I've never had one go that far, usually it's because you can't get the engine to be full of coolant until the t-stat opens...So you can either install a t-stat with a hole drilled in it to continue to bypass air until the engine gets hot and have someone top up the overflow, or you can also leave the radiator cap off and run a garden hose in the radiator top during break in...once you have break in and it's "puked" top up with anti-freeze.


If worried about timing you can install a stock dizzy set to TDC static break it in, then proceed with tuning and tweaking afterwards.

-D.Idiot

I have the distibutor bolt snug(distributor will move, but not by itself) and timing light hooked up so I can adjust the timing as soon as it starts......

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Hi Volare4life. I have seen that several of the producers of synthetic oil recommends the engine be run-in with conventional oil, and then start using synthetic oil at the earliest after 2-3000 miles.
For the run in, you have been given good advice when not focusing too much on viscosity and definitely not about brand, anything around 5/10W30/40 will do the job. The run-in of the cam is the most important, just use plenty of the lube that usually comes with a new cam, and take care to break in the cam according to manufactureres specifications. Then change the oil filter a few times more than you think necessary! The worst thing that usually can happen during a run-in period, after the cam has been run-in and as long as you supply the necessary lubrication for the bearings, is that the piston rings may not seat quick enough, and that they surface harden if you push the engine too hard, and therefore needs more time to seat. They will eventually!

One of the newer substitutes of ZDDP (zink and phosphorus) is boron, and the lubricating properties are very good, but one of the main reasons for using ZDDP (along with sulphur and other additives), is its use as a sacrifitional layer between metal surfaces, and only time will tell if boron and other additives will fill the void. The use of 'moly' benefits greatly from a zinc/suphur layer on the metal to make it adhere long enough to lubricate more effectively. I sold a lot of 'Molykote' when it was a hot item, and a very impressive test was when I raised the idle almost 300 rpm in a 3 ltr. Mercedes 300 SEL six cylinder engine just by adding 'Molykote'! I have to admit that most of the increase may have been the lack of a functional PCV valve!

As for synthetic motor oils, they are formulated using slightly different base material. Some are very slippery, which is why they are not recommended as run-in oil. and most of them usually build a thicker oil film than a conventional oil at normal operating temperature. I am about to try out Red Line oil myself, and upon my inquiry, they recommended 10W30 for the slantsix. It was also confirmed that all Red Line motor oils contain the same high level ZDDP as earlier.

Olaf.

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Aspenized

up here it`s hard to get break in lube, so i learned this year ago from my father and other mechanic/ racers.when you break in a cam it alright to fire it and if something doesn`t look right then shut in down fix it and start again just run for 20min straight. check the timing right away, just keep it at 28 to 30 degs at 2000/2500rpms, you can throttle the engine a few time during the run in time if you want. a big fan is good to have or another thick to stop over heating is to spray the rad with a mist of water from a garden hose, it works very well in keeping temp down will running cam in.with the break in procedure, the cam will set a wear pattern with this method also the bearing will to , the rings take some tine to wear in to the cyl walls, but as a long time racer and street car builder driver you will be fine running the engine what ever way you want after this. i will finish by saying i do this with my race engines an shift them at 6500rpm at the track the next weekend.

I was at the store today looking at "light weight" diesel oils and found rotella 5W-40, buts its full synthetic........ but it meets API CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS CI-4, CH-4, and CG-4S/M, sooooo can syn diesel oil be used for initial break in ?? it should havve all the ZDDP's needed (fact ??) yes no ??

-Mike

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I am the Guardian, I hate helos, everything leaks.......

My call on that is "no." You need the rings to seat in quickly to keep them from drifting due to gravity. Since our engines lean over, the rings can turn so the heaviest point is "Down." This could result in having the ring gaps all in the same place.
Synthetic is slippery stuff. The rings will take forever to seat if you break-in with synthetic, which will result in the above, and excessive oil use.

Use regular dinosaur oil for break-in, then go to your synthetic after the first full oil change cycle.

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I agree....the Royal Purple folks I talked to recommended using dinosaur oil for the break in period as well.

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1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

if you a worried about the rings seating fast just coat them with trans fluid at assembly and they will seat fast enough.

what does the tranny fluid do ??

-Mike

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I am the Guardian, I hate helos, everything leaks.......

trans fluid increase friction so while it is on the rings before engine oil washes it away it seats the rings faster.

so if i used engine oil when putting the pistons in, can I just pour some trans fluid on top of the pistons and let it "soak down" into the rings ??

-Mike

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I am the Guardian, I hate helos, everything leaks.......

I don't know how valid this procedure is, but personally I wouldn't do it.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

you could ,but i just lube the piston and ring on assembly, just us a small amount,even just wipe the cyl walls with it if the short block is assemblied.

I knew I have heard of this done before, a buddy of mine (chrysler mechanic for 10+yrs) at the dealership I used to work at rebuilt the 3.5L v6 out of a '99 chrysler concorde, and he honed the cylinder walls using tranny fluid, an then soaked the pistons prior to installing them, I thought he was nuts, but the car ran like a champ, still does last I heard.

Now heres another question, regular atf+3 or can i use syn atf+4 ??

-Mike

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I am the Guardian, I hate helos, everything leaks.......

I built racing engines as a sole source of income for years. Now that I have qualified my next statement, I don't assemble my engines with any oil whatsoever.
I use Childs and Albert assem. lube everywhere but not on the pistons or rings or cylinders. Put plenty on the cam and swipe the brgs. and other surfaces.
I use a special honing pattern and break them in dry. The rings are seated after the cam is broken in.
In conclusion, there is no right way to break in an engine after you have done it for a while. Sure, you'll make mistakes. But this forum will always and I mean always steer you in the right direction to do anything to a /6. Pick someone you trust ,ask questions and follow their advice, crossing all the T's and dotting all the I's.
one opinion
MaX

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1966 barracuda 360
1964 signet conv. 170 turbo
Bonneville or Bust 2012