Hard or soft? By tankrider (Read 962 times)

[tankrider]

So what is the general consensus? Hard or soft break-in on a new motor? Change the oil after the first 50 miles? I didn't even start it today until I changed the factory oil.

[tvnacman]

changing the oil was smart , I feel be firm during break in . Then again I ride hard . the key to good breakin is short trips don't over rev it . let it cool down in between .

john

[tankrider]

Since I ride hard also I've been thinking along the lines of a hard breakin. It's 18 miles one way to work and the average speed is 45-60 mph with no more than 3-4 stop signs (lights) in between. Definitely will break it in then change the oil again before I ride it to work.

[JR]

I've always had mixed emotion you know the kind of like watching your mom-in-law drive over the edge of a cliff in YOUR brand new Cadillac!

I got scooters rode them around town up and down from 30 MPH to 55 MPH drained the oil at 100 miles and then rode them like I wanted to, never a issue.

JR

[tvnacman]

As far as oil changes go , dump the china oil ride 100 miles , dump and ride to 300 miles , dump ride to 500 , dump change it at 1000 , dump change it every 1000 after that . I do the trans oil at the same time every time . I look at the oil for metalic particals . You should check your valves again at 500 . check your exaust bolts now and then , listen to your engine for exaust noise . I keep plenty spare parts that are tested , some I sell . Any part that is under $10 bucks I have spares , waiting 2 or 3 weeks for some small part is very frustrating , when you can't use your scooter .

John

[kz1000st]

Despite what Motoman says I've always been a fan of soft break in. Most manuals will tell you what the manufacturer recommends, even the Chinese. I live by one motto, "Speed Kills". In this case, engine speed. An engine revved to death won't outlive a moderately spun motor.

[yoster]

So here's the deal, and the standard in the marine industry. I use marine as the comparison because the engines in boats and our scooters spend time in similar RPM ranges (not the physical number, but the constant aspec of it.. i.e.: no shifting.)

Hard or soft, what you DON'T want to do is spend time at a constant RPM. That's the WORST thing you could do. So, do not get on the scooter, and drive 10 miles every day at 4k rpm. You want to mix it up.

When the fam was involved more in boat sales and people would ask how to break in their new Four Winns, we'd tell them.. take the kids out tubing. Not skiing or wakebaording (unless you're teaching somone..aka.. they're going to fall) but tubing. The on, off, on, off is what you're looking for in RPM's. Main thing is let the engine warm up first.

More and more manufactures are going to this method as 'the' method.. the Marine industry already has. They'll cavrate to stay about 1k under max RPM, but they will also tell you that it's fine to 'nail it' (pull skiiers out,) just don't let it wind up real high for awhile. Now that's not entirely true today.. that was 10 years ago. More and more manufactures today, due to better engineering and design standards, feel NO break-in is necessary. I wouldn't go as far to recommend that with these China scoots though. And again, on off on off the throttle. When you go "on" don't be afraid to hit it hard.. you don't need to let it wind up to get on it.

For my break in, I rode around town first 200 miles in stop-and-go traffic, taking off quickly from stop signs and lights. After the 250, I did the same thing, only at higher speeds (40mph with quick bursts to 55, then back to 40.)

[terrilee]

i've only broken in Chrissy, so im not a expert
BUT she now has over 7500 miles in 2 .2 years
only prob i ever had was a bad stator.

i believe in the soft /hard approach

which is never staying at a constant RPM
always very it 2k-4k-3k-4k u get the idea.

change oil every 100 miles ( what,,, its $6 ? )
till 500 then every 250-300 till u get to 1000
then switch to synthetic
and then change when it begins to looks dirty.
oil is the blood of a scoot--good clean oil, good clean arteries .

but im just some dumb redhead so what do i know?
well i know i have 7500k on a china scoot in 2 years

[Luke]

hard or soft, it don't really matter, in my own opinion(and i believe it's a fact), all new cars,mc,scooters,boat,trucks,plane etc that is subjected to a break in period should use this of product,i know not all plugs fits but the idea of this product is clever..----->

[tankrider]

I put 50 miles on it around the neighborhood and town then drained the oil last night. No tiny steel pieces in the drain plug but a thin piece of aluminum about half the size of a dime was between the screen and the drain plug. I'm thinking and hoping it was just a piece of the casting that didn't get removed and flaked off. Going to run it into Boise tomorrow to help the brother work on his scoot then change the oil again when I get home and see if I have anymore surprises.

I have a little magnet about half the size of an eraser on a pencil. It's strong enough to pick up a 5/8 wrench. Thinking of JB welding to in the bottom of my drain plug at the next oil change. I know it won't pick up the aluminum, but it will stop any tiny steel pieces from making it through the screen. Any thoughts?