Ok guys im looking for alittle compassion err some possitive thoughts and opinions here.Didnt know about the critical zinc n break in proceedeures.Im a bit old school.
Heres the story-rebuilt a 305 in an 86 iroc.Had it on the stand built minus the intake.Turned it over quite a bit by hand on the stand while priming oil to get oil out all the lifters and rockets.Spun it prob bout 10, 15 times half turns by hand while priming till i did.Installed intake and engine in car.Fired it started right up and adjusted rockers by hand while idling.Did this for about 5-10 min tops going to opp sides till pretty quite and at same time lost prob bout 2 quarts of oil on floor and engine ran real hot cuz ellectric fan nvr came on.Also couldnt seem to get lifters real quite no matter how much I tryed.Im not new to this ive done many engines I dont over tighten or anything and usually pretty quick.Just cant seem to get em quite.
ok ok so I let it cool and went home.tomarrow is another day.Sooo now I read about zinc and inititial break in with current flat tappets.not good.
heres my question.Do i go out and buy the zinc additive and more oil.Fill engine and break it in around 2000-2500 rpms now and addjust lifters later or do a tear down n see if the cams wiped?Id rather not off course cuz its tuned port n alot more to it than a carb and manifold.I did prelube cam with the lube that came with it.Whats the probibillity im too late and the cam is wiped?

 

If its a flat tappet, then its too late now. The break-in should be the first thing you do. If youve seen my thread, even a properly broken in cam is no guarantee against failure.

There is a method to set the rockers with the engine off. You set them individually by turning the engine until the intake valve just closes. You then adjust the exhaust valve for that cylinder. Rotate the engine again until the exhaust valve just opens, then adjust the intake valve. Do this for each set of valves. Id probably also get another cam and lifters and do the break-in again. This time use oil with ZDDP in it. Summit has oil as well as addatives like GM EOS or ZDDPlus that you can add for break-in.

 

sooo basically theres no way it could have survived huh? Not even the slightest chance? lol

 

yes there is a chance that it is alright. Adjust the valves like mentioned, put some good oil in it ( I recommend a diesel oil with CI-4 rating). And see what happens. You will know before too long if it will be alright or not.

I wouldnt pull it out and start swapping stuff just yet.

I helped a cousin build a 351w for his 86 mustang. I basically built the motor and helped him drop it in. I ran out of time one evening to help him get it started. I was going to break in the cam correctly. Well he didnt have the patience for me to get off work the next day, so he fired it up. It is still running with no side effects.

Not breaking in a cam is not 100% distructive. Just as breaking it in properly is not a 100% gurantee against failure. But I will always break in a cam, much better to do so. Now you know for the next time.

 

Thanks for the input.I did call ta couple builders and they have said same as you.They said if it was a high lift cam without stock springs they wouldnt keep going and change the cam but concidering its pretty close to all stock theres a good chance im ok.Gunna do as ya say today and see how it goes.Keep ya informed! And yup I deff know for the next time and there will b a few of those!

 

Do you still have stock springs? If you do, then you might just get lucky. I ran stock springs and no addatives for abour 80k miles with a cam, and had no issues. Spring rates seem to have a major impact on cam life.

If you keep the cam, keep a real close eye on the oil for awhile. If the cam wipes, it may take the bearings with it. There is a lot of metal generated when a lobe goes down, and not all of it will get caught by the filter. It ends up in the bearings, and scores them and the journals. At that point, you need to do a complete rebuild (hence the comment that it may be better to replace it).

 

IMO--...
Agree with 3rdgenmaro---
change oil & filter. I hear Rotella T has the ZDDP & is good stuff.
( maybe cut open old filter & look for abnormaly shiny, bigger pieces of metal than normal break-in, as well as in the oil drain pan )

along with dimented24x7--
When you set the lash on all the lifters, rotate the engine & watch for any obvious deviations across the rockers.
Maybe even mic them.

 

Well spent the day checking,readjusting and changed oil.1st changed oil,adjusted rockers "by hand" than did the break in.30 min I did at 2500 n varied the rpms 500 up n down alittle here and there.Dropped oil again and readjusted rockers running.They are all quite and oil pressure good.Now I have an issue of a hell of a strange "hollow" knock that seems to be coming from the top center.Almost like under the tpi unit.Heavy piston maybe or a cam "walking".Not sure but gunna drive it awhile and see how it goes.Thanks for all the replies and ill keep ya all posted! Btw no metal in the oil or laying in the heads.

 

I wouldnt drive it with the engine knocking. How fast is the knock? Is it a low and fast sound, or is it a sort of 'tap tap tap'? The speed can tell you whether or not its coming from the cam, or the rotating assembly.


Things like that will only get worse.

 

Its really not like anything ive ever heard.Its not a tap tap its like almost a large vacuum leak sounding hollow noise.Kinda like the sound the air pump puts out with a hose off but deeper.Comeing from upper center for sure.Not bottom end.I am omw to investigate further.