Engine break-in

[KLF]

OK, I'm finally at the point where I think I will be turning the key this weekend and starting my engine, after shutting it off for the last time on June 30th, 2010. This engine has been totally apart, new pistons, rings, cam, timing set, and valves, all from engnbldr. I've never done anything like this before, so I'm looking for pointers on how to properly break it in. I have a jug of Valvoline conventional oil for the first run.

One twist here is that I don't have plates on the truck yet, and won't have it ready to drive on the road until some time next Spring. I really only have front brakes, and they are kinda sketchy as they are the rusty old rotors and calipers for now. I need to get it movable under it's own power for now, just to move it out of the garage and around my driveway. So I won't be taking it up to any speed, I'll have to use RPMs to break it in.

My plan is to pull the valve cover, set the valves at 0.007/0.009 (Ted's suggestion), then dump 5 quarts of oil right on top of the cam. I did pack the oil pump with assembly lube grease before I put it together, but I was gonna spin the engine with the starter for a bit (coil unplugged), and watch the oil pressure on the new mechanical pressure gauge I just installed. Once I see pressure, I'll hook up the coil and give it a try.

Suggestions welcome!

 

[snobdds]

I would think you would need to drive it for proper break in..., here is what I did.

Add regular dino oil and 1 bottle of zinc additive, I used Redline's stuff but any should work.
Set the timing to it's base setting 5*.
Start it up and just fine tune the dizzy until it doesn't ping anymore.
Confirm oil pressure and just keep it at about 2000 - 2500 rpms for about 10 minutes to break in the cam. Set your timing with the TE1 and E1 jumppered at this point to 5*.

Then drive it and bring it up to 4000 rpm and then engine break it over and over again until the engine has a good heat sink on it. The ECM will not be fully reprogrammed so don't worry if the power or driveabilty is not quite there yet.

Then let the engine cool completely and take it for another drive to bring it up to temp. Continue the 4000 rpm then engine break cycle until the engine has a good heat sink on it. Repeat this letting it fully cool and then drive cycle about 5 times. After about 5 cycles, the rings are broke in where they need to be and the ECM should be adjusted to all the sensors. Full power of the engine did not come until about 3,000 on the motor for me. Drain oil (it came out really weird looking and metallic) and drive another 1,000 miles and change oil again.

Don't baby it or the rings will never seat...

 

[KLF]

So... it sounds to me like I shouldn't even attempt to break it in. I can't drive it.

 

[snobdds]

I wouldn't do the break in without it running, but I bet you could run it long enough to check for leaks.

 

[redwolf3]

You should be fine to do base timing, cam break-in, and leak heck. Other than that I agree that you should wait until she is roadworthy.

I typically do cam break-in for 20 minutes, varying the sped from 2000 to 2500. My engine has about 15k on it, and runs like a champ.

 

[KLF]

A good friend (actually, the guy I bought the truck from way back in '02) spent the day at my place yesterday helping me put the body back together. He used to be a Toyota Master Tech, he rebuilt many 22RE engines in the '90s. He talked me into firing it up, just let it run for a few minutes at 2000-2500 like you said to set the cam and rockers, then shut it down and check the valves again. Then I'll park it and yank the battery out.

We were gonna do it last night, but when we put the coolant in, we discovered a significant leak somewhere under the intake. Traced it to a leaky old hose that I should have replaced (d'oh!). I didn't want to leave gas in it all winter, but I'm gonna use gas conditioned with Sta-Bil, then more fresh gas in the tank in the Spring.