New 360 & a couple of questions

-
For break-in don't worry about initial. Start it get it straight to 2200 and set your timing around 32 total. I ended up around 33 and my break In went well.
 
dartfreak75 said:
For break-in don't worry about initial. Start it get it straight to 2200 and set your timing around 32 total. I ended up around 33 and my break In went well.
Click to expand...
You are absolutely correct but this info is for guys that are having trouble on the first fire up.
 
“Ok” is a relative term. Most distributors have a slight phasing alignment problem. Watch this video from msd, the rotor will fire to the terminal through a large range of misalignment. But, the closer the better.
 
And it’s “ok” or normal that my mark/ rotor position is a little past the #1 cap terminal?
Click to expand...
only the vac advance changes the rotor phasing (not initial or mechanical). it shifts it CCW (on a SB) so even though I would like the rotor (pink mark) to be a bit closer to the #1 cap terminal then where it is but I think you will be OK. EDIT I say that the rotor terminal closer to the trailing edge of the cap terminal is far better than it at the leading edge as vac adv will shift phasing back CCW from the trailing edge closer to the leading edge so you are getting as much face to face close contact in that span as possible.
 
Last edited:
Good info given here. My initial fire up is hours away. This is my second build so a little anxious. Got a question though. It's a 5.9 Magnum so roller motor with steel rockers and I have been reading that roller lifters do not require the 1500-2500 RPM break in for 20 minutes but what about the fresh block and new rings?
 
On a new roller cam engine, the rings need a minute to break in, so they can seat right. Any engine I do with a roller cam, I don’t think so much that I’m breaking in the rings but that’s what’s going on. Moly rings seat super quickly. I never worry about it.

What I do is just run the engine like I’m breaking in a Hyd cam while I let it get up to temp and check for leaks, set timing & I just keep my head poking around at a look for anything, everywhere. Looking for leaks with the oil, P/S, transmission, checking exhaust because I weld like crap. (no patience in getting the practice in.)

I figure after about a ten minute warm up, everything has heat in it and I start the tuning process. Basic timing first, jet the carb, repeat until I’m happy, then test drive.
Pretty much, by this time, your rings have seated.

This takes about 10 minutes total time, more than enough for the rings to seat and temp to come up. I don’t get in and start burn outs with the car right away. I like to normally drive the car around for a few minutes after the break in oil change and see how the basic tune is. Mess with the tune some more, get it 90%or better right on the money, drive it around some more. I stay out of the secondary side. Most of the engines life is on the primary. (Minus the drag car of course)

Once it’s acting fine, I just drive it around for about 400-ish miles to see if something reads it’s ugly head. Change oil again and proceed to secondary side tuning.

Vary your rpm’s as you test drive the car. Let it shift on its own a little, hold a gear and manually shift it a few times. Give it a few WOT runs and let it shift on its own, then a few where you shift it. Let it run up and down the rpm scale a few times.

Im not saying beat the crap out of it, just run up the tach and shift it up around the max rpm and see how it is. Do it at part throttle a few times and proceed to WOT a few times and manually shift it.

Change your oil for the third and last time.
(Break in oil change, around town for the 400-ish miles, change, final new crank case of oil and new filter, enjoy! Come back after all your running is done. I smell the oil. Any gas smell, I change it.)

Your done, enjoy.

This is what I normally do and I have never had a problem with this route.

The old method written about is more centered on the iron rings of old. You can still get these rings if you ask for them specifically. I don’t know for sure but I don’t know who would include old iron rings with new rebuilds pistons. I suppose if your a resto stickler and your doing a 1920-1930 Packard or REO….
 
Last edited:
As to rotor phasing, I don’t run vacuum so I just got the phase where I wanted it and bolted the vacuum plate in place.
 
dart_68 said:
FINALLY got my 360 a hair's breath away from starting it. I have 2 questions, though.

1) The car still has 87 octane gas in it from last year. The gas still smells ok but my comp ratio went from 7.8:1 to 9.2:1. Previous cranking pressure was 135 and new is 150. Will it run ok on the lower octane gas for start up and initial break in or should I figure out a way to get it out of the tank and put premium in it? I intend to drive it with premium.

2) Where to set the initial static timing? I was thinking 18*. What info do you need to posit a guess?
Click to expand...


I don’t even like to start my generator, quad, weedwacker, or chainsaw on last years gas. My first load of the year in everything is fresh premium fuel. And I even treat my gas with Seafoam or Stabile.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top