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Do I Need Break In New New Lifters on an Old Cam?

JedIEG

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Title says it all. My dad regasketed his 318 for me to borrow for my car and decided to get a set of new lifters while he was in there. They are hydurlic flat tapets. The cam is something hotter than stock but not extreme. He doesnt remember what, but likely close to a stock 340 cam. Do I need to do the same break in procedure for just new lifters as I would with a new cam?
 
Interesting question and coincidence. I actually just finished doing the exact same thing this evening! 318, with a bit of a cam. Had a few "ticky" lifters so I replaced them all. Hope to fire it tomorrow. I wasn't really going to do a break in, but we will see what comes out here from the pros.
 
I replaced my 16 hydraulic lifters AND worn stock springs with CompCams parts, with my existing probably well used Purple Stripe 292°/.509 cam.
I used moly assembly lube, Lucas oil break in additive, and my regular high zinc flat tappet lifters loving Valvoline VR1 oil.
2,000 to 2,500 RPMs from start up to 20 some minutes out varying RPMs in that range, with the new stronger springs installed.
Worked great! YRMV
 
Yes you need to harden the surface ,or you'll just eat the lifters ! I didn't think it was needed way back when on a trans am I was working on guess who had to re do the lifters again! And clean out all the lifter metal!!!!
 
annealing/work hardening...same thing
 
I have replaced many "noisy" tappets in the past but, never did anything at all to break them in. Never had a customer return with problems.
Mike
 
Why wouldn't you do the break in procedure?
 
I would do everything in my power to avoid tearing my engine apart and cleaning out metal filings. I would follow the break in procedure.
 
Bottom line when replacing lifters

Make sure they / new lifters spin freely in the lifter bores FIRST

Then assembly lube or paste on the bottom of lifters only

Light oil on sides of lifters/bores
 
When I had my poly tricked up, bore over, slight cam, solid lifters, heads redone, new valves, headers, etc...the shop said run it like you stole it out of their garage. I'm sure shop knows their ****; but I'm old school and did the break in routine of old. Just seems to make sense to me with new parts and all. All you're doing is babying it a bit for 500 miles or so and doing an oil change...
 
Look it Might be fine just dropping in and go, might not. Do you want to find out the hard way? I’m sure you have 20 minutes to spare
 
after it's malleable it conforms to the cam lobe and gets it's cup?
 
and gets it's cup?
??? If the bottom surface of a tappet gets 'cupped', it's wore out, and no good. Yeah, it will run like that, but for how long?

Tappet surface is already hardened, out of the box. Builder's choice, but two surfaces rubbing together, need to be 'seated', that's where the break-in comes, going with todays oil. Very least, some break-in paste, on the lifter surface, to help them seat.
 
This subject has been covered multiple times, but just in case you missed it:

With any flat tappet cam you need to run an oil with zinc in it. Most of the oil today is not suitable for older flat tappet cams. I would not rely on just assembly lube to do the job for the break in.
 
It's been said above
oil on the lifter body
Moly paste on the lobe and lifter face- not liquid unless you are going to fire it right away and paste is better anyway
Break in Oil Do not try and blend your own
get it from a known blender
DO NOT add ZDDP to SN oil SN oil needs a calcium EP additive
pre lube - spin that dist
fire it up and keep the revs up varying up and down some but no slow, no ideling
cut the filter open and inspect and inspect the magnetic drain plug
clean then put a new filter on and another quart and run it for a few hundred miles
dirty change oil and filter then check filter again
 
Thank everyone for the reinforcement. I have zinc heavy break in oil in the engine. The engine was put together at the beginning of July and I could not get it to fire then. I have been chasing down electrical brake and transmission issues in the mean time so I really would like prime the oil pump because it has been sitting so long. I dont have an old distributor gear around. Does anyone know the hex size for the drive so I can order an extra long hex socket?
 
Thank everyone for the reinforcement. I have zinc heavy break in oil in the engine. The engine was put together at the beginning of July and I could not get it to fire then. I have been chasing down electrical brake and transmission issues in the mean time so I really would like prime the oil pump because it has been sitting so long. I dont have an old distributor gear around. Does anyone know the hex size for the drive so I can order an extra long hex socket?

Get yourself a 16" long, 5/16" hex shaft (six sided) and just chuck it in a heavy duty drill. I wouldn't chance useing a socket that might come off and you loose it.

I think I bought mine from 440 Source or maybe Summit. Looks hardened

20181007_004924.jpg
20181007_004919.jpg
 
And be careful because if you have a good drill motor when the pump makes pressure that drill will twist your wrist quite hard.
 
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