Break-in fluids

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63spf

DODGE'S ARE KOOL BUT PLYMOUTH'S RULE !
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Bought me some break-in fluid yesterday for my 440.
Hoping to fire her up.
Any thoughts on the matter ?
2000rpm for 30 min ?
Better additive ?
Etc. Etc ?

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Use a break in oil that's high in ZDDP (zinc). There are many good oils available, choose one you like.
Make sure you have the timing and carb dialed in as best you can before starting it.
Make sure you have adequate fuel and fuel pressure to keep it running for 20-30 minutes.
Make sure the cooling system is leak free and ready to go before starting it.
When you start the motor, do not let it idle, take it to about 3000 rpm for at least 2-3 minutes.
Then keep the rpm between 2000 and 3000 for at least 20 minutes.
Shut it off, and change the oil and filter.
After the first 500 miles, change the oil and filter again.
 
Shell Rotella 10w30 T4 is a good heavy duty oil for break ins. Has the good additives. Good for a diesel good for a 440, along with your zinc break In additive. Thin enough to wash out the fines as the engine is breaking in.

Carquest Premium tall oil filter 85515 (fits mopars, 440 too) with the red silicone anti-drain back valve is one of the best on the market. Keeps your oil system full on startups so you don't get that valve ticking when it first fires on the restarts.

Would be great to prime your oil system with that filter on there, then it's full and ready to go all the way up to the lifters.

Good to just have the single valve springs on to lighten the load on the cam as it is breaking in.

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Yeah the 383s and 440s have the oil filter that sits in there horizontally, so they are more likely to drain back if they don't have the good red silicone anti-drain back valve in them.
 
My cast crank 440 has 915 CC heads with new valves and double springs. Also 4.88 purple shaft cam is used but for less than 500 miles. was to much cam for my friends 70 Challenger !
stock bore with forged pistons and float pins. Yes ! of course every thing is primed and ready ! oil pump, fuel pump and cooling system ! Brand new carbs ! wondering if I should put on single 4 intake for break-in and put duel four after ?
 
Breaking in that cam is the big issue on first start up.

You say the cam is used, (500 miles) by chance did you get the used lifters with it and install the lifters to the matching cam lobes they came from previously. If so the cam is already broke in to those lifters. Good to go.

If not, now you are breaking in a used cam to brand new lifters. So now you have to be extra careful breaking in that cam for the second time. Would definatly recommend using only single valve springs to get that used cam broke in again.
 
Listen to these men! I have lost cams in two motors due to improper break-in but correct oil. You need correct oil and proper procedure.
 
After tha cam is successfully broken in, how do you guys continue to break the engine in?
 
I just bought a case of Rotella yesterday and had no idea of the amount zinc in it. I just checked the box and it is T4. Usually I find important info like that after I buy the product,and wind up with the wrong s__t, but this time I was lucky getting the right s__t.
 
After tha cam is successfully broken in, how do you guys continue to break the engine in?

After the cam is successfully broke in, change out the oil and filter. Another batch of good 10w30 break in oil like Rotella T4.

Then take it out and run it and bring it up to temperature, then work it getting it good and warm so that the rings expand out and cut into the cylinder bores mating up to the cylinder walls. The 10w30 is thin enough to wash all of the "Fines" out of the cylinder bores as the rings are cutting in.

There is this theory that you want enough RPM to put a stretch to the pistons and rods so the rings will cut the longest dimension in the bores, as ultimately this is where the top ridge in the cylinder starts to form over time.

Giving the rings a nice cut glide zone because they are not hitting the top "Ridge"
area of the cylinder walls from Babying it during break in and not giving it the stretch.

So yes take it out and work it good for the next 500 miles of the break in, without over reving it creating undue vibration and harmonics that disturb a nice uniform break in.

After 500 miles change out the oil and filter again and continue on for the next 1500 miles, then it is usual oil changes after that.

After the first 500 miles you can cut the oil filter open to inspect what is coming out of the engine, and double check that there is no excessive steel in there. When all checks out you are good to go.

Happy Motoring . . .
 
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The current generation of diesel oils would be OK for a cat equiped car but not what I'd want for break-in and first few thousand miles on an engine with high spring pressures.
2018 Rotella T4 15W-40 PETROLEUM QUALITY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA TEST PROGRAM

2017 Rotella T4 10W-30 Rotella t4 10w30

Zddp now seems to be just under 1000 ppm for most.

This is the only off the shelf conventional oil I could find that had over 1000 ppm zppd for post-break-in use on a stock flat tappet engine (cat equiped).
2017 Ford Motorcraft Superduty Diesel 10W-30 PETROLEUM QUALITY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA TEST PROGRAM

On a performance engine I would consider that the minimum. For the break-in iteself I would use a break-in oil. We used Brad-Penn even on my stock AMC Jeep 360, but I don't think it matters which brand as long as its made for the job.
 
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So now it comes out I did buy the wrong s___t. I have 2 well broken in engines, 472 Hemi & 318, so I'll just add the small bottle of zinc.
 
If you're talking about the T4, its a decent amount zddp, plus some moly. Not terrible at all.
 
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