Break-In Instructions

Penn Yan Aero - Overhauled Engines

1. Carefully read all of the enclosed information before installing or operating this engine.
2. Check and inspect shipping container for any damage. Report damage immediately to Penn Yan Aero (1-800-727-7230) and the shipping company.
3. Check shipping container contents against shipping inventory documentation. Immediately report any discrepancy to Penn Yan Aero (1-800-727-7230).
4. Reinstall your engine in accordance with the appropriate airframe and engine manuals. Ensure that all mounting points, control cables, and wiring points are connected, secured, and tested.
5. ADD ENGINE OIL. Your engine has been drained of oil for shipping purposes. DO NOT START THE ENGINE until you add oil. Starting the engine without oil will VOID THE WARRANTY.
6. DO NOT USE AUTO FUEL. USE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
7. Prime the engine for oil pressure prior to first start-up.
8. Check and insure proper control function, gauge operation, and inspect for fluid leaks.
9. Propeller cycling should be kept to a minimum; just enough to ensure proper operation, a maximum 200 RPM drop, once. Your engine has been thoroughly tested and operated at maximum power at the Penn Yan Aero facility. No extended running prior to flight is required or desirable. Ground operation should be limited to the time necessary to check and ensure proper control function, gauge operation, and inspect for any leaks of any sort.
10. Provided all parameters are within reasonable and airworthy limits, it is generally best to make final idle and mixture adjustments after the first flight rather than before. Remember that it is always advantageous to be familiar with any idiosyncrasies of the particular aircraft, its control systems, and instrumentation. This will help to preclude trying to adjust airframe problems out of the engine.
11. On Continental fuel injected engines it is REQUIRED that the fuel system be set-up per Service Bulletin SID 97-3C prior to flight.
12. All takeoffs should be performed at full power. There should be no rush to reduce power to climb settings. Most engines are designed and built to operate at maximum power indefinitely. A few models are time restricted at maximum RPM; those restrictions will be called out in the Aircraft Operating Handbook as well as being marked on the tachometer.
13. The first flight should be at least one hour in duration; climb speeds should be kept high when practical and leaning in climb avoided except as necessary to maintain smooth operation at high altitudes and lean to best power. Cruise settings should be maintained at 75% power or more whenever possible. Any sort of abusive operation such as touch and goes, power off stalls, and 0 thrust should be avoided for the first 30 hours.
14. After the first flight, carefully inspect all mounting points, control functions, and check for leaks. Check the oil level.
15. Engine break-in can take as long as 100 hours or as few as 10 hours depending on cylinder bore treatment, aircraft usage, and climatic conditions. Each engine is different. It is important that the engine oil temperature be brought up to normal operating range and flown for as long as possible but no less than one hour per flight for the first 10 hours at 75% power. Check your oil level carefully. Many times you can determine when an engine has properly completed its break-in when the oil consumption stabilizes.
    
    Oil Temperature – Some oil temperature gauges have temperature markings and some only have a green and red arc. Make sure your gauge has been calibrated carefully and mark your gauge accordingly. In order to help prevent corrosion, it is imperative that your engine be operating at 180-220 degrees F. Otherwise, corrosion will accumulate on wear surfaces and decrease the life of your engine. Four cycle piston engines produce almost one gallon of water per one gallon of fuel burned. Oil temperature is critical.
    
    Oil Level and Oil Consumption – In general, if the oil level of an engine is kept full it will usually blow out the top quart in as little as an hour. It is commonly accepted practice to run a quart or two lower than full; i.e. 10 quarts maximum in a 12 quart engine. Remember that on engines with an oil cooler, the oil temperature is thermostatically controlled. Twelve quarts of oil will not run any cooler than 10 quarts; heat is dissipated in the cooler, not the sump. For best oil consumption calculations, checking the oil should be done and compared cold to cold with the aircraft sitting in the same attitude. Differences in attitude caused by changes in strut extension or uneven ramps will cause changes in oil quantity readings.
    
    Oil Requirements for Turbocharged Engines – DO NOT USE MINERAL OIL IN LYCOMING TURBOCHARGED ENGINES. As per Lycoming break-in instructions, the use of mineral oil is known to cause coking in the turbo(s). Penn Yan Aero recommends the use of AeroShell Straight Weight 100W Plus or 80W Plus Ashless Dispersant Oil. Mineral Oil is approved for use in Continental turbocharged engines.
16. 10 Hours – Change the oil and filter after 10 hours from start using AeroShell Straight Weight Mineral Oil.
17. 25 – 30 Hours – The oil and filter should be changed again 25-30 hours from above 10 hours using AeroShell Straight Weight Mineral Oil.
18. After the initial 35-40 hours of break-in, the oil may be changed to AeroShell 100W Plus or 80W Plus. Change oil filter.