Need help for 1st Cam break in :

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ValerianMagnum

ValerianMagnum

the little car that could
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Hi guys , its been 21 years im in the hobbie but the cars that i drove always had the engine rebuild or were roller cams ( magnums ) i never did a break in myself , my young cousin bought a 360 from me and a 69 valiant project, we want to do stock 360 flat tappet camshaft break in, ive read all the step and i bought him a set of melling lifters ( 340 replacement) and ive seen plenty of rv and stock 340 replacement grinds on the net for cheap, i know that theres big chances that the cam or lifters can flat our or break but im willing to take the chance, maybe my 1st and last flat tappet break in , always been a magnum engine guy. I would appreciate if i can have some tips , oils , special tips , lubes etc , it makes me nervous a bit , but ive seen videos and read so much on these that it seems that unfortunately all the flat tappet cams are from michigan and all the test were clear that the cams were very strong and its the angle of the lifter that was problematic , but onces in a while guys look to be okay with their break in and ive read that even in the 70s 80s guys had problems with flat tappets too , my cousin is 19-20 and on a very very tight budget
 
Cam break in lube should already be on the cam, plus you'll have a good break-in oil (VR-1 would be an example). Top two reasons people have to shut a car off during cam break-in is overheating or leaks. If that happens, by all means shut the car off and fix it, then restart and continue.

  1. Make SURE your car is timed to fire off right away. Yes, you can be sure with the timing and fuel supply.
  2. Make sure you are full of coolant. IF you have a thermostat, make sure you drilled a small hole so the coolant can fill without having a air-lock
  3. Use a KNOWN-GOOD carb. Do NOT break in your cam with anything else (unless F.I.)
  4. Start with the timing advanced.
  5. soon as it starts, get the rpm's up to about 2000 and set the idle at that rpm. Then drift it back and forth between 2000-2800 rpms for about 20 minutes.
  6. Really helps to have another set of hands and eyes to help watch or go get something.
  7. Some have a box fan pointed at the radiator in the front.
Good luck. :)
 
318willrun said:
Cam break in lube should already be on the cam, plus you'll have a good break-in oil (VR-1 would be an example). Top two reasons people have to shut a car off during cam break-in is overheating or leaks. If that happens, by all means shut the car off and fix it, then restart and continue.

  1. Make SURE your car is timed to fire off right away. Yes, you can be sure with the timing and fuel supply.
  2. Make sure you are full of coolant. IF you have a thermostat, make sure you drilled a small hole so the coolant can fill without having a air-lock
  3. Use a KNOWN-GOOD carb. Do NOT break in your cam with anything else (unless F.I.)
  4. Start with the timing advanced.
  5. soon as it starts, get the rpm's up to about 2000 and set the idle at that rpm. Then drift it back and forth between 2000-2800 rpms for about 20 minutes.
  6. Really helps to have another set of hands and eyes to help watch or go get something.
  7. Some have a box fan pointed at the radiator in the front.
Good luck. :)
Click to expand...
This is perfect.
I was always over cautious and would prime the engine oil with an adapted and a drill.
Use a good oil filter Wix, K&N NAPA Gold. You want to catch all the metal from the cam and lifters matching up.
 
The two above posts are spot on. The only other thing I would add is having a fire extinguisher nearby. Broke in a
Clay Smith solid lifter cam, slightly bigger than the Formula "S" cam, ran it for 30 minutes just like 318willrun described. Didn't need the fire extinguisher, thank God! But I planned for worst scenario. The cam lube I used was provided by Clay Smith. We used to use HRL back in the day, not sure they're around anymore. Rotella oil plus RedLine Engine Oil Additive for me, 30 minutes, all good!
 
318willrun said:
Cam break in lube should already be on the cam, plus you'll have a good break-in oil (VR-1 would be an example). Top two reasons people have to shut a car off during cam break-in is overheating or leaks. If that happens, by all means shut the car off and fix it, then restart and continue.

  1. Make SURE your car is timed to fire off right away. Yes, you can be sure with the timing and fuel supply.
  2. Make sure you are full of coolant. IF you have a thermostat, make sure you drilled a small hole so the coolant can fill without having a air-lock
  3. Use a KNOWN-GOOD carb. Do NOT break in your cam with anything else (unless F.I.)
  4. Start with the timing advanced.
  5. soon as it starts, get the rpm's up to about 2000 and set the idle at that rpm. Then drift it back and forth between 2000-2800 rpms for about 20 minutes.
  6. Really helps to have another set of hands and eyes to help watch or go get something.
  7. Some have a box fan pointed at the radiator in the front.
Good luck. :)
Click to expand...
Thx a lot its exactly what i wanted to read !!! Very appreciated , i think a good video on that can help us young mopar generation :) maybe one day !
 
As in the first post have the fuel supply ready. This includes the carb full of gas and a few shots of the pedal before you turn the key.

You do not want to crank the engine to get the gas pulled from the tank to an empty carb.
 
I like what 318willrun described, but I prefer higher RPM. It's all about oil splash. I normally whip it right on up to 3000-4000. If you're gonna have a failure, it's gonna fail at 2000 just as quick. It's all about lifter rotation and oil splash. JMO.
 
ValerianMagnum said:
Hi guys , its been 21 years im in the hobbie but the cars that i drove always had the engine rebuild or were roller cams ( magnums ) i never did a break in myself , my young cousin bought a 360 from me and a 69 valiant project, we want to do stock 360 flat tappet camshaft break in, ive read all the step and i bought him a set of melling lifters ( 340 replacement) and ive seen plenty of rv and stock 340 replacement grinds on the net for cheap, i know that theres big chances that the cam or lifters can flat our or break but im willing to take the chance, maybe my 1st and last flat tappet break in , always been a magnum engine guy. I would appreciate if i can have some tips , oils , special tips , lubes etc , it makes me nervous a bit , but ive seen videos and read so much on these that it seems that unfortunately all the flat tappet cams are from michigan and all the test were clear that the cams were very strong and its the angle of the lifter that was problematic , but onces in a while guys look to be okay with their break in and ive read that even in the 70s 80s guys had problems with flat tappets too , my cousin is 19-20 and on a very very tight budget
Click to expand...
Everyone likes a particular assembly lube. No matter what you use don’t just wipe it on the lobes, the lifters and call it good. I massage the lube into the metal methodically, taking time on each lobe and lifter, with the thought of working it into the pores. Some can think and say what they want about the merits of that, but it’s all part of meticulous assembly, careful attention to details, the proper break-in and having good results to date. Oh, and using Isky Rev-Lube assembly lube!
 
I'd add 2 more items. First pressure test the cooling system to look for leaks before you start it, if you don't own one you can loan one out at the parts store. Also, if the motor has been sitting for a while I'd pressurize the oiling system right before you start it. ps add a bottle of zinc break in lube. Is the cam still out?
 
12many said:
Everyone likes a particular assembly lube. No matter what you use don’t just wipe it on the lobes, the lifters and call it good. I massage the lube into the metal methodically, taking time on each lobe and lifter, with the thought of working it into the pores. Some can think and say what they want about the merits of that, but it’s all part of meticulous assembly, careful attention to details, the proper break-in and having good results to date. Oh, and using Isky Rev-Lube assembly lube!
Click to expand...

Yep. I rub the lube in. That’s one of the things that Parkerizing does. It has some porosity (or low spots if you will) to retain the cam lube.

I use Torco cam lube because it’s cleaner. Molybdenum disulfide is kind of dirty. It works though.
 
I always check to make sure the lifters spin while turning the motor over by hand. Hard to do at this point, but if it were mine, I would pull a cover and shine a light down the oil drain backs. They watch closely as someone turns it over by hand. If they spin, all of the above is good advice. A wire with a dab of grease to mark the lifter could help with reference.
 
furrystump said:
I always check to make sure the lifters spin while turning the motor over by hand. Hard to do at this point, but if it were mine, I would pull a cover and shine a light down the oil drain backs. They watch closely as someone turns it over by hand. If they spin, all of the above is good advice. A wire with a dab of grease to mark the lifter could help with reference.
Click to expand...
The spinning lifters is critical. Before installing the lifters insure there’s a crown at the bottom of each lifter. The crown is what causes the lifter to spin when modulating the RPMs during breakin. You can check for the crown by butting two lifters together at the base. They shouldn’t be flat. If you have one that’s flat get another lifter. You should be able to see daylight between the lifters.

my engine builder preaches that heat will kill an engine breakin. His breakin procedure for the cam is after the initial fire and the engine running bring the rpm’s up. His cam breakins last no more that 10 minutes. Modulate the RPMS If a lobe gets wiped it will happen within the first 5 minutes of breakin. if you have a lobe going away you don’t want all that trash running through the motor for 20 minutes.

Once you’ve completed the cam breakin shut the motor off and let it cool. while letting it cool check for leaks. I’ve know guys to take off the oil filter and check for metal shavings. Once cooled, fire the motor, check the timing one more time, set the idle RPM to a little on the high side and take the car out to seat the rings. Try to avoid stop and go traffic where you have to idle excessively. Hit the nearest hwy and seat the rings.

This is one man’s process and it’s surely not the gospel. He’s been building engines since the mid 60s. Every engine builder has a different take on cam breakin.
 
I don't have a v8 , access is easier on a six but i draw a white line using a paint pen on the pushrods below the rocker. all lined up like 12 soldiers
i turn over the motor by hand with the plugs out 15 maybe 20 times

if the white line has moved round the the lifter must have turned as nothing else is going to have caused the pushrod to turn.

i pump oil in through a fiting at the oil pressure sender port as i can't spin my oil pump by hand
i turn the motor as i do this
i run pure water as coolant so as not to have the blue stuff mess with the gasket seal
if running MLS gasket i put stop leak in. coolant dumped directly after break in once car is cool enough obvioulsy don't want to be scalded.

with spinning lifters and oil pumped in my mood is 100% better. my lifters spin so chances of the same part rideing the cam lobe repeatedly in the same place is reduced. less chance of wipe out
ALL good
I start it with ether/dampstart filled mianifold and a known good carb and basic igntion. its easy to set a points igntion by hand or with a bulb
i set it up at 10 BTDC

i run it at 2500-3000 with a few revs and switch off if the exhaust manifold gets red hot
let it cool and go again with the ether

i use a running in oil with zddp additive for breakin and the first 300 miles
then retorque head and put in new oil and filter

done 3 motors this way and not had a problem

i might be doing it wrong but nothing bad has happend yet

do not do a break in with your prime nice expensive ceramic coated headers

all the ceramic will come off

use some mild steel or cast iron

Dave
 
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