What is the best way to break in a engine? Grumpy?

[80LS1T]

Well I got my engine running so now I need to know how to break it in? I don't have and exhaust on it or a driveshaft but I should have those taken care of this week or next week.

 

So what do I need to do to break my engine in properly? Its a LT1 350 with hypers and plasma moly rings.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

[Guest sb400z]

The only car that I've heard much about breaking in the motor was an 02 WRX, and that's only because I was a signature away from owning one, until I looked at what my insurance would be... On that car it was an oil change about every 500 miles, don't go over 4k until about 1500 miles, then take it gradually higher and higher (slow runs up the rpm range) for next couple hundred miles or so. That is for a brand new, turbo 4 cylinder boxter motor though, but I would imagine that wouldn't be bad for yours either. Someone correct me if I'm way out of line please.

[grumpyvette]

I know you already checked ALL YOUR CLEARANCES ARE CORRECT!RIGHT? READ THIS FIRST BREAK IN PROCEDURE

 

 

1.) Drive normally but not a continuous high speeds for the first 500 miles. Occasional quick bursts of speed followed by quick deceleration during this period, is beneficial. AVOID LUGGING!!! TRIPS AND TOWING are not recommended until after 1000 miles.

NOTE:

Applying loads to the engine for short periods of time causes increased ring pressure against cylinder walls and helps to seat the rings. This is especially important because you are "BREAKING-IN" the engine with heavy duty oils. The rapid deceleration increases vacuum and gives extra lubrication to the piston and other assemblies.

 

 

2.) IMPORTANT! AFTER 500 TO A MAXIMUM OF 1000 MILES OF SERVICE, change oil and filter and readjust the valves, except hydraulic. We also require that valve adjustments be done again after a total of 6000 miles. We require a maximum of 3000 miles between oil changes and factory recommendation on valve adjustments thereafter.

NOTE:

Add oil at 1/2 quart intervals on small capacity engines. OIL AND WATER LEVELS ARE A DRIVER OR OWNER MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY, THEY MUST BE KEPT FULL. We realize that this means extra effort on your part, but it assures long and satisfactory engine performance.

 

 

3.) A heavy duty detergent oil is required. Use a good quality brand oil, Some Manufacturers require 5/30, others recommend 10/40 for 20 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and use 20/50w for higher temperatures and heavy duty use.

NOTE:

In past years, it has been common practice to use non-detergent and straight weight oil during the "BREAK-IN" period because it was felt that the rings would seat quicker without the film strength additives. More recently, there has been a trend to high speed and high temperature engines, cam lobe and tappet loads also have increased to a point where it is important to use heavy duty oils which contain a EP (high pressure) additive right from the start. Rings will seat properly when moderate loads are applied as noted above in section one.

 

 

4.) Keep your engine in tune. Tune-up specifications should always be to the manufacturers recommended specifications.

 

5.) PLEASE! If you experience any trouble or even suspect a problem please contact us IMMEDIATELY! It is easier and cheaper to fix a little problem than a big one.

 

 

IMPORTANT ITEMS TO LOOK FOR WHEN INSTALLING

A REPLACEMENT ENGINE TO AVOID EARLY ENGINE FAILURE

 

1.) Determine why old engine failed. Check catalytic converter or computer controlled parts, check engine warning light codes, radiator, water pump, etc. Do not install replacement engine with defective components, this could cause premature failure.

2.) Compare rebuilt engine with old engine as to crankshaft flange, pilot hole and bearing, oil pan, timing cover, engine mounting provisions and cylinder head mounting holes.

3.) Prime the oil pump in any acceptable Industry Standard Method! This is very important.

4.) All related parts not furnished by us should be thoroughly cleaned.

5.) If original engine has blown and scattered pieces, such as piston particles, you Must thoroughly inspect intake manifold for foreign material to avoid destroying the new engine.

6.) Make sure that dipstick tube and dipstick are of proper length to register required amount of oil.

7.) Check motor mounts for oil soak and parting of rubber from metal.

8.) Radiator should be flow tested and thoroughly cleaned if necessary.

9.) Check radiator cap for application and operation.

10.) Replace thermostat to avoid possible failure.

11.) All hoses, radiator, heater, and by pass should be replaced if necessary.

12.) A heavy duty detergent oil is required. Use a good quality brand oil, Some Manufacturers require 5/30, others recommend 10/40 for 20 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and use 20/50w for higher temperatures and heavy duty use.

13.) Always replace oil filter cartridge and flush any cooler lines. And replace oil cooler if contaminated.

14.) Oil pressure and temperature sending units may need to be replaced because they have a tendency to leak oil and register improper after a reinstall.

15.) Always install new spark plugs of proper heat range and check to make sure the spark plug wires are in good condition.

16.) Check distributor, advance controls and distributor cap for cracks.

17.) Water pump should be checked for signs of leaking.

18.) Clutch fan should be checked for proper operation.

19.) Fan belts should be checked for cracks and other defects.

20.) Check fuel pump for oil leak at pivot pin and also for fuel leaks.

21.) Check heat riser valve for proper operation.

22.) Replace paper air filter or clean oil type.

23.) Check smog components and computer sensors. Replace defective or old parts.

24.) VERY IMPORTANT!!!

Make sure radiator is full of coolant (at least 50% water and 50% antifreeze) and Engine Block is filled full before attempting to start engine.

CAUTION: Air Locks can ruin a new engine.

25.) When filling radiator make sure it is filled to proper capacity and that there are no air locks, as this can cause cracking of cylinder block and heads.

26.) Start engine, check oil pressure, adjust ignition timing to manufacturers specifications and adjust carburetor after engine has warmed up fully. Also, at this time be sure to check for any water or oil leaks.

27.) Take the car for a road test. After road testing the vehicle recheck installation, oil and water levels, look for any leaks, recheck timing and adjust carburetor if necessary. Please refer to "BREAK IN PROCEDURE" sheet for further information.

See Warranty Addendum #8

NOTE: After at least 1 hour running time and engine has cooled, retorque head and adjust valves to manufacturers specifications. On Required engines if you are not sure if this is required on your engine ASK!

 

http://www.chevytalk.org/forums/Forum64/HTML/005908.html

 

ok first make sure the ignition timeing , coolent levels are correct, all the hoses are conected ETC and a good oil filter is installed, add a can of G.M. E.O.S. to the oil(G.M.part #1052367 )

 

ENGOILSUP

 

EOS - Engine Assembly Prelube

Specifically formulated as an engine assembly lubricant. E.O.S. provides outstanding protection against run-in wear and piston scuffing as well as run-in camshaft lobe and lifter scuffing resulting from insufficient lubrication.)

 

fill the engine with a good brand of MINERAL BASE OIL of about 10w-30 weight (VALVEOLINE, ETC. anything with a S/G or S/H rateing

next prime the oil pump while turning the engine over BY HAND SLOWLY untill oil runs out of all the push rod/rocker arms (if it doesn,t find out WHY BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE) this is a good time to roughly adjust your valves if you have not yet done so. once everything checks outget the garden hose running if you might need it to cool the radiator and if you have one keep a fire extinguisher handy, check the float levels in the carb and fuel pressure is ok and fire it up with a timeing light on the motor, finish timeing it correctly and get it to at least 1500rpm-2000rpm and keep it at least that high for 15 minutes, if everything looks good take it for an around the block tour for an hour too 90 more minutes, bring it home, let it cool and change the oil filter(after 100 miles change the oil and oil filter again to mobile 1 synthetic in what ever weigth will keep 25lbs of hot oil pressure at idle, after you have changed to mobile 1 synthetic and broken in the rings and cam your ready to run the crap out of it at the 100 mile mark, by that time everthing is lapped in BTW I always stick four of these magnets in the corners of the oil pan sump , you will be amazed at how much metalic dust they pick out of the oil and keep from getting to your bearings,(either one works fine)

http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/magnet2.html

http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/magnet42.html

 

synthetic oil has much greater film strength that it slows the lapping in of the lifters to cam lobes and rings to cylinder walls to a great extent, yes you can use synthetic oil to break in an engine but it will take longer and in some cases the rings don,t completely seal to the cylinders for about 500 miles while breaking in on mineral oil everythings lapped in by 100 miles or 3 hrs of running time. and yes constantly vary the engine speed durring break in but it must be in the 1500rpm-4000rpm window for proper oil flow/splash lubracation of the parts, btw this tool adds greatly to the oil flow to the cam lobes,

http://www.compcams.com/catalog/335.html

and read this

 

 

http://www.melling.com/engoil.html

 

http://www.melling.com/highvol.html

Im NOT recommending you rev your new engine to 4000rpm, I Am saying its ok to let a new engine get to 4000rpm MAX for brief periods OCCASIONALLY going from gear to gear shifting under light load as a max rpm level as you accelerate going thru the gears in the car during that first 3 hours or 100 miles and during the first hour of running time there is FAR MORE HEAT ON THE CONTACT POINTS AS THE RINGS AND LIFTERS LAP IN and those magnets I mentioned pick up lots of metalic dust, and that can get embeded into your bearings without those magnets. BASICALLY what your doing durring that first hour and to some extent the first hundred miles is letting all the high spots wear away and the metalic dust formed wash into the sump in the oil pan where its picked up by magnets if your smart or by the oil pump and hopefully trapped by the filter BEFORE IT GETS TO THE BEARINGS ETC.another reason they tell you to keep the engine rpms low durring breakin is to try to insure the oil filter bypass valve stays shut by keeping the oil pressure in the mid ranges to hopefully allow ALL the metallic dust to pass thru the filter,btw the main reason they tell you to keep the rpms at at least 1500rpm is because the cam is mostly lubracated by oil thrown from the spinning rods/crankshaft and below 1500rpm there is significantly less oil being thrown around in the lower block by the rotateing assembly and that the cam lobes on a flat tappet cam need to have that oil film on the lobes for the metal to lap in and work harden the mateing surfaces between the lifters and cam lobes. that tool I refered to causes high pressure oil to constantly spray on that lobe surface greatly increaseing the oil flow to the contact area and helping to prevent lobe failures, it also helpd spray extra oil on roller wheels on roller cams/lifters, look here at lifter #866

http://www.compcams.com/catalog/261.html

notice the oil groove! that is there to do the same job!

[80LS1T]

Thanks for all the great advise Grumpy!

 

Should I just leave those magnets in the pan "forever"? Or should I take them out after x,xxx miles?

 

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

[grumpyvette]

take the magnets out and totally clean them EVERY TIME you drop the oil pan then REPLACE THEM,into the oil pan, you should not be running an engine without magnets in the oil pan because they do prevent a great deal of metalic dust fro getting into the oil flow and prevents that metalic dust from getting embeded in the bearings

[Mudge]

There is a magnetic drain plug for LT1s, but it is for thread style used on 96+ cars only, switched to metric I believe. I would suggest the WIC filter for the best filtration.

[80LS1T]

Doesn't that figure? 96+ is were all the good stuff is! I will just get some of those magnets for my pan instead!

 

Hey Mudge you got one of those Oil Level Sensors just laying around? I need one but it doesn't have to work. I just need to plug the hole in the oil pan! They are $46.xx from GM and no body else has them! I really don't want to buy one if I don't have too!

 

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

[Guest m35514h]

you need to let your engine idle for 30 minutes regular, and then 5 minutes at a higher rpm, and then 10 minutes at regular, and then take it easy for 500 miles

[grumpyvette]

"you need to let your engine idle for 30 minutes regular"

 

,

IF YOU DO THAT THERES AT LEAST A 50/50 chance youll wipe the cam! YOU MUST KEEP THE RPMS IN THE 1500-4000rpm range and spend most of the time above 2000rpm to have the correct amount of oil thrown from the rods to keep the cam lobes correctly oiled.,

HERES WHAT CRANE HAS TO SAY ALSO

Cam failure is rarely caused by the cam itself. The only things we can control during manufacture pertaining to cam lobe wear, are lobe taper lobe hardness and surface finish. Of all the damaged cams we have checked over the years, more than 99.99 percent have been manufactured correctly. Some people have the misconception that it is common for a cast iron flat tappet cam to occasionally have a soft lobe. We have yet to see a cast iron flat tappet cam that had a soft lobe.

 

When the cast core is made at the casting foundry, all the lobes are flame hardened. That process hardens all the lobes to a depth below the barrel of the core. That depth of hardness allows the finish cam grinder to finish grind the cam lobes with a Rockwell hardness above 50Rc. The generally accepted hardness on a finished cast cam should be between 48Rc to 58Rc.

 

All of the finished cams that we have checked are always above 50Rc hardness on the lobes. Many outside factors, or a combination of factors, can cause cam failures. We will list some of the factors we have determined that may cause camshaft failure.

 

1. Lobe wear

 

A) Incorrect break-in lubricant. Use only the Moly Paste, Part Number 99002-1 that is included with the cam. This Moly Paste must be applied to every cam lobe surface, and to the bottom of every lifter face of all flat tappet cams. Roller tappet cams only require engine oil to be applied to the lifters and cam. Also, apply the Moly Paste to the distributor gears on the cam and distributor for all camshafts. For extra protection, an anti-wear additive should be added, such as Crane Super Lube, Part Number 99003-1.

 

 

NOTE: Do not use synthetic oil during the break-in period. It is not recommended to use any type of oil restrictors to the lifter galley, or use windage trays, baffles,or plug any oil return holes in the valley. Oil has a two-fold purpose, not only to lubricate, but to draw the heat away from whatever it comes in contact with. The cam needs oil splash from the crankcase, and oil run-back from the top of the engine to help draw the heat away. Without this oil flow, all the heat generated at the cam is transferred to the lifter, which can contribute to it's early demise.

Correct break-in procedure.

 

After the correct break-in lubricant is applied to the cam and lifters, fill the crankcase with fresh non-synthetic oil. Prime the oil system with a priming tool and an electric drill so that all oil passages and the oil filter are full of oil. Pre-set the ignition timing and prime the fuel system. Fill the cooling system. Start the engine. The engine should start quickly and run between 1500 and 3000 rpm.

 

If the engine will not start, don't continue to crank for long periods, as that is very detrimental to the life of the cam. Check for the cause and correct. The engine should quickly start and be run between 1500 to 3000 rpm. Vary the rpm up and down in this rpm range during the first 15 to 20 minutes, (do not run the engine at a steady rpm). During this break-in time, verify that the pushrods are rotating, as this will show that the lifters are also rotating. If the lifters don't rotate, the cam lobe and lifter will fail. Sometimes you may need to help spin the pushrod to start the rotation process during this break-in procedure.

 

 

http://www.cranecams.com/instructions/valvetrain/camfail.htm

 

andACCELERATED MOTION

PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS

START-UP:

Avoid prolnged cranking of the engine on initial start-up. Once your engine has been started, keep the engine speed between 1800 rpm and 2000 rpm for about 20 minutes. DO NOT ALLOW THE ENGINE SPEED TO DROP BELOW 1200 RPM. This high rpm break-in is critical, as low rpms put more load on the cam lobes and reduce valve lifter rotation. With the valve covers off you will be able to see if the pushrods are rotating. Pushrods not rotating indicate that the lifters are not rotating. IF THIS OCCURES, STOP THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE. DO NOT RESTART THE ENGINE UNTIL THE CAUSE IS CORRECTED. When the lifters are not rotating, the cam lobes and lifters will self-destruct, sometimes in a matter of seconds, or create damage that will greatly reduce the life of the camshaft

 

http://www.2quicknovas.com/happycams.html

 

ISKY.CRANE,CROWER,ENGLE,COMP CAMS,ERSON, ALL SAY TO KEEP THE RPMS ABOVE 1500-2000RPM FOR THE FIRST 15-30 minutes so I TAKE THEIR WORD FOR IT, BESIDES IVE SEEN CAMS WITH WIPED LOBES that after checking seemed to have failed for no other reason than lack of luberacation during that critical first 20 minutes, the rods just don,t trow enough oil and the lifters don,t spin fast enough to properly break in/lap in below 1500-2000rpm

DON,T FORGET THE MOLY CAM LUBE AND G.M. E.O.S. in the oil