synthetic oil in new engine?

[loco pato]

I have a new 425 hp 454 crate motor (15 hrs so far), how many hours until I can run a synthetic oil in the engine? Thanks..

 

[Des Moines Boater]

Since no one replied, I'll tell you what we do in most aircraft. We run it for 50 hours. I have no idea on car motors but I'm guessing it's probably the same. You're just trying to break the rings into those new honed cylinders.

 

[Anonymous]

Short answer: til it is broken in.

This varies depending on the type of rings you have and the finish on the walls of the cylinders, and how you run it during the break-in period.

50 hours ought to be plenty of time to switch over to sythetic. Just make sure you don't baby the engine too much where the rings don't want to seat, but make sure you don't overheat it or make it detonate (ping) as this will shorten the life of the rings

 

[Rich Andrews]

Have about 75 hrs on a ZZ3 383 stroked mtr, and went to synthetic this past week with NO problems..

 

[Airboatcapt2]

I tell all of my customers " Do not use Synthetic until your engine is very well broken in. I would put 100+ Hours on the engine first.

If you put the synthetic oil in too soon it is possible to have problems.

 

[Waterthunder]

I personally stay away from synthetic oils in airboat motors. They will prevent your rings from sealing unless you run a ring package intended to work with synthetics. I run a different ring and bore finish on a motor intended for synthetic oil use. You will drastically effect ring seal on a new motor and ring seal is extremely important on a low RPM high torque motor. There are many advantages to running a conventional oil in an airboat over a synthetic. And no matter what don't run a partially synthetic or blend like syntech.