I recall a warning to watch for oil smoke from the fill tube during engine/cam break-in. Makes me wonder if it might be wise to disconnect the PCV before start-up, or would manifold vacuum at 2000-2500 RPM be inconsequential in that regard? Or, would it be a definite advantage to eliminate corrosive blow-by fumes until break-in is completed, and a protective zinc layer is laid down?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Daniel, i think the Xmas pudding might have had too much brandy in it!.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

Oh yes. I HAVE been known to go squirrel hunting with an elephant gun. But, it does seem a bit silly to watch for smoke from the crankcase if it's all being sucked into the intake manifold?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Break the engine in with the PCV hooked up.  If you have enough blowby to overpower the PCV, then you’ve got a problem.  You’ll want to get the engine on the road as soon as possible after cranking it so that you can get some ‘heat’ into the rings and get them properly seated which means having everything hooked up so you can do this in a timely manner.  Too much ‘no load’ running or idling on a freshly rebuilt engine can glaze the cylinder walls and make ring seating just that more difficult.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ted,



Are you inferring that the recommended 20 min/2000 rpm stationary cam break-in is no longer valid? I HAD planned on a long test drive after draining the break-in oil to undertake the traditional aggressive ring break-in/de-glazing routine. I understand that the first two minutes after fire-up will determine if anything is wrong with cam/lifters, but hadn't heard any reports of irreversible glazing after 20 min at 2000, plus 8-10 minutes at 1500 (after resetting the lash). I also planned on cutting the tops off some old valve covers for run-in, and if I don't have the oil restrictors sized right, driving off immediately could get messy.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Daniel.  I didn’t mean to make it sound like the camshaft breakin period needed to be shortened up.  I was trying to reference those engines that end up idling for 2-3 hours or more before they actually hit the road.  I see too many of those and have to contend with ring seating issues as a result.

You still need the 20minute/2000 rpm breakin procedure.  If the cam is going to go bad, it’s going to start doing it within the first two minutes of running but it will take up to twenty minutes to destroy enough of the lobe and lifter to make it noticable.  But that intial breakin period in the garage stall still gives enough time to check for oil and water leaks and get the tuneup in the ballpark before hitting the road.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Since I have a whole case of Penn break-in oil anyway, I plan to change & inspect oil & filter after cam run-in (got one of those FilterMag doohickies and a cutting tool), and then use the rest for the ring break-in/shakedown drive. Then, after everything is ship-shape, change and inspect again, refilling with regular Penn oil. I assume break-in oil is best for the drawn out de-glazing drive?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Daniel

Do not get to crazy over some metal in the break in oil. On my 312 breakin and 500 mile oil changes I viewed the oil in the drain pan in bright sunlight and the oil looked like metal flake amber paint.

Scared me but the oil pressure has not changed since the first time it ran and runs great. Only problem I ever had was the oil consumpion went up to a quart in 500 miles on this years ford carslile trip and also on the way to the CVA convention. It turned out to be PCV related and after disabling the PCV it burned nothing on the way home from CVA.

10,000 miles on it now and it's still runing great and a recent blackstone report finds no problems.

Good to know. As long as each successive change looks cleaner, I won't panic.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Ted,

The controversy/flap over the last few years re: defective lifters/camshaft lobe failure, and the ZDDP content of oil has sort of pushed the importance of ring seating to the background. There has been discussion on the web re: the change/improvement in machining techniques & metallurgy that apparently shortens that time window. If true, then the required 20 minute cam burnishing period likely eats up a larger percentage than in the past? (controlled break-in on a dyno would be the exception). The average owner breaking-in the cam in his garage would likely be hard pressed to get the necessary power-on/deceleration loading drive accomplished before the cylinder honing is polished down, and the window for proper seating has passed? Perhaps some compromise is indicated? A motor with rings that never seat would still need to be pulled and disassembled. Aside from the fact that cams & lifters are more expensive than rings, what thoughts do you have on the subject? Or, do YOU still do everything the same as in the "old days"?



6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA