Hey all, I've finnaly got the motor all complete. But I've read several different opinion's on weather I should break it in or not. The car is not street legal yet, and I've heard one opinion that I should fire it up, get the timing set and go for a good long drive. Or fire it up, do the 20 minute cam break-in, then shut it down and finish getting the rest of the car street legal? The long block was built by a reputable machine shop, and I have only rolled it over as much as necessary to get it all assembled. What I'm saying is all the red sticky assemebly lube, and cam break-in lube is relativly still in place. Radiator is ready, tranny is ready to go, exhaust is in place. I've spent alot on this, and I want to do it right. But I'd love to hear this motor roar. :D Let's hear some opinion's please. Thank's, Dave.

I say break it in and fire it up once a week while you're finishing the car. You don't necessarily need to go for a drive just get the engine up to temp.

Around here in the winter if there is a sudden temperature rise (like in my unheated garage) everything that is metal starts to sweat and will rust quickly if uncoated/unpainted. Firing the engine once a week keeps everything inside the engine coated with an oil film and rust free.

Wait til you can take it for a drive.

Originally posted by LeoP:
Wait til you can take it for a drive. I agree!
A new flat tappet BB...you're gonna need all the luck possible. :rolleyes:
Add GM EOS and prime, rotate, prime, rotate, prime, rotate JUST before initial startup.
And have a big electric fan (household type) in front of the radiator to help keep it cool. A lot of heat comes out of a fresh, tight motor.

I agree too. Do the 20-30 minute cam break it keeping the rpms at least at 2000 rpm, but vary the rpm a bit by bringing it up a little higher and back down to make sure it all gets splashed lube well. Along with the fan, keep a garden hose handy to hose the rad down just in case the fan cant totally keep up to the heat. Then, after you are done with all that, dump the oil and cut open the filter to check for any metal, if it all looks good, put in new oil and a filter and take it for a drive. During your drive vary the rpm as well, dont stay steady, and also do some spirited runs up to medium high rpm occasionally also.

Question, why is it not street legal?

Look's like I should wait. Is there anything special I should do to help make sure it's O.K.? Sray some wd-40 through the plug hole's or something like that?

Originally posted by Nickel333:
Question, why is it not street legal? Complete wiring harness and dash are not in, no window's as yet. Completing the passenger 1/4 replacement in the very near future. Seat belt's. There is more, but right now I'm just trying to get a complete drivable car, Then a paint job, then Ground Up complete interior package. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

"I say break it in and fire it up once a week"

you guys just know how to make an engine builder cry :mad:

That is absolutely the WORSE thing you can do to an engine ... new or old. Lets start it up and get a bunch of raw fuel in the oil from the choke being closed, then run it just barely long enough so that when you shut it off it will be a waterfall of condensation on all of our freshly machined parts !

Ask your engine builder to be sure, but I would not start it until you can pull out of the garage and drive at least 50 miles.
Just my opinion,

Thank's for the help guy's. I'm going to wait till it's driveable, shouldn't be that long before it's ready. With the winter's around here, I can still get out and drive on occasion. :D I'm going to check with the machinist on monday, but I'm pretty sure he'll agree with Billk. Damn, this is worse than christmas when I was a kid. :mad: Dave