Rep Power: 424

So I hear 750 miles then change the oil is about what it takes to "break it in" persay, but I'm assuming that new car rules apply the same where you continue to take it easy. Basically what I want to figure out here is... say someone such as myself were to install a turbo, have it tuned, then 3 weeks later I took the car to the track for the weekend. By weekend I mean 3-4 hours of basically constant full boost, banging off the red line in 15 minute stints. Aside from the normal risk of blowing the whole kitten caboodle, could not a lot of miles cause damage to the turbo itself, in so far as it just not being broken in and the seals fully seated?
I assume it kinda works the same where the seals need break in time and all that, I just don't want to chance blowing it up by beating it senseless too soon.
Not dealing with a cheapie here.... GT28R, dual BB, H2O cooled, the works... I'm kinda assuming all this technology also means better tolerances and easy break in too.

 
Rep Power: 327

soon as i was tuned i was full boost ANYTIME i felt like it To my knowledge there isnt a break in period. I mean either its going to work or not. as for the seals i would assume the same. But im far from a turbo guru...... Are you getting close to done???

 
Rep Power: 424

Everything but the injectors (on their way out for cleaning tomorrow). Projected boost date is march 11.

 
Rep Power: 285

theres not really a break in period. I have always just driven the car like normal after tuning it and making sure its all proper.

I guess that adds up to about 50-60 miles.

 
Rep Power: 315

From my experience, mostly older cars, its more hours than miles. If you use the car for daily driving-commuter car-a week or two should be great.

 
Rep Power: 424

I don't DD the car. I take the metro to work. I suppose I can do laps around the beltway to break it in....

 
Rep Power: 315

Thats the DC roadrace track

 
Rep Power: 424

Oh god help me if there's ever that many idiots on a real race track.

 
Rep Power: 0

the break in period requires you to disconnect your oil lines to your turbo, rig the waste gate shut, and floor it as hard as you can with 87 octane in the tank before getting it tuned.

 
Rep Power: 327

 
Rep Power: 424

^^^I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I'll take the extra steps to tape off the radiator and loosen the spark plugs a little bit.

 
Rep Power: 315

NO NO NO
with boost you gotta tighten the spark plugs to 245 ft/lbs so they dont blow out!

 
Rep Power: 350

Mileage isn't what seats your seals. Heat does. It's not like when you install new rings and have them seat to the new hone.....

 
Rep Power: 306

No break in period. Think about it, ball bearings needing a break in? The only reason to break in a car is to seat the rings (metal surface) to the piston walls (another metal surface) for a good seal, basically the metal rubs against the metal to fit. What parts on a turbo actually touch? Nothing past the bearings.

I would drive a while to ensure that everything is tight. I have heard of the oil lines working loose and causing issues all the time, in fact this can lead to an engine fire. But other than the cool down period, I don't remember any thing relating to break in for the turbo.

 
Rep Power: 281

^lol

 
Rep Power: 424

Bearing ***** are steel. Bearing races in high heat applications also tend to be steel. Which is, needless to say, metal on metal. No matter how much they polish them up and make them match, they won't ever match microscopically, and the ***** tend to find a 'track' in the race which often requires a break in period where they kind of work a small groove into the race or at the very least rolling down little imperfections in the race OR if a groove is provided, they tend to "clean up the edges" persay as they roll, same thing, clearing up the high spots. So there IS a break in for bearings. Additionally, these BBs are oil cooled, and as such are open caged and oil needs to soak into all the little crevaces and seams within the bearing, as well as get worked into the track, which needless to say, doesn't happen instantly, the oil is also the dirt flusher for the bearings to keep crud out, which is part of the reason to change it so fast afterwards. (<---- I do patents for bearings, I've seen more of these things than anyone could care to).

So the turbo does need some breaking in. It may be that 10 miles is enough, but all parts need to have some sort of post assembly work in time.

The shaft passes through the seals which are of an unknown material to me, but some of these seals work off an oil film (given the fact that oil pressure is so critical through the turbo, my guess is this is how those seals function, given that excessive pressure tends to compromise the seal), which isn't present when the turbo is new, so whether it takes 4 seconds or 200 miles, I don't know the answer.

 
Rep Power: 297

Put a lil bit of oil in the turbo before you put it in so its not bone dry. Also when you first start the car, have someone hold the turbine from spinning for like 30 seconds, dont touch the throttle though! At idle the turbo will just freewheel allowing you to hold it back. The reason its good to do this is to allow oil to properly lubricate everything, eliminating the chance of any dry running time. As far as break in, I just beat the hell out of everything ASAP haha, so far no problems. Maybe drive it around for a lil bit without connecting the charge pipe to make sure everythings ok. It will be slow as all hell that way, but if you have any problems its much safer.

 
Rep Power: 327

i wouldnt recommend holding it with your fingers, maby a small piece of wood or something, JUST in case it spooled, I've seen pictures of what happends when your hand gets sucked in and its not a pretty picture

 
Rep Power: 285

it has tons of assembly lube in it, and it only takes a millisecond for the oil to get through the oil feed line to the turbo.

Just take the oil feed line off, squirt a bunch of oil in there, put the line back on, and you should be good.

 
Rep Power: 812

just make sure you do a long cool-down run after you're done beating it.

 
Rep Power: 301

let it cool down or u might do a lot of damage to the motor

 
Rep Power: 295

on new bikes, you want to beat it in as if you are racing it. many people have done this and have gotten higher dyno #'s. WOT then oil change.

 
Rep Power: 607

I laid off the throttle pretty good and didn't jump on it for about 400-500 miles.

 
Rep Power: 584

i dont know about just installing the turbo, but for my rebuilt, its a 500-1000 mile break in with crap oil, after the break in, changing oil to royal purple