Finally breaking in my flat tappet 355 this week. I must have read every article about this process so I already know about lowering spring pressure, high Zddp oil and bringing the engine up to around 2k rpm for 20-30 minutes. I'm still paranoid about the whole process so I just wanted some quick input on my fluids. I'm using Brad penns break in oil for the initial break in. With this would it be a waste to add a Zddp additive?

After the initial break- in I was planning on using a Dino 10w-30 w/ a Zddp additive (havent decided on a particular one yet). Filters will also be new btw. I've heard of people getting flat lobes after a few thousand miles-I'm guessing with a ft cam this is something you'll have to worry about for the life of the engine? So even after the initial break-in there's always a chance of a lobe going flat? Sounds like such a pain :/

 

You are well prepared so you have nothing to worry about. Well cared for engines lasted a long time way back when ALL had flat lifters. The only issue these days is that you need special oil or additive because regular oil is not designed for the old rubbing type cams. Do the correct break-in procedure and you will be fine.

 

i dont think you have anything to worry about either.
couldnt hurt to use the additive during break in.
i've been running ft cams for years using valvoline vr-1 racing oil with no problems or additive after break in. to my understanding it still has the correct levels of ZDDP.
couldnt hurt to put a big fan in front of the car if your gonna break it in, in the driveway.
i always vary the RPMs up to 3,000. never leave it at the same RPM for long.
good luck. you'll do fine.

 

You are doing it right and taking the right steps. Good luck, you should be golden.

 

ok so I shouldn't bother with an additional additive with the Brad penn?
I'll def add one in when I change the oil after the initial break in though.

 

I can't comment on break in because I've never built a flat tapped motor but I have always used Amsoil zrod in my older motors. Napa carries it.

 

In the last few years of flat-tappet cams in racing motors, the conventional wisdom was, DO NOT run any kind of synthetic oil during break-in. Reason being, it lubricates "too well" at that particular juncture in engine life: it lubes the lobe/lifter interface SO well, that instead of the lifter being forced to rotate as the cam tries to drive it, instead, the lifter sits still and the lobe slides under it. Then once the lifter has developed a pure vertical (up/down) wear pattern in the lifter bore without a horizontal (rotating) one, it NEVER rotates, and over a short time, the whole thing disintegrates.

Better to use dinosaur squeeeeezins for that purpose; the advantage of their poorer lubrication of that particular part at that particular time for that short interval, in allowing the lobe/lifter interface to retain enough friction to force the lifter to rotate, outweighs the minimal effect of its poorer lube for the bearings and whatnot.

The ZDDP additive similarly becomes much less important after break-in.

But once the lifters are all spinning freely in their bores, DO change to synthetic (Mobil1, Amsoil, RP, etc.), as the long-term benefits of that are worth every penny. That should occur within the first half-hour of engine operation. If it doesn't, the cam is doomed anyway, no matter what oil you use.

 

Run oil that is being recommended but don't stop there. After the breaking in is over, you should change the oil. During that break in period, the oil has picked up any contaminates that may have still been in the engine. Changing the filter is optional at this point.

New oil after break in. Drive normally for about 500 miles. Don't go pushing it yet. Change oil and filter again.

That's it. Drive however you want after that. Change oil and filter on regular basis.