Engine break in procedure?

[Clark6]

proper break in on rebuilt engine? the last time after engine was rebuilt it was put in the car i put 10-40 or 10-30 valvoline in it cranked it let it run at idle for 20min.

drove for 100 miles around town driving, then drained oil & filter changed

then 10-30 valvoline oil 500 miles out of town driving,drained changed filter.

then a 1000 miles 10-30 valvoline & filter change

After 1500 i went to mobile one and filter and changed it ever 2500 to 3000 miles.
no wiped lobes engine ran fine for about 12000 miles several oil changes and about 20 track runs till bearing failure the last 12-13,000 miles on the crank . Is it ok to do this same procedure with the roller cam since it worked well the last time? I have 6 bottles of eos i saved from last year & 3 bottles of valvoline syn power additive will i need these? I didnt use them the last time. thanks in advance and any help appreciated.

 

[Boost231]

i would use a good 30wt oil and 2 bottles of eos and go drive it.

 

[pdzz]

I don't believe a roller cam has to be broken in the same as a flat tappet. I've also never run straight weight oil in any Buick engine I've built, during break-in or afterwards. Nothing heavier than 15-40. My 2 cents. Phil

 

[Clark6]

thanks guys

 

[gossamer]

IMO. start the engine and break in the cam (if a flat tappet style) and drain the oil and change the filter. Fresh oil and filter after 100 miles and change both again, and again at 500 miles. I've always broken in the engines and run Kendall 10-40 all the time. I go easy on them until they hit 1000 miles. Roller cams don't need a break in procedure. Everyone will probably have a different opinion. Good Luck

 

[TNTBuick]

I have not yet broken in a buick engine, but with sbc and flat tappet cam it is my understanding that you should keep the engine at 2000+ rpm for 20 to 30 minutes at start up to properly and safely break in the cam. This is recommended by Comp Cams. The cam lobes are lubed by the splash of the crank. Low rpm = insufficient lube during this critical break-in period. This said, Buicks may be different. To be safe I would check with the cam Manufacturer. I expect to be breaking in another sbc in the not too distant future and will follow this procedure again. Good luck with your new motor.

 

[Clark6]

Thanks fellas, its a roller cam but i still may break it in the same way i dont think it will hurt anything. i was thinking of using the Joe Gibbs break in oil but then again i may just use the eos and regular 10-30 or 40w.
Gossamer my new setup is almost exactly as yours, except maybe the throttle body mines stock no boring out or anything, im wanting to see how this is gonna perform before i go any further. maybe i'll run those same times as yours.

 

[Mark E.]

I have a roller cam and still ran it at 2000 or so for a while. Seemed like a good idea to make sure that oil got everywhere real good.

 

[gossamer]

Clark 6, Post up some times when you get it running good. It's a nice feeling when you get kicked off the track for not having a roller bar or fire jacket Merry Christmas!

 

[Clark6]

will do.

 

[corymc]

you should run it for a while and change the rpm and rev it up a lil i forget why we did it but my uncle builds lots of engines and told me the reason to do it think it was to seat the rings and something else .after about 45-an hour i took it for a drive and changed the oil after about 100miles. used rotella 15-40 i have a roller cam too.

 

[Blown&Injected]

Just do what you did the first time which is fine for a roller motor but WAY WRONG for a flat tappet engine

 

[turbofabricator]

With a roller cam, just start it up and run it at an elevated RPM to get good oil and coolant flow. Run it for about 15-20 minutes and check for leaks, rattles, etc. If there is a problem, fix it (duh) and then change the oil and filter. Cut the filter apart and check for bad stuff(I use a putty knife/gasket scraper and a hammer with the filter in a vise) and then start engine and let it warm up. Then put it in gear and slowly bring the boost up (with foot hard on brake pedal) to 3-5 psi boost and then slam the throttle to the floor and let the tires break loose. (warn the neighbors first, though. ) Then take it for a drive to the local track and drive it like you stole it. The crankshaft should NEVER touch the bearings, and the boost/burn-out will surely seat the rings if all the machine work was done correctly. Break-in complete. I have never understood the purpose of driving it like a granny for the first 250-500 miles. If it was machined and built correctly, then the above break-in is all that is needed. If it's gonna fail, it will when you slam the throttle down the first time. I'd rather it happen then instead of ten miles down the road. Good luck.:smile:

 

[BOSS 6]

hey my motors is being built by the GLUE MAKER "Chris Hogeland" I was over at his house today and asked him about breaking in my 218/212 roller and he said you don't . He said he and Dusty Bradford has ran a fresh build the same day once installed,on the other hand he told me a flat tappet , dont even bother with it because its going to WIPEit may be 3hours or 3years but its going to happen, so go with a roller.

 

[turbows6]

No camshaft break in is required on a roller camshaft. but it's not going to hurt to let it run for a while and take a look for leaks in the garage. I wouldn't get discouraged about using straight weight oil though. The additive that makes oil multiweight is the same thing that cokes turbo bearings, but if the car is parked outside in cold weather and has tight bearing clearances I'd say multiweight would be good for winter use. I always run SAE 30 Rotella in my TTA.

 

[Clark6]

Thanks everybody! im writing these things down from all of you as the common denominator as to what to do, I keep checking this post from time to time to make sure i didnt miss anything.