I am almost done building my 355 and I want to know what the proper break in for a new engine is. I know you can't rag on it *** soon as it goes in and stuff like that. But I've heard about changing the oil at like 500 miles, then 1,000 and 3,000 or something. Does anyone know the correct way? Thanks!

Steve

 

WARNING: Have a fire extinguisher handy when starting the engine for the first time.

1)Make sure oil is in it, and coolant.
2)With the spark plugs out of the engine and the ignition system disabled, crank the engine until oil pressure registers on the gauge or the indicator light goes out.
3)Install spark plugs, hook up the plug wires and restore the ignition system functions.
4)Start the engine. It may take a few moments for the fuel system to build up pressure, but the engine should start without a great deal of effort.
5)When the engine starts, it should be allowed to warm up to normal operating temperature. While the engine is warming up, make a thorough check for fuel, oil, and coolant leaks.
6)Shut the engine off and recheck the engine oil and coolant levels.
7)Drive the vehicle to a place with minimum traffic, accelerate at full throttle from 30 - 50 MPH, then allow the vehicle to slow to 30 MPH with the throttle closed. Repeat this 10-12 times. This will load the piston rings and cause them to seat properly against the cylinder walls. Check again for oil and coolant leaks.
8)Drive vehicle gently for the first 500 miles (no sustained high speeds) and keep a constant check on the oil level. It is not unusual for an engine to use oil during the break in period.
9)At about 500-600 miles, change the oil and filter.
10)For the next couple hundred miles, drive the vehicle normal. Do not pamper it or abuse it.
11) After 2000 miles, change the oil and filter again and consider the engine to be broken in.

HAVE FUN!

 

This is when you break in the cam. Keep the idle somewhere around 2 grand, and at a constant RPM.

For more info, try a search. You'll find plenty of good info.

 

use 30w oil not synthetic, change it after about 30 minutes and again around 500 miles and then at regular intervals.

 

That is a very BAD way to break in a motor. BAD.
First, before initial fire up, you wanna prime the oil pump with a drill. As we all know, the distributor drives the oil pump, so pull the distributor and buy a priming tool. spin that with a drill at 2500 rpm for about 2 minutes. Your drill will probably not make it out alive. Then imediatly fire the motor, with out ANY extra cranking the motor, make sure it will fire up within 30 seconds of cranking. once it fires, set the idle up to 2000. have a buddy check for problems, like leaks and that sorta ****. flucutate the RPM between 2000-3000 for at least 25 minutes. You might want to put a hell of a fan in front of your rad, since this will put quite a strain on your cooling system. once you get that complete, you can set the timing, do some fine tuning and go for a ride. You shouldn't get on it for at least 1000 miles, and avoid cruizing at a constant rpm. You should change your oil once your done with the intitial break in, and again after 250 miles.

 

i was going to say what ever happened to priming the oil pump, glad someone said it...

 

priming the oil pump is a waste of time and needless effort with a SBC or BBC among others, might be good with a ford.

 

when priming the oil pump, its more of priming the oil system in a whole. What happens really is your filling the up all the oil passages between the cam bearings and the crank, the crank itself, and all the lifters and pushrods. The guys at my shop recomend "priming the pump" until oil comes out through rockers. I've done this with a high speed drill, (2500 rpm) and it takes about a 45seconds - a minute and 30 seconds. Imagine running your motor at 25 grand with no oil in the top end. That is why I'm such a firm believer in it. Cranking the motor is not really moving the pump fast enough to accomplish anything, ut would work, but after about 2-5 minutes of cranking, then you have to wonder how long the break in lube will last. Thats my story

 

the pump is already primed, if you fill the pan with oil. the oil pump will have sent oil into every passage in less than a second. the assemby lube will last a very long time with cranking, i'd be more concerned with washing assembly lube off the parts. priming the oil pump, or system makes people feel good that don't know or don't stop to think about how the SBC is set up. i'd be more concerned about priming the system after an oil change than with a new engine.

 

why take a chance though??, it seeems kinda jiffy lube-like not to

 

let me add my 2 cents... after first oil change, cut the oil filter in two and check for sparkles or glittering pieces of metal (bearing failure). And I didnt see any mention of filling the oil pump with heavy oil or vasiline to get the "suction" goin.

 

steve why waste your time doing something that isn't necessary. it wouldn't hurt to wax the car before you fire up a new engine, but it's also pretty pointless. it seems like someone doesn't understand the working of a SBC oil system if they think there's a legitmate need to prime the oil pump, and with only a priming shaft type tool and a drill you aren't going to completely prime the entire oil system anyway.

 

If priming the oiling system isn't necessary then why does every shop and shop manual say to do so with a new engine. The camshaft companies say to do it also. If you ruin a cam or crank because you didn't prime it you're warrantee won't cover it. I didn't want to wait for the propper tool to come in so I used a long piece of brake line that I had crimped, with the drill to prime it. Cost me nothing.

 

everybody ive ever known that works on Small block chevys primes the pump, all the books and manuals tell you to, and everyone in here except you says to, WHY TAKE THE CHANCE !? it only takes 3 minutes??? i guess everyone's different

 

because it's pointless and doesn't fully prime the oil system, so even if you do it the fact is you haven't really primed the oil system. all it amounts to is a little feel good thing people do and book writes like to mention so it sounds like they know something. just like all the manuals and magazines say to install cam and crank gears dot to dot but neglect to tell you that it's timed off #6 that way. do a search and you'll find 1000s of threads where people set up their gears "just like the book said" and it won't fire.

 

you prime an oil pump for a little bit of peice of mind.........

you should have used a ****load of white lithium grease during the build on all berings to assure they get lubed until oil gets to them.......

also, there is a bushing on the dist that has to be in place before the topend gets oil, so priming one with say an old screw driver wont do it...........

personally, i don't mind knowing i have oil and a little more peice of mind, but it's a personal thing left up to who's doing it....

 

To think I edited out all the bickering in this post earlier, and you guys start it up again.

Consider this locked.