Running in Mugello?

[bazabod_downunder]

Can't find any info anywhere on recommended running in mileage/period for my Mugello 186....new crank but gearbox/clutch is pre-existing.....anyone?

Baz

[tonydevon]

I heat cycled mine a few times, then did some gentle local miles, up and down the gears, not labouring it.

avoided long spells of same throttle position, and avoided full throttle for first 75-100 miles.

its nikasil lined, and from my experience with bike engines there doesnt seem to be much of a run in period, unless you ask a lambretta rider??

just make sure that you have squish and timing right, best to check with camlam what they are recomending today as it changes

[Adam_Winstone]

I don't consider nikasil kits to need anything more than about 50 miles to bed the rings in... HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still take the first 500 to 1000 miles as the necessary testing phase to make sure that the motor is set up correctly, performing 'choke tests', plug checks, testing various jetting adjustments, keeping my ears open for pinking and my eyes on that plug for signs of running hot or lean... AND doing all this against each of the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full throttle marks that I put on my twist grip/throttle housing. In light of this, I don't think of the first 1000 miles with a nikasil kit as a 'running in' period BUT I do see it as an essential period for checking and double-checking that the motor is set up correctly.

Remember, nikasil kits do not seize easily, unlike previous iron kits, so you will often get little obvious feedback (unless you look for it) from a badly set up nikasil kit. This is why many, many people do a few hundred miles around town and then go and hole a piston the first time they try to take it on a run, where holding it at different throttle positions for longer periods can blow up your motor!
Don't worry about running in BUT do worry about proving your setup is ok (ignition, compression, squish, jetting, fuel flow, sufficient cooling, no exhaust issues, etc.). I've known far too many people hole pistons or seize and destroy plated bores because they've been under the impression that they didn't need to run in nikasil kits, assuming that this meant they could set off with any crap motor thrown together and not really tested. You might have gotten away with it (if it weren't for those meddling kids!) with a brand new T5 but that was because it was a factory assembled and set up motor that had many thousands of R&D miles on it and nice fat safety margins, which is quite different from ANY/EVERY kitted Lamby engine.

Best of luck.

Adam

[john]

Very good advice mr Winstone

[Adam_Winstone]

Ta... it's from learning the hard way!

[bazabod_downunder]

Thanks for the info, although I realised it wouldn't be the same as a cast barrel & feel more reassured now, I've just passed the 400 km's point, it's hasn't been taken over 60kph & have been checking carb set-up to the point of obsession, although still maybe a bit rich (plug is a deep chocolate brown).....my other problem which that is causing me concern is that while doing plug chops & turning off the ignition it's still running on to the point where I have to stall it to stop it....apart from that it runs fine, no obvious pinking or knocking.....bit of vibration maybe but have the short mounts...ideas?

[Adam_Winstone]

Run on is normally down to super-heated carbon in the head/piston crown providing an ignition source even when the ignition is switched off. This is often the result of air leaks and/or ignition being way out for the motor's needs. Look into this before it causes issue. Hopefully it is nothing more than a wiring issue meaning that turning the key to off is not putting the ignition to ground (off) but do make sure.

What you need to remember is that 1000kms at 60kph may well mean ZERO miles at 65-70kph, which is when people have a false sense of security, think a motor is run in, then seize or hole pistons the first time they go to a different/higher throttle position. You will need to do these same chacks when you do start to run it at higher speeds.

Good luck.

Adam

[bazabod_downunder]

Thanks again Adam for the advice......it's a variotronic set at 19 degs, no obvious air leaks & have made up a leak down test kit but changing the exhaust soon to BGM Clubman so will have to do it all again, the fun of scootering.

[paulnobodyimportant]

All good comment from above. I have a Monza kit and after a carefull 300 miles, up and down gears and hills, went out with two mad scootersist and did around 70 miles in distance at full throttle for the bulk of the time. No problems at all so took it as run in and never had an issue with it since,

I also put a 210 Malossi nikasil kit on a Vespa and the instructions said, "run in period needs to be 1 hour." Might have said at what revs, but can't remember now. But that's what i did and again no problem.

Good riding

Paul

[Donnie]

What plug you got in there???