New motor break in - what do I do

[hemihead]

Going to be starting a freshly rebuilt motor that has been sitting for about 3 years. What are the common start up procedures, best oil to use, etc that people use.

Thanks

[tonypaul]

how far was it rebuilt? New pistons with bore job or just a rebuild with new bearings and rings? What kind of conditions has the engine been in all this time?

Most of the time you can just use the cheapest oil filter and 30 weight oil you can get and use it on start up only after the oil pump has been primed. Not just by turning over the engine with the starter but by pulling the distribtor and using a drill or other device with a old oil pump rod on it. Run it for atleast 20 minutes at 2250 to 2650 RPM the whole time. Try to have every little thing fixed perfectly so you dont have to shut it during the breakin process. Change oil / filter with the good stuff, cut open the cheap filter with a hack saw and check the inside of the paper elements for metal shavings....

If the engine has been stored in a enviroment where moisture or condensation could have gotton into the engine, (you might have to pull a head to check) depending on how much or how little if any- you can drop about a table spoon of Marvel Mystry Oil into each cylinder and crank the engine with-out the sparkplugs in it about 30 times or so. (dont over heat the starter) or you may have to pull both heads and do a hone job on the walls. It all depends on how well the engine was sealed during storage and its enviroment...
Good luck with your new engine...

[67ss&99ss]

If the motor has a hydraulic/solid flat tappet cam in it, please get an oil that is high in zinc/sulfate content. You will wipe the cam lobes if you don't. I was talking to a guy a few days ago that had built a 383 for his camaro and when he was breaking it in, it wiped a lobe because he didn't have the right kind of oil. I use valvoline VR1 in my built 406. If you cannot find an oil with a high content of zinc/sulfate, you can buy an additive called ZDDPlus. You can add this to any conventional oil and you will be protected. You can purchase it on ebay, or other online retailers.

Since the engine has been sitting for three years, I would hook up an oil pressure gauge to it, prime it for a few minutes with a drill and pull the valve covers off to be sure that plenty of oil is getting to the rockers. If your not getting oil pressure after a few minutes you will probably have to pull the oil pan and check the oil passages. A friend of mine had a 383 built for his C10 and let it sit for two years. The assembly lube had dried out and hardened in the passage from the oil filter boss to the rear main cap causing a no pressure condition. I hope that you do not have to do this.

I also agree with the previous poster about the marvel mystery oil. Remove the plugs and put a small amount in all the cylinders. I would turn the engine over by hand with a breaker bar, but that is up to you. I used this procedure on a 340 that had been sitting for 26 years and it has been running fine for a few years now.

[slicks garage]

While the zinc additive may be extra insurance, I have started literally hundreds of engines without it. IMHO The cam lobe probably was destroyed due to low speed idle condtions during the first 15 minutes. I lost a cam many years ago, so I learned my lesson... The hard way.
The first poster was correct, the fast idle is critical. Make sure everything is close as possible. You can slow it down to set timing, etc. Just don't leave it there. I use above 1600 - 1800 rpm.
A drill shaft will not fill the lifters, nor the oil galleys. The machined bosses on the chevy distributor complete the oil passage. If you only have a shaft it will just return to the pan right under the distributor. Better than nothing.
A oil prime tool or full distributor body is needed. You can make one from an old distributor. Machine the gear off. Take all the stuff off of the top. This is not critical, just a very good idea. Proper assembly lube will do the trick. However, since it has been sitting for three years, I strongly suggest it, and use the proper tool....
After the initial breakin, driving around town is the best. Don't hold at a constant speed on the highway.
Drive it like you stole it. How do you think we make Dyno pulls??? : )

[71stroker]

I was told by my engine builder to remove the inner valve springs before break in. Im assuming this lowers the valve spring pressure making it easier on the lifter and cam lobe. Once the cam is broke in, reinstall inner springs. I would always use a zinc additive also. Cheap insurance. I bought Lucas brand for my 383.

Anyone else ever heard of removing inner springs? I havent tried it yet so Im curious.

[yellow70GMC]

I just went through the exact same thing you did. I used cheap chevron 10w30, i primed the engine with a prime tool, and i let the motor run at about 2200 for 20 minutes. If your engine sat for that long, better make really sure no moisture got in the motor. Pull the oil pan and look at the rods and crank if you can, but that's just me. And i second pretty much everything all the other guys already said. The zinc thing is extra insurance and IMO you'll be fine without it as long as you're careful. I would change the oil after about an hour of running the engine, and then change it again at 500 miles.

[bigsnookmaster]

Originally Posted by 71stroker

I was told by my engine builder to remove the inner valve springs before break in. Im assuming this lowers the valve spring pressure making it easier on the lifter and cam lobe. Once the cam is broke in, reinstall inner springs. I would always use a zinc additive also. Cheap insurance. I bought Lucas brand for my 383.

Anyone else ever heard of removing inner springs? I havent tried it yet so Im curious.

Yes, and I've done it myself. You only need to do it of it has double springs with a damper. After break in, replace the inners. I just used the hand tool and pressurized the cylinders to hold up the valves

[hemihead]

Great info, The motor was a complete rebuild, except boring and crank from what I was told. it has a pile of assembly lube so turns over nice.

I'll have to see if I can find a priming tool, as I was just going use a hoem made shaft and a drill but want oil all engine areas.

[yellow70GMC]

Originally Posted by hemihead

I'll have to see if I can find a priming tool, as I was just going use a hoem made shaft and a drill but want oil all engine areas.

Summit sells one for about $20. You can always make a prime tool out of an old distributor too. I'm sure there's a "how-to" on that somewhere on the web, maybe even somewhere on this site.

[hemihead]

Can I start the motor with just headers or should I make an attempt to get a exhaust on?

[67ss&99ss]

Originally Posted by hemihead

Can I start the motor with just headers or should I make an attempt to get a exhaust on?

You can start it with headers. However, it will be hard to listen for abnormal noises during the break-in process. I would have the gauges hooked up to the motor and have them in the engine bay where you can see them while you are making adjustments after you first start it up.

[highperf4x4]

Assuming this is a new hydraulic flat tappet cam.

First make sure the lifters are adjusted properly and the oil pump is primed.
Get some GM EOS additive for the break in. If you can, pour it all over the lifter area before you mount the intake.
Try to get the dizzy set as close to right as possible and that you have fuel in the carb. You don't want to spend much time cranking the engine or you will wipe the assembly lube off the cam before it can do it's job.
Your cam came with a black oxide type of coating on it. This coating is what mates the lifters to the cam lobes. It's high friction and causes the lifters to "spin". If the lifters don't spin the cam will wear a groove in the bottom and they will eat each other alive. Proper lifter adjustment is necessary for this reason.
This extra friction during break in also causes excessive heat so run at least a straight 30w oil to pull the heat out of the cam. The cam gets it's lubrication from the crankshaft. It literally throws the oil up to the cam. This is why it's necessary to vary your rpms between 2000 and 3000. It causes the crank to throw oil on different areas of the camshaft.
It takes about 25mins to properly break in the cam.
You don't want to shut the motor down until you're finished so make sure you got plenty of coolant in the engine! This is very important. The extra heat from the high friction coating can cause a cam lobe to "microweld" itself to the bottom of a lifter if you shut the motor off before it's broken in. The next time it moves it will snap a tiny piece of metal off the bottom of the lifter or the cam lobe creating a small pit that will eventually cause failure. Usually within 6 months.
Change your oil and filter "immediately" after break in and then again at 1500 and then again at 3500. Make sure you run either Valvoline VR1 or some type of zinc additive after break in until the 3500 mark.
DO NOT use a synthetic oil or an additive like slick 50 for the first 10,000 miles and ESPECIALLY not during break in.

Just remember, adjust the lifters, prime the oil pump, use 30w with GM EOS, make sure you have plenty of coolant in the engine, set the dizzy as close as you can get it, dont' crank it too long (stop and figure out the problem), bring it up to 2500 immediately, vary it between 2000 and 3000 for 25mins, don't shut it off until you're done, immediately change the oil. No synthetic.

[68C15]

^^^^^^^
good post. 50 virtual rep points to you.

a few years ago I did a thread about doing an engine's first start and how to make it simple with no troubles. I suck at searching, maybe someone here can find it.

[highperf4x4]

Thx, I've been building performance engines for 20 years. I don't give out "all" my secrets though!

[yellow70GMC]

Originally Posted by 67ss&99ss

You can start it with headers. However, it will be hard to listen for abnormal noises during the break-in process. I would have the gauges hooked up to the motor and have them in the engine bay where you can see them while you are making adjustments after you first start it up.

I wouldn't start it with just headers. You run the risk of burning a valve. If you're running an automatic transmission make sure theres fluid in it.

[hemihead]

Another isssue I have too, Tranny is completely rebuilt as well. Converter has some oil in it (supposedly fills up through the tranny) and I'll fill the tranny up as much as possible but will likely need to add on the go.

Is there a way to prime the fuel system to ensure I am not cranking to long while fuel is getting to the carb?

Originally Posted by yellow70GMC

I wouldn't start it with just headers. You run the risk of burning a valve. If you're running an automatic transmission make sure theres fluid in it.

[63chevyll]

i Use BG MOA...stuff kicks but for flat tappet cams

[highperf4x4]

If you use a rubber fuel line for the break in you can back fill it with gas and fill the carb as well. You can switch back to a metal line after you've broken in the cam.

[tim21391]

im building a sbf and im going to use break in oil additive