Cam break in oil

[Slap Stick]

When a friend was still alive and racing dirt track and building his engines he found Comp LIFTERS were crap.
He also said he noticed a marked drop in quality with Lunati after the Holley buyout.
Break in was done with Rotella and a zinc additive and then switched to Royal Purple.
These engines ran 8k+ rpm all night on alky and 15:1 compression with 32° total mechanical timing.

 

[threewood]

Getting ready for a cam swap and have some penngrade 10w-40 and a bottle of Howard’s zpm additive. Can I use just the 10w alone, 10w with zpm additive, or get true break in oil? I think I heard at one time that adding too much zinc is actually bad On bearings but I can’t remember.

Forgot to mention it’s a hydraulic flat tappet.

Oil is cheap, engine rebuild is not. Get the break in oil. I am not a fan of additives when oil is available with the correct break-in package.

I've done one break in with Lucas and another with Gibbs Driven BR oil, both solid lifter, flat tappet. Schneider Cam and a Hughes cam. No failures.

 

[500stroker]

En

Getting ready for a cam swap and have some penngrade 10w-40 and a bottle of Howard’s zpm additive. Can I use just the 10w alone, 10w with zpm additive, or get true break in oil? I think I heard at one time that adding too much zinc is actually bad On bearings but I can’t remember.

Forgot to mention it’s a hydraulic flat tappet.

Engine parts/Engines are very expensive, oil is cheap.
Follow the cam shaft/lifter manufactures specific recommendations, save your receipts, it's the only way you will get them to honor any warranty there may be on your new parts should something fail.
Shoot a video of the break-in.

 

[MO.RR]

Ok, ordered break in oil and some different lifters. Did some searching and seems like the comp lifters are hit or miss, so some lunati micro-trol’s are on their way.

 

[1967coronet]

comp 262h.

Same cam I installed, #21-222-4 XE 262H 10
Im happy with mine, works very well with my 3:23 gearing, lifters are not quiet and take some getting use to for hyd flat tappet.

 

[polywideblock]

I've used this for years

 

[Slap Stick]

Remember the zinc was removed from oil to protect cat cons.
Since these old beasts don't have em why not continue running the high zinc oil?

 

[JoePole]

What is the general consensus on first oil change after initial engine break-in? Here are my thoughts.
Initial fire and cam break-in using 30W break-in specific oil. 20 minutes at 2000+ rpm. Change oil and filter. Cut open filter and inspect.
Use 10w30 with high ZDDP or additive for first 1000 miles and then Oil/filter change again. At that time OK to switch to synthetic 10w30 or 20w50 (summer) if desired.

 

[Ranger16]

Remember the zinc was removed from oil to protect cat cons.

Zinc wasn't completely removed. The levels where just reduced. I say this simply as a technicality, not to say that todays reduced zinc levels are OK for our old flat tappet motors.

 

[beanhead]

What is the general consensus on first oil change after initial engine break-in? Here are my thoughts.
Initial fire and cam break-in using 30W break-in specific oil. 20 minutes at 2000+ rpm. Change oil and filter. Cut open filter and inspect.
Use 10w30 with high ZDDP or additive for first 1000 miles and then Oil/filter change again. At that time OK to switch to synthetic 10w30 or 20w50 (summer) if desired.

Yes change it after break-in. Change to synthetic if you want to, just make sure it's also got the proper ZDDP levels. I'm another believer in using oil formulated with the high ZDDP as opposed to adding it separately.

 

[Slap Stick]

Zinc wasn't completely removed. The levels where just reduced. I say this simply as a technicality, not to say that todays reduced zinc levels are OK for our old flat tappet motors.

I know that but you knew that.
But why not use the high zinc break in oil after break in?

 

[Ranger16]

Don't quote me, but I think break in oil has higher zinc levels that regular high zinc oils and I seem to recall reading an article once that said more is not always better regarding zinc levels. I think, if I recall correctly, that there is a point where too much is detrimental. I forget where that level is, but I seem to recall it being somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000 PPM.

 

[joemish]

Getting ready for a cam swap and have some penngrade 10w-40 and a bottle of Howard’s zpm additive. Can I use just the 10w alone, 10w with zpm additive, or get true break in oil? I think I heard at one time that adding too much zinc is actually bad On bearings but I can’t remember.

Forgot to mention it’s a hydraulic flat tappet.

They actually market and sell Break In Oil for a purpose.

 

[JoePole]

I am currently rebuilding a roller cam Magnum 5.9 and will use the Lucas 30w break-in oil. Not as critical with roller cams but will be switching to Mobil 1 Synthetic after 500 miles. Most of their synthetic oils have Phosphorus and ZDDP. There may be others.

 

[djbr459]

My heads have dual valve springs.
It has been suggested that I remove one of the springs to break in the cam and then reinstall the second springs.
Does anyone have am opinion on that?
Thanks

 

[33 IMP]

I broke in a .557 purple shaft solid with a witches brew of OLD racing oil loaded with zinc, diesel oil, and Lucas zinc additive. I wouldn't recommend doing it that way, but it worked for me. It helped that I broke it in with the inner valve springs removed.
I would recommend using the special break in oil, but when you have 60 or 70 quarts of oil in the garage.......

 

[djbr459]

I broke in a .557 purple shaft solid with a witches brew of OLD racing oil loaded with zinc, diesel oil, and Lucas zinc additive. I wouldn't recommend doing it that way, but it worked for me. It helped that I broke it in with the inner valve springs removed.
I would recommend using the special break in oil, but when you have 60 or 70 quarts of oil in the garage.......

Thanks for the info