[64speed]

Butler said they had moved away from HFT cams in their builds because of an incredibly high failure rate. I have broken in plenty of cams in Chevys and I am sure the procedure is the same but this is my plan, if anyone sees anything wrong please advise cause I cant fail before I start LOL. First off what weight oil should I use? Is there a difference between thin oil (10/30) getting there faster or heavy oil (20/50) coating better? I plan to use practically a whole tube of the cam grease but I also put the LUCAS break in lubricant in. Usually soak the lifters in oil over night, drop them in, put a little of that on each one then drop the rest in the crankcase. I try to seal it all up as fast as I can carefully after that and get it fired up before anything has a chance to run off. Crank it up and run it up to 2000 RPM and let it run 20-30 minutes.

Anyone tell me what else I can do to insure this goes trouble free? If I have a cam failure I am gonna cry. Butler told me to break it in with only the inner springs and then go back and put the other springs in and also to only break it in with 1.5 rockers.

[F ROCK]

I think I used Autozone 10W30 for my break in, with EOS, I'm sure Lucas break in additive is fine.
I submerged all of my lifters in oil and gave them a squeeze and let them suck in some oil.
I ran mine for ten minutes, let it cool for 5 min while i checked everything, then ran it for ten more minutes., varying the rpm a bit.
Good luck!!!

[Steve C.]

Might be of interest....

https://drivenracingoil.com/c-138919...mbly-oils.html


.

[tom s]

I did a 421 HO engine a couple years ago,used the 068 and factory lifters.I had no issues.I noticed when i would turn the engine over ALL push rods would turn as I turned it.Never had a issue and drive the car pretty much every Saturday.Before that I did a 4 cyc 63 with a reground factory cam by Isky,again factory lifters.Same story.Both had factory replacement springs.Have not run ANY HiPo FTCs in years and not sure im ready.All my builds in the last 15 or so years have been with HRCs with 150 on the seat.I have use mostly Comp Shaver lifters,one set of Morels that we found a bad pair in priming and were exchanged and worked fine.A set of Early Comps which were Johnsons and still in a 455.I think if the lifters are primed and stay pumped up over night the chances of not being bad goes up.I just tend to believe I have been REALLY lucky.FWIW,Tom

[tom s]

I was told by Bill Blair(old pontiac guy)to run EOS and a 1/2 bottle of STP on all new builds.I pour the STP in all the rockers and let the oil was it out.Tom

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Butler said they had moved away from HFT cams in their builds because of an incredibly high failure rate. I have broken in plenty of cams in Chevys and I am sure the procedure is the same but this is my plan, if anyone sees anything wrong please advise cause I cant fail before I start LOL. First off what weight oil should I use? Is there a difference between thin oil (10/30) getting there faster or heavy oil (20/50) coating better? I plan to use practically a whole tube of the cam grease but I also put the LUCAS break in lubricant in. Usually soak the lifters in oil over night, drop them in, put a little of that on each one then drop the rest in the crankcase. I try to seal it all up as fast as I can carefully after that and get it fired up before anything has a chance to run off. Crank it up and run it up to 2000 RPM and let it run 20-30 minutes.

Anyone tell me what else I can do to insure this goes trouble free? If I have a cam failure I am gonna cry. Butler told me to break it in with only the inner springs and then go back and put the other springs in and also to only break it in with 1.5 rockers.

Watch Uncle Tony's Garage on youtube ....the lifter episode. He goes through what to check on 'new' lifters. And you will learn why so many are failing. It took him 3 sets of lifters from Summit or Jegs to make ONE set he could use in his engine. more than half of the lifters in each box failed the simple rock test and leak test. Do your homework.

[b-man]

The factory grinds like the 068 Tom is using (me too in my 421 HO) have gentle ramps and slower action compared to the more aggressive aftermarket cam grinds. The RAIV is in this category as well, designed and made to survive a good number of miles under factory warranty.

So that’s one important thing in your favor, the RAIV is likely to have a longer life than a more modern quicker action performance cam simply because of the lobe design itself.

[PAUL K]

If you open the box of lifters and the lifter bodies look like these, throw them away! These have 40 miles on them and the lifter on the left had about .200 ground off the base. However fourteen of them were perfect so maybe just throw out two of them. Or, if you have a hill behind your home you can throw them down there also, just don't put them in your engine.

[64speed]

The ones that Butler are sending are Hylift-Johnson and said they were the absolute best HFT left in production in their opinion. I will have everything here hopefully by the middle of the month and can drop the block off for machining.

[64speed]

Anyone else have an opinion on oil weight at break in?

[Half-Inch Stud]

Best to avoid the Lobes with fast ramps. I think voodoo and XE. Look at diff between ADV and 0.050" Dur.

40s and less is just too fast. Get a Roller grind.
50s-60s manage-able
70s hmmm 308/320 - the 0.050 looks good to me.

[mgarblik]

Flat tappet cam and lifter damage almost always happens in the first 20 minutes/half hour of running time. Also, low engine speed makes it less likely for the lifters to spin properly for break-in. It is very important to have the engine crank and run immediately on initial start-up. Long cranking, messing around with carburetors, and timing, will all work to kill your new cam and lifters. It you are spending 2 minutes or more cranking the engine for initial start, I doubt it makes any difference what goop you have in the engine for lube. It's all been scrapped off by cranking at 80-125 RPM's (typical cranking speed) I try to have the engine start and get to 2000+ RPM's in 5 seconds. As far as oil and other goop, I have been using Valvoline VR1 10W-30 oil. I have all valvetrain pivot points lubed with CMD Extreme Pressure Lube #3, and the camshaft and lifter bottoms fully lubed with a brush and Comp cams break-in grease that comes with their cams, or any other brand of heavy ZZDP infused break-in grease.

[PunchT37]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Anyone else have an opinion on oil weight at break in?

I have used straight 30w since the 80`s. With a can of EOS.


I believe the sheer strength of a single weight is superior to a multi.



Either moly lube or white lithium grease on the cam, so the lube sticks during valve adjust, dist stabbing and startup.


I have never lost a cam, yet. Not even a dreaded Comp XE274 in a mopar 340.

[64speed]

Where do I get EOS

[Dragncar]

^^^

Engine must fire up immediately. RPM needs to be up, 2500 or so enough oil gets flung off to help oil the cam and lifters.

[PunchT37]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Where do I get EOS

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-10-40...s%2C160&sr=8-8

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Where do I get EOS

Its a General Motors part number. So a GM dealership will have it.

[PunchT37]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

Its a General Motors part number. So a GM dealership will have it.

Correct also. I used to be a tech at a Chebbie dealership. Used to come in a small can.

[Gach]

Crane Cams Assembly lube part number PL No 99008-1 use it on cam, lifters bearing, Timing chain Rocker shaft, you get the picture has instructions right on the bottle. That’s all you need been using it for 50 years. Also agree with Valvoline VR1 10W-30 oil. For break in. Most importantly make sure you pump up the oil, which I’m sure you all ready know. Butler sells the tool goes down distributor hole and locks on to the oil pump, make sure you use a drill that has reverse and put drill in reverse. That and Valvoline VR1 10W-30 oil. Just another opinion

[Gach]

One more very important thing make sure you meg lift bore areas, equally as important check lifter bores, making sure there’s no excess wear. Check ever single one of them.