rings and cylinders.
 |
Royal Purple’s Special Oil
But doesn’t Royal Purple synthetic motor oil prevent engine wear? Isn’t its film strength several times greater than other synthetic motor oils?
The answer is “yes” to both questions, and that is precisely why Royal Purple makes a special engine oil for the break-in period.
Royal Purple’s break-in oil is not synthetic, nor does it contain the proprietary Synerlec additive which gives the standard Royal Purple oil its remarkable film strength. It is in fact mineral oil with additives that contain high concentrations of some minerals that will promote the scuffing and mating process. While the beak-in period lasts only 3 to 5 hours, going through several heat cycles, this oil doesn’t have to be changed right away. It can be used for 2500 miles or so in an automobile engine or for 50 to 100 hours in a marine engine, whichever the engine manufacturer recommends.
Why Break-in Oil is so Special
Most manufactures of motor oil don’t make a special oil for engine break-in. The factis that many automobile engines are broken in at the factory and do not need a special break-in oil, and engine break-in oil is an exceedingly small market and the whole subject is confusing to most consumers.
But because Royal Purple’s mission in life is to create high-quality motor oils for people who want the every best for their engines, it formulates this special break-in oil in order that its loyal customers can get their engines started off right in life. Motor oil is Royal Purple’s only business.
To see BoatTEST’s test of an engine with Royal Purple and read other oil-related articles…