OK, here it goes. Last year I swapped engines in my 69 Road Runner. The old mill was 12.5:1 and I was getting a little sick of mixing race gas. I had another machined short block sitting on the engine stand and decided to add some closed chamber heads and a new cam and drop it in. My new compression ratio should be about 9.5 if I calcualted it right. I did not cc the heads for more accurate number, but that is ballpark. Here is the issue. I got everything on the car and started it up with Rotella break in oil to break in the cam. The car was running about 6 or 7 minutes when one of the heater hoses blew apart. Hot glycol shot everywhere including on me. Second degree burns on my side and back were the result, as well as spending the next day mopping up glycol out of light fixtures, windows, floor, etc. I was so pissed I disconencted the battery, covered the car up and put it away for the winter (this was just before the nationals last year).

So here it is spring, and I think I am over my anger towards the car now. I fixed the hose and checked the oil. The oil still looks brand new (no glycol in it), but its still the break in oil. I noticed the rear header bolt is leaking coolant as well as the thermostat housing. I will fix those this weekend. My plan was to start it back up and run for another 10 minutes at 2500 rpm to make sure cam was broken in properly. Change oil and finish sorting out other tune up issues with carb. I never had a chance to set idle misture (just 2.5 turns out now) or any other settings.

Sound like a plan? I am so paranoid about wiping a cam lobe with all the horror stories I have heard. Anything else I should look for.

Does Rptella actually have a break in oil or are you using Diesel oil ?

Prime the oil pump and run it...

I am the one who usually says "run it". But, I don't think so in this case. While it is possible that no harm ewill result, I would strongly suggest pulling the intake manifold and rocker shafts, etc., and reapplying break-in lube to the cam lobes, at least the bottom of the lifters.

You have too much at stake not to take this preventive measure.

R.

This is just me, but I never initially run Anti-Freeze fluid on my start ups. I prefer using just regular H2O as it is easier to handle when just such a thing occurs and is much easier to clean up. Plus the fact that if need be it can be drained and disposed of much easier should a situation arise that you would need to drain the motor and fix or change something out, That way once it is all broken in and ready for usage, then I will put in the Ethylene Glycol. Just my way of doing things but it works for me...

If you want some piece of mind, throw in a bottle of ZDDP additive...

Rotate the crank, prime the pump, and fire it...

With only a little over 5 minutes of running time, and oil upstairs, you'll be fine...

Well, pulled the intake since I had the carbs off (see my 6bbl questions). Two lifters are wiped. I don't get it, I did everything correctly, at least to the Comp Cams documentation and recommendations from here. The springs matched the cam, I used the break in oil, plenty of break in lube on all surfaces. I am so frustrated and heartbroken as its summer and I still don't have a car to drive. I never had issues with flat tappet cams until two years ago. I thought taking some time off over the winter would help get me back in the mood, but seeing this happen is just taking the wind out of the sails again.
Not sure what I am going to do next. Spoke with the wife, and selling the car is on the table as an option now, and buying something new (new Challenger, Camaro, or Mustang, or maybe Subaru BRZ or C6 Vette).

What do u have for rockers?

OK, here is what I put into the car. I used a Comp Cams XE274H cam. Recommended springs were 911-16 (single spring) but they were out of stock. Machine shop used 981-16 as they were available (373 lb/in versus 370 lb/in). Since the machine shop was doing the valve job, they machined everything to fit. The springs are single springs with damper.
The rockers are stock stamped rockers. I used three compete sets to come up with a set that was matched in length, distance to shaft, etc. Comp Cams lifters also used (I forgot the number, I'd have to go check the box).

I'd check the lifter fit by cleaning each lifter/lifter bore with brake kleen then lightly lube the lifters/bores with WD40 then lift each lifter off of it's lobe with your finger then let loose of it & each one should fall back onto it's respective lobe with a resounding thunk & if any of em dont then they are too tight & will not rotate properly & the cam/lifters will wipe. Other than that if the psi was not excessive & it started immediately then I'd say bad metallurgy in the comp cam and or lifter(s) which I've heard complaints regarding them. Sorry for your misfortune

big dif. between 981 and 911's ... you would need to vary the rpms which help rotate the lifters . they will fail in the first minute if they do not spin....what weight break in oil was used?

Those springs are not even close to right.
small block chevy spring or something!
You needed these 1.90 installed height
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.co...;Category_Code=

and got these 1.70 installed height
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.co...;Category_Code=

about .200 difference on the install height?? either you had no seat pressure or you were going to coil bind?? someting wrong hear?? diameter of the spring is .250 too small as well.

Double checked springs. Something is up. The box has 930-16 on label. But the springs in the car are not double springs. All I can see is the outer spring and a flat metal damper spring. So I am perplexed on what springs got installed. I hope there wasn't a switch at the machine shop that led to this.

well that's closer to the dimensions you need. way to high of seat pressure maybe that is why they deleted the inner spring (if it is gone hard to see sometimes).
That spring would be for solid cams IMHO.
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.co...;Category_Code=

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-930-16/applications

Definitely no inner spring. I crawled right up into the engine bay to get a close look. But, it sounds like not a good fit and possible root cause of issue.

Not sure of next step. Long weekend is over, and family vacation next week. I am not sure if I want to go with flat tappets again, or go roller now.