Have a look at this thread, http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/engine-break-in-prep-and-video.214906/ You can leave the break in oil in for the first 500 miles I would think. Then change out to whatever you are going to use from there on. My choice is Joe Gibbs Driven HR oil.
Yeah, but at least change the filter after break in, especially if you filled the oil pump with Vaseline because that stuff gets splorked right into the oil filter when the pump gets primed.
Derek, splorked? Is that a new word? I tried looking it up but all I got was a punk rock band from Richmond, Virginia, United States. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Splork
https://www.azdictionary.com/urban-dictionary/definition/splork Also this; https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Splork Like when you empty out a can of cranberry "sauce" from the can, same deal with the Vaseline going into the oil filter. Yeah and the ''ed'' on the end would be the past tense of the word.
10am.. sat at work tired as hell. Nervous about later....but I'm always like this. Even on the bikes, which I have had first starts numerous times, I always get the feeling of "nah I don't want to start it, just in case it blows up" I'm thinking that I have done the best I can. I have gone over and over everything.. there's only so much I can do....the rest is up to the engine to do it's thing. The oil is primed and gets to all the rockers, heads torqued down, oil pump set, torque converter and exhausts bolted, valve cover on and snug, all hoses and electrics done.... Today, after work, I'm starting with a check through everything again. Set #1 piston at TDC Harmonic balancer at 8 Dizzy pointing at number 1 - then mark it. Get the drill on the oil pump, spin it and check oil pressure gauge - should get 60PSI Connect fuel line Let the carb fill up and then.... fire in the hole! thanks for the links Larry, I'll read it today at lunch time.
Yep, go with the 1st break in method. Under 2000rpm is too low. 2500-3 is the sweet spot, at least for flat tappet engines. Roller cam engines basically require no "break in", aside from ensuring the rings seal. The whole point of "breaking in" an older flat tappet engine is just to ensure the lobes wouldn't eat the cam. Also, get the largest fan you can find, and set it on a stool or something in front of the radiator. Your fans may cool decently driving around, but a V8 sitting in one spot halfway to redline for 20+ minutes builds up a lot of heat. I personally wouldn't drive on the break in oil. Never heard anyone do so either. I'm sure it's been done with no ill effects, but all that goop and tiny particles from the engine being apart and worked on need to get out as soon as possible. 500 miles is a lot of time to drive a new engine. I'd cut open that 1st filter before you add the first new batch of oil and check it out. And the timing is TDC on the compression stroke.
Good shout on the fans, we have 3 portable heating fans in the workshop that can be set just cold hair so I'll put those in front of it. My twin electric fans also sit behind the radiator, so that will also help a bit pulling the air through the radiator. Weather is miserable here, as usual, just rain and cold, about 46F... so that will probably help for it not to get too hot. I might just do just 60 miles on that break in oil then. If this runs well today I want to use it on Friday when picking up my little girl and surprise her as she been asking for ages about when will it be ready. And I dont have time to get new oil before. I will replace the filter though. And will cut the old one up and see if there's anything scary in there. ok.. compression stroke #1 at TDC balancer on 8 dizzy #1 pointing at plug #1... seriously nervous about later today!
If you have any doubt about whether or not you are on the compression stroke or not, double check. You want a nice clean fast start. Pull the #1 spark plug out and cover the hole with your thumb. Have someone just bump the starter over a LITTLE at a time until compression pushes your thumb off the hole. At that time, the balancer mark should be coming around under the water pump. Turn the crank clock wise with a socket and breaker bar until the mark is aligned with the timing tab. Then install your distributor with the rotor pointed at #1 tower. Good luck.
You can pick whatever tower you want to be #1, it normally just makes sense to use the shortest plug wire for #1, pick whatever terminal you want (moving rotor to that spot before you drop the distributor in, if need be turning the oil pump shaft with a long screwdriver to get dizzy to drop in), and there ya go. Then for #3, use the 2nd shortest plug wire, going clockwise from #1 with the firing order, 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2, and so on from there. I'd lay the plug wires out from shortest to longest to make it easier.
JP I'm having trouble logging on to forum. But I could say the last thing you want is to start it up with a coolant hose etc. Loose. With fluids sprayind around hot engine components. To have fire suppression standing by. My friend told me of a guy who started his engine not realizing the rebuilt muncie hadn't been filled yet.Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
Guys, just a quick question again on the timing. as I was reading that thread Larry posted above. So again. to start it up I put the TDC mark on the 8* of the timing cover. When it's running at 2,5k revs, if I point the timing gun at it, I should see the TDC mark on the 0* tab when I get the advance on the gun at 30* (I have a digital Snap-On timing gun so can input how much advance) that correct? according to that thread says 30*, but he mentions it's what he likes to use to break in all NA engines. Once I have done the break in, what should I set the initial and advance at? still 8* when on idle? what about at 2,5k rpms.... do 32*? (think I read 32 somewhere) Thanks! it think that's all... 1h till I leave work. nerves are kicking in...
The mechanical advance (above idle) all depends on what weights and springs, and the stops inside the distributor. I'd worry about timing later. Just get the motor to TDC on compression for #1, back it off to the 8BTDC mark on the balancer, drop it in, then fire it up. make sure all vacuum ports on the carb are plugged. It will run whatever it is fine enough during break in. Figure out total timing and all that hoo hah after the break in.
Just do a general visual inspection of the weights and springs before you fire it up, make sure nothing is sticking.
Relax......you sound like you've got a good grasp on startup and checking timing with a dial back light!
If you simply align the balancer mark on the timing tab, you have a 50% chance of being on the exhaust stroke. It takes 2 FULL revolutions of the crank to fire and exhaust any one cylinder. If you put the distributor in on the exhaust stroke, the engine will not start. I hope you understand that and you are sure you are on the compression stroke. Once the engine has started and is running at 2500 RPM, if you set the timing light advance to 30*, yes, the mark will appear at the 0 on the timing tab WHEN it is 30* advanced. You can leave the distributor hold down just loose enough to turn the distributor to adjust that run in timing. Once the break in is done, you will need some light distributor springs to set the maximum advance to 32* with the vacuum advance disconnected. After you do that, the initial advance will be what it has to be for that distributor and 32* total. Put the regular springs back in and hook your vacuum advance back up. You should verify that the vacuum advance is actually working as well.
All great info here....As I will hopefully be following in JP's same path in about a month with these very same questions....Thanks guys for doing what you all do for our community
Well... I'm back home. didn't go well It started alright, not much to get it going at all, but once it started there was a ticking noise from the valve cover. Oil pressure on the gauge was at 50psi. There was no leaks anywhere. But we only let it run for about 30 seconds due to the ticking noise. Got the valve cover off and the exhaust valve on #4 seems like the pushrod is too short. we turned it on the crank and all the other ones there's no play, except for this one, there's up and down play. Pushrods are stock length, need to check what stock length is, someone had written that on my other thread. But I got stock as the guy at TA said they'd work with the cam I have, the 212. or could be the lifter not filling up properly? maybe I didn't let it run for enough time? don't know. quite demoralised, so just came home and going to hit the bed, tired as hell. thanks all for your help so far. couldn't have made it here without you.
Sounds minor....Push that pushrod down a few times and work the lifter. See if the lifter has spring to it, might be stuck or collapsed? Did you drop them in a can of fresh oil and work them to lube the inside components before dropping them in? If not, maybe you can run oil down inside of pushrod tube to get some lube in there while working lifter piston.
The lifter it seems is not pumping up.Allowing excessive lash. Maybe if one could observe the lifters while the pump was being turned the one that's ticking now would have shown itself by allowing more oil to escape then others. If you can see any pits along the body of the lifter it would indicate porousity of the lifter.In certain cases the lifter can be taken apart and cleaned. Myself I would get new lifters period
