Break-In Oil

[jumpinjan]

...he built a low buck pre oiler that is really cool, I am going to build one for my next motor. The thing is more or less some PCV pipe with a screw on cap on one end and hose to connect to the oil galley and another to put a few pounds of air pressure to force the oil into the motor. Very cool idea and well worth the few bucks to build it for the peace of mind.

Jim,
That's interesting.
I'm half way into building an engine test stand, so I can do the startup on a new rebuild (break-in the cam, check for leaks and so on before installation). I would like to think about how a pre-oiler could be build for our Alpine engines. I like that idea. I especially want to make sure oil gets up into the rocker arms. That seems to take the longest time too.
Jan

 

[jumpinjan]

Why? What possible benefit would a non-multigrade oil confer?

Why use an all-season oil (for domestic use year round) in my car when it is NEVER driven at 10 degrees F?

Q: Can I use Mobil 1 as a break-in oil for a rebuilt engine?
Mobil in Canada
A: Yes, but the timing of your first oil change will depend largely on the quality of the rebuild. Due to the tighter tolerances and improved machining of today’s engines, the traditional concept of ‘engine break-in’ is not as critical. However, if the engine rebuilder is using older machining equipment or lower-quality components, abrasive material can be left inside the engine. In this case, you should use a short drain interval on your initial oil fill.

Nick, where do you find these morons? This guy is full of $hit...
"...abrasive material can be left inside the engine...? What an ass, if some idiot did that you're not going to have much of a good engine left.
Jan

 

[Chuck Ingram]

How critical is this if there is no heat involved. The engine shop I've talked to burnishes the lifters by spinning the engine on a machine with the covers off so they can verify oil flow. Does this qualify as a cam breakin?

Don't know about a cam break in but the speed shop that I dealt with does the same thing.No engine leaves the shop with out this.When I picked up my 302 I had to wait till they ran it on the machine.They did my 351 plus a 1725.They then bag the engine in a heavy plastic bag.

 

[Bill Blue]

How critical is this if there is no heat involved. The engine shop I've talked to burnishes the lifters by spinning the engine on a machine with the covers off so they can verify oil flow. Does this qualify as a cam breakin?

I don't think so. I think cam break in involves wearing in the cam to the lifter. That is why lifters must be replaced in their original position if removed and new lifters should be used when replacing camshafts.

Bill

 

[jumpinjan]

This is confusing to me. Cam break-in requires turning the engine at a medium RPM level for the first run. So, if they follow this directive, they must really be turning that engine pretty fast with some large electric motor (with the plugs removed, I assume?). I have read that cranking the engine (slowly) should be minimized with those wild cams w/large lifts.
(Our engines shouldn't apply to that)
Jan
On second thought, I think all they are doing is pre-oiling the engine (and verifing that oil reached the rockers) before install & start up. They didn't start it, correct?

 

[Bill Blue]

This is confusing to me. Cam break-in requires turning the engine at a medium RPM level for the first run. I have read that cranking the engine (slowly) should be minimized with those wild cams w/large lifts.
(Our engines shouldn't apply to that)
Jan

My cam came with instructions to run @2,000 rpm for 20 minutes. Slow speed operation, especially cranking, should be avoided as it wipes the special lube off the lobes and does little to promote oil flow.

At one time, I worked with a guy that had worked in a GM engine assembly plant in the '60's. He said they fired them up and immediately ran them very fast for a short time, shut them down, drained the oil and refilled with "break in" oil. In any event, running at a slow speed does not sound like a winner in any engine.

Jasper Engines runs every engine prior to shipment. Short blocks are spun with an electric motor. I was told this was to verify proper assembly and oil pressure, but does not negate the possibility of cam run in. They were not running any at the time of my inspection and I did not ask about rpm's or time. I do remember they used a clamp on natural gas carb.

Bill

 

[Bill Blue]

How critical is this if there is no heat involved. The engine shop I've talked to burnishes the lifters by spinning the engine on a machine with the covers off so they can verify oil flow. Does this qualify as a cam breakin?

Mike, after thinking about it a little more, maybe the answer to your question lies with their instructions. Do they say to change oil after about a half hour of running? If so, then the answer is no, this is not cam run in. If they say to change oil after a few hundred miles, then yes, they have run in the cam and changed oil.

Bill

 

[Nickodell]

I

I would use Rotela at a minium but the other thing that really bugs me everytime I fire up a fresh Alpine motor is the looooong time they take to build pressure.

Jim: For that reason I turn the engine over for 30 seconds without choke when starting from cold, which is enough to prime the system before you put any load on the bearings. I thought that might shorten the life of the starter, but I've been doing it for 24 years and am on my second starter. I always leave the battery on charge if the car is being parked more than a day, too. Rotella T is the only oil I use.

 

[Nickodell]

Why use an all-season oil (for domestic use year round) in my car when it is NEVER driven at 10 degrees F?

Nick, where do you find these morons? This guy is full of $hit...
"...abrasive material can be left inside the engine...? What an ass, if some idiot did that you're not going to have much of a good engine left.
Jan

The moron was Mobil, Canada.

 

[Alpine Bob]

I was just browsing thru the latest "Hagerty's" magazine, there is an ad for Cam Shield Oil Treatment. Premium ZDDP. You can go on line to their web site, [U]http://www.cam-shield.com[/U]

Then further on in the magazine threr's an article "More Than An Oil Change" this talks about the "zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) was effective in reducing cam and lifter wear".....then it lists what oils have ZDDP and how much, i.e. 1200 PPM etc....