Best startup and break in procedure for the 7.3?

rustbucket · Jan 18, 2014

ToMang07 said:
Anyone who I've talked to about building a race or competition motor did it like this. Short idle period and then beat the piss out of it....the key being varying the RPM. Of course this is not necessarily on Diesel motors....but I imagine the idea is the same.

This^^^^ like stated before the only thing to break-in is the rings and cylinder pressure is wait breaks in rings.

littleredstroker · Jan 23, 2014

When they rebuild motors at CAT here in town, they start up, let run and check for leaks, add to fluid levels if needed then after its reached operating temp it goes to full load full throttle for a couple hours... pretty cool to see a big 12 putting down 4300horse and 12500 tq

Magnum PD · Jan 23, 2014

Dang.

mondtster · Jan 24, 2014

Magnum PD said:
Dang.

You act surprised. That's how it's done in many places.

Strokersace · Jan 24, 2014

I've done 4 sets of ARP studs. 2 were with new headgaskets and 2 were replacing 1 by 1. These were all 7.3's. Never once did I do a hot retorque on them. If installed properly and with a 4th torque stage at 125lbs above the recommended 3 stages are, there isn't an issue. I took my time and waited at least 30 minutes between stages too. The least amount of miles since studs on one of the motors was 20,000. Pulling a heavy load for nearly every bit of it. The other motors have 30-40K with pulling loads and everything's good so far. I did drive them easier for the 1st couple hundred miles just to make sure things were ok though. Maybe I had good luck, idk. And these motors were also NOT complete bottom up rebuilds either. So take it for what its worth.

I believe ARP is the only one that doesn't require a retorque.

littleredstroker · Jan 24, 2014

I also know that my grandmother bought a brand new chevy Tahoe bout ten years ago.. She followed the break in procedure which consisted of babying it for 200miles, then never driving over 55 mph for another 500 .. that thing was the biggest gutless pile of junk, 6mpg , no power and she had nothing but issues with the motor..

two years later she trades in on a brand new Tahoe again with the same motor, father told her to drive it like she aint got a dime in it. she rodded the piss out of that thing for 300 miles and changed the oil. That one got 15-16 and could actually pass someone on the highway .

fastersteve · Jan 24, 2014

littleredstroker said:
When they rebuild motors at CAT here in town, they start up, let run and check for leaks, add to fluid levels if needed then after its reached operating temp it goes to full load full throttle for a couple hours... pretty cool to see a big 12 putting down 4300horse and 12500 tq

This.
Warm it up, then twist it's tail.

Magnum PD · Jan 24, 2014

mondtster said:
You act surprised. That's how it's done in many places.

I was referring to the HP.

A lot of different suggestions to do it

So far I plan on getting Jason's engine and trans stand, get it started up with cheap oil, run it at a high idle for about a half hour, then do hot retorque, and drop oil. Drop engine in truck, then put some boost on it, cycle from 1000 to 3500 rpms a couple times. Change oil after a 1000 miles then put synthetic oil in.

What say y'all?

littleredstroker · Jan 25, 2014

Magnum PD said:
I was referring to the HP.

A lot of different suggestions to do it

So far I plan on getting Jason's engine and trans stand, get it started up with cheap oil, run it at a high idle for about a half hour, then do hot retorque, and drop oil. Drop engine in truck, then put some boost on it, cycle from 1000 to 3500 rpms a couple times. Change oil after a 1000 miles then put synthetic oil in.

What say y'all?

I'd put it in, warm it up, and drive it like you stole it...

Smoked a bit
Turbo lit
That was it

oldschool · Jan 25, 2014

find a trailer loaded heavy, find some hills. Once it's warmed up, levels checked, drive it like ya don't have a dime in it. I've inframed engines in the field on big iron. We'd get them running, check levels, and put them to work. change oil after the first shift, do oil samples and forget about them.

Arisley · Jan 25, 2014

oldschool said:
find a trailer loaded heavy, find some hills. Once it's warmed up, levels checked, drive it like ya don't have a dime in it. I've inframed engines in the field on big iron. We'd get them running, check levels, and put them to work. change oil after the first shift, do oil samples and forget about them.

There is the way to do it. These motors are built to work, not putt around at idle.

slim613 · Feb 5, 2014

subscribe for info! thanks

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slim613 · Feb 5, 2014

i know its for another forum but check this out Its LONG but is an AMAZING read talked about why you do the things u need to do with a engine with "keystone" rings like the 7.3 has

http://www.fordtruckfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=321

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