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Break In Oil

EngineerDoug

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Hello,

I will be breaking in a flat tappet engine project soon. I have some 10w30 Gibbs Driven HR2 oil (high zinc). Will this be sufficient for break in purposes, or should I add some Comp Cams break in additive to it?

Thanks!
 
I wouldn’t add any additives to any oil. Just use “break in” oil, it’s made just for that.
 
I always add a bottle of additive for insurance. I figure $6.95 isn't going to break the bank when you figure what it costs to build an engine. JMO
 
As has already been said, use a dedicated break in oil.
 
Is it safe to say the HR2 is considered a proper break in oil?
No...

HR2 is what you go to AFTER you break in the motor with either BR30 (10W30) or BR (15W50) oil. BR/BR30 does not contain some items (detergent), therefore, Joe Gibbs tech says that the break in oil is good for UP TO 400 miles after initial break in, or 30 days. By the established time/distance interval, you would need to put in your HR2 oil. The only suggestion is to change the filter after cam break in, and continue to use the break in oil to allow the rings to seat. When you reach you desired break in oil interval (400mi/30day), change your oil and filter, then continue with your normal change interval.
 
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I use Valvoline with High Zinc content and also add the zinc additive. If nothing else it protects the engine against Covid :lol:
 
Some guys use Shell Rotella oil for break in and then dump it after about an hour of run time. It's usually on sale somewhere for $12-$15 per gallon.
 
I used shell Rotella T5 10W30 and a bottle of ZDDP Plus.....................and ran it all summer.
 
BR Break In oil is his HR2 High Zinc oil specially formulated (dedicated) Without HR2's normal Friction Modifier Anti-wear Additive Package but with same ppm shot of zinc ZDDP ppm content...Compared to HR2 oil, it's a special dedicated "more wear", intentional grind more metal off oil lube product for that dedicated, accelerated, Controlled Wear effect when you just gotta have more wear .
 
My thinking is if you use a 'dedicated' break-in oil you don't need to try and play chemist with additives. According to what I've read from the oil companies, there is no need... Again, as has been said many times on this site, you need a specific oil to do a correct break-in, and it's not the same as what you run after break-in.
If you trust your engine to your favorite brand of oil, why not trust their dedicated break-in oil to do its job? JMHO
 
If you're runnin a good mechanically Plateau finished cyl hone job, the folded & torn iron bore peaks & edges are long gone before 1st crank up..After a dedicated wear friction modifier pack Deleated formulated oil (aka Break-in oil) allows Agressive frictional wear off of any remaining Iron bore Asperities, it's gonna go looking for another flat sliding wear friction surface to allow iron metal bits wear off...Better hope That surface isn't attached to a long bumpy stick with iron flat lobes rubbing against iron flat faced tappets !! ... Think I'll skip the dedicated "pro-wear" Break oils & just run a good Conventional high Zppd zinc wear protection oil from 1st start up.
 
^^^
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Of course, 70rcode. As I said, JMHO. BTW, flat tappet lifters are actually convex. This is America and you are free to do whatever you think is best for your engine...
 
My "MHO", Flat compared to Rollers & Yep, use whatever Oil Co. pr hyped magic you like.......tom.
 
Hey guys ( and gals)...longtime follower...never posted before...I know I'm late to the party.. but for whatever it's worth, back in the '80's (when Keith was still alive), I had Keith Black Racing Engines do the build on my 426 hemi...it has an Engle solid lifter cam.. ( the oil I was using at that time was Kendall, recommended by them, as it still had zinc in it).. I was told by them to pick a can of GM Engine Oil Supplement and when it was time to first fire the engine (fuel, spark and timing, coolant et al...all ready to turn the key) to remove the intake and dump that can of Oil Supplement directly over the cam and lifters, re-torque the bolts and hit the key...immediately bring the engine to 2300 rpm, AND DO NOT LET IDLE FOR THE NEXT 40 MINUTES...obviously this gives the oil saturation to the cam and allows the cam to burnish to the lifters...they also said that if, for any reason, it had to come off a high idle during that break-in...to just shut it off completely....it's been 39 years and that engine is still running and I've had zero problems with it....( except keeping my foot out of it)....hope this helps
 
Hey lpwr,...good to hear 'bout your well built & runnin Hemi ..I also used the straight unassisted "green" GT oil & with a good Moly paste lathered on the Lobes & lifter faces, I never had any break-in issues either...What CR did Keith build you at ?
 
Hey lpwr,...good to hear 'bout your well built & runnin Hemi ..I also used the straight unassisted "green" GT oil & with a good Moly paste lathered on the Lobes & lifter faces, I never had any break-in issues either...What CR did Keith build you at ?
Sorry for the delayed response...just looked at the post...10.5 c.r to answer your question
 
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