[Wizard]

Cannot do this, needs the transmission and torque converter installed and running. in the car.

Start it and idle to make oil pressure is there, then shut down, change oil & filter, set timing and adjust carb if needed. Then change oil again.

Then drive and make sure engine is throughly warmed up, then drive it hard (hard acceleration bursts with cool-down in between (while driving) then accelerate again about 10 times. This is to seat the rings. Then finish the break in for 1,000 miles, don't keep rpms in same too long, just go all over.

Cheers, Wizard

This post has been edited by Wizard: 27 June 2008 - 10:40 PM

[MOPEkid]

Wizard, on Jun 27 2008, 09:38 PM, said:

Cannot do this, needs the transmission and torque converter installed and running. in the car.

Start it and idle to make oil pressure is there, then shut down, change oil & filter, set timing and adjust carb if needed. Then change oil again.

Then drive and make sure engine is throughly warmed up, then drive it hard (hard acceleration bursts with cool-down in between (while driving) then accelerate again about 10 times. This is to seat the rings. Then finish the break in for 1,000 miles, don't keep rpms in same too long, just go all over.

Cheers, Wizard

Aren't you forgetting cam breakin? I'm afraid he'd wipe his cam just starting it up and driving it like that (unless he has roller lifters).

[Bob ONeill]

Check out this article.

Breaking in an engine.

[Wizard]

Yes, I'm aware of the cam breaking in, it depends on what you have. If they were normal flat bottom lifters not roller, then run engine at 2,000 rpm for 20 minutes after short run up then change oil. Then after cam break in, change oil again.

Pays to have the carb that is known working instead of trying to deal with a new unknown carb.

Then drive out and run it hard in bursts to seat rings, about 10 time on hard accelerations from say 30 to 60 about 10 times.

Then change oil again. Drive normally for another 1,000 miles vary the rpm consistently.

For all stages of break in, always use regular oil not the snythentic oil.

Cheers, Wizard

This post has been edited by Wizard: 28 June 2008 - 03:41 PM

[dana44]

73_duster, on Jun 28 2008, 03:54 AM, said:

I just rebuilt a 360ci engine and its ready to go, but... With it being externally balanced, would it be safe to break in the engine outside of the car without being connected to the torque converter? Has anyone dealt with this or know some good tips? Any advice would be helpful.

And also is the best way to break it in, to just rev it in short spurts and keep it above 3000rpm? Or is there an even better method?

The main differnce between the roller cam engines and the flat tappet cams is, a roller engine can be started and at idle immediately, the flat tappet engine needs to be between 1500 and 2000rpm (NOT 3000rpm, too hight) to break the cam in for 20 minutes, then the oil change, then, as mentioned, cool down, then drive for about 20-30 minutes on the street, medium speeds up to 3500rpm shifts, double check for leaks and things tied down, another cool down time, then go out and drive her normal, no burnouts, high rpm shifts, up and down, 20mph increases and decreases, change the oil at 500miles and then you can do whatever you want. Race and strip engines are quite a bit different because they aren't expected to last over 100,000 miles of trouble-free driving.

[wittsend]

I'd recommend Rotella oil and GM EOS (if you can find it). I did the cam break in stuff and after 600 or so miles, no problem. I also kept my idle up around 1,000 RPM for some time. Maybe it is all overkill, but would you rather fnd out the lower limit the hard way?
Tom
P.S. I also broke the cam in with the stock springs. The cam is very mild .425 / 204 [at]050 and with no valve float at 4,800 RPM will likely stay until I find something really cheap.
Tom

[AC TC]

A high idle period say 2000-3000 for 20 minutes or so.
Change oil and filter.
Run it like you stole it-no top speed test thou...
Use a dino oil for the first 1000 miles or so.

[Bob Lincoln]

Quote

But Thanks for the info about sealing the rings, I was planning on not running hard for about 200 miles. Ill be sure to open it up occasionally =)

My first new car, I did as Wizard said. It never got worse than 3000 miles per quart oil consumption. I babied my current daily driver during breakin, and it started out at 3000 miles per quart, is now about 1000 miles per quart. So, yes, drive a few hard bursts to seat the rings.

[MoPar_0r_NoCar]

You can also break it with a 360 flywheel if it's still out. Use Delo 400 or Rottella because of the high zinc content, Wix filter, Lucas makes an excellent break in lube, keep the r's above 2500 with fluctuation. cool down, change oil then drive it like a rental!