Engine break in procedures (Cont. 0-200)

[sauce]

I recently had my engine O timed and was wondering if anyone has some approved break in procedures.

I have heard about ten thousand different stories all from someone who "knew" the chief guru at Cont. All stories where different!

I think the most reasonable advice I have heard is to fly the airplane like you normally would and to vary the RPM some for the first few hours.

Any takers?

 

[340drvr]

I'm not an A&P (nor do I play one on TV), but, the normal flight/varied RPM is NOT the way to break in an aircraft engine.
Most break-ins I've been involved with run the engine hard (full power) for at least a couple of hours, if not longer. This means no pattern work, no slow flight, power-off stalls, etc., only using low power as little as possible for taxi and landing. Usually after a couple local hours at full throttle, several good X-country trips are in order, again at full power, or at least max cruise (75% maybe). Straight mineral oil is recommended to 25 hour oil change, and perhaps another 25 as well.
The first few hours are the most critical, the main objective is proper seating of the rings, and lower power settings do not accomplish this, and may even lead to glazed cylinders, which require honing or replacement.
I'm sure others have more experienced advice, but please get the straight scoop from qualified sources....maybe Continental or such.

 

[pilotyip]

my experience

I 0 timed my O-200 in a C-150, I followed very close to the same advice given above, keep the engine hot, no long power off guides until the oil comsumption stablizes. For my first flight I climbed to 5,000 on a VFR days and orbited for about 2 hours to make sure if the engine was going to quit I would have a place to land near a repair shop. If I remember right, it has been over ten years ago, the engine ran really hot for the first few hours, but after about five hours it seemed to be acting normal. I did 25 hours of steady flying before I put it back into CFI duties. I still talk to the present owner aand he has done nothing to the engine since the overhaul back in 1992.

 

[freightdogfred]

Why not Email the folks at Continental and get their take on it???

 

[A Squared]

The break in procedure is very different depending on what type of cylinder bores you have installed. If they are nitrided steel you do it one way, if they are chrome you do it another If you have cylinders with one of the textured plating process (Cermichrome, Cerminil, NuChrome, Etc) there are different recomendations still.

I'd reccomend figuring out what you have, then following the cylinder manufacturer's recommendation for that type.

 

[avbug]

I'll second that heartily, 100%. Forget all the somebody-told-me garbage, and get the manufacturers recommendations for your installation. Not only is it a very good idea, but it's required to maintain airworthiness. Legally you have no choice, and attempting to seek information from any source without first obtaining the manufacturers publications is wasteful and wrong.

Get the approved data, and follow it to the letter. Don't even bother seeking a proceedure or practice from another source. Aside from questionable wisdom, it's not legal, and it invalidates the airworthiness certificate of your airplane (in accordance with line 6 of that certificate...go have a look at the fine print).