Hi, I just installed my new starter in my project and just wanted to test it out. I have a fresh 454 in the car with a solid flat tappet, the valves are not adjusted at all so there the lifters are just laying on the cam. Will this hurt anything? i primed the motor once, and forgot to put the filter back on(from putting the headers on) and dumped about a quart of oil on the floor, hten after putting the filter back on, i primed it again and forgot to put one of the plugs back in the oil port above the filter and put about 3 quarts of oil on the floor!!!!!!! anything wrong with cranking the engine over?

I'm guessing that the cam is not broken in? If it isn't be careful because you might ruin something, unless you just bump it for a second to test it, but not longer than that.

i would not do that but if you have to bump it no spark plugs would be easyer. be patient ...mike :cool:

If the pushrods aren't holding the lifters in there's a possibility that a lifter could be popped out. Not likely with just cranking but a possibility.

The cams in a BB seem to be a little harder to get broken in without failing compared to some other engines so don't take any unnecessary risks.

Peter

If you are really concerned about checking the starter, you should pull it back out if its not too much of a task(could be depending on your header setup) and just try it out not in the motor. I dont like the idea of cranking the motor at all unless either the cam is broken in, or Im gonna run it. Realistically, just bumping it for a sec probably wont cause the cam to wipe a lobe when you do break it in, but still, why risk it. Its possible that by verifying your starter works, you will junk the cam. If you dont know how to check it, witout it being in the motor and wired up, heres what you do. Get some jumper cables(easiest way) and hook em up to the battery. Put the positive jumper on the big starter post, and ground the negative to the case of the starter. Next get a jumper wire preferably with alligator clips and clip one end to the positive jumper cable, and then when you touch the other end of the wire to the small starter post, voila. The gear should kick out and begin to spin. Ive done it a million times and never hurt a starter cause its basically the same thing as wiring it in the car, only instead of turning the key to get power to the small post, you use a jumper wire and do it by hand. No big deal and its safer than possibly damaging the cam.

Cody,
Just my opinion but,,,
You ain't going to hurt a thing with no load on the lifters.
If that were the case you are going to have real problems when it comes time to adjust them :D

If you have primed the engine turning it over on the starter a few times is not going cause any damage & I don't really know of any other way to see if the starter is going to turn the engine over which is what I assume you are wanting to test.
;)

The question I have for you is - if the valves are not adjusted, does this mean pushrods not installed at all or just loose? Other than wiping cam lube off with excessive spinning, I doubt it will cause any problem. The biggest cause for failure is high spring pressure and a dry lobe. Personally, I would set the valves and be done with it. You should only break in the cam on outer springs only anyway.

Thanks mike, that is exactly what i was trying to do, see how the starter cranked over the motor. I have been cranking it a little excesively. the inner valve springs have been removed, and i used a tone of the crane cams "grey" lube on the cam and lifters. I will stop cranking now, but hopefuly everything is fine. thanks!