Type of oil for breaking in a Diesel engine...-gctid385882

[Guest]

In a few days, I need to decide what type of oil I should purchase for breaking in my new Perkins 4.108. I read numerous technical documents and forum posts indicating synthetic oil is a poor choice due to its increased lubricity properties not allowing the rings to become seated properly. I've also read that this is a myth -- as many newer synthetic oils are designed to be used in the engine when it is fresh out of the crate. In fact, Mobil and Havoline make this claim on their web sites.

I even came across an engine break-in additive. This is the first time I've heard of such a thing.

The Perkins workshop manual does not specify a specific oil for the break in period. The engine was manufactured in the 1990's and has not been put into service yet. It has only had a few hours of bench test time recently.

By the way, the break-in period for this engine will be no different than when I use it as I normally would for cruising. I plan on running at a constant 2400-2600 RPM's, which is what is needed for the break in.

I'm inclined to use 30 weight non-detergent oil and switch to Amsoil after the break-in period. Any thoughts/suggestions/warnings? Thanks in advance...

[Guest]

I think I'd use 15W-40 Shell Rotella for break in and for ever.

The new Volvo big blocks I put into my 3888 were shipped with straight 30 weight Volvo-brand true synthetic in them, and that's all I was supposed to use. I would think synthetic is A-OK for your Perkins, but also not necessary.

[edit: corrected the oil viscosity. Not sure why I had 20W/40. Should be 15W/40

[Guest]

whiskywizard wrote:
I think I'd use 20W-40 Shell Rotella for break in and for ever.

The new Volvo big blocks I put into my 3888 were shipped with straight 30 weight Volvo-brand true synthetic in them, and that's all I was supposed to use. I would think synthetic is A-OK for your Perkins, but also not necessary.

+1. Whatever you use for the engine, use it for the break-in. If you're concerned with faster break-in, go with a dino instead of a synthetic if synthetic is your final plan, but on a summer boat I'd run only dino and toss it at the end of the season.

Either way, the Perkins will outlast your interest in the boat

[Guest]

Chevron delo, 15/40 is what we ran in are perkins 4-108, delo is also what i run in all my cummins, all the old timers swear by it

[Guest]

To break in You should change oil frequently.IMO use the lite oil first hours then slowely go with heavier one.15W40 is standard for diesel for permament use.that`s what im using with over 200000 miles

[bhawes]

Ed, you mentioned that you will run your engine at a constant speed during break in. Any manual that I've read always advises varying your engine rpm during break in, giving your rings a chance to seat at a few different speeds. Are diesels different? I'm running a Duramax in my GM and it was well broken in before I got hold of it, so not sure how it was broken in. 15-40 seems to be the recommended oil.

[JimMc]

Perkins is still in business. Why not find out their recommendation, both for oil and a break-in procedure ?

[NeilW]

I had a 4-108 in my last sailboat, good engine. I would run 15/40 Delo or Shell, both are good and make sure you keep the new diesel under load to seat the rings properly. Since you live in Walnut Grove, you can call Brian at British Marine in Oakland as he is the Perkins dealer if you have more questions, he knows these engines very well

[Guest]

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in! Delo 15/40 seems to be a popular choice among Perkins 4.108 owners. I have come across lots of them using it religiously. But as far as a break-in oil, there is one concern I have. Being that the Delo 15/40 is a detergent oil, will the increased lubricity hinder the seating of the rings? I realize increased lubricity has its virtues; but for seating cast iron rings, will it hinder the process?

[Guest]

Astral Blue wrote:
Thanks to everyone who has chimed in! Delo 15/40 seems to be a popular choice among Perkins 4.108 owners. I have come across lots of them using it religiously. But as far as a break-in oil, there is one concern I have. Being that the Delo 15/40 is a detergent oil, will the increased lubricity hinder the seating of the rings? I realize increased lubricity has its virtues; but for seating cast iron rings, will it hinder the process?

Neil has the answer, above. You don't seat rings by using inferior oil. You seat rings by alternating between low-load cool down cycles and high load cycles that elevate cylinder pressures. Vary RPMs frequently, with occasional runs to higher revs.

[Guest]

I would use a cheap oil, and make sure you load it hard the first few hours. I worked for Cat in the late 80's early 90's and we had issues with Perkins 4.236's and early 1000 series engines not breaking in in backhoe loaders. The root cause was the honing process used by Perkins combined with new high tech oils and light loads. They later changed the hone type.

As a remedy, Cat engineers did indeed spec the "worst" oil they could find for an initial fill at PDI. It was Rotella 'S'. Rotella S had the lowest TBN number and worst additive package of any oil at the time.

For any slobberers that were in customer hands - we tore the engines down and honed them and re-ringed (different rings too as I recall).

The problem in the backhoe application was duty cycle. Customers who lightly loaded the engines in the first 10 or 20 hours could never get the rings to seat. Perkins did not anticipate the evolution of oil and light loads.

Deere still use a break in oil for the first 100 hours in some construction machines- I wonder if a Deere dealer can get it.

[Guest]

here's a link to the part number for the Deere break in oil:

http://www.frontierpower.com/service/breakinoil.htm

[Guest]

Here is a screenshot from the Perkins 4.108 workshop manual. There are two paragraphs in the entire manual regarding engine break-in. I must have read past it a hundred times -- as the British refer to the break-in period as "Running In.' Go figur

[img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/690427=28267-Perkins Engine Break-In.jpg[/img]According to this, running the engine as I normally intend to do is essentially breaking it in. They mention nothing about varying RPM's and the process through which rings are set. Interesting that they spend so little time on it, whereas improper break-in procedures could seriously compromise the engine.

[Guest]

if it were any other brand from any other era, I wouldn't take any special precautions. If it were me, I'd go for the Deere stuff for the first 25 or 50 hours.

However, my experience was with a different model Perkins engine from that era so it may be a non issue. However, the honing process was the root. I remember the term "Plateau Honing" but can't recall if that was the problem or the fix.... I think it was the problem. I think they used a finer hone to break the scoring lines or something leaving the cuts less sharp- sort of knocking them off to create a plateau effect on the liners.

I do recall the users who put their backhoes to production work early on tended to have no problems. Those backhoes had a 25% duty cycle on the engine if you didn't use the loader end. They had to run the HP race in that market so the machine had a 90HP diesel, yet with load sensing hydraulics, you could dig with the back end all day and never pull more than 45HP out of the engine. Only when the customers used the loader combining transmission power and hydraulic power, did the rings seat.

[Guest]

Varying the RPM during break in is always a good idea. I figure my new engine will get broken in during crab season next year, as the short cruise out, then going slow to pick a spot, drop pot, and cruise to the next spot is perfect for break in. The other replies got you covered on oil(Delo or Rotella).