Thread: Engine Break In Advise

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I finally got to putting a remanufactured Chevy 350 I've had sitting around into my '79 Pontiac Firebird. This is the first time I've worked with, or owned for that matter a "new" engine. I'm a little nervous about the initial firing and breaking it in properly. I've found two different sites suggesting a similar technique for breaking in remanufactured engines. Basically this:
1) After priming oil pump, start the engine.
2) Run the engine, w/ the car in park, for 20-30 minutes at about 1500-2000
RPM to provide good oil presssure.
3)Shut it down and change the oil and filter while the engines still warm.
4)Take the car out and accelerate from 30-50mph then back down to 30mph
approx. 10-15 times, while not using the brakes to decelerate to keep
vacuum up, to seat the rings properly.
5)Run the car normally, no heavy loads, etc, at varying speeds for 500 miles, then change the oil and filter again

Question-one site suggest "easy" cruising for the first 50-100 miles before
doing the 30-50mph acclearation sequence, the other does not...Any
advice? Will it really matter?

Other than that, does this sound reasonable to you guys? Any tips or suggestions?
Mike

The "easy crusing" method would make it easier for me since the car's inspection was up in 2002. The garage I go to is 15 miles away from me. Going from 30-50mph 10 times is one thing if a cop sees you, it's a whole other deal if the car is not inspected either
I see your point though. I'd like to seat the rings first time out, then get it right down to the shop to be inspected. I have a back road in mind I should be able to do it on with out pissing off too many people behind me or catching johnny laws eye.

One more question. What is the max RPM you'd be comfortable hitting while seating the rings?
It's just a stock, 8.5:1 comp., 350 SB.

Depending on the engine, always keep the RPM's down for the first 10-20 minutes until you reach a nice core temp, very important on our old Harleys during break in, and everyday when running, we try to keep it under 50 for the first 10 miles, lets everything metal, expand to it's full size, and cuts down on wear and tear, so I've heard ... must work, I've got 62,000 miles on the softail!

It's been so long since I've rebuilt a car engine, so that's good to know! I was thinking of replacing the cam with an edelbrock performance series cam that matches the intake and carb I bought for the truck. The engine is old, would you still follow the same break in sequence for the cam?

Almost counter intuitive to what you'd think! Good to know, thanks, Denny.

Originally Posted by DennyW

This is what they say.

Do not allow the engine to run under 2000
rpm for the first 1/2 hour. Vary engine speed between 2000 and 2500
rpm. Slow idle speeds may result in severe cam and lifter wear.

The articles I read did not mention varying the RPM's during this first part. That is something you would recommend though?

Denny, definitely no reving by me! So just change the RPM's by a couple hundred every like 5-10 minutes while staying in the right RPM range on the initial start up?
Thanks

Originally Posted by stovens

Almost counter intuitive to what you'd think! Good to know, thanks, Denny.

That is what I thought too. I figured you would want the engine to just idle regularly on the initial start up, not spin at 2000 RPM's. I was glad I looked into the break in process after reading that.

well in a race car im not sure but after break in and rings seat you go run the piss out of it: am i correct? because race cars aint got time to go pussyfooting around on the roads at varying speeds?

read my post the whole way through i said AFTER break in and ring seat time,

just not in the jokin mood much anymore, seriously thinking of getting rid of all this crap i ahve dissapearing and starting over somewhere else

what are your guys' opinions on break-in oils?? i recently read an article in street rodder abouth that, they were talking to 3 diff race oil companies, most of which recomment breaking in the fresh engine with race oil because it has higher levels of zinc, an excellent anti-wear agent or diesel/mineral oil, which also have hi levels of zinc. new standard motor oils have less (600 ppm) of it because of pollution, these are the oils that meet the most recent ASE standards. but then again, some of them said the regular 10w30 was just fine. hogwash or smart????

Originally Posted by merc53man

what are your guys' opinions on break-in oils?? i recently read an article in street rodder abouth that, they were talking to 3 diff race oil companies, most of which recomment breaking in the fresh engine with race oil because it has higher levels of zinc, an excellent anti-wear agent or diesel/mineral oil, which also have hi levels of zinc. new standard motor oils have less (600 ppm) of it because of pollution, these are the oils that meet the most recent ASE standards. but then again, some of them said the regular 10w30 was just fine. hogwash or smart????

The EPA has taken a lot of the additives out of the oils the last few years.
I would use a racing like you said and add a can of EOS from GM or Crane or Comp cam break-in oil.

i use rotella for break in

What oil, brand and weight, would you guys recommend I use for the break in?
I have a stock 350ci, 8.5:1 comp, probably only 260-280 hp.

Hi all

New guy here at this site and since I have some experience in this subject I thought I'd chime in.

If the honeing was done right with a good cross hatch your rings will seat in a very short period. If its a roller cam no cam break in is needed.

For flat tappets 15-20 mins at 2-2500 and good assembly lube and your good to go.

I use the cheapest 30 wt oil I can find and a bottle of Orielys additive which is loaded with zinc for the first 20 mins. drain and then refill the same way and do my dyno pulls. Drain again and use a good oil and more additive for 2-300 miles of normal driving (usually a weekend run) Then fill it with royal purple and run the snot out of it.

This seems to work for me.