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AR15.COM
12/9/2010 6:03:21 PM EDT
I will soon retrieve my car, which has been at a shop having the Pontiac 455/4bbl rebuilt. We have all heard any number of iron-clad rules about breaking in a new or rebuilt engine.

What, if anything, do my arfbrothers say I should do to get the best results on a brand new big V-8 ?
12/9/2010 6:05:55 PM EDT
[#1]
I'd baby it for 500 miles on dino (regular oil), change oil & filter, crank it up a bit and go another 1000-1500 on dino, then change to synthetic (new filter of course) & go with regular 3K changes.

Get the oil checked by a lab - BITOG has the scoop

12/9/2010 6:07:14 PM EDT
[#2]
As long as the engine builder did the proper cam break in, there is nothing to do really. Rings seat within minutes, not miles. Both metal and machining technology have come a LONG way since the old school.

I'd change the oil within 100 miles to get the assy lube out and any small metal shavings that may have been left over from clearancing etc but that's it. Drive it like you stole it or baby it is really up to you...


<––––––––built countless motors over the years from stock replacements to 10k rpm screamers. Broke damn near everyone of them in on the dyno doing baseline tunes with no issues.
12/9/2010 6:18:55 PM EDT
[#3]
Drive it like you stole it

then change your oil after 500 miles

if shit is going to break on a rebuild it will happen, dont matter if you baby it or hammer it.
12/9/2010 6:20:50 PM EDT
[#4]
If only you saw what all the major auto builders do to the engines once they come off the assembly line...

(Including lambo, ferrari, porsche, bmw, ect)
12/9/2010 6:34:45 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:
I will soon retrieve my car, which has been at a shop having the Pontiac 455/4bbl rebuilt. We have all heard any number of iron-clad rules about breaking in a new or rebuilt engine.

What, if anything, do my arfbrothers say I should do to get the best results on a brand new big V-8 ?


IF the moter has not been fired make sure you pull the distributor get a preoiling bit from Summit and spin the oil pump till you have pressure.. Then make sure you have good fuel pressure, button everything up and fire it up. Run it up to about 2500 for a few min keeping a good eye on oil,temp gauges. Shut her down and let her cool. then drive it for a few. vary the rpms but don't go stupid. And DO NOT just let it sit and idle for a long time.
12/9/2010 6:39:47 PM EDT
[#6]



Quoted:


As long as the engine builder did the proper cam break in, there is nothing to do really. Rings seat within minutes, not miles. Both metal and machining technology have come a LONG way since the old school.



I'd change the oil within 100 miles to get the assy lube out and any small metal shavings that may have been left over from clearancing etc but that's it. Drive it like you stole it or baby it is really up to you...





<––––––––built countless motors over the years from stock replacements to 10k rpm screamers. Broke damn near everyone of them in on the dyno doing baseline tunes with no issues.


Yep, one or two early changes with dino oil, then synthetic after 3000-5000.

 
12/9/2010 6:42:42 PM EDT
[#7]
When I rebuilt the engine in my car, I babied it a full thousand miles, and changed the oil at the same interval. After that, drove it like normal.



The car was my daily driver as well, so it didn't take long to reach the mileage.
12/9/2010 6:42:53 PM EDT
[#8]
PUT A ZINC ADDATIVE IN IT!!!

The only thing that needs "Broken it" is the camshaft and lifters. most oil does not have a decent amount of zinc in it to do this correctly!!

Install a roller camshaft..  
12/9/2010 6:45:39 PM EDT
[#9]
When I built my small block I ran it up to temp varying rpm for about 15 min. I changed the oil.  Then I drove the shit out of it and changed it again at 500miles.
12/9/2010 10:06:05 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
When I built my small block I ran it up to temp varying rpm for about 15 min. I changed the oil.  Then I drove the shit out of it and changed it again at 500miles.


This!  And dont let the engine idle for any lenght of time with in the first 15.
12/9/2010 10:50:03 PM EDT
[#11]
there is only thing you really need to do.  DO NOT drive the car at a constant speed for the first 500 miles. vary your cars speed constantly when driving for the first 500 miles.  just do alot of speeding up and slowing down. you dont want the rings to set at a certain speed when breaking it in.
12/9/2010 11:43:10 PM EDT
[#12]
Ask the builder.....

I ran my Pineapple Racing build 2k miles before ever reaching 4000RPM and had four oil changes. As soon as it hit 2k I shot it on the freeway and blew soot and carbon all over the onramp all the way to 13,000 RPM then hit second gear and it was like a JATO strapped to the back (with fireballs) in third and fourth.

Listen to the guy who builds the motor. Some say run it like you have stolen it from the get go so you don't build a wear ring at the top of the cylinder. Some say baby it til X.

12/9/2010 11:45:03 PM EDT
[#13]
this thread is going to devolve into a zinc/ZDDP flat tappet shit show I just know it.
 
12/9/2010 11:46:08 PM EDT
[#14]





Quoted:



Drive it like you stole it


then change your oil after 500 miles


if shit is going to break on a rebuild it will happen, dont matter if you baby it or hammer it.



thats how always did it both bikes and cars


normally changed the oil once at 200 or so though then 500 and then 1000





probably not necessary but what the hell



on another note what do you think of the "don't break in on synthetic oil" thinking

my engine building days are way behind me so when I did much car tinkering syn oil was exotic weird shit sold by amzoil





 
12/9/2010 11:55:16 PM EDT
[#15]
Break it in like you want it to run.  In other words, if you want a slow car, break it in slow.  If you want a fast car break it in fast.