When Do Diesel Engines Need To Use A Break-In Oil And Why You Should Choose Champion PowerShield

Champion PowerShield: A Premium Break-In-Oil and Top Choice of Diesel Engine Builders

Champion Oil, with the help of testing from top-tier diesel engine builders from around the country, now offers three different motor oils specifically designed to reduce the potential of engine failure during a hard break-in. These purpose-built “mineral based” lubricants are offered in SAE 30, 10w-40, and 20w-50 viscosities.  

Champion’s PowerShield Break-in oils are specifically formulated to seal the piston rings against the cylinder wall for maximum engine compression and power. Break-in-oils typically use conventional base stock without friction-modifier additives to allow controlled wear between the rings and cylinder wall. They also contain a high level of zinc and phosphorus additives to protect the camshaft and other components during break in.

How PowerShield Works

Break-in oil is different from regular motor oil because it is designed to allow the rings to wear down the peaks on the cylinder wall to form a good seal. Regular motor oil, in contrast, is designed to prevent wear.  

Sealing the piston rings when breaking in an engine requires allowing the rings and piston skirt to carefully wear down the peaks on the cylinder wall. Although a new or freshly honed cylinder appears smooth to the naked eye, it contains microscopic peaks and valleys. If the valleys are too deep, they collect excess oil, which burns during combustion and leads to oil consumption.

The sharp peaks provide insufficient area to allow the rings to seat tightly. That means highly pressurized combustion gases can blow past the rings and into the crankcase, contaminating the oil and taking potential horsepower with it. The result is maximum compression and minimum oil consumption.

Plus, Champion’s PowerShield Break-In-Oil helps harden the camshaft so it’s more resilient to wear. The solution is to use a properly formulated break-in oil that contains conventional base oils and high-quality ZDDP additives. These additives are heat-activated, meaning they provide wear protection in areas of increased friction. The additives form a sacrificial layer on the surface of parts, which absorbs contact and helps prevent cam and tappet wear. 

Champion Brands Engine Builder Products 

Compared to synthetic oils, conventional base oils result in a thinner, less durable protective oil film on engine parts. The thinner fluid film allows controlled wear at the cylinder wall/ring interface.

When Do You Need Break-In Oil?

New diesel trucks don’t need break-in-oil. Some OE manufacturer might still require you to drive under light-to-moderate load for a few hundred miles, then change oil.  But diesel rebuilds or competition engines should use a designated break-in-oil. 

A simple guideline is run the diesel engine above 1,500 rpm for 15 minutes. As for seating the rings, testing has shown it can take multiple dyno passes or more. That time varies depending on the engine, ring tension, cylinder hone, temperature, and other factors. The dyno provides the best method of determining exactly when the rings are seated. Your screen data from the dyno will show a boost in horsepower as the rings seat. 

Another guideline for Champion PowerShield Break-In-Oil might be to run the rebuilt or competition diesel engine under light-to-moderate loads for about 500 miles. Then, drain the break-in-oil, install your diesel specific oil and commence driving.

About PowerShield Break-In Oil

Champion’s robust formulations contain a proprietary technology contains unique high levels of zincthiophosphates (ZDDP), in combination with Champion’s proprietary TVS® (Thermal Viscosity Stabilizer), which extends oil film capacity for proper ring seating.

These top selling break-in-oils are also formulated with polymers and viscosity modifiers. During break-in and heat cycles, as the oil heats up, the friction modifier thickens and allows the oil to behave more like a heavier viscosity oil at operating temperature.

Dispersants and other additives are put in the break-in motor oils to help keep the engine clean. Any wear particles generated by the piston rings, cylinder walls and other moving/sliding parts as the engine breaks in will be suspended and carried away by the oil to the oil filter.

Professional engine-builders that use Champion PowerShield Break-In-Oil will experience the difference provided by numerous barriers of protection. These robust products are field tested and suitable for use in all types of diesel engines. 

https://www.championbrands.com/power-shield-engine-products/

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