Camshaft Extra Lube

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DartVadar

DartVadar

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Just wondering if there is any way I can get some extra oil onto my hydraulic flat tappet camshaft before I start it up. I put cam lube on it as instructed, and put some heavy weight oil on it as well, but I'm sure alot of it wore off as I turned it to adjust the rocker arms and turning the engine for whatever other reason (Had some trouble tightening the crank bolt!). I haven't put oil in it yet but is there any way I could get some more oil on it? Intake manifold and everything is installed. Engine is still on the stand so can I angle the motor and pour my break in oil through the heads to get some on the cam?

Probably a stupid question, I just don't want to loose a cam when I start it. Or am I worrying for nothing? and will everything be fine as long as the motor starts up immediately and I get the revs up, and prime it of course?
 
I think your worried for nothing as long as you prime the oil system and follow break in procedure.
 
/6 Matt said:
I think your worried for nothing as long as you prime the oil system and follow break in procedure.
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Yeah that's kinda what I'm thinking. And I just realized after looking through other posts that I forgot to put any lube on the fuel pump actuator, should I take it out and put some on? Or am I worrying for nothing about that too haha.
 
DartVadar said:
as long as the motor starts up immediately and I get the revs up
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Nothing is guaranteed, but ^^^^^^^and I think you will be fine.

While I used to smear a little lube on the pump eccentric, i doubt i'd worry about that. Just not enough tension on the arm to become a problem before the oil gets there, jmo.
 
Don't worry about that. Fire it up and do not let it idle until breakin procedure is finished. Keep the rpm's up and it will have plenty of oil.
 
OldmanRick said:
Nothing is guaranteed, but ^^^^^^^and I think you will be fine.

While I used to smear a little lube on the pump eccentric, i doubt i'd worry about that. Just not enough tension on the arm to become a problem before the oil gets there, jmo.
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Yeah nothing is guaranteed but I did as much as I could to prevent it, I guess the only thing to do is start it and hope no problems come up.

And yeah that what I was thinking, it would get oil shortly after running anyways so I won't pull it out and put lube on it.
 
I would fill the carb thru the vent before cranking, that way your not cranking to fill the float bowl.
 
Dubob said:
I would fill the carb thru the vent before cranking, that way your not cranking to fill the float bowl.
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Yea I was planning on doing that, and priming the oil system and checking to make sure the rockers are getting oil. Any other little things to do before starting? and how to ensure it starts on the first few cranks?
 
DartVadar said:
Yeah nothing is guaranteed but I did as much as I could to prevent it, I guess the only thing to do is start it and hope no problems come up.

And yeah that what I was thinking, it would get oil shortly after running anyways so I won't pull it out and put lube on it.
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The chain will start to fling oil around the timing cover in a hurry...

New startups are exciting, but there's always some tension involved. It sounds like you have everything covered though. Have fun and enjoy it. :D
 
you running oil designed for startup? Or are you running additive in your oil designed for startup?

i'd fill the pan with startup oil or oil+startup additive and prime till all passages were guaranteed full, then do all you can to ensure immediate fireup and sustained operation at 2k for 30 mins.

be sure your cooling system is totally solid.

happy startup!
 
OldmanRick said:
The chain will start to fling oil around the timing cover in a hurry...

New startups are exciting, but there's always some tension involved. It sounds like you have everything covered though. Have fun and enjoy it. :D
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Hopefully I have everything covered, I've been worried about this for ages so I've been doing alot of research. But I am pretty excited about starting it, it's the first engine I've built that's actually mine!
 
Rice Nuker said:
you running oil designed for startup? Or are you running additive in your oil designed for startup?

i'd fill the pan with startup oil or oil+startup additive and prime till all passages were guaranteed full, then do all you can to ensure immediate fireup and sustained operation at 2k for 30 mins.

be sure your cooling system is totally solid.

happy startup!
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I'm going to run a break-in additive, I went to my machine shop and asked them what they recommended, so I bought everything from them. They also gave my a their break-in procedure, and it tells me to do what you said, prime the system to fill all passages start immediately and so on.

I was planing on sticking a running garden hose in the rad just to be 100% sure it wont overheat. So I should be good in that respect.
 
The way I limit risk is to use a paste on the cam rather than oil. Crane has a good moly paste for it [ame]http://www.cranecams.com/303.pdf[/ame] . I put some on when I final assemble, leave the intake off until the rockers and preload and everything is done, then reapply with a brush as best I can before I seal it up. Try not to turn it much to prelube - I turn it slow and as soon as both rocker shafts have oil, return it to TDC on compression for #1, and it's ready to go.
 
moper said:
The way I limit risk is to use a paste on the cam rather than oil. Crane has a good moly paste for it http://www.cranecams.com/303.pdf . I put some on when I final assemble, leave the intake off until the rockers and preload and everything is done, then reapply with a brush as best I can before I seal it up. Try not to turn it much to prelube - I turn it slow and as soon as both rocker shafts have oil, return it to TDC on compression for #1, and it's ready to go.
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That's what I should have done, but I already put the intake manifold on. I guess I can take it off put some paste on for peace of mind.

I stuck my finger in the distributor hole and felt the cam, there is a thin layer of oil on it, think it's necessary to put some paste on like you said?
 
I wouldn't do that, fill it to the correct level with maybe 30 40% antifreeze and after start up check in the first minute to make sure level is correct then put the cap on. i would add a box fan in front of the radiator and maybe one pointing into the engine compartment. I broke mine in without the cap and water shot out of the radiator all over my engine, also if you knock your hose out or it overfills while your busy looking at gauges it might be a big mess!!
 
Fill it with water only for first starting.. .That way if it "burps" (or power pukes...lol) it's not a big mess. It's easy to replace the water later - just drain the radiator and block and refill with 50/50.

I wouldn't sweat the lube now. Get it running. How big is the cam anyway?
 
moper said:
Fill it with water only for first starting.. .That way if it "burps" (or power pukes...lol) it's not a big mess. It's easy to replace the water later - just drain the radiator and block and refill with 50/50.

I wouldn't sweat the lube now. Get it running. How big is the cam anyway?
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That makes sense, I don't wanna puke antifreeze all over my floor if it does what you say lol.

It's a comp XE268 268 duration .480 lift so it's not a big cam by any means, and single springs. I'm sure I'm just worrying for nothing, I've been doing that a lot on this build.
 
Have a 318 just out of the shop with 340HP cam. They told me to run racing oil with zinc for the break-in to keep the cam safe.
 
cmpierce-1 said:
Have a 318 just out of the shop with 340HP cam. They told me to run racing oil with zinc for the break-in to keep the cam safe.
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I've got the oil needed that my machine shop recomended so I'm good there, I'm mainly just worried about lube on the cam during startup. But judging from what everybody is saying I should be fine.
 
Don't worry, your not going to see any accelerated wear until your components get hot. They are more than hard enough to withstand any wear during your cranking phase and initial start up. The cam lube will still be in impregnated into the metal surface of the cam.
 
txstang84 said:
you'll be good man-post some video if you can :)
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That's good to hear! I'm just worrying for nothing once again. And I definitely will, I'm pretty excited to hear the motor that I built, much better feeling than just going out and buying one.
 
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