All going to plan my new 1430 engine should be ready to start within a few weeks. However I still have a few bits and pieces left to finish off before I can take it to get certified and back on the road. So realistically I'm aiming to have it back on the road before next summer. Until then the car is still sitting up on axle stands.

The engine and gearbox were all totally rebuilt a few months ago now and installed in the car. I'm keen to start the engine up to get oil circulating through it so I don't get any rust building up anywhere in the engine. But I want to be sure the engine runs in properly. If it makes a difference it also has one of Ben's SC12 supercharger kits installed.

Can I run the engine in while the car is on the axle stands or should I wait until its on the road? (given that's probably another 6 months or so away so how likely is rust to cause a problem on the engine internals if I don't run it). I guess I could turn the engine over a few times on the starter each month without firing it up but will that interfere with the bedding in of the rings?

If I can run it in while the car is on the axle stands what do people think about the following running in method:

Allow the car to warm up at idle speed (say coolant temperature 80C) and then rev it hard (2500 - 4000rpm) for about 20 minutes (keeping an eye on water temperature). Then change the oil and run it again at about 1500rpm for 30 minute bursts until a total of about 8 hours of the 1500rpm 30 minute burst have been achieved. Could I stretch this out eg 2 x 30 minute 1500rpm runs per month?

Change the oil and filter and then run as normal

Running the engine without a load is probably not a good idea...

If the engine is together and sealed up (spark plugs in etc) and full of oil, I doubt it will rust significantly in 6 mths

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

there are many opinions on how to run in a motor, but the only thing NOT to do is run it without a load, and don't let it idle

have it ready to drive when you first start it up, start it, give it a rev, then get driving straight away

I head for big long hills and load it up

On my bikes I follow this..
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

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So... I'm Seifer

wow a 1430 supercharged.. weapon.

Thanks for the comments guys. I'll have to stay patient for a few more months.

I stand to be correct but my understanding is after a rebuild to start and run hard - 2000rpm for about 20-30 to bed in the cam and followers. After that drive under varying loads and speeds for 100 Km to bed in the rings

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

This is some info from various vehicle manufacturer's spaning different periods (from the 1970's to 2000's) regarding their advice on running in (note that these are not initial starting instructions, on running in);-















There does seem to be a common theme in that

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I have probably had around 10 brand new cars over the years, and have basically run them all in as previously described, and never had any engine issues. I have not revved them too hard at first but also not driven them like a granny, also not let them labour in too high a gear, and varied the revs a lot when cruising on a trip, on a trip I have usually tried to load them up a bit on a hill without letting the motor labour in too high a gear but accelerated firmly/moderately up the hill with a fair bit of throttle to get gas pressure behind the rings to help bed the rings in, when I have been on a trip I would cruise at say 80 for maybe 10 mins then go up to 90 for a while then 100 then back to 80 so I was not sitting on the same revs for too long. All the new cars I have had have had no engine issues at all, and none have used oil.

I think we need to distinguish between "running in" and starting a brand -new never run before first startup of a rebuild.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

That's right. When you bought a new from a dealer Mini the motor had already been hot run tested before it was fitted to the car.
So the motor had already been tuned and partly bedded in well before the owner had to follow the instruction in the book.

As Morris pointed out, hot run testing including running the cam in, something you will need to do immediately at start-up, before you then run the car in as per the handbook type instuctions above.