I rented the right oil pump primer from Auto-Zone and after rotating the engine a few times, I got oil out of all the pushrods, so, I buttoned her back up and gave her a drink to see what see would do :)

First, I could tell right away that the dist. was off because of the backfiring.

I reset to fire number 1 and drop the dist. back in and she fired right off and nearly scared me to death. I got about 7 minutes on her at 1800-2200 rpms and finally decided to shut her down and get some exhaust on it so I can actually hear if anything is amiss.

Trying to do a break-in with open headers is difficult. Huh? What did you say? :D

I must admit that thus far, after having messed with small blocks only for the past 15 years, I have definatly gained a new respect for BBC power!!!

The sound of the sheer power is a little overwhelming. Sorta intimadating actually.

After I shut her down, I'm standing there staring at the now quite engine just sitting there....daring me to fire her up again....almost taunting me....I just stand there, staring, thinking....oh my god, what have I created?......:D

After I shut her down, I'm standing there staring at the now quite engine just sitting there....daring me to fire her up again....almost taunting me....I just stand there, staring, thinking....oh my god, what have I created?......:D

That's great......, the right primer makes the difference:yes: I know how you feel, and I am hoping to have that feeling again in a couple days :D

The sound of the sheer power is a little overwhelming. Sorta intimadating actually.



Congratulations on the new Engine!! Should be a real blast.

I know what you mean about the Big Block being a little bit of a "sensory overload". When I was 16 years old I had only heard small blocks with open headers and the fastest guy at school had a 10:1 400 SB with a set of Darts. Then, one summer, one of my friends got a LS7 crate motor for his 70 El camino. Hearing a 12:1 454 fired up with a set of super comps was certainly a real awakening. We couldn't get the cam broken in before the cops showed up. :D

Now, thinking back, I can't believe my buddy's dad turned us loose in a LS7 powered El Camino with a 2500 stall and 3.73's at 17 years old. It's a miracle we didn't kill ourselves that summer. :beers:

Are you running a flat tappet cam? If so I hope it turns out ok with only breaking it in for 7 minutes. BBCs are notorious for eating cams and I would have waited until I could have run it for at least 20 minutes or so. If you have a roller then no worries! They do sound mean don't they???

It is a flat tappet. Voodoo 60204.

I think/hope it should be fine as long as I can get 20 mins total break-in time on it.

I havn't stopped the break-in period completely. But, I did have to stop until I can get some exhaust on it so that I can hear it. Afterwards, I'll get another 15 mins or so break-in and she should be fine.

At this point the valve train could be making all sorts of bad detrimental noises and I wouldn't be able to hear it.

At this point the valve train could be making all sorts of bad deetrimental noises and I wouldn't be able to hear it. Exactly. I wouldn't run it again till you get some mufflers

There is nothing like the sweet earth pounding symmetry of a high powered BBC baby.

If boxing is the sweet science

then sure that is the sweet music!

I must admit that thus far, after having messed with small blocks only for the past 15 years, I have definatly gained a new respect for BBC power!!!

Now I'm really jealous. I've been a small block guy my whole life and finally getting my Voodoo Cammed 454 done. It was supposed to be ready by tomorrow, but due to wrong & defective parts I won't have it ready for CB07. It'll have to wait another week...but I can't wait to finally fire it up.

Thats Awesome. Congrats on going with a BBc nothing quite like it when you hit the gas and it sticks your arse in the seat. lol

I rented the right oil pump primer from Auto-Zone and after rotating the engine a few times, I got oil out of all the pushrods, so, I buttoned her back up and gave her a drink to see what see would do :)

First, I could tell right away that the dist. was off because of the backfiring.

I reset to fire number 1 and drop the dist. back in and she fired right off and nearly scared me to death. I got about 7 minutes on her at 1800-2200 rpms and finally decided to shut her down and get some exhaust on it so I can actually hear if anything is amiss.

Trying to do a break-in with open headers is difficult. Huh? What did you say? :D

I must admit that thus far, after having messed with small blocks only for the past 15 years, I have definatly gained a new respect for BBC power!!!

The sound of the sheer power is a little overwhelming. Sorta intimadating actually.

After I shut her down, I'm standing there staring at the now quite engine just sitting there....daring me to fire her up again....almost taunting me....I just stand there, staring, thinking....oh my god, what have I created?......:DLOL - I know the feeling...

So what is done (BBC) to this new found beast of yours that taunts you so?

Congrats on firing your BBC!
I'm still gathering parts for my low-buck CHARITY RAT. Later this summer.

In 1980 or there abouts, pal's 70 SS 396 Chevelle was tired, dead tired. Friend of a friend was a Chevy Parts guy...hooked my bud up with the crate LS-7. YIKES! Installed a new B&M TH400 and a SuperHoleShot torque converter. I was building my 68 Nova; 11:1 rect port Vette engine, Chevy AL hi-rise, 3310, L-88 cam, 4.56s. Both engines were fired with open exhaust! Twenty minutes uncorked in the driveway in SoCal, gotta love it, fans and water mist on the radiator!!!! The muffler shop was 3 minutes down the road, I do think that I shattered windows!!!!

I've mellowed out to hyd flat tappet cams, moderate compression but more cubes!

Welcome to the dark side D!:D :thumbsup:

:beers: Just wait till you actually drive it:D