Breaking in a new saw

flatpikr · Nov 19, 2008

Howdy the Forum:

This is my first post-- I'm guessing the issue at hand has been addressed here many times before. Thought I'd take a fresh stab at it-- Thoughts on the proper break-in of a new Dolmar 5100S. For example, a friend of mine suggested that I do not use synethetic oil initially as it may retard the piston seating properly. Should I run it rich? Run it 1/2 throttle? First tank wide open?? Please help me with your thoughts on this as I like taking care of my saws and break-in seems like an important issue. Thanks.

Bowtie · Nov 19, 2008

flatpikr said:
Howdy the Forum:

This is my first post-- I'm guessing the issue at hand has been addressed here many times before. Thought I'd take a fresh stab at it-- Thoughts on the proper break-in of a new Dolmar 5100S. For example, a friend of mine suggested that I do not use synethetic oil initially as it may retard the piston seating properly. Should I run it rich? Run it 1/2 throttle? First tank wide open?? Please help me with your thoughts on this as I like taking care of my saws and break-in seems like an important issue. Thanks.

thats nonsense. I use synthetic on everything from new to now. So do many many others...

epicklein22 · Nov 19, 2008

People will tell you all kinds of things like heat cycles and what not...... but just run it like you normally would. Case closed.

davefr · Nov 19, 2008

flatpikr said:
Howdy the Forum:

This is my first post-- I'm guessing the issue at hand has been addressed here many times before.

Good guess. Yes, it's been covered 1000's of time. (even as recent as yesterday). Couldn't you have at least searched "break in" and then asked clarifying questions?

Welcome to the forum but the archives have a wealth of info. Newbies are welcome here but they should at least attempt a search before asking the same questions that have been answered at infinitum.

Gary was getting ready to bed down for the night. Now you'll get him all wound up about oil!!

TRI955 · Nov 19, 2008

I run Stihl HP synthic from the get go on all of my saws. Gas up and go cut some wood, then repeat. :cheers:

Adirondack · Nov 19, 2008

I had the same question for the same reason. I posted and got a lot of great answers. I chose to use non synthetic just to be on the safe side. You can check out the post.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=81223

Enjoy yours. I just got the dolmar 7900 and I am very pleased with it so far.

scootr · Nov 19, 2008

Oh geez, another oil question. Gary is going to blow 2 gaskets in 1 day!

Just messin with ya, run it like you stole it!

Side note: If you want to know something about oil and ratios.......ask Gasoline71.

Wait.......DO NOT DO THAT! Your puter will blow up when Gary starts smashin them keys! LOL.

Welcome to the site, run what your manufacture suggests. Then the saw, and you you will be safe. Do not get Gary riled up. LOl.:deadhorse:

Tree Sling'r · Nov 19, 2008

scootr said:
Oh geez, another oil question. Gary is going to blow 2 gaskets in 1 day

An oil gasket?

forestryworks · Nov 19, 2008

Tree Sling'r said:
An oil gasket?

opcorn:

scootr · Nov 20, 2008

A Head Gasket! You know how much he loves oil questions? Just ask him.

I'm outa here!

JTElectric · Nov 20, 2008

I personally would never run ANY fresh engine "Like I stole it", seems to me many people that recommend that have never been associated with machine work. I've rebuilt quite a few engines, and there is ALWAYS some stuff that is going to be circulating in that fresh engine. I have broken every engine I've rebuilt in my hot rods in easily, for at least 500 miles, before I start to get on them, then run them another 500 or so before I give it the woods, and never a problem. I hear people all the time that have ring seating issues, oil seepage, etc. from taking a fresh engine out and running the wee out of it. Not my style!

I just got a 5100 myself, and it was pretty tight you could tell the first couple tanks of gas. I used it, but never held it wide open unless it was in a decent cut, to keep the RPMs down a little, and of course, don't let them idle for long periods of time either. Personally, I ran it, but kinda gently,usually about 3/4 throttle for about 5 tanks before I started leaning on it very heavy. Some people won't agree with me, but it's worked good so far! :cheers:

I'll continue my easy break in process until I discover differently. Good luck!

edit--I should rephrase that a little. I only had it at less than wide open when I was limbing little stuff, I just didn't let it run a million miles an hour, that's all. Even in the cut, I just moderated the saw pressure to control the RPM, Probably around 11-12k RPM instead of the 14,500 it is capable of.

flatpikr · Nov 20, 2008

Thanks for all the suggestions. New saw will be here in exactly 153 hours and 27 minutes (approximately). Sure glad I'm not afflicted with CAD. BTW- I thouht of a new saw consideration that may have never been mentioned-- what about age of gas?? I think I'll use spank'n new 91 for break in period. Time to head out for a little wood cutting- Thanksk again.

Mark

ps who is Gary and why do oil discussions send him over the edge? Decaying minds need to know.

blsnelling · Nov 20, 2008

I don't always do this, but I prefer to run the piston through a few heat cyles before putting it to work. I start the saw up and run it long enough to get the engine nice and hot, just idling and blipping the throttle. Let it totally cool off and repeat. Ideally, you would then do some moderate cutting with it and then let it cool again. It's the break-in of the piston you're concerned with here, not the rings. They will take care of themselves. The tighter the bore to piston fit, the more important this is. This is the method I learned when breaking a new Banshee engine in. It was very critical in that application, but not so much for our chainsaws. Do you have to do this? No. But it can't hurt.

ryno · Nov 20, 2008

I work at a diesel truck engine plant. The new engines come of the line and go directly to a dyno. They are warmed up for a few minutes and then at FULL load for about 10 min. Then they cool them down and ship them out the door.

Some of the off highway type engines get run at rated load for up to 8 hrs directly after being built.

I believe that there is no break in for a chainsaw engine or any other small 2 cycle. On 4 strokes it is important to change the oil after the first run to flush out " manufacturing debris" .

stipes · Nov 20, 2008

Like what Brad said...

blsnelling said:
I don't always do this, but I prefer to run the piston through a few heat cyles before putting it to work. I start the saw up and run it long enough to get the engine nice and hot, just idling and blipping the throttle. Let it totally cool off and repeat. Ideally, you would then do some moderate cutting with it and then let it cool again. It's the break-in of the piston you're concerned with here, not the rings. They will take care of themselves. The tighter the bore to piston fit, the more important this is. This is the method I learned when breaking a new Banshee engine in. It was very critical in that application, but not so much for our chainsaws. Do you have to do this? No. But it can't hurt.

Aluminum is a strange metal...Heat does all kinda weird things with it and I never heard of cold lockin a saw up before I got on here,,but makes sence....I been lettin mine warm up before I get down on it after I read things about how bad it was to fire one up and go full throttle...Holds heat fast and will grow fast..Kinda let everything normalize first before I start cutting...

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