# AX 306 break-in



## snowgoose (Jan 21, 2016)

Hello All,

I'm new to the forum, and realize this is a great resource with a lot of good information. I am looking for some advice on the best break-in method for the given situation. 

I am loving my brand new Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO I recently purchased in November, and as such am hoping for more snow! I'm actually concerned, for probably no good reason, that my new snow blower will not even have the requisite 5 hours to break in before the winter is over. Currently, there are about 1.5 hours on the AX306 engine, and the forecast for snow in my area (Chicago-land) is grim. 

Should I periodically start the engine, and let it idle at full throttle for 30-60 minutes at a time to ensure the engine clocks 5 hours before spring? 

Should I change the oil at the end of this season even if there is less than 5 hours on the engine, and switch over to synthetic at 5 hours, whenever that may be? 

Should I leave the original oil in the engine over the summer, and change it to synthetic oil at 5 hours?

Thanks for your input,
Snowgoose


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to the forum snowgoose


IMHO I'd leave it in there until you get about 5hrs on it next winter and go with syn.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

snowgoose said:


> Should I change the oil at the end of this season even if there is less than 5 hours on the engine, and switch over to synthetic at 5 hours, whenever that may be?


Welcome! 

The above is probably what I'd do. Changing at the end of the season using regular (dino) oil is quite cheap, and will help remove any particles that may have been generated during break-in. 

Then going to synthetic at/after 5 hours is still not very expensive. I see no drawback to this approach, apart from a little more "practice" in changing the oil, and a few dollars for a quart of conventional oil. 

The benefit to actually using it for 5 hours, vs just running it in the driveway, is that the engine will be under a load if you're blowing snow for those 5 hours. This may help seat the rings.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

Don't be too concerned by the 5 hour break in oil change. The LCT engine manual with the Ariens specifies a month of use before the first oil change. To support this more modern approach, the Honda owner manual also says to change after a month of use, and it specifies this as 20 hours.

I change the oil at the end of a season because the oil holds contaminants in suspension. These contaminants can harm the surfaces inside an engine. The new oil will be far safer for your engine over the off-season.

While engine manufacturers say that 5w-30 regular oil is satisfactory, its temperature range is not that broad for winter work. Synthetic 5W-30 oil has a much broader temperature range and far better for your engine at low temperatures. There are no negative aspects apart from increased cost, but when you use only a quart or so per year that is not significant anyway

Good luck.


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## snowgoose (Jan 21, 2016)

Thank you all for your advice! I will change the oil with conventional before I store it, and change to synthetic after I get 5 hours on it. Seems like the best way to go. 

Snowgoose


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