[grandville455]

Torco, also makes a product called MPZ cam lube or something to that and i have used that in the past with great results

http://www.valco-cp.com/Torco.htm

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Just make sure you keep the rpms' over 2200 for at least a 1/2 hour. Varying the rpm under 4000 also. Use a cheap 30 weight oil recommended for older cars.
Always add the Zinc additive.
If it doesn't fire after the second or so crank. Don't keep cranking. Find out why it doesn't start and then fire it up.
You can check the timing while it is breaking in with an dial advance timing light.
I have never removed inner springs to break in an engine. Unless the seat is over 135/140 with a flat tappet camshaft. Make sure the temps don't go over 190 on break-in to cycle the springs to last.

[gtome]

How important is it to get it over that exact rpm. No tach here and i will be breaking mine in very soon. And can that 30 min be broken into say 2 - 15 min sessions?

[grivera]

Originally Posted by gtome

How important is it to get it over that exact rpm. No tach here and i will be breaking mine in very soon. And can that 30 min be broken into say 2 - 15 min sessions?

Yes, the 30 minute break-in time period may be cumulative so long as idling isn't permitted. You can get a digital timing light that has a built-in tach and a dial-back feature.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by PONTIAC DUDE

Just make sure you keep the rpms' over 2200 for at least a 1/2 hour. Varying the rpm under 4000 also. Use a cheap 30 weight oil recommended for older cars.
Always add the Zinc additive.
If it doesn't fire after the second or so crank. Don't keep cranking. Find out why it doesn't start and then fire it up.
You can check the timing while it is breaking in with an dial advance timing light.
I have never removed inner springs to break in an engine. Unless the seat is over 135/140 with a flat tappet camshaft. Make sure the temps don't go over 190 on break-in to cycle the springs to last.

Got it.
So, I guess temp and oil pressure gauges are a must for break-in?

[grivera]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Got it.
So, I guess temp and oil pressure gauges are a must for break-in?

Absolutely, you'd want to know if things are going south asap.

[rolling money pits]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Got it.
So, I guess temp and oil pressure gauges are a must for break-in?

as are another pair of eyeballs and ears....LOL

when i fire up my new engine, hopefully sometime this spring / early summer, this is going to be my checklist - may be overkill, but better safe than sorry.

1 or 2 other people involved - if two, one to watch for leaks of anything and one to sit in the car to monitor oil pressure, temp, and the tach.

on the engine side - timing light hooked up, vacuum gauge hooked to manifold, multimeter hooked up for tach reading.

hopefully it'll fire up first time out, if it does i'll set the timing the "jim hand way". once it's above 2K i'll simply adjust the distributor to get the highest vacuum reading and tighten down. jim says doing that is allowing the engine to tell you where it "likes the timing", not too far advanced or retarded, which should in theory help keep temps under control.

[Greg Reid]

What's a good setup (underdash type) that will work with my present setup? That is, electric sending units designed for dash light indiacators?....or am I going to have to replace the sending units with ones that match the gauges I get?