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Suzuki GSXR1000K3
Break in detail and method
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Engine break in method according to Mototune USA's "Break In Secrets". Having recently purchased a brand new Suzuki GSXR1000, I had the opportunity to break in its new engine. Debunking the manufacturer's recommanded break in procedure, I decided to apply Motoman's break in method on the bike; not just because I wanted the best possible engine break in, but also because his methods and theories made perfect sense to me.
This is what the Suzuki Owner's Manual states: ... 0 to 800km ----------- Below 6000rpm ...800 to 1600km -------- Below 9000rpm ...1600km onwards ------ Below 12500rpm VARY THE ENGINE SPEED The engine speed should be varied and not held at a constand speed. This allows the parts to be "loaded" with pressure, and then unloaded, allowing the parts to cool. This aids the mating process of the parts. It is essential that some stress be placed on the engine components during break-in to ensure this mating process. Do not, though, apply excessive load on the engine. AVOID CONSTANT LOW SPEED Operating the engine at constant low speed (light load) can cause parts to glaze and not seat in. Allow the engine to accelerate freely through the gears, without exceeding the recommanded maximum limits. Do not, however, use full throttle for the first 1600 km (1000 miles).
Kudos to Suzuki for taking the extra effort to inform on proper engine break in steps. I've owned a 2002 YZF-R1 and all Yamaha places in the engine break in section was just the table of maximum rpms to follow in accordance with mileage! As you can see, even factory recommandations instruct on not taking it easy on your brand new GSXR. What the manual failed to inform, was the reasoning behind their instructions. It takes no effort to simply follow an instruction. Understanding an instruction however, is simply quite the reverse. In recent months, Mototune USA's "Break In Secrets" has been a hot topic amongst the motoring community. The debate has been hot regarding the validity of Motoman's engine break in method. Many refuse to accept Motoman's theories and insist on following the manufacturer's break in recommandations. Those that have risked an unproven and ridiculed theory, apply Motoman's break in method to their brand new motors, eventually obtaining an optimum engine break in. It is my hope that this page, with the information and technique of Motoman's "Break In Secrets", can serve to educate on the process behind an engine break in.
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THREE GROUND RULES
With that in mind, welcome to, as motoman adequately puts
it, a very controversial topic. Many of us have had heard countless ways of
breaking in our brand new engines, from that of what the owner's manual states,
to 'ride it like you stole it' theories. While it is good to know of various
techniques that can help break in an engine, it is more essential to understand
the process of an engine break in, so that we as intellectually capable individuals,
can judge for ourselves the best appropriate method to utilize.
Understanding engine break in
The piston ring seal is what an engine break in is about. Without a proper piston ring seal, combustion by-products seep through the leaky piston ring into the crankcase where they contaminate your oil. The contaminated oil then serves to cause severe corrosion and break down of engine components. Besides contaminating oil, combustion by-products can also form deposits on the inside of an engine, robbing it of performance and life expectency in the long run.
Understanding the process of a proper piston ring seal is the key to understanding Motoman's break in method
The problem with 'easy break in' is that all brand new cylinders have a fine honed crosshatched pattern on them that allows for the rings to wear. The rings quickly wear down the roughness of the pattern, regardless of how hard the engine is run. Under a steady "cruising" rpm and load, the pressure that forces the rings outwards against the cylinder is minimal, causing the rings to wear the cylinder smooth before they are seated to the bore. The now polished cylinder no longer has enough abrasiveness to seat the ring face, resulting in a leaky piston ring seal that promotes power loss and excessive oil consumption.
Hence, only a very small oppertunity is presented for the rings to seat really well... only the first 32km of your new engine's operation life! If the rings aren't forced against the cylinder walls soon enough, they'll use up the roughness of the cylinder pattern before they fully seat in. Once that happens, there is no solution but to re-hone the cylinders, re-install new piston rings and start all over again...
Piston rings do not seal themselves against the cylinder walls via spring tension. The piston ring exerts about 5-10 lbs of pressure against the cylinder walls. This is not enough to seal the rings especially when the combustion chamber on top exerts thousands of PSI of combustion pressure against it!
Piston rings seal from the gas pressure that is present in the crankshaft. The pressure passes over the top of the ring and gets behind to force it outward against the cylinder walls. Under load, the rings are pressed into the cylinder wall from the pressure behind them. So the more you open that throttle, the stronger the gas pressure behind the piston ring and the more the ring gets worn out to seal against the cylinder walls.
...1600km onwards ------ Below 12
Engine Break In Method
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WARM THE ENGINE UP TOTALLY! Using 2nd gear only: Using 1/2 throttle, rev from 40% to 60% of max rpm value and decelerate to 40%. Do this 3 times. Using 3/4 throttle, rev from 40% to 80% of max rpm value and decelerate to 40%. Do this 3 times Using FULL throttle, rev from 30% to 80% of max rpm value and decelerate to 30%. Do this 3 times. Turn off bike and allow to cool till ambient temperature. (30+ degrees)
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Cool downs are good in my opinion as they help to reduce the temperature of the oil and allow rest for the rider. Mineral oil operates up to a maximum of 121 degrees celcius before they break down. Once it does break down however, it solidifies. Allowing too much heat to build up at the ring to cylinder wall interface will cause the lubricating oil that's present there to break down and glaze your cylinder walls. This glaze will prevent any more sealing of the piston rings. The initial friction between the piston ring and the cylinder wall honed pattern also contributes to the overall heating of the lubricating oil.
Solution??? Rev it hard for short periods of time. The key is to achieve a happy medium between sealing the rings via hard throttle and not allowing the mineral oil to overheat and glaze the cylinder walls. The radiator and oil cooler still do their job but I find it more reassuring personally to simply stick to short intervals of hard running.
Remember... Use ONLY mineral
based oil 
for
the run in period! Engine break in requires friction for parts to mate and
seat well. Synthetic based oil are so efficient at reducing friction
that utilizing one during an engine's new life is a sure way of halting
the engine break in process...
Do not LUG the engine (eg. 4th gear full throttle at 2k rpm...) but rev it freely especially in the lower gears.
I followed up in addition to motoman's break in method by accelerating and decelerating the bike hard (1/2 to 3/4 throttle) in the first 3 gears, never exceeding 10k rpm for the first 500km and 12k rpm for 1000km. I make it a point to cool down completely to ambient temperature and stick to 10-15 minutes of hard running everytime.
My GSXR is currently clocked at 1189km on the odometer. I had the chance to break in a friend's brand new K3 recently, also with the Mototune method. What really surprised me was the fact that my bike actually felt more powerful. It was less 'tight' resulting in the the throttle reving more freely. My engine also seemed more powerful comparatively at various RPMs and gears.
Granted, comparison is unfair without the aid of a Dyno machine or some other BHP measuring equipment. But I am disclaiming that as this is purely just a relation of my experiences. Personally, it has been very fruitful. No only does my bike seem to run faster now, it also revs much more freely. And all that while it's still on mineral based oil!
Please WARM UP totally everytime before running the bike hard. Change oil and filter before the first 32km and as much as possible there after. I've changed my oil and filter 5 times already throughout my entire break in and EVERY oil change had metal flakes floating around in the oil and small particles depositing at the bottom of the oil drain pan... Stick only to mineral based oil for the first 2400km as recommanded by Motoman. Good luck!
