Break in cam with new Schumacher ceramic headers?

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standup303

standup303

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Planning on getting the 440 in the car this winter and have read I shouldn’t break in the hyd. Flat tappet with a set of new ceramic coated headers (Schumacher) installed. I have some manifolds I could bolt on but sound like a pain to break in with manifolds then remove and bolt on the Schumachers. Any advice?
 
You can break the cam in with the ceramic headers, you just can't bolt them on... Have someone(s) hold them in position as you run the engine...
 
My advice is to follow your own advice and let common sense prevail.

you can break in with headers, if you don’t care what they look like afterwards….
 
If you don't care what the headers look like, or know for a fact you have the knowledge to recognize a lean running engine and immediately shut it off, and be able to correct the issue before re-firing, - go for it .
 
Just make sure they are clean, it has plenty of fuel, and lots of timing (like 30s or 40s) and it’ll be fine.
 
TT5.9mag said:
Just make sure they are clean, it has plenty of fuel, and lots of timing (like 30s or 40s) and it’ll be fine.
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This ^^ If they won't hold up to the engine being run at 2000-3000 RPM for 20-30 minutes then they won't hold up to cruising down the road at a steady speed. Unless maybe the short block is also fresh and hasn't been run at all yet.

Basically all you need to do is make sure the headers don't get too hot during the process. Break-in will only put extra heat into the exhaust if the tune is off (not enough ignition advance and/or too lean) or the piston rings are old-school cast iron and haven't seated in the bores yet (extra friction = more heat and load). If I was worried about it I'd rig up a thermocouple or contact thermometer (not IR because they're too reflective) to monitor the temperature while it's running.
 
Yea all the header manufacturers say don’t do it. But ask yourself why? Why are the headers perfectly fine after break in but not FOR break in? It’s because people screw the pooch when it comes to getting the tune correct on first fire up and run in. The biggest issue is timing. Retarded timing puts a lot of heat in the primary tubes. Next biggest issue is handprints/fingerprints on them, it will bake in to the ceramic. Lastly (and you’d have to be really far off) is running too lean on break in. But most carbs are stupid fat out of the box so that’s a slightly less worrying aspect.
 
Obviously, the manufacturers/sellers have done the research. That being said, if you want to re-coat your headers, use them on the break in period. Just FYI, I have two sets of ceramic coated headers for my bracket car and I NEVER use them for the break in. These headers are over ten years old and look factory fresh, except the mounting flanges.
 
I think the conclusion they’ve come to through research is most people have no idea how to set the static ignition timing and get an engine to light right off when breaking in a cam. And most are afraid of rpm when doing so. But that is speculation on my part. I’ve broken in an engine with ceramic coated TTIs ($$$) and they were clean, and the engine was set up properly for break in, and the headers looked brand new years later. YRMV
 
I think most engines running at 2500 rpm for 20 minutes straight likely also have the added benefit of cooler surrounding air whipping around the headers at 60+ miles per hour and also likely receive periodic breaks of lower rpm while decelerating and going down hill etc, and 800 rpm idling etc….

I doubt the headers in use in a car get as hot as ones just sitting on an engine stand while a fresh tight engine runs for the first time at extended periods (20 min +) at 2200-3000 rpm.

I think all the manufacturers recommend to not do it because they got tired of fielding calls from people who thought they knew it all, had it timed, jetted perfectly, and accounted for every possible little thing that would make their engine not run hot on the break in stand.

I think Most people, if they have the means (ie old headers, or manifolds) lying around use them on the run in stand or in the car for the first time, and then preserve there $1000 investment on the new polished ceramic coated headers in box in the corner of garage waiting to go on after all is broken in and sorted out.

This is kind of a crazy thing to argue about.
 
standup303 said:
Planning on getting the 440 in the car this winter and have read I shouldn’t break in the hyd. Flat tappet with a set of new ceramic coated headers (Schumacher) installed. I have some manifolds I could bolt on but sound like a pain to break in with manifolds then remove and bolt on the Schumachers. Any advice?
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can you break it in with the new headers? sure

should you break it in with the new headers? probably not.

you stand a very good chance of screwing up the finish on the new headers breaking it in with them on.


.
 
I've seen chrome headers, some tubes blue, with a brown or green one in the mix caused by a booster tap left open, leaning a cyl and the 1 tube glowed, and always looked funny thereafter.
I've seen cars towed in, "new engine wouldn't run right, - ran it for 20 mins to break in cam, the headers were glowing, but we wanted to break in the cam" .
I haven't used "manifold/shop" exhaust in decades, cuz I am confident the motor will fire and run right away, has waay advanced timing, I monitor exhaust temps, and will recognize an issue right away.
If you're not experienced, - just remember those off-colored tubes, and I suggest fear and common sense, and not inconvenience/laziness be your guide.
Good luck .

As mentioned, keep the bags on the headers as long as possible during build, to protect from handprints, and then wipe tubes of handprints before fireup .
 
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4mulas said:
I think most engines running at 2500 rpm for 20 minutes straight likely also have the added benefit of cooler surrounding air whipping around the headers at 60+ miles per hour and also likely receive periodic breaks of lower rpm while decelerating and going down hill etc, and 800 rpm idling etc….

I doubt the headers in use in a car get as hot as ones just sitting on an engine stand while a fresh tight engine runs for the first time at extended periods (20 min +) at 2200-3000 rpm.

I think all the manufacturers recommend to not do it because they got tired of fielding calls from people who thought they knew it all, had it timed, jetted perfectly, and accounted for every possible little thing that would make their engine not run hot on the break in stand.

I think Most people, if they have the means (ie old headers, or manifolds) lying around use them on the run in stand or in the car for the first time, and then preserve there $1000 investment on the new polished ceramic coated headers in box in the corner of garage waiting to go on after all is broken in and sorted out.

This is kind of a crazy thing to argue about.
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I tend to agree with you, but what seems even more crazy to me is dropping a 440 in an A body with manifolds, breaking the engine in, and then removing everything to install headers.
 
Header manifacturers know that "most" guys will start a new engine lean and with the timing too far retarded and they're right. Most guys are hard headed and will not listen to anyone's advice, or they are just flat out stupid.

Not talking about the OP here.

All that said, if you just "gotta" break it in with those headers, make DAMN SURE AS SOON AS IT FIRES to pull in about 36 degrees of timing at about 3000 RPM. Vary the RPM from there between 2000 and 4000 for 20 minutes "or so". Do NOT try to lean the carburetor out. Let it run fat, if it does. None of this is any guarantee you won't damage the headers......but if you follow this advice and the similar advice of others before me, you reduce your chances. If it was ME, I would use a known GOOD carburetor and one that was "a little too big" for the engine. JMO.
 
TT5.9mag said:
I tend to agree with you, but what seems even more crazy to me is dropping a 440 in an A body with manifolds, breaking the engine in, and then removing everything to install headers.
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Well now that a whole new topic and now I agree with you 100 percent. No effin way would I drop a 440 in an A body with manifolds to just remove them after run it. It would get headers right off the bat and I’d deal with off colour tubes. Lol
 
Put 40-45* timing on it when breaking it in. If you run vacuum advance on an engine, it likely has more timing than that WITH a load driving down the highway.

There is no load on the engine when breaking it in. Timing numbers can be increased without issue.

Done a bunch of ceramic coated stuff and never break in with a different set of headers if the engine is in the car. Timing is the most important element.
 
krazykuda said:
You can break the cam in with the ceramic headers, you just can't bolt them on... Have someone(s) hold them in position as you run the engine...
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The header company says, "Don't do it." Why would you want to? I think they post that warning for a reason.
 
harrisonm said:
The header company says, "Don't do it." Why would you want to? I think they post that warning for a reason.
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As stated above, because it can be done successfully and it’s a nightmare to switch out 440 manifolds/headers in an A body.
 
TT5.9mag said:
As stated above, because it can be done successfully and it’s a nightmare to switch out 440 manifolds/headers in an A body.
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Yes indeed, it can be done right. It takes about 2 minutes of wrong to touch up those pretty headers to the ugly side!
harrisonm said:
The header company says, "Don't do it." Why would you want to? I think they post that warning for a reason.
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Header companies say that to avoid customers that don't do things correctly then wanting a redo because the customer messed up. My all time favorite was a kid I knew that broke in the engine with a old beater set of headers, swapped them out for the nice shiny ceramic, didn't do any adjustment or tune up , went for a drive and blued the hell out of the tubes. Told him to get the timing right, nah, all good... yep...
 
I've done it. They turned out fine. As mentioned - give it a ton of timing, like 40* at least. It's not under load, so it'll be just fine.
 
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