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Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
#1547663
12/15/13 04:09 AM
12/15/13 04:09 AM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,938
Spokane Valley, WA
Big Bad Bee
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,938
Spokane Valley, WA
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It won't be long before the bee gets her engine and we fire it up. I was talking to a guy who builds rece boats. He's a Chevy BB guy. He says that I should use a zinc additive to the oil for break-in. He went on to say that just before start-up he pours the zinc additive directly over the valley, coating the cam and lifters. He prefers to use the additive rather than the oil with zinc because the additive is much cheaper.
What do the engine builders here on moparts use?
I’m listening.
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1547667
12/15/13 10:27 AM
12/15/13 10:27 AM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,327
south central,Pa
mopar_to_ya
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,327
south central,Pa
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I've seen all the test and comparisons. Justice Brothers HDV... And they have been around since the 1940's so they must be doing something right. If interested, PM me I have lots of info 
It's a bigblock with a torque flight!!!
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1547668
12/15/13 11:35 AM
12/15/13 11:35 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 343
S.E.Mich
drew72
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 343
S.E.Mich
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Quote:
It won't be long before the bee gets her engine and we fire it up. I was talking to a guy who builds rece boats. He's a Chevy BB guy. He says that I should use a zinc additive to the oil for break-in. He went on to say that just before start-up he pours the zinc additive directly over the valley, coating the cam and lifters. He prefers to use the additive rather than the oil with zinc because the additive is much cheaper.
What do the engine builders here on moparts use?
And you trust anyone that is willing to possibly sacrifice a new engine for 20 bucks or so? 
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: drew72]
#1547669
12/15/13 11:47 AM
12/15/13 11:47 AM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I just have not had the luck with additives. What we have found running in new cams day after day is this
Valvoline VR1 is available at any NAPA--being easy to get it is what we use most often--never a failure with it.
Brad Penn is fantastic oil--never a failure--hard to get unless you order.
Believe it or not the Amsoil Hotrod oil ( or any other variety that has the zinc load) works and is the oil we have been able to run the highest spring pressure with on flat tappets with zero failures.
Gibbs Oil--also good stuff , high $$ and you have to order.
VR1 is the go to for us
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: drew72]
#1547670
12/15/13 11:54 AM
12/15/13 11:54 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,011
Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
gregsdart
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,011
Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
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Brad Penn break in oil, and the cam manufacturers lube for the cam, if it is a flat tappet. Never lost a cam, never had break in problems.
Each is specifically designed to meet the needs of a flat tappet equipped engine during break in. Do not mix with any other lubes, or "juice up " the mix with special additives, because you have no idea what may or may not interact between different brands of lubes.
Did you check the lifters for rotation before putting the intake on?. Rotation is critical. If any don't rotate after turning the motor over (they don't need to move much) pull the offending lifter and scuff the base with 500 grit paper till it is dull by putting the paper in your palm and rotating the lifter against it. Other than prelubing and making sure all parts have lube on them for start up, you should be good to go.
8..603 156 mph best, 2905 lbs 549, indy 572-13, alky
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: gregsdart]
#1547671
12/15/13 11:59 AM
12/15/13 11:59 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,991
Anoka County, MN
Leigh
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,991
Anoka County, MN
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Quote:
Did you check the lifters for rotation before putting the intake on?. Rotation is critical. If any don't rotate after turning the motor over (they don't need to move much) pull the offending lifter and scuff the base with 500 grit paper till it is dull by putting the paper in your palm and rotating the lifter against it. Other than prelubing and making sure all parts have lube on them for start up, you should be good to go.
 I did this, except marked each lifter with a felt tip, and swapped them around until they all rotated. New lifters, used cam. Worked.
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: Leigh]
#1547672
12/15/13 12:15 PM
12/15/13 12:15 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 939
glendora, ca.
Deepockets
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 939
glendora, ca.
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I'm about to run an new solid flat tappet cam and was reading a lot. i'll post it when I find the article. it has said that oil is formulated to meet it's specs, and when putting additives in it made the oil it's been added too become less effective. also, it had said to not have too much of zinc additive. I'm sure all the people that make additives would like to say something about that. http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31791
Last edited by Deepockets; 12/15/13 12:26 PM.
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: Deepockets]
#1547677
12/15/13 03:54 PM
12/15/13 03:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,471
So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,471
So Cal
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Quote:
I'm about to run an new solid flat tappet cam and was reading a lot. i'll post it when I find the article. it has said that oil is formulated to meet it's specs, and when putting additives in it made the oil it's been added too become less effective. also, it had said to not have too much of zinc additive. I'm sure all the people that make additives would like to say something about that.
http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31791
540Rat is not against oil additives. You go to his website, http://540ratblog.wordpress.com/ , and he said he tried one brand and it improved the oil. And he goes on about it performance.
So there in his own words it is possible for an oil additive to improve the oil film strength and anti wear. 
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Interesting that 540Rat tested 96 different oils a multitude of times, but only tested ZDDP-plus and Edelbrock Zinc additive. He said he had used STP and Lucas Oil addtives but didn't test those? I realize they are both oil thickners and Lucas does cause foaming.
But why only test two additives? It takes a couple of minutes each.
Quote:
... A few words about STP and Lucas oil treatments. I didn’t test these products added to a motor oil. So, I can’t say for sure how they would perform. However, based on my past experience with STP as an assembly lube, I expect it absolutely would show an increase in “load carrying capacity/film strength”. But, it does have a couple of downsides that override any increase in wear protection. It increases an oil’s viscosity which will reduce flow. And both STP and Lucas oil treatments have been known to cause increased foaming issues. Obviously it would be wise to avoid both of those concerns....
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: gregsdart]
#1547679
12/15/13 06:48 PM
12/15/13 06:48 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,938
Spokane Valley, WA
Big Bad Bee
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,938
Spokane Valley, WA
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Quote:
Brad Penn break in oil, and the cam manufacturers lube for the cam, if it is a flat tappet. Never lost a cam, never had break in problems.
Each is specifically designed to meet the needs of a flat tappet equipped engine during break in. Do not mix with any other lubes, or "juice up " the mix with special additives, because you have no idea what may or may not interact between different brands of lubes.
Did you check the lifters for rotation before putting the intake on?. Rotation is critical. If any don't rotate after turning the motor over (they don't need to move much) pull the offending lifter and scuff the base with 500 grit paper till it is dull by putting the paper in your palm and rotating the lifter against it. Other than prelubing and making sure all parts have lube on them for start up, you should be good to go.
Greg, I haven't buttoned the engine up yet so I can check. How do I mark my lifters? How many revolutions should I give the crank to check it? before I do this, I am going to check with my engine builder to see if he checks for lifter rotation before they leave his shop.
I’m listening.
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Re: Engine Break-In Additive or Motor Oil?
[Re: BobR]
#1547682
12/16/13 05:45 PM
12/16/13 05:45 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,376
dogdays
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,376
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I had to laugh.....The original post sounded so familiar.
Back in the day, I installed my first camshaft in a 2-barrel chevy 350 over the Thanksgiving weekend. The new cam was the 350hp 327 3863151 cam, bought from Rydell Chevrolet in Grand Forks, ND for a little less than $40.00. My brother and I froze our butts off in an unheated garage. Right before we buttoned it up, I poured a can of GM EOS over the camshaft, plopped in the lifters, buttoned up the engine and fired it up. We ran it at high speed for 25 minutes, and called it good.
What the OP said reminded me that that was THE WAY to do a cam swap in the '70s. GM EOS was the magic elixer.
Times have changed, though, and there are better ways to do things. Break-in oils and antiwear goop smeared on the lobes probably do a better job. Camshafts have changed, too, and the lifter/lobe interface is much more highly stressed.
R.
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I used the Royal Purpel break in oil on my RB stroker and have no issue whit that product and after break in time and oil change i still use that oil in a 50/50 blend whit 20w50 mineral to have the zink in lower numbers but still in the engine and it works for me 
