Jay Meagher and the guys at Real Street Performance down in Florida build all sorts of wild machines, and on top of that have a solid engine-building business. In this episode of Jay’s Tech Tips, Meagher provides advice on engine break-in. As Jay notes in the video, there are never a shortage of opinions when it comes to the procedure to break in an engine; he backs his theory up with sound explanations.

The engines of yesteryear did not have the same quality of parts installed, both from a hard parts (crankshaft and connecting rods) nor soft parts (piston rings, bearings) perspective – and the machine work itself was suspect, mostly due to equipment that was simply not as advanced as today’s computer-controlled machinery.

He notes that there’s a large difference between an older, well-used engine and a brand-new engine, especially in terms of parts that are worn in together. A seasoned engine, where the piston rings are seated and the cam and lifters have lived a useful life, doesn’t require any special treatment.

A new engine, on the other hand, has piston rings that are not seated to the cylinder walls, valves that have never bounced off their seats, and a  camshaft that’s never seen a roller lifter.

His suggestion is to start the engine, settle it in around 2,500 rpm, and let it come up to operating temperature, then turn it off and change the oil. For a street-going engine, he recommended 3-500 miles more of general use, to give the rings a chance to seat in properly.

Watch the video for a closer look into Meagher’s mind.

Thanks to ThatRacingChannel for the footage!