Hi All:
In reading old engine tests, I noticed that the running time prior to tests were from one to four hours. How much time should I spend on the bench breaking in an engine and how will I know when it is broken in and ready to fly.
I have always wondered about this and an incident a couple of days ago, reignited my curiosity. I have had Fox engines that seemed to wear out before breaking in and other engines to run well with a little bit of run in time. I evaluate the piston and cylinder fit by how long will it hold compression and how easy it is to hand start.
I do not purposely fly my engines in anything that approaches a lean run. I also noticed that the more expensive the engine is, the better it performs over its live! Lol You get what you pay for! Sometimes!
All of the best,
Frank McCune