So, what's the latest consensus on break in oil? I see so many new, different brands out there now. What's a good one? Flat tappet hyd. lifter cam engine.
My engine builder said Valvoline VR1 10w-30. Lunati recommended their cam additive, used a Comp Cams product I found locally.
Used this on our last small block. Engine builder recommended this, then follow up w Lucas "hot rod" oil w zinc for regular maintenance.
I just broke in a flat tapped sbc. I used castrol 10-w-30 with Lucas zinc additive for a 30 minute / 2000-2500 rpm initial run. Drained the oil, changed the filter, and refilled with the same mixture for the next 500 miles. After 500 miles, I refilled with Lucas 10-w-30 Hot Rod Oil, which I plan on using for my daily driver. Previously, I failed to use a zinc additive (twice) for break in and the cams each lasted less than 1000 miles.
Anyone ever use the special "break in" rocker arms (1.3 ratio)? It seems to me to be a little "over the top", but in these days of wiped out cams, perhaps a good idea?
I use Jo Gibbs break in oil on my big mechanical flat tappet cams and have never had a problem. I don't run them in with less spring, I just break in the cam then on to power pulls.
If you are breaking in a new cam or a whole new engine, opt for a dedicated "break in" oil. By the time you buy any other oil and then buy an additive to put in it, you'll have just as much money in the process. While an additive is probably better than nothing, you don't know that every different manufacturers oil is compatible with every additive manufacturers product. The logical answer is to use an oil that is made for break in and requires no additive. If your cam does not exceed the travel of your old valve springs, you might use them for break in because they will most likely produce less spring pressure than the new springs you have. Also remember to use a "cam lube" on the lobes and lifter faces, but not on the cam bearing journals. Initially place the lifters in the lifter bores and see that they rotate easily. You might even try putting the cam in and rotating it by hand to see that all lifters rotate. Another tip is to disassemble each lifter and wash it with carb cleaner before installation. That insures there is no free floating debris (grit) that can jam the lifter once installed.
I have used amsoil breaking oil on a flathead and a Pontiac engines this year. Both engines had the rings seal with in 10 or 15 minutes and after 30 minutes had good idle, so I hope good cam lobes. Amsoil said the break in oil has “friction modifiers for quick ring seating” and high zinc and phosphorus to protect cam lobes and lifters. I don’t know but it worked for me.
Blues4you has reported here many times on oil as his education and background is above mine for sure. Many here have had no problems over the years with concoctions before anyone heard of “breakin” oils. Catalytic converters changed our lives along with the inferior metal flat tappet cam blanks are made of today I’m guessing. I personally have never lost a new cam and only one factory one in a 76 454 truck after 75k miles. We race 2 engines, totally different in design, both have 14-1 compression and flat tappet cams with 140# spring pressure. I’ve used reground stockers and Comps and Iskys and never lost a one. We Run Chevron Delo 15-40 in the V8 and Mobil 1 in the inline. The V8 new cams/lifters are coated with assembly lube and get a 20 minute breakin at 2000 rpm with the Delo we are going to run in on the dyno. I’ve never changed springs either. Ask for advice from 30….. and you will get 30 opinions. Good luck to all today with parts from never-never land and I wish everyone the best.
I've heard good things about the Lucas, but more than anything it seems oil with a copious amount of ZDDP will do the trick for break in. My GM crate engine called for regular non-detergent 10/30 and then to just drain it after the break in, and refill with the same stuff and new filter, then change after 500 miles.
After seeing the thread title and reading the posts,,,,,this hasn’t gone the direction I anticipated. Thank goodness ,,,,LoL. Tommy
I used Comp-cams break in oil for my last SBC. It was a Comp-cam. No issues with it during or after the break in. Both were bought at Summit Racing. I have bought Lucas for my current project. Same platform SBC but less radical camshaft. I hope to see good results. My English is not the best but is it Break in or Brake in?
Assemble with STP, cam lube on the lobes, o'Reilly's brand 10w30 oil with a bottle of rislone, and hammer down. Oh yeah, i use atf on my rings.
My experience with the race engines (70's - 80's) is that I broke them in with the same oil I assembled them with. They all had solid, roller cams and ran on methanol. I used AeroShell 50 grade 100 in the engines. To break them in we would try to be the first pushed off for ironing the track. Take as many slow laps as possible around the top of the track. Same with hot laps, but when the green flag dropped it was hammer down. I used no other additives or assembly lube. The last two street engines I built both had flat tappet cams, 312 Ford, 401 Buick. All new components and the cam manufactures lube on all lobes. Both got a 15 minute break-in at 1500 rpm or so. I've been using 10W30 oil in both; name brands but not a specific one. The 312 has maybe 20K miles and the 401 has 500 miles. So far no problem with either. I may have put some ZDP additive in the Buick.
I'm not rich but we have successfully used Brad Penn 30 weight with high zinc in the past on SBC's and FH's.
I saw a guy on youtube a while back assembling a SBF. He has an engine shop. Anyways, he was using WD40 as the lube when installing pistons/rings. He also said it wasn't just him, it was the piston manufacturers recommendation. A well known brand. I've never heard of it. Shouldn't glug up the rings and lands with oil, but WD40? Anyone else do/heard of this?
That is one school of thought. The manuals used to show dunking the whole assembled piston in a bucket of motor oil and then installing. It might depend on the piston ring type and cylinder finish, but some people use only a light oil or ATF sparingly. It might sound backward but the idea is to get the piston rings to seat well and avoid cylinder glazing.
My last 3 OT trucks all had a bad rap. #1-worst diesel ever made. (80K miles never a problem) 2#-direct injection (sold before any problem with valves) #3-oil consumption. This one had this but not bad enough for recall or replacement. OK the fix… from the net I read everything I could on every site pertaining to the engine. The fix, not authorized, changed the oil from 5-20 to 5-30. Oil use gone or so low it’s not mentioning. Seems this is common. Thinner oil was to meet EPA demands. Our 1956 recommends 20-20w and since it’s hard for me to find today so I use 10-30 and went to Lucas HR. I’m sure there are others just as good or better.
You really want an oil that flows immediately. Priming is a good idea too, takes some time but well worth it. I also go conservative on the valve last and adjust it after the break in is done.
I've done it this way many times, particularly on engines with removable cylinders (like motorcycles) where you have to work the rings up into the bore from the bottom. Avoids an oily mess. A couple drops on top to soak in, usual priming and spinning over, never been a problem. I know others who do it but glad to hear the piston makers recommend it too.
Total Seal has an excellent video on why's and why not's on this subject. I suggest you watch it. When you see the reason for and the "why" it works, I don't think their will anymore discussion.
I used Brad Penn breakin oil on my last flat tappet engine. It's what the engine builder recommended, so I figured I better do it since they warranted the engine. Ran it for 500 miles, and then changed oil and filter.
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