tanis4457
Well-Known Member
I noticed with the Joe Gibbs BR break in oil, they recommend getting the temp up to 180F prior to firing. Does anyone do this if so, what method? Pot of hot water with the quarts in there? Thanks
you can install a "soft plug" heater. My 79 300 w/360 came with one, as an option, from the factory. they also make heater blankets you can place on the outside of your oil pan. I don't know that they will get to 180 degrees, though.I noticed with the Joe Gibbs BR break in oil, they recommend getting the temp up to 180F prior to firing. Does anyone do this if so, what method? Pot of hot water with the quarts in there? Thanks
My understanding from repeated readings of scientific descriptions is that it is pressure that primarily promotes the formation of ZDDP protective films. And I've seen nothing saying it simply won't work at much lower temps; just that it forms a film faster at some higher temps.I understand the zinc isnt active until a certain temp. Or something to that effect???
Is the idea for reduced friction from the oil being thinner, thus flowing better?I've worked in Dyno for 38 yrs for one of the Big 3. It's to reduce friction on start up. If your OCD it does work. But over kill.
We had one of Driven's techs at our shop during a dyno session with John McGann of Car Craft, running a sb mopar. The tech told us the reason they like to see 180° is they claim that's when the additives "work" or "energize". Nothing was said about heating the oil prior to startup...and he was there for that. And once the oil reached 180°, they attach themselves to the metal parts of the engine helping reduce startup wear. Was interesting.Kats sells a magnetic heater, that you can stick on the oil pan.
I use it in the dead of winter help my old stuff start easier.
It runs around $30 bucks and can be used on anything like thawing water pipes etc.
I am far from a petrochemical engineer, but I do build drones which use high performance piston engines. We do use the Joe Gibbs break in oil when breaking in engines. We do not pre-heat the oil, and the engineer in charge of the engines is as anal as all get out.
Our protocols do call for warming up the engines at specific rpm settings prior to flight. As well as changing oil between flights.
These drones do operate in environments with a bit more sand than the average American muscle car experiences, and they do just fine.
Plenty of people break in flat tappet cams every day without pre-heating the damn oil.
Preheat your oil, or not. It's your call.
Just to throw in some data here. I own a NASCAR Stock Car built by Bill Davis Racing that was campaigned by Ward Burton back in the early 2000's. It has a Pontiac 355 siamese block with a dry sump and external oil pump. It is a REQUIREMENT to heat the oil to 180 degrees (all 4 gallons of it) on start up, and even spin that external pump up to 20-30 psi oil pressure for a bit before the starter is engaged. Another racecar I have (2014 Radical) also has an oil heater on board for its Hayabusa four cylinder that has the same requirement before start up (heat to 180). Both cars are fitted with electric probes in the oil sumps. Yes they do it in F1, and any other close tolerance race series engine. Why? Well it does aid in flow, plus it gets the race engine to temperature and ready for RPM much quicker. I am not so sure it "activates" any molecules in the zinc or the like. But it is a real thing. Operating temperature (180) is ideal for a lot of things. They don't like being cold, or too hot. So getting it to 180 before even starting it would be beneficial.
times change, opinions change. When I was in HS, it was enough to just get a good cross-hatch on the cylinders, then a few years later, people were honing with head torque plates, then it was honing machines, then it was mirror finishes in the cylinders for moly rings, then it was running hot water thru the blocks while honing. My point is what seems over the top now, may be common practice in another decade or two.I have no problem with that. Its just a data point for reference Vs plain old naysayers.
Just to throw in some data here. I own a NASCAR Stock Car built by Bill Davis Racing that was campaigned by Ward Burton back in the early 2000's. It has a Pontiac 355 siamese block with a dry sump and external oil pump. It is a REQUIREMENT to heat the oil to 180 degrees (all 4 gallons of it) on start up, and even spin that external pump up to 20-30 psi oil pressure for a bit before the starter is engaged. Another racecar I have (2014 Radical) also has an oil heater on board for its Hayabusa four cylinder that has the same requirement before start up (heat to 180). Both cars are fitted with electric probes in the oil sumps. Yes they do it in F1, and any other close tolerance race series engine. Why? Well it does aid in flow, plus it gets the race engine to temperature and ready for RPM much quicker. I am not so sure it "activates" any molecules in the zinc or the like. But it is a real thing. Operating temperature (180) is ideal for a lot of things. They don't like being cold, or too hot. So getting it to 180 before even starting it would be beneficial.