Conference vicki::boats

    you better follow the owners manual...
    
    if they built it, they should (better) know what the hell their
    doing..
    
    that seems pretty much a standard process, regardless of the 
    manufacturer..
    
    JIm.

      Go by what is says in the owner's manual. They know what they are
    talking about. It is the manufacturer that has the biggest stake in it,
    the dealer much less so. 
    
      If you REALLY abuse the engine when it is not broken in, the factory
    may very well be able to tell if you send it back broken. But the
    biggest thing is that a good break in (which means following the
    owner's manual) will give your engine longer life and probably even
    more power (after it is fully broken in) than one which is abused
    during break-in.
    
    				Kenny

    The break in is important, go by the Mfg. instructions.  Something
    which boaters do and don't seem to bat an eye at, (which one wouldn't
    think of doing in their car) is running their engines wide open
    throttle for extended periods. How long would your car engine last if
    you mostly ran at wide open throttle on the open road? I suggest for
    fuel efficiency and much longer engine life that you set a crusing
    speed which is a compromise.  This would be somewhere in the
    neighborhood of 2/3 throttle.   Follow the break in, use the proper
    oil/gas mix (if 2 stroke) and back off on that throttle and your engine
    should give you years of service with little trouble.
    In an auto the duty the engine is asked to perform is quite different
    than in boats.  In a boat its possible to maintain a set crusing speed
    for hour upon hour in open waters... that (in a four stroke) does not
    give the valves a chance to cool (as in a car on decelleration) or
    increased manifold vacuum (under decelleration) to draw crankcase oil
    up into the cylinder bore which helps lubricate the rings.  Also the
    constant crusing speed in a boat is hard on the rings because they
    tend to 'take a set' based on the steady engine speed.  Even on an
    extended trip in an auto on a highway its difficult (in N.E. anyway)
    to maintain a steady engine speed for hour upon hour.
    My point is that varying the engine speed on a boat even after break in
    will make life easier for it and easier on your wallet.
    
    Jeff
    is

    Thanks for the information.......
    I called the Dealer and confronted him with the differences and he
    stuck with HIS Break-In. This man has been repairing engines all his
    life so I believe him. He said the manufacture like all manufactures
    tend to "Overkill",,,,,,,1 to protect themself,,,and 2 to make extra
    sales on other products.
    
    Here's the scoop:
    The first 6 gallon tank is mixed with a 50:1 plus the Oil Injection Oil
    (this makes 100:1).
    
    Vary the speed not exceeding 2/3rds.
    
    At the end of the season,,,bring the boat in and the Gear Lube and all
    other lube points will be changed,,,Heads tightened if
    needed,,,carb. adjusted if needed,,,winterized.
    
    He said I could follow the book exactly and he would change the oil and
    gear lube after 2 hours of Break-In,,,but I would be wasting my money.
    
    ....just vary the speed and enjoy.
    
                                        -Steve

    	Just a nit but by mixing 50:1 gas and also using the oil injector 
    you get 25:1 not 100:1. The larger number is the gas, not the oil.
                                                       

    The gas/oil mix doesn't seem right as you have stated for this
    break-in.  My new Johnson 90 HP calls for 100:1 mix in the tank
    while running the VRO.  Suggest you re-check the manual/dealer for
    the tank mix.  Break-in run time in total is still 10 hours.
    

    Thanks for the nit .5.....I lost my head.
    
    
    I checked the manual and it is 50:1 mix in the gas plus the VRO. I have
    a feeling I may smoke a bit more than I care to........but this is the
    right way. Maybe a 90 HP needs less oil (.6) for break-in period. It
    does seem like a lot of oil for the spark plug to handle without fouling...
    
    Hey,,,,,,,,,,,,,I'm new at the boat game,,,but learning.
    
                                       -Steve

    Breaking in requires more oil, because you are seating rings in
    the piston bore. If you used the normal mix, you might gouge
    the cylinder walls etc. the extra oil acts like a cutting
    oil like when your threading pipe etc.
    
    JIm.