M10 break in smoke

[e21Luis]

So i got my car back today after this engine was installed with new bearings, reringed, and had the head serviced and ive driven it for about 15 miles at different rpms and sometimes i see a cloud of smoke in my rear view mirror upon deceleration.

I used a zddp oil 15-40 that was recommended and used 5 qts.

I was just wondering if this might be normal and should just drive it more and wait for everything to seat right. I feel some blowby as well.

[Yonkers320is]

So i got my car back today after this engine was installed with new bearings, reringed, and had the head serviced and ive driven it for about 15 miles at different rpms and sometimes i see a cloud of smoke in my rear view mirror upon deceleration.

I used a zddp oil 15-40 that was recommended and used 5 qts.

I was just wondering if this might be normal and should just drive it more and wait for everything to seat right. I feel some blowby as well.

5 qts? Is not too much?

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[Yonkers320is]

So i got my car back today after this engine was installed with new bearings, reringed, and had the head serviced and ive driven it for about 15 miles at different rpms and sometimes i see a cloud of smoke in my rear view mirror upon deceleration.

I used a zddp oil 15-40 that was recommended and used 5 qts.

I was just wondering if this might be normal and should just drive it more and wait for everything to seat right. I feel some blowby as well.

15 miles is nothing, do at least 500 to seat the rings

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[jbowen944]

M10 engines run 4 quarts, not 5. If that's not a typo, drain and refill with 4 quarts.

[epmedia]

After proper oil quantity, check the calibration of the dipstick marks too, maybe the dipstick and/or tube is not set proper.

[autox320]

So i got my car back today after this engine was installed with new bearings, reringed, and had the head serviced and ive driven it for about 15 miles at different rpms and sometimes i see a cloud of smoke in my rear view mirror upon deceleration.

I used a zddp oil 15-40 that was recommended and used 5 qts.

I was just wondering if this might be normal and should just drive it more and wait for everything to seat right. I feel some blowby as well.

Agree check oil level is correct first. Excess oil can end up ingested into the intake and or whipped by the crank underside of the rings. Then I'd check and monitor to see if losing oil or brake fluid. Sometimes a faulty brake booster will allow the engine to suck in fluid through the vac hose. Seen as white smoke on deceleration. New rings seat very fast usually the first few miles. Clutches take 250-500mi. If losing oil on decel was the head done? Sounds like valve guides or seals IMO. If rings it would be smoking while driving most of the time.

In the end if can't find anything else, it is possible could be rings themselves. Correct set installed?, installed top side up?, and gaped correctly?. Ask the builder to verify.

[jclausen]

It took my BMW r1100gs 15k to quit using oil then i switched to the redline oil. It takes a bit to break in and seat. And remember to talk with the shop that just did the work, I'm sure they have a warranty on the work. If you have questions, ask them.

[e21Luis]

I was babying it yesterday for like 3 heat cycles and 15 miles and varying rpms (less then 4.5k rpms). Today i changed the oil and drove it on 3 heat cycles at no more then 6k rpms and engine braking. I still see the smoke only when i engine brake above 3k rpms.

I called the machine shop said it takes about 500 miles to 2k for everything to break in.

I do have a cooked brake booster i believe because the engine stumbles under hard to moderate braking and if i pump the brakes at idle. I also noticed yesterday my vacuum advance isnt working. While recording my smoke does look like its black then puffs of blue at the end of the revs.

Im picking up a new advance this weekend and ill continue to monitor it.

[autox320]

I was babying it yesterday for like 3 heat cycles and 15 miles and varying rpms (less then 4.5k rpms). Today i changed the oil and drove it on 3 heat cycles at no more then 6k rpms and engine braking. I still see the smoke only when i engine brake above 3k rpms.

I called the machine shop said it takes about 500 miles to 2k for everything to break in.

I do have a cooked brake booster i believe because the engine stumbles under hard to moderate braking and if i pump the brakes at idle. I also noticed yesterday my vacuum advance isnt working. While recording my smoke does look like its black then puffs of blue at the end of the revs.

Im picking up a new advance this weekend and ill continue to monitor it.

Always been a fan of hard break in of a new engine. Most are scared of doing it and I get it. New motor, spent so much time on it etc. "owners manual" approach is not a good example of break in. But if don't put enough load on it in the very beginning of it's life (minutes after first start and first warm up) the power potential of ring seal falls off dramatically. Sure it will eventually seal, but never make as much power as a quick harder break in approach. 50-80% load, then WOT pulls, through rev range and deceleration in the first minutes. Rings should seat easily in low double digit miles not hundreds. By time you baby it or reach hundreds of miles there's nothing happening.

some references beyond motoman lol (old net people criticized but he was right)
https://www.jepistons.com/blog/how-t...k-in-an-engine
https://www.enginelabs.com/news/disp...mance-academy/

[cgifool]

I heard the saying once, "break it in fast, it'll run fast, break it in long, it'll run long".

Thanks for the explanation, I never understood why.

[autox320]

I heard the saying once, "break it in fast, it'll run fast, break it in long, it'll run long".

Thanks for the explanation, I never understood why.

Trust me I get antsy too and eyes squint on first start and first runs. But I feel it's just gotta be done this way to be "worth it". As my Dad always reminds me before I hit the key for the first warm up and drive on a brand new build. "If it's gonna blow up it's gonna be in the first 20mins" Never baby it IMO. It's always nerve racking rethinking everything. Watching temps and oil pressures etc at the same time.

[320iAman]

BMW 320i(N Am version), 316, 320/320A,320i E21's 4.46 quarts( 7.44 Imp Pints, 4.25 L) when renewing the oil filter or 4 1/2 quarts with new oil filter not 4 or 5 quarts and 20w-50 Motor oil or equivalent or better 10w-40 is kinda light.

Break in of the new rebuilt motor is within a few seconds to few seconds more after initial start up,cylinder compression stabilizes very fast and initial wear equally as fast or very close , the 500 miles is when you change the oil filter and oil to get rid of the metal shavings that are created during initial start up with engine start up lube plus move the speed up and down during this time to get everything seated. Some rebuilders change the oil, filter and oil pan gasket( wipe the oil pan as well) after running the motor for a few hours and then its good to go.

Y'all have seen this a thousand times--dragsters and funny cars rebuild completely during runs and 1st starts at the starting lines then burnouts to heat up the tires for better traction, this has happened plenty ... they dont worry about shavings.


Randy