Rebuilt engine initial fiasco

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KJoeZ61

KJoeZ61

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Just got the 360 block back and reinstalled it. So today was the initial attempted start that turned into a disaster. I changed the exhaust manifolds to 340 HP and as a by product of that the oil filter didn’t fit, so I bought a 90 adapter. The adapter and filter leaked so bad I had to shut down after 3 or 4 minutes. I think what happened was the machine shop told me they primed up the oil pump. Between that and the 20-50 break in oil I was given to use caused to much back pressure. That quick I had a 2’ diameter oil spill.

Now I’m not sure what to do, plus the fact it didn’t run the full 20 minutes at high idle. It was a bad morning to say the least. A side question when I removed the straight set up before installing the adapter shouldn’t there have been any gaskets between the nipple and the plate or block? Just the nipple and plate came off. Need a smaller filter!
 
There should be three gaskets on the 90° filter adapter, one for the base, then one for under the head of the attachment bolt for the base, and one for the bottom part of the filter base where the it goes into the block...

Are you sure that you installed all three??? Correctly???

Also check the oil filter to make sure it has a gasket and it hasn't fallen off...
 
Here ya go
OilAdapterGaskets.jpg
 
There are all kinds of filters, smaller diameter and shorter. Same gasket size. Wix 51516 comes to mind.
 
did you use the correct gaskets for the 90 degree adapter? I use RTV on both sides of the cork gasket to help it seal.

OilAdapterGaskets.jpg
 
d1970 said:
did you use the correct gaskets for the 90 degree adapter? I use RTV on both sides of the cork gasket to help it seal.

View attachment 1715110124
Click to expand...

I would not use RTV on that gasket in case it or part of it breaks off and gets in the oil system...

Gaskachinch, maybe, but not RTV...


Make sure the bolt is properly torqued... :BangHead:
 
Engine might be fine, once you get oil filter problem solved. When we did the upper end of 273, it took us quire a bit to get it started. Once srarted we continued with normal break-in and everything is/was fine. 15, 000 miles ago and no issues. Comp Cam and lifters.
Good luck
 
Last edited:
4spdragtop said:
Engine might be fine, once you get oil filter problem solved. When we did the upper end of 273, it took us quire a bit to get it started. Once srarted we continued with normal break-in and everything is/was fine. 15, 000 miles ago and no issues. Comp Cam and lifters.
Good luck
Click to expand...

YOU dodged a bullet. This has killed many cams as of late. If the OP got a quick fire up and continues the break in process when the oil filter issue is solved, he'd likely be ok, but I've seen more than one Comp Cam go flat when the motor doesn't fire immediately. That's why I'm a roller cam man now.
 
Joe, you call THIS a "bad morning" ?? Try having something like that happen when you are miles away from home and with NO cell phone signal! You got lucky with that happening at home.
Whenever possible, it is better and more trouble free to use a standard oil filter mount. It only has one gasket and it sits under a thick steel plate. They rarely leak. You might be able to use one if you use a shorter filter. I think one exists that originally fit a 2.2 4 cylinder from an Omni or Horizon.
Plenty of people have had worse stuff happen at tht time of engine break-in. Fuel delivery problems, spark delivery problems, exhaust leaks, oil pressure not building up, noisy lifters or rocker arms....For me, I've had overheating problems and fuel boiling. I've had to do 3 ten minute sessions at 3000 rpms just because it is too hot to run 30 minutes straight.
Good luck...Report back.
 
When we fired Jake's 65 up for the 1st time with the 360/408, the filter adapter leaked as bad as your's did. Maybe worse. We used the 90* adapter from the 273. Had the gaskets in correctly. Discovered the center terms of the adapter was bottomed out on the center where the bolt goes thru and would not allow it to seal the outer gasket. Took it all off and realized with the magnum manifolds, we don't need the adapter. That was 2 summers ago and about 4k miles. No issues.
 
Why 20W50 oil for break-in? Takes longer when cold to get flowing everywhere, especially with this cooler fall weather..... like to the cam where it is needed! I'd dump that right away and get some lighter BradPenn oil.

I think you are going to be alright once you get it going again. A LOT of cams break-in fine with suboptimum break-in. Do you have a high lift cam or cam like a Voodoo or a Comp XE, or some particularly high pressure valve springs?
 
I bought the adapter on eBay and it came with the correct Mopar gasket set ( Mopar P5249320). I believe I installed it correctly. I glanced at the oil gauge while shutting it off and it was around 60-65 psi and was running somewhere around 1600 rpm. And she fired right up initially, with the carb primed, I even replaced the entire fuel line while it was out of service.

What should the adapter hosing bolt/tube be torqued to? Only thing I can think of was I didn’t have it tight enough or my oil is way to thick!
 
FWIW, the oil pressure regulation is before the filter, and the filter has a bypass funtion that routes oil past the filter element with more than about 8 psi of drop in the filter. So if you had 60 psi on the gauge at 1600 RPM, then I suspect you would have no more than 70 psi into the filter; the gauge is measuring right after the filter. Take off the filter and adapter and look at the gaskets and see if there is any distortion on the fitler base gasket; that is one sign of excessive pressure.

My issue with the 20W50 is that it just is NOT gonna flow as freely when cold as will a lighter weight. You need it flowing copiously to the cam and lifters.
 
20W50 should not be a problem... you simply had a leak.

I blew out my remote filter adaptor THREE TIMES when firing my old 351C Ford... had 100#'s of oil pressure when cold. Found out I couldn't use 90 degree AN fittings in my oil system with that high of oil pressure. Got rid of those 90's and all was good even with a flat tappet cam.
 
Unless you have .003 bearing clearances or larger, why would anyone run such a thick oil anyway?
Not trying to be rude, I just don't see the need. I run my bearings at the tighter end, just shy of .002 and run no thicker than a 15/40.
 
Are you sure that you need that 90 degree adapter? I have seen them on many engines that did not need them for clearance. They can make filter changes easier but at the cost of more leaks? No thanks.
 
nm9stheham said:
FWIW, the oil pressure regulation is before the filter, and the filter has a bypass funtion that routes oil past the filter element with more than about 8 psi of drop in the filter. So if you had 60 psi on the gauge at 1600 RPM, then I suspect you would have no more than 70 psi into the filter; the gauge is measuring right after the filter. Take off the filter and adapter and look at the gaskets and see if there is any distortion on the fitler base gasket; that is one sign of excessive pressure.

My issue with the 20W50 is that it just is NOT gonna flow as freely when cold as will a lighter weight. You need it flowing copiously to the cam and lifters.
Click to expand...

When cold it will flow like 20 wt., when hot will protect like 50 wt. I don`t see, or have ever had a problem w/ even straight 50 weight, long as it not real cold . I have 20w50 in my 440/505 and don`t plan on changing it for winter. If ur car stays in a garage that doesn`t freeze, no problem.
 
Kern Dog said:
Unless you have .003 bearing clearances or larger, why would anyone run such a thick oil anyway?
Not trying to be rude, I just don't see the need. I run my bearings at the tighter end, just shy of .002 and run no thicker than a 15/40.
Click to expand...

I put in what the machine shop supplied and wanted me to use. Lucas high zinc engine break-in oil 20w-50
 
Joe Zartler said:
Just got the 360 block back and reinstalled it. So today was the initial attempted start that turned into a disaster. I changed the exhaust manifolds to 340 HP and as a by product of that the oil filter didn’t fit, so I bought a 90 adapter. The adapter and filter leaked so bad I had to shut down after 3 or 4 minutes. I think what happened was the machine shop told me they primed up the oil pump. Between that and the 20-50 break in oil I was given to use caused to much back pressure. That quick I had a 2’ diameter oil spill.

Now I’m not sure what to do, plus the fact it didn’t run the full 20 minutes at high idle. It was a bad morning to say the least. A side question when I removed the straight set up before installing the adapter shouldn’t there have been any gaskets between the nipple and the plate or block? Just the nipple and plate came off. Need a smaller filter!
Click to expand...
Did you oil prime the engine before the first fire? That would have been the best time to find that leak.
If not, I would do it after you think you have straightened out the leak issues.
You're likely okay If it fired right up and you ran it for a certain amount of time. Just continue the break-in cycle after you fire it again.
Don't let the sidebars about oil viscosity rattle you right now. I know you're probably not feeling too good anyway. Have fired more than one with Valvoline VR1 20w 50.
 
Joe Zartler said:
I put in what the machine shop supplied and wanted me to use. Lucas high zinc engine break-in oil 20w-50
Click to expand...
Okay...I just wonder if they are a common and typical "Everything but Mopar" type of machine shop. Machinists that are familiar with Mopars are a rare breed anyway.
 
I was told I didn’t need to prime to it because they had put something in the oil pump that would delete the need for it. The material they used, I don’t remember the name but was told it would mix in with the oil.
 
You should be fine.....finish the breaking without further interruptions. ....
I had a few shut downs on first start up...everything was fine. ..

Jeff
 
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