Hey guys. I will hopefully be throwing my rebuilt 333 into my car tomorrow, and I was wondering what is recommended for breaking in the rings? I was told that rpm needs to be varried frequently while driving for the first 500 miles. Does this sound correct? What do you guys recommend? Also, should I vary rpm's slightly during the break in of the cam so that I don't hold a certain rpm to long? Or does the RPM the engine is run at during the cam break in not matter as far as the piston rings are concerned?

When I get the cam broken in and am driving it, how drastically should I try to vary rpm? I mean do you only need to vary rpm by a few hundred ever so often? Also how long can I run the engine at a steady rpm before it's considered to be too long? I hope i'm making sense here....it's almost 2:00AM and i'm about asleep here. ;)
Thanks a million in advance guys! graemlins/thumbsup.gif :D

Don't let engine speed fall below 2000 for the first 20 min. You can crack throttle to direct oil splash. just drive somewhat normal for first 500 miles and avoid stop and go traffic. tongue.gif

Exactly. Don;t let it idle too long ( at low rpm) for the first few hours of life.

During the first 20 minutes I let the speed range from 2,000 - 2,500 rpm.

For the first drive, try to pick a non busy time and place. That way you can vary the speed a little. I wouldn't beat on it, but you don't have to baby it either.

Mike

Make sure to vary the rpm's durring cam breakin, the verriable rpm's will insure that the slinger lubes the entire cam graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Also, if your cam requires double springs,make sure to pull the inners out for breakin(assuming of coarse you are running a flat tappet cam)

Sounds good. I'll vary the rpm's slightly every so often during the cam break in. What sort of variance are we talking about while driving it though? Also, what's the longest amount of time that I should spend at a given rpm? I was told that I shouldn't just go on a long cruise to break the engine in. If I went and drove down some country roads....varrying between 45 and 70 mph...... would this be about right to break in the rings for the first 500 miles? Also, should I stay below a certain rpm? I'm just curious here at to how carefully rpm really needs to be watched during the ring break in....I just want to make sure to do it right. Thanks a bunch guys. smile.gif


Does anyone happen to know what the torque specs should be when torqueing down the flexplate to the engine?? *crosses fingers* I'm trying to get the engine and trans in today. Thanks again smile.gif

Stop worrying so much :D , 2000-2500 rpm for 20 minutes as stated above several times. Just vary the rpms a little, there is no set formula. Then change the oil and filter, take it out and drive it. Just drive it normal. Personally I take mine out and beat it like I'm going to drive it from then on, but I'm not recommending that. Just a guess on the flex plate bolt torque of about 65 ft/lbs.

Hey just a question. I'm going to be breakin in my motor tomorrow or monday night. I asked the builder and he said 25 min was too long. He alwasys does it for 10-15 and i asked him about the rings. His exact words were, the rings will be broke in before you are done breakin in the cam. Is this his way? or what? i was always told to do what the builder said. I'm confused

Some claim the rings are seated before you even start it just by turning the engine over during assembly. I wouldn't thing so but I've heard that. :eek:

Jim

Some motors the rings seem to seat properly within minutes (or seconds) while other motors will be oil burners for the first thousand miles. I've always heard to take the car out and slowly increase the speed to like 60mph then let off the gas and let it coast to a stop. Repeat that a few times and thats how you're supposed to "break in the rings" weither it actually works or not, I don't know.

For cam breakin its not going to hurt anything if you let it run more than 20 minutes (considering it doesnt overheat). Whenever I break in a cam I just bring it up to 2000RPM and every few minutes I'll crack the throttle real quick just to make sure everything is nice and smooth. I usually only let it run for like 10 minutes ...Never wiped a lobe but the longer you let it run, the better.

sounds good. So if the engine burns oil for a while after the break in that isn't unusual? j/w

Nope its perfectly normal for a new motor to burn oil for the first thousand miles or so... Sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, and sometimes not at all.

b4 the moly treatment of the compression ring it was necessary to do the long drug out break in. With moly rings and the proper cross hatch cylinder prep, the rings seat much much quicker. I believe your engine builder was right on...by the time the cam is broke in...the rings will be too

Thanks broke. So pretty much all performance rings now are moly treated like bigjimzlll said? There should be good crosshatching on all cylinders that are prepped properly right? From everything i've been told it sounds like there are a lot of different opinions on ring break in procedures. The first time I drive it i'll slowly bring it up to 60mph and then let it drop back down, varry the rpms while driving, and not beat on it for awhile. Hopefully that'll set the rings properly. :D Thanks guys.....you've been very helpful as always. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I'll report the news on how it goes if anyone is interested?

Make sure you add a can of E.O.S. from your local Chevy dealer.