Engine "Break-in" questions

[Uncle Hud]

I broke mine in according to the Owner's Manual and it ended up cracking the right-side fairing and badly scarring the right hardcase coming back from Tampa. JSNS. You've been warned.

The redline's at 9,500 rpm for a reason, so rev it up there and find out why!

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(It's FRIDAY!!! Don't you just LOVE guys that ask us the questions instead of the salesman, service manager, or owner's manual? Since he's still new, he must not have a handle on the sarcasm quotient on this board.)

 

[ionbeam]

I broke mine in according to the Owner's Manual and it ended up cracking the right-side fairing and badly scarring the right hardcase coming back from Tampa. JSNS. You've been warned.
The redline's at 9,500 rpm for a reason, so rev it up there and find out why!

.

.

.

.

(It's FRIDAY!!! Don't you just LOVE guys that ask us the questions instead of the salesman, service manager, or owner's manual? Since he's still new, he must not have a handle on the sarcasm quotient on this board.)

9,000 rpm redline, with two stages of ignition shut-down beginning at 9,200 rpm and leading to total ignition shut-off at 9,500 rpm.

Our Forum reputation for excellence precedes us, so the questions come to us. Heaven knows, we all agree all the time and never let speculation or emotion affect out answers

 

[wheatonFJR]

I love this thread. I keep learning new stuff. Learning is fun.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Damnation! Professor ionbeam reall does knows everything! (not sarcastic) Are you a former Yamaha FJR design engineer?

 

[ionbeam]

I do have a non-public copy of Yamaha's FJR Technical Guide which has little tidbits not in the FSM. At New England Dragway I have confirmed the rpm limiter a couple of times on the 1 - 2 shift, it always makes me think, "Oh shucks, I just blew the engine!" My '04 pulls off the line so hard that as soon as I have the clutch out in 1st my toe needs to be moving for 2nd gear and sometimes it doesn't make it in time. I've never buried the tach far enough to confirm the total shut-down.

I did buy myself a Gen III FSM for my reading pleasure. It's a riveting read, it kept me on the edge of my chair right through the final pages! The plot was excellent and it had a large cast of unique characters in every chapter. Toward the end of the manual it got a bit depressing, with all the diagnostics and troubleshooting stuff making me feel like the FJR may not be 100% dependable 100% of the time, but then the schematics came along and made an uplifting ending. Due to the ridiculously small schematic diagram crammed onto one page I may have to go back and reread the ending to get the full meaning.

 

[Fred W]

For those interested in the FJR's "ceramic composite" cylinder linings, here's a good reference on the Yamaha version of the technology.

While Yamaha introduced it in the 90's, they were not the first or only ones to do so. I'm sure that you've all heard of Alusil or Nikasil lined engines. Those are forms of silicon carbide (ceramic) coatings that contained metal fractions of aluminum or nickle for the same design reasons.

As for the FSM for 3rd Generation FJRs, I am still disappointed in the lack of meaningful detail in those manuals in sections covering the ES suspension. I suppose it is proprietary IP they do not want leaking out.

 

[SkooterG]

If you had a warranty repair issue with your engine, and if you fully disclosed to your dealer that you used the motoman break-in method, methinks you would not be looked upon favourably to get warranty service.

Please explain to me how the Motoman break in violates Yamaha's break in procedures?

 

[mcatrophy]

...
Please explain to me how the Motoman break in violates Yamaha's break in procedures?

Ok, I'll bite. Motorman says "load the engine by opening the throttle hard in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear", Yamaha says "Do not put excessive load on it for the first 1600 km (1000 mi).

I'm not saying anything about the advisability of the method, just the BS reasoning he gives.

 

[SkooterG]

...

Please explain to me how the Motoman break in violates Yamaha's break in procedures?

Ok, I'll bite. Motorman says "load the engine by opening the throttle hard in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear", Yamaha says "Do not put excessive load on it for the first 1600 km (1000 mi).

I'm not saying anything about the advisability of the method, just the BS reasoning he gives.

Fair enough. I don't consider the Motoman procedure to be excessive load. Especially since it doesn't do the 'prolonged full throttle operation' nor overheating the engine.

As you mentioned, how many engines have failed due to break in? I really don't think the break in means a whole bunch these days. They are built solid at the factory and broken in there. Sure, I have my own break in procedure (which btw doesn't include crashing at 20 miles) but I really don't think it matters one way or another including using the Motoman method as long as it's not abused. I guess the question is, what is considered 'abused'?

 

[Fred W]

Motoman's break in from his own web site:

On a Dyno:
Warm the engine up
completely !!

Then, using 4th gear:

Do Three 1/2 Throttle dyno runs from
40% - 60% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes

Do Three 3/4 Throttle dyno runs from
40% - 80% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes

Do Three Full Throttle dyno runs from
30% - 100% of your engine's max rpm
Let it Cool Down For About 15 Minutes
Go For It !!

Note, that this is all done in a single heat cycle. Not the most brilliant way to break in an engine, IMO. Note that no break-in will break an engine. It's more about how long it lasts after the break-in

He tries to achieve the same on the street (or track) but without recommending that you break the law or kill yourself in the process.

Some would argue that doing 3 back to back full throttle runs up to redline on a zero mile motorcycle is abuse.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I consider throwing the bike down the road as abuse. To be fair, I was abused as well.

I do not fully understand why this even becomes an issue. Does anyone actually think they are hurting the engine by following the factory break in procedure? Very few of us actually put enough miles on our FJRs to wear the motor out and there are so many other variables which affect engine longevity that we cannot be certain if the break in helped or hurt.

Which leads me to: What oil should I use? How soon after break in can I run synthetic oil?

 

[Fred W]

Does anyone actually think they are hurting the engine by following the factory break in procedure?

Yes. Take a read of the Motoman site I linked to above.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Wow. He looks like he is about 20 years old. He must have at least 50 years worth of experience.

As I have said many, many times... You can do what you want to do with YOUR bike. I will do what I like with mine.

 

[Bellerophon]

......and this thread started so amicably.......hence the NEPRT I presume....

 

[SkooterG]

Some would argue that doing 3 back to back full throttle runs up to redline on a zero mile motorcycle is abuse.

Undoubtedly some would. Fred, you're an engineer. Show me something fact based. Anything. Unfortunately, there's a lot of opinion and misinformation on the internet based on what a lot of folks think.

 

[RaYzerman19]

It's controversial and posted on the neenernet....... does it actually work, who can affirm or deny? How much extra power? It's also about your service manager's impression when requesting a warranty repair...... did you follow the Yamaha break-in? No, I did the motoman. Motoman who? He knows better than Yamaha?..... you do not want to have this conversation. You also don't want to leave the dealership with your brand new bike with them looking at you riding away like you stole it, unless you don't intend to come back for any warranty service. A common sense break-in is best IMHO.

 

[SkooterG]

It's controversial and posted on the neenernet....... does it actually work, who can affirm or deny? How much extra power? It's also about your service manager's impression when requesting a warranty repair...... did you follow the Yamaha break-in? No, I did the motoman. Motoman who? He knows better than Yamaha?..... you do not want to have this conversation. You also don't want to leave the dealership with your brand new bike with them looking at you riding away like you stole it, unless you don't intend to come back for any warranty service. A common sense break-in is best IMHO.

Again...... how does the Motoman break in not follow Yamaha's recommended procedure?

 

[Tracer42]

Just got it home. Trailer the whole way. Once home got it off the trailer and after it reached operating temp. I took it for about 20 mile ride IAW the owner's manual. Would have been longer but prior engagement so she's in the garage till tomorrow. It's gonna be a long first 1000 miles but I'll be smiling. Way different from my Goldwing but I love both bikes. Thank you ALL for your input. The FJR is a awesome machine.

 

[RaYzerman19]

It's controversial and posted on the neenernet....... does it actually work, who can affirm or deny? How much extra power? It's also about your service manager's impression when requesting a warranty repair...... did you follow the Yamaha break-in? No, I did the motoman. Motoman who? He knows better than Yamaha?..... you do not want to have this conversation. You also don't want to leave the dealership with your brand new bike with them looking at you riding away like you stole it, unless you don't intend to come back for any warranty service. A common sense break-in is best IMHO.

Again...... how does the Motoman break in not follow Yamaha's recommended procedure?

It is debatable whether it does or doesn't, and it is controversial as already explained. The point is, you do not want to be having to justify the questionable while trying to get your service manager to do your warranty repair. Your engine is broke and he'll likely want to know if you abused it, and my recommendation is not to bring up motoman into that conversation. I don't see how that could be beneficial to your case.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Just got it home. Trailer the whole way. Once home got it off the trailer and after it reached operating temp. I took it for about 20 mile ride IAW the owner's manual. Would have been longer but prior engagement so she's in the garage till tomorrow. It's gonna be a long first 1000 miles but I'll be smiling. Way different from my Goldwing but I love both bikes. Thank you ALL for your input. The FJR is a awesome machine.

You say that it happened. I want to believe you. But without pics...

I really like pics of 2012 FJRs. Arguably the best of the Gen2 FJRs.