Technical NEW ENGINE,WHAT OIL TO USE???

just got a new crate 350 chevy engine for the wagon
whats the best break in oil to use?
should i use any zink additives?

 

Use what the manufacture of the motor recommends, or you might void warranty.
Tony

 

With the last crate engine I used Lucas break in high zine 20w50. HRP

 

Flat tappet use zinc, roller tappet i would go with valvoline 10/40 and switch to synthetic after a couple thousand miles

 

From the horses mouth.

"10w30 motor oil (non-synthetic) for break in. Do not use synthetic oil for break-in. It would be suitable to use synthetic motor oil after the second recommended oil change and mileage accumulation. In colder regions, a lower viscosity oil may be required for better flow characteristics."

http://www.chevrolet.com/content/da...0-290-hp-long-block-crate-engine-12499529.pdf

 

Good advice, I'm sure the information comes with the engine. My 355 SBC has a flat tapped cam and the builder who did the short block recommended Valvoline VR1 10w-30 for the break in.

 

Got mine, GM 350 from JEGS. They sent a sheet w/ it, recommending Joe Gibbs break-in oil w/ JEGS break in oil additive, prime oil system, on start up, after setting timing, checking coolent, etc., recommend running at 2000 RPM for 15 minutes to break in cam/lifters, change oil after 500/600 miles, I changed to AMSOIL Z-ROD 10/30, I'm a believer in synthetic oil, engine has 4000+ miles, everything is good, no problems in my experience. Any oil you choose, make sure it has the Zinc/ZDDP additive. Agree w/ previous posters, use what your seller/dealer recommends,
the warranty is GM so you want receipts for what you put in engine, I do not know anyone that had a problem w/ these engines, I don't know if there's a problem, in my case, deal w/ JEGS or GM.

 

My engine has 1200 or so miles on it and I've changed the oil twice. I'm now running Brad Penn 10W-40 synthetic blend and a Wix XP filter.

 

i found out GM recommends 10-30 regular oil on there web site

 

To sidestep a bit, when you break in an engine what are you really breaking in-----the cam mostly? Or really everything?

 

I always broke them in driving alternating speeds.No run stand.

 

Brad-penn is the way to go. Otherwise I use good quality oil with ZDDP plus. All of my builds are STILL on the road. Even after 30 years..... Thankfully

Sent from my XT1585 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

what regular oil has zddp in it?

 

None of them have what they used to, that's why break-in oils are now on the market. Over the counter oil is fine if you add some additive. Comp Cams or Lucas both make good products and are fairly easy to get. You cannot cheap out at this point!
As a side note, any break-in method used before 2007 no longer applies. '07 is when the oils changed and additives were removed.

 

Are we talking all 5 qts that go in the crankcase are suppose to be a break in type oil w. zink or just adding a 16 0z additive like Lucas sells added along with the 5 qts ? gene

 

5+1, or 5 break-in.

 

I run Castrol in all my motors. 10-40 but I set my motors up pretty loose. If it is a GM crate (you don't specify if it is GM or not) 10-30 is what you want and avoid high paraffin oil, Pensoil and Quaker State used to be high paraffin for example, I don't know what they market now.

if it is a roller cam motor just use the same oil you are going to drive, if it is a flat tappet cam I like the GM break-in additive.