Engine Break-in

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Daves67Cuda

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anybody wanna give me some advice, im getting alot closer to breaking the engine in. ive heard a few different oils and whatnot. i also heard that the diesel oils dont have the zinc or whatever in them anymore. any additives to use? thanks, dave
 
I used 15w-40 Rotella and BG products MOA and as soon as it started took it up to 1800 and let it run there for 25 minutes while monitoring temp & oil pressure. No cam problems. The worst thing you can do on a fresh engine is let it sit and idle, and I see people do it all the time.
 
Daves67Cuda said:
anybody wanna give me some advice, im getting alot closer to breaking the engine in. ive heard a few different oils and whatnot. i also heard that the diesel oils dont have the zinc or whatever in them anymore. any additives to use? thanks, dave
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Use 15/40 Rotella and a WI x or NAPA gold #1068 filter. I add a can of EOS (from GM) for initial breakin.
Drill 2 - 1/8" dia holes in the thermostat to make sure air can escape and fluid is full to within 1/2" below rad cap inlet. Fill carb bowls and set air adjusting screws so it will run rich at idle (Holley or Demon - 3/4 turn out) turn idle screw a couple of turns to ensure it will be idling high.
Set timing mark for #1 cylinder to 18-20* before TDC - then line up the distributor magnetic pickup with the #1 ?? (reluctor??) (the rotor will be located just before the #1 terminal on the cap).
Bump started to ensure ignition is working and have a fully charged battery.
Have at least 5 gals of gas in the tank.
Have Fire Extinquisher available - don't ask.
Pump gas 2-3 times and have someone else turn key

Try and make sure the engine stays running for at least 10 minutes ±2000rpm with a few blips to 25-3000rpm. If it doesnot start within 2-3 revolutions - something is wrong and continued cranking will not fix it. If you can, check and set timing to 34-36* total mechanical. Let it cool down for at least 1/2 hr.
Cam breakin takes approx 30 minutes running at this speed, but doesnot have to be 30 minutes continuous - 5 minutes at a time will work - but 3- 10s would be better.
You are checking for leaks all the time - and oil pressure and water temp.
After breakin - drain oil and change filter. Same brand and grade of oil and filter will work good too. Run for 500miles - change oil and filter.
Drive it like you own it - any time after breakin. M2CsW.

Have fun. :salute:
 
If you are at 2000rpm turning the idle mixture screws out won't do any good in richening because you are no longer on the idle curcuit at that rpm.

Chuck
 
340mopar said:
If you are at 2000rpm turning the idle mixture screws out won't do any good in richening because you are no longer on the idle curcuit at that rpm.

Chuck
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So true. I was just adding that Advice so if the engine rpm dropped momentarily while getting it set to ±2000 it would never be running lean.
 
Make sure you have plenty of oil pressure,use a good oil i prefer 15w-45 diesel and a good filter,set timing as close as possible,fire it up check timing set idle speeds,check for leaks,take it out and drive it at various speeds,this also helps the rings to seat faster,i have heard of more people ruining cams sitting there with the car idiling at 1800-2500 rpms,my engine builder frowns about that stuff,i've yet to ruin a cam doing it his way......
 
340srule, flat tappet cams need to be broken in at a minimum of 1800 rpm (I use no less than 2000 rpm). This is because the camshaft lobes do not get pressure oiled, the only way they get oil is by the crank slinging oil on the bottom of the cam and on some motors, depending on the valley design, oil drain back. If your engine builder frowns on breaking in a cam this way you need a new engine builder. Just because he has not had a failure doesn't mean he is doing it right. Check with the camshaft manufacturers they will tell you the same thing, after all they made the cam.


Chuck
 
Years ago...the motors that I built I never did the break in run! Did pre-prime the pump,set the timing as close as I could...but never did bring the rpms up and hold them above 1800 and the very it up to what ever...Never did have a cam failure...
When we lite off the new 383 in my son's 68 Dart..we will do the cam break in....
Anyway live and learn...

Rick
 
Regarding your Oil questions.

The latest version of Shell Rotella 15w-40 (the one that says "triple protection" on the label) now meets the auto designation SM and the new diesel designation which requires it to have less zinc. The other viscosities are still SJ or SL which is what you want. I spent about 20 minutes looking at every brand and viscosity of diesel oil at Advance Auto (Mobil, Shell, Chevron, Motorcraft) and all others were either SJ or SL.

Also, STP engine oil supplement is supposed to have more zinc than any other supplement on the market, likely a good alternative to the GM supplement if you can't find it.
 
Comp Cams makes an additive that has a lot of Zinc in it for cam break in. Part# 159 iirc.
 
388dart said:
Cam breakin takes approx 30 minutes running at this speed, but doesnot have to be 30 minutes continuous - 5 minutes at a time will work - but 3- 10s would be better.
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I disagree! Only shut it down if it starts getting too hot or has a leak or some other major issue like a noise. Most wear happens on startup. The purpose of cam break-in is to establish the proper wear pattern which requires plenty of oil and engine speed to make sure the lifters are rotating. Every time you crank it to start it, there is little oil on the cam lobes and you run the risk of metal-to-metal contact. That is why you put cam lube on during assembly. Once you've run it for a few minutes, all of the cam lube is gone and you are relying on whatever oil is between the lifter and cam lobe on subsequent startups.

I flattened one cam when I was a dumb kid in the 80's. A few years later, I became a machinist and built hundreds of engines in my 10 year career and never had a cam failure.

Lee
1966 Barracuda, 340 4 speed
 
:thumbup:
lilcuda said:
I disagree! Only shut it down if it starts getting too hot or has a leak or some other major issue like a noise. Most wear happens on startup. The purpose of cam break-in is to establish the proper wear pattern which requires plenty of oil and engine speed to make sure the lifters are rotating. Every time you crank it to start it, there is little oil on the cam lobes and you run the risk of metal-to-metal contact. That is why you put cam lube on during assembly. Once you've run it for a few minutes, all of the cam lube is gone and you are relying on whatever oil is between the lifter and cam lobe on subsequent startups.

I flattened one cam when I was a dumb kid in the 80's. A few years later, I became a machinist and built hundreds of engines in my 10 year career and never had a cam failure.

Lee
1966 Barracuda, 340 4 speed
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And i disagree with that statement....adjust the idle,set the timing check for leaks,take it out and drive it at varying speeds this also helps to seat the rings..useing this procedure i have NEVER ruined a cam.....
 
340srule said:
:thumbup:

And i disagree with that statement....adjust the idle,set the timing check for leaks,take it out and drive it at varying speeds this also helps to seat the rings..useing this procedure i have NEVER ruined a cam.....
Click to expand...
You've been lucky. Even the cam manufacturers instructions call for a break in period. Especially more so now that the oil is crap. But I have only been at this for 28 years, there are a lot of things to learn.
 
66dartman said:
You've been lucky. Even the cam manufacturers instructions call for a break in period. Especially more so now that the oil is crap. But I have only been at this for 28 years, there are a lot of things to learn.
Click to expand...

Hmm,maybe thats because i don't use crappy oil :thumbup: by the way do you always read the instructions to everything??....
 
66dartman said:
I used 15w-40 Rotella and BG products MOA and as soon as it started took it up to 1800 and let it run there for 25 minutes while monitoring temp & oil pressure. No cam problems. The worst thing you can do on a fresh engine is let it sit and idle, and I see people do it all the time.
Click to expand...
I build detroit diesel engines and allison transmissions as part of my job. And even though I have been doing this a long time, I still refer to the book because somethings are too important and expensive to rely on memory alone. If I blow up an engine or trans, it's $20,000.00 and my job. So yes, I do read the instructions.
 
When starting a fresh motor "Engine run in" should be 30 minutes at 2000-2500 rpm's,like others have suggested.At this rpm,it assures a constant flow of oil to the cam and lifters.If the engine is idled at low rpm,insufficient lubrication to the cam and lifters could possibly gall one or more of the lobes-back to square one.

I would like to add a couple other tips.

1.To be sure the engine develops full oil pressure,remove the spark plugs,so the engine will crank faster,and crank the engine.An idiot light should go out within 15 seconds.A gauge should indicate 35-40 psi within the same time.

2.The additional friction of a new,"tight" engine produces more heat than after it has a few hundred miles on it.To keep a constant flow of cool water through the cooling system,stick a hose into the radiator and open the radiator petcock.Fill the radiator and engine,then adjust the flow into the radiator to compensate for the flow out.Readjust the flow when the engine starts.This will keep up a constant flow of cool water to the engine and prevent overheating.

3.Have a timing light hooked up and ready to go.Timing is set soon after engine is fired.
 
340srule said:
:thumbup:

And i disagree with that statement....adjust the idle,set the timing check for leaks,take it out and drive it at varying speeds this also helps to seat the rings..useing this procedure i have NEVER ruined a cam.....
Click to expand...

You disagree with which part of my statement?
 
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