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Breakin Procedure!?

wizard8575

wizard8575

Active member
So this is the first I have heard of the extensive process for some reason. I keep leaning toward this being the reason my power head keeps failing. What do you guys think?
DMI_break-in.jpg
 
That's the procedure I followed for my last 90hp powerhead. About 50 hours on it so far and all seems well. I also removed the oil injection and premix in the tank to be sure an oil injection failure doesn't lead to powerhead failure.
 
Oh, noticed it said TCII, don't think it's still available. I use Mercury Premium Plus 2-Cycle TC3 oil.

What part of the breakin procedure are you questioning?
 
First I have heard of doing this on a 2 stroke and I have gone through 3 power heads now probably since this was not done.
 
As far as I know that's the standard break in with any 2 stroke, with my 220 I mixed the oil that way and took it easy the first few hours changing the speed, I did take it to WOT pretty much right from the start just for short bursts, used it every weekend last year with no problems.

Any new snowmobile that I have bought comes with similar break-in instructions also.
 
wizard8575 said:
First I have heard of doing this on a 2 stroke and I have gone through 3 power heads now probably since this was not done.
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Ouuchhh. :irked: I can't believe that no one you got the powerheads from "splained" this to you. I've heard that if they are not broken in per procedure (which is critical), and more importantly fix the reason the powerhead had to be replaced (ie, carb issues, etc) the engine will never be right.

Strangely, too, at times (I know this won't be popular on this site), I've actually tried to "baby" my engine and not run at WOT all the time when travelling distances. More than one qualified source has told me that 3-4Krpm is much harder on a 2-stroke than 5Krpm. Hard for me to understand. Something about risks of a cylinder running lean in the midrange? :confused:

Always good learning someting new.
 
82Diplomat said:
More than one qualified source has told me that 3-4Krpm is much harder on a 2-stroke than 5Krpm. Hard for me to understand. Something about risks of a cylinder running lean in the midrange? :confused:
Click to expand...

I have had a few different snowmobiles that a cylinder locked (seized) up on, all of them happened while running in the mid range on a trail just taking it easy, I couldn't understand why and the mechanic at the Polaris dealer told me the same thing what you said, I have never blow one up with the throttle taped to the handle bars at 8200rpm for a long distance like I usually run:D
 
Exactly. Guess it's just my 4-stroke "cruising" kind of thinking. Since taking their advice I actually think with my Sportjet that I get more miles per gallon at WOT too. But it does take at least 3500rpm to stay on plane even with my Smart Tabs.
 
"the throttle taped to the handle bars at 8200rpm".

That brings back memories of my wife & I on a friend's John Deere Liquifire sled back in the 1980s. 109mph across a frozen lake if I remember right (at night) and we just missed several hundred yards of open black water...that somehow we never saw. God was good that night. :bounce:
 
82Diplomat said:
"the throttle taped to the handle bars at 8200rpm".

That brings back memories of my wife & I on a friend's John Deere Liquifire sled back in the 1980s. 109mph across a frozen lake if I remember right (at night) and we just missed several hundred yards of open black water...that somehow we never saw. God was good that night. :bounce:
Click to expand...

That's hauling the mail on one of those ice buckets:poke:there not as forgiving as the new stuff is when you hit a ice heave.;)
 
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82Diplomat said:
"the throttle taped to the handle bars at 8200rpm".

That brings back memories of my wife & I on a friend's John Deere Liquifire sled back in the 1980s. 109mph across a frozen lake if I remember right (at night) and we just missed several hundred yards of open black water...that somehow we never saw. God was good that night. :bounce:
Click to expand...

***Post edited by user - not interested in getting into a pissing contest...
 
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chrispallen said:
Here we go....

Liquifire came in a 340 and 440, and the 440 only had 58 hp...
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So you're not gonna ruin my story are ya? I remember the speedo was over 100 and bouncing near 110. I know this was before GPS but could it have been that far off?:eyecrazy:

I know when my face shield on my helmet flipped back it snapped my neck so hard that I needed some extra beverages to numb the pain.

And the football field-sized open water with whitecaps at night is still something I'll never forget. When we carefully went back and looked, our tracks passed within 3 feet of it. :rof:

Jumping the ice shifts...that was fun except when the back of the sled landed in open water and fortunately danced across... :bounce:
 
Book of Jim, Acceleration and Defying Gravity chapter, seems to be vindicated here. The harder you drive it, the better it runs:D.
 
The latest JD liquifire 440 was low 60's hp and had a top speed of 70-80 mph on good hard packed snow, still hauling the mail on a sled like that with no suspension IMO, sounds like a good time, on a lake it would be possible for the track to spin and show faster than you are actually going, my 2008 700 with 140 hp and some add on's would only do 107 on gps, it was more setup for acceleration than top speed but I'm sure you get what I'm saying.

sorry for the hi-jack
 
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Getting back on topic.... I was told by Wayne Camino who is rebuilding my power head that even without a proper break-in procedure he isn't 100% confident on full throttle runs but it is possible when treated right. As long as all condition timing fuel and cooling are good it can be done. However without proper break-in full throttle runs are not safe at all obviously. I had it out twice the first time was on a rough lake so w/o was not possible, the second was on a smooth lake and after about 15-20 minutes of w/o it burned up.
 
Im Sending my 150 inline to Wayne also here really soon to have it freshend up for my Vmate I project . I just have to strip it down crate it up and send it down too him ...
 
wizard8575 said:
Getting back on topic.... I was told by Wayne Camino who is rebuilding my power head that even without a proper break-in procedure he isn't 100% confident on full throttle runs but it is possible when treated right. As long as all condition timing fuel and cooling are good it can be done. However without proper break-in full throttle runs are not safe at all obviously. I had it out twice the first time was on a rough lake so w/o was not possible, the second was on a smooth lake and after about 15-20 minutes of w/o it burned up.
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Glad we are back on topic here. I had wondered about your break in process, after hearing about all your problems. I had a Sea-Doo motor rebuilt a few years ago, he told me to go heavy on the oil, vary the RPMs, and not go over half throttle for the first several hours of run time. I wanted SOOOO bad to hammer on it, but didnt, never had a problem.
 
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