I have a couple questions about the breaking in of the rebuilt 616 that I have put in my '79" 240D. (its the "80" engine from my parts car) I have 100+ miles on it now and have been following the procedure where you get up to 50 mph, let off on the throttle and generally try NOT to stay at the same RMP for too long. The temp is running at 90 to 98c (new radiator & w/pump) and I have not driven over 55. I would expect the temp to run a little high but for how long and am I ready to stop babying her? In regard to the "higher" temps , I bled the air from the system as fast as I could due to not wanting to idle it too long and so perhaps there is still a little air in the system. So my question is "should I expect the temp to drop to normal after 100 miles (its running cooler than when first fired up) or " just how do you know when an engine is broken in?:p

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

If this engine was simply transferred from another car there is no need to break it in. This is only for fresh cylinders and rings.

Have a great day,

Change oil and filter, then take it out and run it in high gear up some steep hills. Don't lug it excessively, but you want to load it up good. This will properly seat the rings if they are not yet, and DON'T skip this step, they may NEVER seat.

Once you get the rings seated, the compression will go up some more and you should have cooler running. You don't have a visco clutch, so that isn't a problem, but you should be running about 80-85 C, not higher.

Did you have the radiator cleaned while you were doing the engine? If not, I'd do so, certainly if you can see crud on the tubes through the cap. A new engine will produce more heat than an old tired one at low speed.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Larry and Peter

The engine is a total rebuild from radiator to clutch, the "whole enchilada" Its was out of my "80" parts car which was a parts car because the POs daughter ran it out of oil. Needed crank work and a couple of rods, anyway I rebuilt it in a friends import repair shop and put it in my wifes "79" 240D. I basically did the work and he was there to bail me out when I got stuck. He even had a second "lift" for me to use. A good deal for me that I will repay by helping him with some body work on a "Mini" of his.

Sounds like I need to head for the hills, which I will do tomorrow for the Italian tune up. Maybe I should have done this sooner.. So the temps up because maybe the rings are not seated yet, like I said the temps are down from when I left the shop so thats a good sign anyway. I have most of the fuel and oil leaks fixed so things are looking up. It sounds good and is nice and smooth with the new mounts so I am basically a "happy camper" If only I didn,t screw up by babying her too much.

Thanks for the help and advice

Steve

Did you have the block vatted ?