New Engine Start-up Questions & Tips

[Heg87t]

Hello,

I am going to start-up my newly rebuilt engine tonight and wanted to share some thoughts and questions.
Here’s what I have done so far:

Filled crankcase with 4 quarts older Rotella, 1 quart newer Rotella, one bottle Comp Cams break-in additive, and ~1.5 quarks Mobil One. If you’re doing the math have a remote filter so it takes about 6 quarts and there’s about 1 quart on my garage floor.
Turned the oil pump with a drill to pre-lube engine, rotated crank, pre-lubed, 3x. I had oil out of all the push rods. Question here: it looks like some of my lifters are not pumped up since I only saw one or two of the valves open during my pre-lubing procedure. Is it normal for the lifters (new Comp hydraulics) to be not pumped up until you start the engine? Will it start-up this way?
My plan is to start up and run 30 minutes about 2500 – 3,000 RPM by putting a shim between the throttle bracket and idle screw. Does anyone know (or can they check) how much gap there is between the bracket and screw with their car running about 2,500 RPM.
After this I am going to change the oil and filter then drive it to break-in the rings.

ANY further thoughts or tips for start-up would be welcome.

Thanks,
Dave
1987 Regal T Turbo

 

[whitehot1]

I always fill the cooling system with just water first and use the seal tabs from GM in case of any leaks.

I fill the system by removing the hose from the heater core and pouring the water in the water pipe going to the engine first then it fills the radiator and eliminates any air pockets and ensures the block has water in it as the engine gets up to operating temp.

Also ensure the cam sensor is set properly and the engine is ready to fire when you turn the key to start on the first attempt.

Check all fluid levels and connections;power steering,transmission.

John

 

[Heg87t]

Thanks.

That's a good tip about the heater hose! That would be the highest spot.

Cam sensor should be all set. I have the opening facing the front of the car and used my volt meter to set the cap just when the voltage dropped from 7.

I am just hoping I don't have to turn it over too long to pump up the lifter before it starts.

Dave

 

[whitehot1]

Thanks.

That's a good tip about the heater hose! That would be the highest spot.

Cam sensor should be all set. I have the opening facing the front of the car and used my volt meter to set the cap just when the voltage dropped from 7.

I am just hoping I don't have to turn it over too long to pump up the lifter before it starts.

Dave

The lifters should pump up as soon as the engine starts since you already primed the oil system, but you could disconnect the orange wire up by the battery that powers the ecm and crank it over until you see pressure on the oil pressure gauge if you have one,if no gauge just crank it over about a minute.

John :smile:

 

[Heg87t]

Thanks John. That makes me feel better.
I was going to crank it without the ecm a minute before I fire it since it has sat a day since priming. That's if I can get the starter to work! But that's another story...

 

[turbofabricator]

You have done everything right up to this point. NOW, here is my best advice for the rest.

Start engine and run at 2500 rpm for 25 minutes. Shut engine off, let it cool a bit. (it will be real hot. as a note here, look at the headers when you are breaking the cam in. You will be AMAZED at hot red hot they get!!!, they might even approach white hot!) Then drain the oil, pull the filter and cut it apart, (use a putty knife as a chisle to cut it apart) and look closely at/in the filter pleats for excessive debris. There WILL be debris in there, no matter how clean you think you got the engine during assembly. Look mainly for aluminum powder looking debris and metal flakes. There will be metal flakes, just make sure there's not ALOT of them. Change the oil/filter, start the car, let it warm up by altering the rpm between 1000 rpm and 3000 rpm slowly altering rpm. Once the engine is up to operating temp., place the car in gear and slowly raise RPM against the converter (power braking it) untill the boost gauge is rading 1-3 psi boost, then SLAM the throttle open and hit the rings with 15-20 psi boost! At this point, if the rings aren't seated, they probably never will. At this point, drive the car like you stole it!
If your engine builder says differently, I would question WHY? Rings/lifters are the only break-in parts in an engine. The crank should NEVER even touch a bearing, ever! If the engine was assembled correctly all the parts should have sufficient clearances. I have never understood the reasoning for babying a car for 500 miles untill it is "broke-in"?? What exactly is breaking in? If the cylinder walls were honed correctly, they will not require much wear to be ready for racing. How much break-in time does a Top Fuel engine get before POUNDING 7,000 HP to the ground? Ever watch and engine on a dyno? They will smoke out the breathers until you lay it against the water brake, then it stops smoking, becasue it is loading the rings against the cylinder walls.
Good luck with your engine.

 

[DR BOOST]

Thanks.



Cam sensor should be all set. I have the opening facing the front of the car and used my volt meter to set the cap just when the voltage dropped from 7.

Dave

did you rotate the engine to 25 deg?

 

[breiter]

Point a box fan or two at the engine / radiator so some air is moving. Starting one up for the first time is always a bit nerve racking to me. Make sure you don't have any fuel leaks before you run the engine. I varied my rpm's between 2200 and 2600. I stayed in my car watching the guages and used the gas pedal to fluctuate the rpms while a friend watched for any leaks or anything suspicous under the hood. I drained the oil, added back 5x30 with ZDDP and ran the car for about 500 miles until the next oil change. As turbofabricator said, I put a little boost in the first few miles to make sure the rings seated. Also, for the first 100/200 miles I did not cruise at a steady rpm. Don't cruise at 65 on the highway in other words. Not good for a flat tappet cam. Do some city driving. Good luck!

PS - my engine builder said once I broke the cam in (20 minutes) to let it eat! It made me too nervous to push it so early so I took it easy for a couple hundred miles but the reality is, it will either stay together or not!

 

[Heg87t]

Yes. I turned the balancer clockwise so the 0 mark on the plastic tab was at 25 degrees or 1.54".

>>>>

did you rotate the engine to 25 deg?
__________________
86 t-type "Betty" with a few bolt ons, few weld ons, a few JB weld ons and a weldon pump. Stock location heads, intercooler, transmission, convertor, block, computer, rearend, and gastank.

5 TIME PEOPLES CHAMPION

current 2008 PEOPLES CHAMPION elected by a group of peers

 

[whitehot1]

Did you start it up yesterday?

How did it go if you did?

John :smile:

 

[Heg87t]

No. I tried. Starter was dead. After two R&R's and putting pieces of three different starters together I got it to bump. By that time it was 10:00 so I stopped for the night. Busy the rest of the week so hoping for next Saturday.

 

[whitehot1]

No. I tried. Starter was dead. After two R&R's and putting pieces of three different starters together I got it to bump. By that time it was 10:00 so I stopped for the night. Busy the rest of the week so hoping for next Saturday.

Sorry to hear this. Hopefully it will go better the next time.

These kinds of experiences are the reason i try to buy as many parts as i can with a lifetime warranty as long as the price isn't to unreasonable.

These are the ones i have with a lifetime warranty;
starter-i paid $35.00 at autozone now the price is $65.00
alternator-i paid $95.00 at advanceautoparts now the price is $125.00
sparkplug wires-i paid $30.00 at autozone now they are $32.00
water pump-autozone
power steering pump-advanceautoparts
universal joints-autozone
brake pads and shoes-autozone
ignition module-autozone
I'm sure there are a few other parts as well that i can't remember right now.

If the parts do go bad atleast i don't have to pay for them again.
The alternator just went out a week ago and advance took care of that under the warranty and i replaced the plug wires last week under autozone warranty there was nothing wrong with them i just wanted a new set.

John :smile:

 

[Heg87t]

IT RUNS!!!!

Finally got it going today. Guess what? If you don't plug in the crank sensor it doesn't start. DUH!! Stupid me.

Got it started after that. I was somewhat flooded so it backfired a couple of times. Blew all the acorns and seat insulation out of the exhaust. Wonder if the mouse was still in there? Boy, that is really scary in the first minute as the lifters pump up and it clears itself out. I was shaking more than the engine.

Ran it from 2 - 3,000 rpm for a half hour. Started with almost 100 psi oil pressure and it settled in about 55 once it warmed up. Temp never got over 193. Probably helped that it was 40 degrees in the barn! After the break-in I let it idle and it settled in nice at 575rpm.

I cut the filter apart and found maybe 8-10 0.060" pieces of aluminum I am guessing (not metallic). The rest of the oil in the filter looked like fine metallic paint. I think this is fine for first start. What you guys think?

I am very happy now!!
After lunch I am going to fill it back up with oil and see if it moves under it's own power, oh and see if it stops too.

Dave

 

[whitehot1]

Glad you got it running.

Keep the engine tuned and oil changed and you should be good to go.


John

 

[Heg87t]

Thanks John. I actually put two miles on it today. Then got it stuck in the muddy yard in front of the barn. Oh well. Had to wash it because of this. Looks pretty good. My son like it. He's six and it hasn't run since before he was born.

Need to reset the IAC and do a few other things then I will hook-up the wastegate and have some fun!!

 

[84BuickGNYorkPA]

Congratulations !! Nothing like bringing one back from a deep sleep!

Chuck