break in procedure SBC
 

I am getting ready to put my SBC back together with new bearings and a freshly turned crank all else remains the same. is there a correct way to break it in?

Take it out and run the shit out of it.

I agree.Thats what I was told along time ago.If its going to break,its going to break.

Todd is kiddin ofcourse, but i do have a procedure, not saying that it's right, but kinda a safty and feel comfortable about the engine. All liquids full and double checked. Put the car on jack stands, fire the car up start the engine set correct timming. If injectected make sure the leakdown i set close to specs. About 22lbs to start with. put the car in high gear, set the idle to 2,000 rpm's. Let it run until the temp. comes up to 200 degrees while checking for any visible leaks Shut the car down, pull the valve covers and re-torque the heads, then re-set the valves, check the intake bolts and header bolts. Pull the filter and cut it open look for any metal or any foreign mat'l. Install a new filter and re-fill oil. If everything is o'k, then you are ready to go. I'm not saying this is the only way to go, but it's one of the safest way to go. I too have bolted them together and went straight to the track, and have had good luck doing that, but that was when i could afford to screw up. I cannot afford to do that any more so i take precausions, and it pays off in the long run. I always know i can run balls out when i get to the track and not worry if i missed something.

JMO

Zip.

NOTE; DONT LET TOD BREAK IN YOUR ENGINE :lol: :lol: :P

shouldnt you let the heads/motor cool back down to do a retorque ???

But yes readjust valves Hot

Sorry and

Yes, i only re-torque the heads 1 time. i use MLS gaskets or SCE Copper with steel o'rings on all my high compression engine, Felpros on the low compression engines.
and
yes,
but you have to re-warm it up to re-adjust the valves after the heads are re-torqued. I can remember 20 plus yrs. ago when i was running a b/blk blown promod on alcohol, the first thing we did was change the oil and then check the valves, after that we would read the spark plugs and make what ever changes necessary in the fuel system, and we we ready for next round.

Zip.

I do everything Zipper said, then.......do what Todd said! Don't baby it, run it like it's supposed to run. Easy passes are a waste of time IMO. Obviously, check for leaks and such for the first few passes.
Johnny

good tip's, try not to wash the cylinder wall's down with fuel, when starting, seat the rings, then drop the hammer, good luck.

I wasn't kidding.
I do the things Zip does as far as looking for leaks and cutting the filter up.

When he said breaking it in I thought he meant baby it for 500 miles or something.

By the time everything is tuned up and the timing set etc I just change the oil and run the valves then go. I never bought into the

"Don't get on it until after 500 miles because you have to break it in"



P.S. ZIPPER... I didn't know you needed to retorque heads when you are using Fel Pros with the pre flattened wire ring? I never do that....should I be ? Iron Block Aluminim heads. FEL PRO 1017-1

RE- Todd,

I re-torque all alum head motors, requardless of gasket brand, because alum. heads tend to move around on the first heat up. i don't re-torque a steel head steel shim gasket motor like the stock assy's. I'm not saying it's necessary, but i'll guarentee you that you will see a different torque value when you go back with the torque wrench. The only thing that bothers me is running shaft rockers on a sm/blk you have pull the whole assy off to do this properly.

Then run it like you stole it

Zip.

Zip, When You retorque your 18 deg.motor You,re going to have to remove the rockers plus the exhaust springs.But like You said I think it helps. Bill

Fortunately my heads are Brodix 10 RP/SP and i can just get a thin wall socket on the 12 point nuts,looking back i wish i would have built an 18 degree motor, i could have gotten another 60 cfm flow with them, other thing is i always run heads studs with alum heads.

Zip.

Zip,Somehow I got the idea Your 434 was going to be 18 deg.Senoir moment I guess.You would need a pretty good 18 head to be 60 cfm better than the heads you have,I think.But you could probably do one for the same money as any small block that needs shaft rockers.I did An 18 for my car last year 412 inch 4.155x3.800 6.125 rod&434 pistons.83 Camaro stock body with cage,stock suspension 3400 lbs with me,best 60-1.36 1/8-6.23/110 1/4 9.81/138. 10 in.slick open ex. Still tunning Bill.

The flow charts i have on the heads, show 314 cfm flow @ .600 lift, i don't have the engine in the car yet, but i'm running a .734 lift 4/7 swap cam wit 106 ctr's, installed @ 102. I actually talked to Brodix yesterday to see if my Lemon headers would bolt up to 18 degree heads, they told me yes that they both have a 55 degree angle on the exh ports but would be about 1/8 higher, they also informed me that they have 1 program that's getting 370 cfm flow on their 18 degree heads and would probably give me an additional 75 to 100 HP over the 10's. I mentioned other people that say they're getting over 400 cfm, he said i've tested those peoples heads and said i think they got souped up flow machines, because he hasn't seen it yet. But i'm stuck for this season with what i have, just hoping to get into the 5's @ 3250 lbs on alcohol. The car has been 1.39 60 ft. with the 377" motor, but normally 1.42/1.44's and 6.52/10.59@125mph. It's backhalfed 4 link with 14X32 GY's.

Zip.

Zip 23 or 18....your gonna have your hands full laying down the HUFFER power to the rear wheels regardless......but on the Flip side you might be even quicker with the the 23 degree stuff.... :D ....lol... :roll: ..

This motor is going in my Malibu, with 2 7/16" stacks injection on alcohol, the huffer motor is a 383" going in the Anglia. The Malibu will hook on ice, it's about the best hooking car i have ever had.

Zip.

Zip,The heads Ihave are edelbrock cnc from chapman.If I remember right they flow around 350,I'm not sure because I got them used and damage.I have heard of some comp guys getting in the 400 range but there stuff is way above me.370 from brodix sounds real good.My 412 is race gas 750 proform,lots of tunning to get it to leave good at 2000 rpm foot braking.Last years cam was crane 260/268 .712/.644 at the valve with racing springs and lash set.New cam is Bullet 267/275 .708/652 4 7 swap check the same way.Bill.

Hey Bill,
We're not too much different on the cam, here's the one i'm running with 1.6 T&D's. It's a little longer on the duration, but alcohol likes that, plus i leave on a trans brake @ 4200 with a 5500 stall converter.
I assume that your cam is a 2 piece cam, meaning that the distributor gear is cast iron bolted on to the billet cam. Did you know you can run a steel distributor gear with that cam :?:
Zip.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5.../bulletcam.jpg

Zip,I yes my cam has the iron gear but I'm still using the bronze gear maybe when the cam gear runs in a little I'll switch to steel.I'm using a gm 509 block splayed caps no fill,front and rear caps are both moving,cam timming for #1 is 1.5 deg ahead of #6 and the distributor needs a +.006 gear.I'm thinking it might spin the bearings but I don't think it will come apart.About T&D rockers I have 1.6 in.ex. like you,there closer to 1.65 You might end up with a little more lift than the math tells you.My in.lobe .450x1.6=.720-.020=.700 I'm getting .708 with racing springs.If you get a chance sometime to check it at the valve let me know. Bill.