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Hot Rods Oh no not another cam breakin question

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by junkyardgenius, Aug 20, 2020.

  1. junkyardgenius
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 886

    junkyardgenius
    Member
    from Kernow

    Fired the blown 354 Hemi up last night. Instant start up and ran like a clock , set timing and ran it between 2000 & 3000 rpm for 20mins with no problems. Drained the oil and all looks fine. Was going to put fresh oil and additive in today but was told to use the breakin oil for first 3000 miles????
     
  2. Jmountainjr
    Joined: Dec 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,672

    Jmountainjr
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I am sure that you will get a million contradictory answers. I have always dropped the break in oil and filter after the initial run. I sometimes cut the filter open to take a look, but not always. I then fill engine with the oil that it will run, and depending on what oil that is, may add a bottle of additive. There are so many oil specs and choices out there it's hard to answer to just "oil". I have had good luck with the older 15-40 diesel oils in flat tappet engines, but today depending on what you want to spend, there are a lot of choices. A typical hot rod doesn't see a lot of miles and you typically change oil based on time, not miles. So I don't go crazy on oil as long as the specs look correct for the application.
     
  3. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    As people will say a lot of different things. Years ago I started running the break in oil for the season (short in the N.E). Changed it at the end of the season and put in a high zinc content oil. I personally believe in Valvoline VR-1 racing oil. Oil will be very subjective by a lot of people. Have never had any cam break in problems. Al
     
    LAROKE and 1934coupe like this.
  4. junkyardgenius
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 886

    junkyardgenius
    Member
    from Kernow

    Thanks guys,on other engines I have always dumped the break in oil after the initial run. I have Valvoline VR 1 racing oil here and was going to run that with a little adative for around 100 to 150 miles then change it again. Never had any trouble doing it this way before.
     

  5. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Since we never had breakin oil when I started I still don’t use it today. Didn’t have Isky cam lube either at least my dad didn’t. I’ve never lost a cam and every one in the last 45 years have had at least 100 psi valve spring on the seat sometimes more. I do use assembly lube on everything and now Isky on the cam.
    Our dirt track new engines are broke in on Richard Catons dyno with Chevron Delo 15-40, changed, filters cut open, and new Chevron Delo put back in. My LSR GMC6’s get Mobil 1 15-40 and never had a failure.
    After reading many articles like most of you, I feel racing oil of any brand belongs in a racing engine even tho I change my cruiser car oil once a year at a little over a thousand miles. It now gets Lucas Hot Rod 10-30. Just my thoughts. Oil is personal as the many threads here has shown.
     
  6. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,417

    jaracer
    Member

    When I raced, we ran Aeroshell, I think it was 50- grade 100. It was an ashless oil. I put an engine together, started it at the track, and changed oil and filter after maybe 15 races. I never had any lube related failures. When I "freshened" an engine I did change rod bearings even though they always looked like new. We did run roller cams though. I should mention that even though the engines got a good work out, they really didn't run many miles.

    Based on my racing experience, I don't run a break-in oil. I do break in the cam and lifters and change the oil after. Then I just run a 10W30 oil and so far (the last 20 years or so) I haven't had any problems on my Y block or nailhead.
     
    warbird1 likes this.
  7. ekimneirbo
    Joined: Apr 29, 2017
    Posts: 4,214

    ekimneirbo

    It would have been good to use the break in oil during cam run in. Then change filter and oil for another 500 miles or so . Using break in oil will help insure that break in continues as normal. The idea that break in oil was not used in the old days is correct, but it forgets that in the old days oil contained zinc......which is what break in oil has. You will not harm your engine by taking the precaution of using a zinc laden break in oil. I would not use an additive, but would recommend preblended like Joe Gibbs (Summitt Racing) sells. After the initial 500 miles then I would switch to synthetic oil. If you are running hydraulic lifters you may need to run 10w40 to prevent lifter leakdown with higher spring pressures.
     

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