I just got upset about the other topic about kart braking. So, how do you break in your 206? I actually had a very high level conversion on this topic lately with top engineering teams/Individuals (F1/Nascar/IMSA) and the advice I got was not what I expected. So what do you do?
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I dont really know on lo206. But what my engine mecanic says its not to keep same amount of throttle for longer periods and try not to get it 4 to 5000 rpm from max and also press full throttle out of corner exit but on straights let go a bit.
If memory serves me correctly, use an oil with high levels of Zinc during break in. Run it on the kart stand for 10 minutes at varying RPM’s not to exceed 5,000 RPM.
Drain the oil.
Run it for a second time for 20 minutes at varying RPM’s but this time you can go to your rev limiter.
Drain the oil.
After these two heat cycles and oil changes, put the Briggs 4T oil in and you can put it on the track and pound laps.
Only two things I did in addition to the normal break in cycle suggested by Briggs:
1.) I put a magnetic drain plugs front and back.
2.) I back flushed the crank case when I changed the oil.
I was amazed how much metal came out after the first heat cycle when I back flushed it. Barely anything came out during the second back flush. But I wanted to be sure I got everything out of the crack case.
In my opinion, break in is very important. Especially with a sealed bottom end that you can’t come back and clean up. We use our dyno to do a specific sequence that has given us the best results. If you’re buying a box stock engine and breaking it in on the kart stand, you are not getting the most out of your short block.
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My break in procedure went as follows;
1: give engine and preferred oil to engine builder.
2: await text that its ready.
3: pay the man.
4: race.
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My builder charges $150 for a new engine break in on his dyno, then he checks the valves, sets the lash and tunes the carb for whatever slide we’re using. Ever since it got it back from him its ran flawless every weekend.
I know of one builder that charges $450, he has a lot of guys running his engines at the top national and regional rounds and winning. Now i have no idea if thats because his engines are better, or if he’s able to charge more because he gets so much exposure at the national level.
From what i’ve heard (not that I run 206 much) most of the “top” engine builders/tuners are doing with 206’s is a pretty lengthy dyno break-in. I’m sure everyone does it a fair bit different, but we’re talking multiple hours on a dyno at who knows what load, basically getting it broke in a short amount of time and allowing a good heat soak and stress relief. 
I’ve heard from a couple of engine builders that some brand new 206s were having issues with valve seats if they were ran too hard while cold, hence my choice to have a builder break it in on the dyno. One of my buddies also had a bent valve in a brand new 206, which he likely wouldn’t have caught right away but his builder did and repaired it while he had it for break in.
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