Oil, lubricants, and accessories

Features and benefits

Break-In™ Plus: Special Purpose Engine Oil

Break-In™ Plus is a special-purpose engine oil developed for use in rebuilt or remanufactured engines and new John Deere engines during the initial break-in period.

This oil is formulated to provide a controlled environment for piston rings and cylinder liners to establish a good mating surface for maximum performance and long engine life. At the same time, Break-In Plus provides the necessary wear protection for the valve train and gears.

Application:

Break-In Plus is designed for use in rebuilt or remanufactured engines and new John Deere engines for the initial oil-service interval. Operate the engine under various conditions, particularly heavy loads with minimal idling, to help seat engine components properly.

Features and Benefits

·         Delivers performance and protection for an initial service interval equal to that of our premium Plus-50™ II.*

·         Contains special additives to control piston ring and liner seating without scuffing.

·         These additives allow rings and liners to seat while protecting valve train and gears from wear.

·         Piston rings and liners establish a good wear pattern for maximum performance and extended engine life.

*During the initial operation of a new or remanufactured engine with Break-In Plus, change the oil and filter between a minimum of 100 hours and a maximum of up to 500 hours. The 100-hour minimum applies to all new or remanufactured engines, regardless of Tier. The maximum service interval is the same as the service-interval recommendation for Plus-50 II up to 500 hours. Check your Operator’s Manual for the maximum interval recommendation.

Break-In Plus provides two major differences from traditional break-In oil:

1. Meets the oil requirements for Final Tier 4 (FT4) engines and supports all legacy engines service drain interval up to 500 hours.**

2.      John Deere Break-In Plus Engine Oil can be used for all John Deere diesel engines at all emission-certification levels.

**Always follow Operator’s Manual.

Initial Service Intervals

The initial break-in service interval of a new or remanufactured wet sleeve engine with Break-In ™ Plus must go at least 100 hours to assure the surface mating of the rings and liners has had an opportunity to occur.

The maximum initial oil service interval when using Break-In Plus is the same as the service interval recommendations for Plus-50™ II.

This table indicates both the minimum and maximum recommended initial intervals when using Break-In Plus, Break-In, or a blend of the two:

⁽¹⁾ Specific to John Deere diesel engines using John Deere filters, using Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) at 15 ppm or less Sulfur content, and the engine is operating within the original factory specifications affecting rated power output, including engine control units (ECUs) and fuel delivery systems.

⁽²⁾ Consult with the Operators Manual for break in procedures when involving a non John Deere engine.

⁽³⁾ The engine must be using Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) at 15 ppm or lower Sulfur content.

Change the oil and oil filter at least once every 12 months even if the hours of operation are fewer than the otherwise recommended service interval.

Break-In™ Plus Chemical and physical properties

Q.   Break-In Plus Oil – What is the recommendation for top off, specifically, in areas (regions) where Break-In Plus is not offered?

A. Break-In Plus will be required in our wet sleeve IT4 engines for emission compliance. Either Break-In or Break-In Plus oil can be used in our non- IT4 wet sleeve diesel engines. If a FT4 engine is delivered into a region yet to be supported by our Break-In Plus, the end customer should keep the factory fill Break-In Plus in service for at least 100 hours. If the oil consumption or loss dictates additional make up volume, options are limited to API CK-4 or CJ-4 (ACEA E-9) oil to remain in compliance with emission levels. 10W-30 is the recommended weight through the break in period.

Q. When is Break-In Plus available?

A. Break-In Plus is already available in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Sub-Sharan Africa, ROLA, India, Russia, China. Roll out to other regions will be announced as product is staged for release in those areas.

Q.  In what machines is Break-In™ Plus being put into?

A. Break-In Plus is an aftermarket product and factory-fill product. It is available at factories for fill of FT4 engines with DPF’s.

Q.   Is it a requirement to go a full 500-hour break-in period when using Break-In Plus?

A. No.  Surface mating is expected to be achieved after 100 hours of operating the engine under various conditions, particularly heavy loads with minimal idling. The engine oil may be switched to the intended service oil, preferably Plus-50 II, any time after the initial 100 hours has been reached, and up to the maximum recommended oil service interval per the Operators Manual.

Q.    Can a customer top-off with Plus-50 II in the break-in period? 

A. After the initial 100 hours with Break-In Plus, the customer may top-off with Plus 50™ II.

Q.    What if the customer runs Break-In Plus for 100 hours and goes to Plus 50 II?

A. This is acceptable. When break-in procedures are followed to operate the engine under various conditions, particularly heavy loads with minimal idling, to help seat engine components properly, it should effectively occur by 100 operating hours. Once this has occurred, the operator may continue topping off and servicing the engine with Break-In Plus through the initial oil service interval. Alternately, as the rings and liners have now aligned mating surfaces, the operator may move forward to use the preferred service fluid, Plus-50 II.

Q. Is Break-In Plus 15W-40 or 10W-30?

A. Break-In and Break-In Plus are in the 10W-30 family bracket.

Q. What causes the engine not to break in during the first 100 to 500 hours?

A. One main factor that will delay an engine’s break-in time is operating the engine under less than high-load conditions (pulling a trailer, baler, or lighter load) as this may not provide enough loaded piston action to cause ring and liner seating. Another factor that may interrupt the break-in process is the

introduction of a premium lubricant, like Plus-50 II, prior to the completion of the break-in process.

To ensure there is no delay, we recommend the operator run the engine under high-load conditions and at various engine speeds during the break-in period.

Q. How do you know the engine is broken in?

A.. The break-in period may be as short as 100 hours and as long as 500 hours, and some replacement oil may be necessary, which is normal. As the engine works in

these initial hours, the piston rings and liners will realize where any interference fit exists. These areas will wear into a match fit, creating a good seat between the rings and the liners. This fit causes effective power and reduced oil consumption. If there is a continuous need to top off the crankcase oil, this means oil is getting by the rings because they have not seated with the liner. A second break-in process may

be initiated using Break-In Plus oil.

Q. Are there any applications where Plus-50 II should not be used?

A. Some engine manufacturers have oil recommendations that specify a unique product for an application. For example, 2-cycle Detroit Diesel recommends an ash level below 1.0% and a straight SAE 40 viscosity grade.

Some engines designed for natural-gas or liquid-propane fuels commonly recommend that ash levels be held below 0.5%.

Plus-50 II should not be used for initial fill in new or rebuilt engines. John Deere Break-In™ Plus oil is available for this purpose.

Q. Can I use Plus-50 II oil as a “break-in” oil after rebuilding an engine?

A. No, it is not recommended for use as a “break-in” oil. A rebuilt engine must be allowed to properly wear-in the piston rings and the cylinder liner walls during the first 100 hours of operation. Although Plus-50 II has superior lubrication properties, it is recommended you use John Deere’s Break-In™ Plus Special-Purpose Engine Oil.

Q. Should I use Plus-50 II in a new tractor?

A. Yes, it is the recommended oil for John Deere engines after the break-in period. As a reminder, for the first 100 hours (minimum), John Deere recommends Break-In Plus engine oil.

Order information

*Product ships from US.