Engine is a .030 over 455 that was rebuilt in April of this year. I am just now getting around to completing the assembly and should have it installed in a few weeks. I have two main concerns: 1). is the initial coat of oil on the cylinder walls and pistons sufficient to keep them lubed during initial start up or do I need to pull the pan and wipe some oil on them again since it's been sitting for 5 months?; 2). i'd like to give the crank a few turns while performing the pre-lube but I don't want to wipe off the cam lube. Can I run an initial pre-lube with the lifter and pushrods removed, then install lifters and pushrods and perform another pre-lube without turning the crank so I can obtain oil pressure 3). is it a good idea to pre-lube until oil flows from the pushrods over the rockers?
Agreed. No need to turn the crankshaft unless you're attempting to set initial ignition timing and need to find TDC on a particular cylinder. To prime the oiling system, pull the distributor and turn the oil pump with an old distributor shaft (or similar) chucked into a 1/2" electric drill, spin the pump clockwise until the drill is slowed by the oil pump drag. Reinstall distributor and fire it up. If you need detail on typical cam break-in procedure, let us know. The last thing you want to do is let it idle after startup, and you will want to have a zddp additive in the oil. Devon
Thanks guys. I have a priming tool and will use Comp Cams break in oil. I've read plenty about breaking in a cam on this board. Get the rpm's up to 2,000 immediately and keep it between 2,000 and 2,500 rpms for 30 minutes. I've got the timing mark on the harmonic balancer lined up with the 5 degree mark on the timing cover so if I line the distributor rotor up with the number 1 cylinder on the cap that should give me enough initial timing to get the motor fired up immediately. That's the plan anyway.
Don't forget,standing for a long time,you might have lost the prime in the oil pump,if you used the Vaseline,the heath of the summer will melt it,that is if you did use it.No problem,just re-prime.BrunoD.
I always start them on just water with cap off outside so when it burps you dont have coolant everywhere, have a hose ready to fill after burp, also 30 min seems excessive to me 20 min is fine. I always warm oil first and make sure you have enough timing so you dont over heat a new tight exhaust guides
I appreciate the offer Steve. As I get into the swap you'll probably be hearing from me. I ordered a factory assembly manual for a '64 and when that arrives in a few days I'll be begin removing the front end. I'd like to be able to break the engine in before I install it but that may not happen. The builder had to back out of running it on his dyno and I'm not having much luck finding another shop able to dyno a Buick motor.
If it's a Q-jet, slightly close the choke to keep the A/F ratio from going lean. Jim Weisse posted details somewhere..... The Q-jet will run lean at 2-3000 rpm when there is no load on it.
Automotive Machine and Performance dyno's Buick engines all the time..... they are just up the road from the GS Nationals....could probably do your engine in the evening after the show. Peace WildBill
Finally finished assembling the engine today and ran a pre-lube. I hooked up the priming tool to a 1/2 drill and within seconds the drill bogged and oil started running from the pushrods on #2 and #4 cylinders. Fortunately, the pump did not lose it's vaseline prime after sitting for 5 months in a hot garage. I'm concerned that the remaining cylinders never produced oil through the pushrods. Is there any harm in running the drill for a minute or two to see if oil comes up on the remaining cylinders?
You can run it some more, but don't be alarmed if you don't get oil through all of them. Depending on lifer position on the cam lobe, some of the oil bands may not be exposed to oil pressure. If you still have some break-in lube on the pushrod ends you're fine. Any that aren't getting oil now wil get oil immediately at startup. Devon
