New engine break-in method

https://www.lsxmag.com/news/new-engine-break-in-method-turns-down-heat-reduces-wear/

It thought this was very interesting and to be shared.

I read this the other day and thought I might try it when I build my 454

Or just a run a roller cam like every modern engine on the planet and skip break-in altogether.

SquareRoot said:

Or just a run a roller cam like every modern engine on the planet and skip break-in altogether.

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You still need to seat the rings. Isn't that a part of the break in?

TubeTruck said:

You still need to seat the rings. Isn't that a part of the break in?

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Good point, you're probably right. It's never as easy as it is simple. lol

SquareRoot said:

Good point, you're probably right. It's never as easy as it is simple. lol

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Does that mean you're running around with a bunch of motors with no compression and blow by? No wonder you wanna shitcan your motor

TubeTruck said:

You still need to seat the rings. Isn't that a part of the break in?

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Also have to get the cam, crank, and rod bearings broken in. Dad's break in was to let the engine idle and watch the temperature. If it started heating up, shut it off. After a few times of that, drive the car but keep speed down for the first 500 miles and don't rev it up real high. Then change the oil.

People he built engines for, if they followed instructions to baby the engine for 500 miles, had a long and happy engine life.

If in racing they'd just let the engines idle for a few hours after assembly I bet there would be almost zero engine failures during races.

Here's the chevrolet performance recommended break in procedure. https://paceperformance.com/p-3978-gm-crate-engine-start-up-procedure.html
It covers both roller and flat tappet cams. I'd maybe try the new process only on a roller cam engine. That new process seems like a sure fire way to wipe a cam lobe on a flat tappet.

I don't agree with that article or method that the OP posted. I am a firm believer in long heat cycles to harden the camshaft. If oil temperature is an issue, then we all should be running electric motors, not internal combustion engines that generate heat by design. Assemble the engine with assembly lube, add some lithium grease to the oil pump gears so the oil pressure is maxed out immediately from the added suction created by the lithium grease being pulled in. The lithium grease will not plug any oil galleries. Use the oil of your choice, some swear by break-in oil, but conventional oil is fine. Break-in the camshaft per the old school method, and drive the vehicle like you will drive drive it normally, and change the oil after an hour or two of driving. The engine will thank you not coddling it. Change the oil again at 500 miles. Don't be afraid to rev it up, go up hills, down hills, etc. Varying the rpms and driving conditions is what properly seats everything, and long heats cycles properly harden the metals that need to be hardened.

I also don't agree with priming the engine prior to start-up. If you know you assembled the engine with assembly lube, all of the bearings and other wear surfaces are properly lubricated for this short period of start-up, and then the oil pump takes over the oiling process.

Think of how many engines have sat for long periods of time, and we get in, pump the the gas pedal a few times and start cranking the engine. Sometimes it starts right up, other times it takes more cranking. But the engine doesn't die from this.

I'll never lug a new engine, but I will stand on it after the 20 minute cam break in. Nothing worse than rings not seating and they need pressure for that.
I think heat cycling can be a good idea. It's certainly a good prelude to retorquing the intake and exhaust (header) bolts.

DoubleDingo said:

I also don't agree with priming the engine prior to start-up. If you know you assembled the engine with assembly lube, all of the bearings and other wear surfaces are properly lubricated for this short period of start-up, and then the oil pump takes over the oiling process.

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I agree with your post almost 100%. Priming the engine I think is good when the assembled short block has been sitting for a long time. But if I just buttoned it up, fill the oil filter before it's installed and get on with it.

shiftpro said:

I agree with your post almost 100%. Priming the engine I think is good when the assembled short block has been sitting for a long time. But if I just buttoned it up, fill the oil filter before it's installed and get on with it.

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If it's a fresh engine, assembled with assembly lube, hand turned to adjust valves and such, where did the assembly lube go? It's still there. I personally have never primed an engine, and have had success. I haven't done this with high performance engines either. If I spent tens of thousands of dollars for a new engine, I would most likely take a different approach.

Now that I said that, I'll inevitably eat crow the next time I go to start an engine without priming it first...lol...

DoubleDingo said:

If it's a fresh engine, assembled with assembly lube, hand turned to adjust valves and such, where did the assembly lube go? It's still there. I personally have never primed an engine, and have had success. I haven't done this with high performance engines either. If I spent tens of thousands of dollars for a new engine, I would most likely take a different approach.

Now that I said that, I'll inevitably eat crow the next time I go to start an engine without priming it first...lol...

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I was thinking of a crate motor...
Or any mill that I didn't assemble.
I can't get the moly cam grease anymore, just a red liquid stuff and it makes me nervous the way it runs off.

DoubleDingo said:

If it's a fresh engine, assembled with assembly lube, hand turned to adjust valves and such, where did the assembly lube go? It's still there. I personally have never primed an engine, and have had success. I haven't done this with high performance engines either. If I spent tens of thousands of dollars for a new engine, I would most likely take a different approach.

Now that I said that, I'll inevitably eat crow the next time I go to start an engine without priming it first...lol...

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The comp cams literature said NOT to prime the engine either, even for just their cam I am installing. Earlier engines I have built I did prime them, this 455 will be a first that I don't do that. I am also using the assembly lube on everything. They also stated to fill the oil filter so the lifters can reach their full capacity faster and pump the oil themselves rather than priming it which fills the lifters and makes it wear harder on the cam at first start up.

I found that it helps to read manufactures instructions, this is when I also found out I cannot use both valve springs for this cam break in, so I ended up removing all the springs again to take out the center one. Just to break in their cam is a 30 minute process with their cam break in lube added to the oil, and they stated to get the engine right up to 2,000 to 2,500 rpm as soon as you can and keep it there for 30 minutes. After that you are to drain all the oil, put in fresh and their cam additive, and install the inner valve springs.

Must have been doing it wrong for a lotta years. Old boys always said "Break em in how ya want em to run, Left foot up right foot down". BUT That was when we had less tech and more trial and error, but NOT a lot of error