Tuned! 332whp! My Engine Build - Cams, Airbox, LTW Flyhweel & more :)

[Syfon]

I've now driven ~100km since first start. Changed the oil three times so far. Same oil each time + new filter.

After the first ~30minute run in, I dropped the oil and noticed a decent amount of metallic particles at the bottom of the oil pan. Normal from what I understand as all surfaces ae saying hello for first time.

I went for a ~15km drive followed by dropping the oil again. There were still metal particles, however less than before. I did see 2 or 3 miniscule copper pieces. I can't be sure it isn't from the bearings, however, I did not replace my oil cooler; it was cleaned/flushed by the machine shop and I flushed it again with high pressure water. Maybe there was some left over copper floating in the oil cooler from the spun bearing. Furthermore, I can not be sure how thoroughly the block was cleaned. IMHO it is possible there was still some shit stuck in oil gallies or the cooler.

Went for a decent drive late last night. Up some good size hills, loading it in 3rd & 4th gear up to ~4k rpm, 1/2 - 2/3 throttle. No unusual noises. No knocking.

I'm going to drop the oil tonight and inspect for metal particulate contamination once again. The current lot of oil should have ~100km on it by the time I change it this evening.

For those whom have recently rebuilt their S54, what did you find in the oil after the initial start-up and run, and then after your first drive & oil change?

I have been reading a lot of forums (any and every performance car out there) and a lot of people whom have rebuilt their own motors were finding metallic particles in their oil for up the first 1,0000 miles, although it was less and less with each oil change (some of these people changed their oil 4 or 5 times in that first 1,000 miles to inspect for contamination). Everything I've read suggests this is normal wear as all new surfaces find their place, especially given I'm using a mineral oil allowing surfaces to "bed-in".

I did check my oil with a magnet fyi. No particles are magnetic. My guess is their Aluminium?

I'm speculating a bit here. Just want to be sure this motor won't go bang and need another rebuild...

[Thoglan]

STAATS We don't change out oil after every drive because the material build up is minimal. This is not true when breaking an engine in. Especially when running a non synthetic. Given how mine looked with synthetic after 850km, a 500km interval seems more appropriate for non synthetic. At the cost of something like $50 it seems a no brainer for the precaution on an engine that's probably had closing in on 10k spent on it.

Had I taken my oil out at 500km it would have a metallic sheen. Yes. But less. Less risk to the engine. even if it was the case that your oil was full after 500km and you changed the oil on the second interval and it was clear. Then you could have swapped to 10w60 sooner as it appears the break in has essentially done. But even then, getting that oil out of the engine 500km earlier would be worth 50 dollars in my mind.

Atleast for me, changing twice after 500km is well below the 'practical limit' when breaking in an expensive engine that's been 2 years or so in the making for OP. Each to their own I suppose.

[STAATS]

Not really. As a general rule you don't want material in your oil. It's bad for the engine. It gets drawn through the head, the cams, all the oil galleys etc. Having foreign material hinders protection and can cause damage. However, this material is essentially an unavoidable biproduct of running an engine in obviously. If you buy into the whole non synthetic idea then you want the wear properties of the oil, but you really don't want the material that comes out because you do not have the protective oil (synthetic) to stop the damage from it. Changing the oil halfway essentially means you retain the same wear properties of the oil you're putting in but it's cleaner.

Personally, I am beyond glad I used synthetic. Earlier in this thread it was said that synthetic would stop the rings from wearing into the bores. Intuitively this sounded wrong, but I didn't know any better. After seeing the oil come out, it's pretty safe to say that is bollocks. Non synthetics offer bugger all protection in these engines with how small the tolerances are and I can't imagine the amount of material it would be carrying after 1000km would be good for the engine. Seems a safe bet to swap it out half way since you're running an oil which will do nothing to stop block and ring material causing damage to polished cam and crank journals at essentially no cost to the non synthetic superstition. Unless the superstition is that you want the non synthetic oil to wear the rings and bore down so that the freed material can wear everything else down in an unmeasurable and unpredictable way, in which case... that seems a little far fetched.

I mean okay sure, you are right, I'm not going to sit here and argue against a true statement of facts - but applying the facts to that level is just like why don't we all always change our oil after every drive? There is a practical limit and I just think the idea that you change oil even earlier than the already extremely quick turn around cycle of 1000kms is somewhat misguided. I mean so what it had a mild metallic sheen? If you took it at 500kms it probs would have had a sheen as well... how far down the rabbit hole do you want to go? That's basically the basis for the ~1000km/1000mi run-in period it is a basic balance between how much build up there would be and how acceptable that would be vs how often you flush it... My oil came out with a metallic sheen and came in perfectly acceptable under Oil Analysis. Do you have Oil Analysis from yours to show whether or not the sheen you witnessed was actually of concern or not?
Changing oil sooner than the regularly accepted 1000km/1000mi mark I have only ever seen applied to race engines that are run in on a bench through a specific run-in cycle...

Now obviously the above was a big rant, but at the end of the day it is your engine, I'm not a keyboard warrior trying to convince you to do one thing or another, everyone is perfectly entitles to do whatever they want to their own engine and I fully support that... as crazy as some peoples decisions are (thats not a backhanded dig at you)... I just wanted to provide a ying opinion to your yang statement around oil changes earlier than the regular run in interval... So I'm not here to fight you, just want to provide a counterpoint.

I personally used non-synthetic... but I am not overly attached to any of the superstitions. It was more a practicality and cost thing... Andrew Lang backed the use of synthetic for run-in and the 1000miles run-in period and he was the one who had built my engine... which is somewhat of a funny story on its own as i have actually rebuilt engines (although namely they were CBR600RR motors) before and I didn't rebuild my own vs some of you rebuilding your S54 as your first build haha...

[Thoglan]

If you are running non-synthetic then you are already playing into the superstition so stay the course for the 1000km... The basis of the theory for non-synthetic is that it isn't as "slippery" (as synthetic) and hence allows the piston rings to seat better... that's literally why it gets full of material, that is the point, as long as that material is piston ring material and not bearing material then you are doing it right... so using non-synthetic and refreshing it prior to the 1000km run in period literally undermines the whole basis behind why you are using non-synthetic in the first place... I just did a oil analysis after my run-in to be sure... mind you I say that, I do oil analysis at every oil change haha

Not really. As a general rule you don't want material in your oil. It's bad for the engine. It gets drawn through the head, the cams, all the oil galleys etc. Having foreign material hinders protection and can cause damage. However, this material is essentially an unavoidable biproduct of running an engine in obviously. If you buy into the whole non synthetic idea then you want the wear properties of the oil, but you really don't want the material that comes out because you do not have the protective oil (synthetic) to stop the damage from it. Changing the oil halfway essentially means you retain the same wear properties of the oil you're putting in but it's cleaner.

Personally, I am beyond glad I used synthetic. Earlier in this thread it was said that synthetic would stop the rings from wearing into the bores. Intuitively this sounded wrong, but I didn't know any better. After seeing the oil come out, it's pretty safe to say that is bollocks. Non synthetics offer bugger all protection in these engines with how small the tolerances are and I can't imagine the amount of material it would be carrying after 1000km would be good for the engine. Seems a safe bet to swap it out half way since you're running an oil which will do nothing to stop block and ring material causing damage to polished cam and crank journals at essentially no cost to the non synthetic superstition. Unless the superstition is that you want the non synthetic oil to wear the rings and bore down so that the freed material can wear everything else down in an unmeasurable and unpredictable way, in which case... that seems a little far fetched.

[STAATS]

If you are running non-synthetic then you are already playing into the superstition so stay the course for the 1000km... The basis of the theory for non-synthetic is that it isn't as "slippery" (as synthetic) and hence allows the piston rings to seat better... that's literally why it gets full of material, that is the point, as long as that material is piston ring material and not bearing material then you are doing it right... so using non-synthetic and refreshing it prior to the 1000km run in period literally undermines the whole basis behind why you are using non-synthetic in the first place... I just did a oil analysis after my run-in to be sure... mind you I say that, I do oil analysis at every oil change haha

[Syfon]

I think it's normal to get the oil carrying material after a rebuild, largely due to the fresh hone. Shouldn't be any big chunks obviously, but the oil that came out of mine had a slight metallic sheen, very small metallic particles darkening the oil. My oil filter was pretty good but with a handful of very small metal flecks. My builder said that's normal and he was happy with it.

Interesting that there seems to be a few of us all at about the same stage in the rebuild at the same time haha.

Yeah I've read this is completely normal while all surfaces mate to one another and establish their wear patterns.

Haha yeah I've noticed! I hope everyone's builds are going smoothly!

[Thoglan]

I think it's normal to get the oil carrying material after a rebuild, largely due to the fresh hone. Shouldn't be any big chunks obviously, but the oil that came out of mine had a slight metallic sheen, very small metallic particles darkening the oil. My oil filter was pretty good but with a handful of very small metal flecks. My builder said that's normal and he was happy with it.

Interesting that there seems to be a few of us all at about the same stage in the rebuild at the same time haha.

[Syfon]

Did my first oil change since my rebuild a few days ago after 850kms. I have run 10w60 since the first start up and the oil was very dark. Obviously carrying a lot of junk in it. I definitely wouldn't do 1000km if you're running 15w40 non synthetic. Especially not after seeing the oil that came out of mine, can't imagine a non synthetic. Maybe change out twice at 500km intervals.

I'll be dropping the oil this afternoon and renewing it + filter. You might be right; may be worth doing 500km and refreshing it for the next 500km prior to going to the fully synthetic 10w-60.

After I switched it off last night, I pulled the dipstick and had a good look at a smidge of oil under a very bright light. It wasn't discoloured and no evidence of metal particles or anything funky.

Will cut open the oil filter this afternoon and take some photos. Be interesting to see what it has caught (if anything).

[Thoglan]

Did my first oil change since my rebuild a few days ago after 850kms. I have run 10w60 since the first start up and the oil was very dark. Obviously carrying a lot of junk in it. I definitely wouldn't do 1000km if you're running 15w40 non synthetic. Especially not after seeing the oil that came out of mine, can't imagine a non synthetic. Maybe change out twice at 500km intervals.

[JaredMV]

Looks great!

[Syfon]

Re the lightweight flywheel; at idle briefly last night, clutch out, I could hear the chatter. Sounds like a box of bolts hahaha. Bare in mind, I don't have any of the sound deadening or trim piece on the transmission/shifter yet, so I can see straight through the floor lol. Sound just pours in.

Shouldn't be too noticeable once the trim / sound insulation goes back in. Plus the exhaust is quite loud so I doubt I'll really notice it!

[Syfon]

Feels great knowing we put the motor together properly!

I'll go for a nice long drive tonight and get those rings seated!

Dyno & bespoke tune will happen once I've done my ~1,000km and 10w-60 oil goes in. Likely go with Paul Claude. Can someone tag him in this post please?

Will be very interesting to see what kind of power it makes before and after a tune. If it makes 310-320whp I'll be stoked. And remember, our dyno's down under read a lot less than yours

[SteelGreyM]

Nice work, must feel good to have this experience under your belt!

OMG every job after is a walk in the park. So there’s that. Every time you work on the car from now on you’re just relaxed 😂

[heinzboehmer]

Awesome! Now go get it dyno tuned and post up the results!

[Cubieman]

Nice work, must feel good to have this experience under your belt!