Breaking in new engine

[1lo620]

Ok so got a new rebuilt engine Inn the truck and running. What is the break in procedure? Know go mellow for 500 miles change the oil. I was told to put a zinc additive in the oil while breaking in it... Does this sound good? It is an L20B if that matters. 

[datzenmike]

Don't baby it, just drive it. Don't red line it either. Avoid steady speeds, do NOT lug the engine, keep it revving, try to vary the load and RPMs. Find where you can accelerate hard full throttle from 40-60 in 4th. 30 or 40 times at least. Make the engine work for those 500 miles.

 

I run Shell Rotella T4 all the time. (10w30 or 14w40) This is a diesel oil that has the same ZDDP levels as the oil when your truck was new. Only thing that needs the ZDDP is the cam and I doubt it's brand new. At 500 miles I would at least change the filter if not the oil. If you changer the oil always change the filter.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Varying RPMs allow the rings to break in the entire bore. Staying at one RPM for too long, ie- highway driving, puts the ring contact at one height in the bore, so don't so that.

 

Gentle loads for the first 50 or 100 miles, then no max RPM until about 250-500 miles.

 

Re-torque the head and adjust the valves after a few heat cycles, or 100 miles.

 

.010"/.010" cold valve adjustment, at the tip of the rocker, not between the cam and rocker.

[Stinky]

What they said.

 

DO NOT BABY IT!!!

 

Do not rev the snot out of it either.  At 100 miles, it is pretty much broken in....although, most people recommend a longer period.

 

I've heard, break it in like you want it to run....baby it=a motor that won't run for crap when pushed.  Run it=a motor that will impress you w/its power.

[pyro]

I'm ready to break mine in as well. I got it started after doing a full rebuild, held it around 2000-2500 RPM to break in the new cam. Now its ready to drive. The only things I'm worried about: 1) I don't really have many open roads around here, I'm in Southern California, so there's too many people. 2) My tach doesn't work, and its been so long since I've driven it that I don't really remember how it sounds at different RPMs. Just worried I'll accidentally get close to redline or something.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Redline is pretty far up the scale. You'd definitely hear and feel it.

[datzenmike]

2 hours ago, pyro said:

I'm ready to break mine in as well. I got it started after doing a full rebuild, held it around 2000-2500 RPM to break in the new cam. Now its ready to drive. The only things I'm worried about: 1) I don't really have many open roads around here, I'm in Southern California, so there's too many people. 2) My tach doesn't work, and its been so long since I've driven it that I don't really remember how it sounds at different RPMs. Just worried I'll accidentally get close to redline or something.

 

L series cams do not need 2000 RPM break in. This is for chev that need oil flung off the crank for lubrication. L series are OHC and the cam is hollow and filled with pressurized oil. They are cross drilled to spray oil on the lobe/rocker. No harm done but not needed.

[pyro]

7 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

 

L series cams do not need 2000 RPM break in. This is for chev that need oil flung off the crank for lubrication. L series are OHC and the cam is hollow and filled with pressurized oil. They are cross drilled to spray oil on the lobe/rocker. No harm done but not needed.

Oh? Is this true even with the spray bar removed? I was told to do this by some Z guys, but if it doesn't do any harm, I guess it doesn't matter.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

New cam? Did you use any break in additive?

[pyro]

Just now, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

New cam? Did you use any break in additive?

Yeah, I used some Lucas zinc based additive

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

Just drive it normal. Youll be fine If it breaks then something was just bad

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

8 hours ago, pyro said:

Yeah, I used some Lucas zinc based additive

 

Perfect.

[datzenmike]

You should be using a high ZDDP oil to begin with.

 

9 hours ago, pyro said:

Oh? Is this true even with the spray bar removed? I was told to do this by some Z guys, but if it doesn't do any harm, I guess it doesn't matter.

 

Assumed it was the 620 engine. How is the cam oiled if the spray bar is removed???

[pyro]

29 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

You should be using a high ZDDP oil to begin with.

 

 

Assumed it was the 620 engine. How is the cam oiled if the spray bar is removed???

Heh sorry, forgot to mention that. My 620 has a KA24DE. 

 

As for the Z, I put a Schneider cam in it, which is internally oiled.

 

Also, I got some SAE30 Valvoline stuff that's high zinc, but for the break-in period I'm using super cheap STP oil with a high zinc break-in additive.

[datzenmike]

I use Shell Rotella T4. It's a diesel oil that retains the ZDDP levels needed for an old tech engine from over 30 years ago (KA) and over 50 years ago for the L series. Oil back then had 1,100-1,200 ppm ZDDP but today's oils are 500-600 at best. Newer engines don't need it but our older ones do.  The T4 comes in 15w40 and 10w30.

[pyro]

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

I use Shell Rotella T4. It's a diesel oil that retains the ZDDP levels needed for an old tech engine from over 30 years ago (KA) and over 50 years ago for the L series. Oil back then had 1,100-1,200 ppm ZDDP but today's oils are 500-600 at best. Newer engines don't need it but our older ones do.  The T4 comes in 15w40 and 10w30.

Gotcha. Looking at Valvoline's website, the VR1 oil (which I have, and will be using) has 1,400 ppm ZDDP. 

[datzenmike]

Yup, any oil marked 'Racing'.