I don't want to hear take it to the dragstrip..I want to hear at least three of you guys agree on a proper break-in procedure, get the rings seated and bearings broke in proper..I've heard 37 different procedures and I want to be able to settle on one...
If everything is machined and fitted correctly it ought to be about broken in on the engine stand. Start it up, run it at a fast idle for a couple of minutes, take it out on the road. Speed up, slow down, no steady speed for the first 50 or so miles, change the oil and filter, done.
first off, i would recomend a diesel oil to break in on. stick it in your car, then rev it up to about 2500 rpm and fluctuate the idle about 200 above and below, so it never stays at the same speed. do this for about 15 minutes then take it out and drive it. leave it in first gear and rev it up to about 4000 rpm and let off, do this a few times to help seat your rings. for the first 100 miles, try to keep it from staying at the same rpm for too long, like at stoplights. then change your oil and you should be good.
It's not really the rings or bearings that you have to worry about on break in, it's the cam and lifters. Engine builders I know suggest first priming the oil pump and engine, running it at 2500 for about 15 minutes to make sure enough oil gets to the lifters to break them in. Also it will help promote getting the lifters to "spin" in thier bores, which keeps them from flattening out the cam. Thrasher seems to be right on the money. Never heard about the diesel oil though.....
My son-in-law is the head cam design engineer for a major cam company (he prefers I not mention the company name here) and been in cam design for 25+ years, says he's run / witnessed hundreds of engine start-ups over the years and the most important things you can do to ensure a good start-up, were to: 1.prime the oil pump. 2. Time the engine and have fuel to the carb, so the engine will start within a rpm or two (no cranking & cranking to get it to catch). 3. Run the engine for 20 minutes at 2000 RPM.
I have heard the 20 Min at 2000 RPM before. And I have also heard to tach it up and back off a few dozen times to seat the rings. I usually run up and down the highway, fluctuating speed and never to high RPMs on fresh motors. Only did two tho so can't rely on me.
Tag man has it although I fluctuate the engine speeed a couple hundred rpm's above or below 2,000. Have your ***istant moniter the gagues and any leaks. Cast iron rings seat differently than moly but it's the cam and lifters you're about on initial break in.
Diesel oil like Rotella T, or plain non-detergent oil with GM EOS additive. Rotella and EOS contain the zinc that modern oils lack. 2000-2400 for the first 20 minutes. Vary the rpm every couple minutes with the idle speed screw. Close eye on temperatures, use lots of box fans to move air thru the car. Oil change immediately following cam break in. Now your camshaft is broken in, but the engine still needs time if you really want it to last. More oil changes at 100 miles, 500 miles, & 1500 miles. First 100 miles should be around town and not on the highway, unless it's 2 lane blacktop where you can putt at a leisurely pace. Take it easy til 1500 miles, try to keep revs below 4000 and avoid WOT. But once you hit the magic 1500 miles, let her rip. good luck!
"Diesel oil like Rotella T, or plain non-detergent oil with GM EOS additive. Rotella and EOS contain the zinc that modern oils lack." As of a few months ago, I believe, Rotella (and other Deisel oils) have had the zinc taken out.
I had a rebuild done by an old stock car racer from the PNW and he always used a quart of Hiltons Hyper Lube, he ran a drill in the dist to make sure he got the oil moving around, and at start up varried the RPMs for 20 minutes, but he also revved it up to 3000+ he said to throw some oil pressure through the galleys and p***ages to move the shavings and castings **** you missed into the filter. As for the cam, if you have dual springs (like BB fords) consider taking the second spring out until the cam is broken it. 2 local guys got to go through it a second time, tear down, new cam and another good cleaning from a brand new flattened cam. Over beers we have guessed the cam makers are getting cheap on the raw material end of things. s.
Thanks guys...I know the pre oil prime trick, I've got a homemade bit for my drill just for that purpose..I think I can settle on the Rotella, 2000 rpm for 20 min. rev a couple of times and change the oil often at first for any debris...I'm ***uming this routine will work for the Flathead, 500 Caddy, 289 Studebaker and VW engine projects?
Nope, the camshaft break in is unique to chevys because they are one of the few that use a case hardened cam. Fords and many other engines don't use a case-hardened camshaft, the whole cam is hard. There's a reason why you don't hear about round cam fords. However if the v-dubs or other oddball engines have a case hardened cam, then the break in procedure should be similar.
prime the motor. for chevys I have an old distributor that I modified and I chuck it in the drill 2500 for 20 minutes have some fans ready in case your cooling system needs some help gauges!! don't start the motor without oil and temp gauges! my buddy started a customers motor once ( thier job was only to start it, they did none of the work) and an oil galley plug was left out so there was no oil pressure. would have fried without a gauge.
I agree 100% and do not lug engine! When priming oil system look for oil at rocker arms and rotate engine by hand to get oil everywhere! I try to drive and keep rpm's around 2000, so engine parts are happy! And DO NOT forget the GM EOS (from dealer's parts dept.) this is a make or break issue. After 100 miles accelerate on isolated road to 45-55 mph, then remove foot from throttle until around 7-10 mph. This creates a maximum vacuum condition and helps to seat oil rings. You got big bucks involved here, think about what you do. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!
With the engine still on the engine stand I prime the oiling system by spinning the oil pump with drill on a modified dist shaft while turning the engine over with a breaker bar and socket on the harmonic ballancer bolt (spark plugs out). After putting it in the car I leave the spark plugs out and turn the engine over with the starter until you can squirt fuel with the accelerator pump. Keep an eye on the oil pressure gauge while doing this and you should see good oil pressure in the process. Put the plugs back in and make sure the timing is set and it should crank right up. After the initial cam break in I like to take it out on the road and do some hard pulls in each gear keeping the rpms under 4000 to seat in the bearings. After about 50 miles at operating temp its time for an oil and filter change to make sure any dirt or debris left in the engine during ***emble is cleaned out. If i built it tight to last for many miles Ill keep the R's under 4500 for the next 1000 miles. If I built it with clearance for performance and used moly rings then its ready for anything.
So, if I figger out that I do not have a case hardened cam in my rebuild how is the break-in different?....
Then you skip the 20 minutes of camshaft break in. Otherwise the same break in procedure, except you might want to change the oil after it's warmed up in the driveway while you set timing and idle. Same if you use a roller cam.
If you used Sealed-Power or our Speed-Pro rings, they are cylinder-lapped at the plant, No Breakin Required. Just stand on the loud pedal.
I was always told to just drive the dam thing. Check out what this guy has to say about breaking in an engine. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm James
I don't think that is true of aftermarket cams for Fords. My son had two flat lobes (even with "proper" break-in) on his 302 flat-tappet engine, two different brands, two different lobes. There's a very "old school" break-in procedure here (an excellent website too): http://www.hastingsmfg.com/
Seems that Hastings agrees with this MotoMan character ... that running the engine harder is better for seating the rings. MotoMan had me considering it kinda skeptically, but I'd trust Hastings.
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