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The Motor is almost ready for Startup and I was wondering what ya'll think about the Break In process
what Oil?
Priming that Oil (manually)
Initial Start Up RPM's
Duration at specific RPM's and variance of RPM'S throughout the process....
When to dump the Break In Oil after Startup
As always, I really appreciate your help and time to answer my question.....
-break in, high zinc oil. many commercially available ones
-manually prime the oil system
-set initial timing so it'll fire right away (I've seen anywhere between 10-18* BTDC), or shoot for 30-35* BTDC at 2k RPM. unplug vacuum advance on the distributor for this.
-rev immediately to 2000-2500 rpm, keep here for 20 min. Splashing oil from crank @ this RPM is the only thing lubricating the cam lobes.
-oscillate RPM between 1500-3000 RPMs for the next 10 min.
-change filter immediately (optionally cut it open and look for any sparkly bits) and change oil after 500-1000 mi.
-I was previously under the impression I should be changing oil as well after break in but others have told me just the filter.
-cross fingers and pray. I've heard of many failed flat tappet break ins despite using meticulous care due to changing metallurgy once domestic production moved overseas.
I'm breaking my 400 in in a couple of weekends. wishing you and myself luck.
Maybe Valvoline VR1 oil? Made for race engines and flat-tappet engines, has high zinc content. Royal Purple also makes a "hot rod" oil meant for older engines.
Valvoline racing oil has no detergents and would work for break in
I would use the oil you plan on running for the rest of the engines life plus an additive with zinc
10-30 Valvoline with a pint of comp cams zinc additive
I use an old distributor with no gear on it to prime the oil system
If you use a 5/16 socket on a long extension, tape it all together
Have fun
Maybe Valvoline VR1 oil? Made for race engines and flat-tappet engines, has high zinc content. Royal Purple also makes a "hot rod" oil meant for older engines.
X2 on the VR1
I used the VR1 on my 351Measly after I rebuilt it for initial start-up, used the same basic steps as egchewy outlined, I will add, keep an eye on your oil pressure and temp, only issue I had was I flubbed the intake install and smudged the china wall rtv so I had to redo intake. Break in went well and so far so good on new cam/lifters etc.
Helpful hint on installing intake.. I was a few weeks out of fractured L1/L2 when I did mine, so the first install I winced and dropped intake on engine and had to slide into place, thus making the rear china wall leak, second time, I took old intake bolts, cut off bolt head, ground them smooth and loosely installed, then I had my son help me set the intake straight down over the now "studs" sticking up, worked much better.
I like to warm the oil with a block heater or magnet heater or something as well. Cold oil takes longer to flow through engine. Think of water vs honey, and watch for oil pressure and heat. If it gets to losing oil pressure or starts getting hot at all shut it off. I have seen lots of 2000 rpm new builds crap out because they were more worried about cam than the water pump or had intake leak or booster leak or something and burned something up just to break in a cam lobe. good luck.
The needle and seats stuck in your Edelbrock carb due to alky in the fuel
Your new Holley carb will do the same thing after the rubber / viton swells on the tip of the needle
It expands and sticks the needles
That Holley you can get steel needles for
You can maybe find steel needles for your Edelbrock carb too
Like the block heater idea., especially with VR1
