Engine Break In
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
BK, I don't know what you call beat on it, I just took it out and put it to work like I wanted it to perform.
BTW this was 12-13 years ago, so I'm not concerned about it holding up.
John
BTW this was 12-13 years ago, so I'm not concerned about it holding up.
John
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
After the cam is run in, I usually do the quick ring seat. Take the vehicle out and accelerate hard, then decelerate in a middle gear, like third on a 5 speed or second on an automatic. Do this 10 times. Don't over rev and don't lug it. Then change oil and give it to the customer and tell them to just drive normally but ho high rpms for 1000 miles.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 840
Likes: 8
We all have our preferences, and I'm not one to argue one over the other as I suspect they all will work fine. However I do have a few things I'd like to mention.
1/ On dual valve springs: I never knew about doing the break-in with the inner spring removed when I did my first FE build, but for me it was good both were installed. Not long after break-in I went to check the valve lash (solid lifter cam) and found one of the outer springs had broken.
These were new Crane dual springs. I called Crane and they said it was the first time they heard of one breaking since they started making them in the mid-sixties. So it's probably a rare thing, but if I had been running outer springs only, I suspect I would have lost a valve down the cylinder which ='s $$$
2/ I do the 20 minute cam break-in at 2000 rpm, but don't like it much. I definately wouldn't do it at 3000 rpm. I believe there's nothing harder on an engine than holding the rpms up on a non-loaded engine as there is quite a bit of pounding on the bearings.
3/ I also suspect the majority of engine break-in is done once the 20 minutes is up. Once done, I don't push the engine too hard for a few hundred miles so the rings can finish seating. So no trips to 6000 rpm for 200 miles, and I do vary the engine speed a bit while driving, at least for the first 50 miles or so.
An exception is where chrome rings are used. They can take a few thousand miles to fully seat. You can tell as oil consumption slowly... very slowly... decreases. However, I'd be doing my normal driving long before that.
The above is merely based on my experience and success... i.e. my 2 cents worth. Keepin mind, "free advice is worth what you pay for it".
1/ On dual valve springs: I never knew about doing the break-in with the inner spring removed when I did my first FE build, but for me it was good both were installed. Not long after break-in I went to check the valve lash (solid lifter cam) and found one of the outer springs had broken.
These were new Crane dual springs. I called Crane and they said it was the first time they heard of one breaking since they started making them in the mid-sixties. So it's probably a rare thing, but if I had been running outer springs only, I suspect I would have lost a valve down the cylinder which ='s $$$
2/ I do the 20 minute cam break-in at 2000 rpm, but don't like it much. I definately wouldn't do it at 3000 rpm. I believe there's nothing harder on an engine than holding the rpms up on a non-loaded engine as there is quite a bit of pounding on the bearings.
3/ I also suspect the majority of engine break-in is done once the 20 minutes is up. Once done, I don't push the engine too hard for a few hundred miles so the rings can finish seating. So no trips to 6000 rpm for 200 miles, and I do vary the engine speed a bit while driving, at least for the first 50 miles or so.
An exception is where chrome rings are used. They can take a few thousand miles to fully seat. You can tell as oil consumption slowly... very slowly... decreases. However, I'd be doing my normal driving long before that.
The above is merely based on my experience and success... i.e. my 2 cents worth. Keepin mind, "free advice is worth what you pay for it".
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 26
From: Middle Tn.
We all have our preferences, and I'm not one to argue one over the other as I suspect they all will work fine. However I do have a few things I'd like to mention.
1/ On dual valve springs: I never knew about doing the break-in with the inner spring removed when I did my first FE build, but for me it was good both were installed. Not long after break-in I went to check the valve lash (solid lifter cam) and found one of the outer springs had broken.
These were new Crane dual springs. I called Crane and they said it was the first time they heard of one breaking since they started making them in the mid-sixties. So it's probably a rare thing, but if I had been running outer springs only, I suspect I would have lost a valve down the cylinder which ='s $$$
2/ I do the 20 minute cam break-in at 2000 rpm, but don't like it much. I definately wouldn't do it at 3000 rpm. I believe there's nothing harder on an engine than holding the rpms up on a non-loaded engine as there is quite a bit of pounding on the bearings.
3/ I also suspect the majority of engine break-in is done once the 20 minutes is up. Once done, I don't push the engine too hard for a few hundred miles so the rings can finish seating. So no trips to 6000 rpm for 200 miles, and I do vary the engine speed a bit while driving, at least for the first 50 miles or so.
An exception is where chrome rings are used. They can take a few thousand miles to fully seat. You can tell as oil consumption slowly... very slowly... decreases. However, I'd be doing my normal driving long before that.
The above is merely based on my experience and success... i.e. my 2 cents worth. Keepin mind, "free advice is worth what you pay for it".
1/ On dual valve springs: I never knew about doing the break-in with the inner spring removed when I did my first FE build, but for me it was good both were installed. Not long after break-in I went to check the valve lash (solid lifter cam) and found one of the outer springs had broken.
These were new Crane dual springs. I called Crane and they said it was the first time they heard of one breaking since they started making them in the mid-sixties. So it's probably a rare thing, but if I had been running outer springs only, I suspect I would have lost a valve down the cylinder which ='s $$$
2/ I do the 20 minute cam break-in at 2000 rpm, but don't like it much. I definately wouldn't do it at 3000 rpm. I believe there's nothing harder on an engine than holding the rpms up on a non-loaded engine as there is quite a bit of pounding on the bearings.
3/ I also suspect the majority of engine break-in is done once the 20 minutes is up. Once done, I don't push the engine too hard for a few hundred miles so the rings can finish seating. So no trips to 6000 rpm for 200 miles, and I do vary the engine speed a bit while driving, at least for the first 50 miles or so.
An exception is where chrome rings are used. They can take a few thousand miles to fully seat. You can tell as oil consumption slowly... very slowly... decreases. However, I'd be doing my normal driving long before that.
The above is merely based on my experience and success... i.e. my 2 cents worth. Keepin mind, "free advice is worth what you pay for it".
I agree 100%.
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