I just got a new ZZ4 in my 92RS and its about ready for startup. Is there any procedure you should follow?

Here is what I have so far to remember to do:

1. Prime oil system
2. Prime water system
3. Check oil level


I have a holley St. Aveng. carb (any thing to be done w/this)

Please let me know if I'm forgetting something. $3800 would not be fun to loose!!

Thanks,
Mike

 

From http://www.gmgoodwrench.com/crate_eng/startup.shtml :

1. Always put safety first. If your car is on the ground, be sure the emergency brake is set, the wheels are chocked, and the transmission cannot fall into gear.
2. Be sure to check the engine's oil level and prime the oil system.
3. Run the engine between 2,000 and 2,500 RPMs, with no-load on the engine for the first 30 minutes.
4. Adjust the distributor timing roughly by hand for a quick start-up and the smoothest idle possible.
5. Adjust the carburetor settings, if necessary.
6. After the engine has been running for 30 minutes, set the ignition timing (see install ignition section for timing specifications).
7. Drive the vehicle with varying speeds and loads on the engine for the first 30 miles. Be sure not to use a lot of throttle or high RPMs.
8. Run five or six medium-throttle accelerations to about 5,000 RPMs (55 to 60 MPH), then let off in gear and coast back down to 20 MPH.
9. Run a couple hard-throttle accelerations up to about 5000 RPMs (55 to 60 MPH), then let off in gear and coast back down to 20 MPH.
10. Change the oil and filter with 10W30SG oil and PF1218 ACDelco oil filter (PN 251605610).
11. Drive the next 500 miles normally, without high RPMs (below 5,000 RPM), hard use, or extended periods of high loading.
12. Change the oil and oil filter again.
13. Your engine is now ready for many happy cruising miles.

They need to update their oil rating info, and since the ZZ4 has roller lifters, you don't really need to do the cam run-in of Step 3.

Otherwise, it's sound info.

 

Whats the purpose of the 5000 rpm engine pulls?

 

To seat the rings I beleive.

 

ive never broken in a full sized engine but i run nitro R/C cars and have broken in 3 diff engines... each has its own step by step procedure but i find that if you break it in like ur gunna run it ( not pushing it too hard tho ) u'll get really consistent results..

 

I've done those engines too... that works ok with them, but I've noticed that unless you run them really rich while you drive it hard at break-in, engine life suffers. And I mean 'burns-you-eyes' kinda rich.

 

lol i kno what you mean.. the kinda rich where you cant stand to be near the car while its running cuz the nitro is so bad( and i particularly like teh smell of a properly tuned nitro engine) but think this way the nitro engines get lubrication thru running richer. what about the full sized engine..

 

the proper way to seat rings and get all the comp you need is to put it in 2nd gear drive to 3000 rpms let off the gas and let it coast down to 2000 rpms. repeat 10 times. rings seated without blowing your motor at 5000 rpms.

 

After having broken in many an engine I have found that the best is to find yourself a decent downhill slope that last for a while and let the engine decelerate down the hill (engine braking) acceleration is not where an engine breaks in the rings. On deceleration the piston rings fan out agains the bore of the engine and this is how it seats. I try to stay away from hard throttle accelerations. When I worked at The Chevrolet dealership the Master Tech there had me watch several videos on this and it seems to work so much better thenn jumping on an engine right outa the gate.

 

hmm ill have to remember all this for my new engine...


As for the R/C nitro engines, Back in alberta i used to fly R/C planes with my dad all the time (hes a big R/C plane guy, flys 1/4 scale R/C planes now ) and every new motor we ran it pig rich during break-in, it was spitting oil everywhere but his engines outlasted anyone elses in the club!

But you dont want to be running our engines pig rich during break-in unless you want to buy another set of rings!