Which Motor Oil Do I Use After Break In?

I'm about to start my engine for the first time. What type and weight motor oil is best to use once it is past the 20 minute break in? Here are my engine specs.

440ci
Bored .40 over
Closed chambered heads ported and polished
2.14/1.81 valves, hardened seats
Harland Sharp roller rockers
Comp Cam XE 274 cam and lifters
LY rods
Keith Black Hyperutectic pistons
Forged crank
Clevite bearings
Factory mains
ARP head, main and rod bolts
Double roller timing chain
Edelbrock RPM intake
Holley Street Avenger 770 vacuum secondary
TTi 1 7/8" headers
2.5" mandrel bent exhaust to stock tips
Turbo mufflers
H pipe
mini starter

Thanks!

A 10w30 that is appropriate for flat tappets--(high ZDDP)

Im breaking in with flat tappet on amsoil 30w break in. 10/40 or 15/40 after that. Amsoil hotrod.

Valvoline Racing Oil is what I have always used. Never lost a cam or lifters with it. Any time I used something different, I lost a cam and lifters on a new Comp Cam that WAS broken in correctly. Valvoline Racing Oil still has the max amount of the Zinc additive you can get without a custom blend. As long as you are not running Catalytic converters, you should not have any issues with it.

http://www.valvoline.com/products/VR...otor%20Oil.pdf

The Valvoline VR-1 Racing Motor Oil
• The #1 selling Racing Oil of all time and race track proven.
• Protects against high-temperature deposits for a cleaner engine.
• ZDDP additive provides tough anti-wear protection.
• Enhanced with fricition modifier to improve horsepower.
• Formulated with enhanced anti-foam system.
Approvals/Performance Levels
Viscosity Grade/Other
API SM/SL/SJ
- - - - - - 20W-50
API SH
10W-30 20W-50
API CD
10W-30 20W-50
Test
10W-30
20W-50
Vis @ 100°C (cSt)
11.5
20.5
Vis @ 40°C (cSt)
77.0
181.8
Viscosity Index
143
132
Spec Gravity @ 60°F
0.8722
0.888
Density (lbs/gal)
7.27
7.39
Total Base No.
8
8
Flash COC (°C)
212
248
Pour Point (°C)
-33
-24
CCS cP (°C)
6200(-25C)
8000(-15C)
MRV TP-1 cP (°C)
20,000(-30C)
27,000(-20C)
Noack % off @ 250C
<15
<15
Sulfated Ash
1
1
Zinc/Phosphorus
0.130/0.120
0.130/0.120
Calcium
0.250
0.250

Same here on Valvoline but there are a few other great oils out there........I know my tear-downs are an average of 6-7 years it seems and things look real good considering how much I drive my car especially testing several different carbs. Valvoline and Isky cams...........Innovators not copy cats.......

Would that valvoline be in the gray or the black bottle?

Brad Penn oil.

Valvoline VR1 in the gray bottle is what I run. I do oil samples and it always runs around 1200PPM of Zinc. Brab Penn, Joe Gibbs and Amsoil make some good oils also that probably have a higher rating of zinc. Valvoline is easy to find here and $7 a QT.

Valvoline is good, but I like Brad Penn oils a little more. This old thread may interest you.

I'd leave the breakin oil in for 5000 miles...why waste it? It is what I do have done for 30 years..

Some folks waste so much oil it's

Valvoline VR1 race oil...found at any parts store.

You're kidding right............

Excellent information, although wouldn't using the break in oil wear your motor down to nothing if you kept using it?

Does the Valvoline VR-1 come in just one viscosity?

No, it comes in several different viscosities. I'd use 10w30 or maybe 20w50 if the clearances are on the loose side.

For 30 years huh? What "break-in" oil were you using 30 years ago?

I'd break it in for longer than 20 minutes. I like to go through several heat cycles in my race engines before putting the "regular" oil in afterwards, which is Amsoil Dominator.

Running softer valve springs for break in is good insurance, but a pain because then you have to change them out to what's recommended.

Amsoil Tech Bulliten - High zinc oils.

Why would you run any oil for 5000 miles, especially on a new engine? Oil is cheap, engine parts are not.

I blend mine my self out of 10W30 Royal Purpel mineral break in oil and 20W50 mineral 76 Unocal in a 50/50 blend and it works for me and my 505 CI.

Tesar recommends Klotz 10/40 for my heap.

On a flat tappet can you keep pouring in the
additive on every oil change.. whats it gonna
hurt if you wait on the first oil change.. I
still have the break in additive in my engine
but its only been 400 miles

After I've built an engine an ran it in for a few hundred miles, its oil goes into my daily driver.
It loves it. All kinds of oil!!

Currently running 0w20 in the '73 Dart.

Joe Gibbs Driven, whatever is for your usage. Costs more, protects better. And then don't change it every other weekend.

Oil is like religion, you'll never convert a true believer.

R.

Has anyone seen a engine that blew up because of the brand of oil they were using?

I haven't.

Break-in oil should be changed after "break-in", not any longer than necessary, because it will have an above average amount of worn material in it. (i.e.: cast iron, bearing material, debris that may have been missed during cleaning, etc.) It doesn't matter if it's specifically for break-in or regular oil with an additive. But break-in specific oil may also be formulated differently, for short term use, and may not offer the protection for the long term. It's just a good idea to flush that initial fill.

I've done it with new generators as well! I doubt their machining tolerances are as precise and automotive machining.

You guys are prof positive of my thirty year old statement, opinions are like like butt holes in three ways, every one has one, some stink and some are full of $hit. Hahaha

Prove that you stated that 30 years ago...I think you're full of $hit.

What did you little feelings get hurt?

How did the factory do it?

Not at all! Perhaps you missed the grin? Lighten up.

If you can't follow directions on the bottle because of your oppion, you know more than the Company that manufacturers the oil and can can afford to risk your $$$$ in your new motor. Just because you're oil cheap.

Motor oils provide break-in change-out interval info on their labels? Who knew???

(Information from the auto manufacturer or the engine builder would be credible in this matter, the oil manufacturer, not so much)

Oil cheap, do you think igaf what an oil change cost in a 15K short block costs? It cost the same for a 5 k long block on the dyno, I idk don't care.
I don't build cheap $hit and not going to risk a thing because of oil. I have never had a failure because of oil, inc. no flat mec. cams.

Break in The cam and seat the rings then get the junk out of there........period.

Valvoline VR1 racing oil for me also. I have used Valvoline since the 70's and have never wiped a cam. Ron

Amen Ron, VR1 for me too, 10-30 and beautiful lobes!

Joe

um, well actually, i have. i know this is non-high performance related, but semi-relevant. my one cousin used to buy the dollar store "house" brand [actually called "dollar store" oil] because it usually cost around 69 cents per quart back when quality brand oil was $1.25 or so, and he always bragged on how much money he saved while thinking the rest of the clan was crazy because we spent so much money on oil changes, just paying for the "name" on the bottle. it was used in his daily driver chevy blazer. that worked for about 8-10 oil changes at somewhere around 3-4k change intervals. then, one day, it started making those "expensive" noises. the oil showing on the stick was very clear, and a valve cover pull showed no sludge in the top end. when the engine was replaced and tore down [if i remember correctly, it had only around 40k on the clock] all the bearings were super bad and several had spun, blueing the crank and rod big ends. it always carried reasonable oil pressure, and he didn't beat on it at all. got to looking at one of the "dollar store" bottles, and two things jumped out. one, it was "re-manufactured" oil, and two, it had the grade number [or whatever you call the API index number showing the quality type] that was the approved type for 1950's engines ! he now uses a "better" oil in his drivers, and has had no problems since. we still bust his chops on this every chance we get.

Kendall GT-1 Competition 20w50 $4 a quart delivered to my door.

http://www.kendallmotoroils.com/kendall-gt-1-competition-motor-oil/



Joe

I guess that depends on your definition of Blew up. Is a cam with several lobes and lifters wiped out and bearing needing replaced and valve guides having to be reworked considered blown up? Or do you have to keep running it this way until a rod starts knocking or a valve breaks or some other part breaks to be blown up???
Not picking a fight, Just asking...

Also 10w40 Dino oil, if not changed religiously, was known to promote sludge.
Some engines with small lubrication passageways couldn't handle it, and suffered an early demise.

30 wt non detergent was commonly used for the first oil fill. It may not have been labeled "break in" oil, but that's what it was used for. It wasn't supposed to have been run for a full oil change cycle, though.

For those using VR1, are you talking about the synthetic, or the conventional?

I've been using the VR1 conventional.

I used to run Mobil One 15w50 synthetic, but it got to be VERY hard to find. The conventional VR1 I can get at any parts store around here. The synthetic VR1 isn't as readily available and in only one or two viscosities.

I've been running Lucas HotRod 10/30 for years in my solid flat tappet engine. I run 10/30 because my bearing clearances are more typical of a street engine than a race motor. I typically change it once a year, in the winter when I also do a valve adjustment. Important to note that my car sees well less than 1000 miles a year. So far so good.

As recommended by my engine builder (HPMIKE on this site). 20w50 vr1.
July will be 2 years it's together. I drive it all over, probably has close to 5,000 miles on it.

Another vote for the Valvoline 10W-30 VR-1. I can find at Napa for $6.99 a quart.

Ask machinists that are drag racers what they use. Joe Gibbs, Lucas, royal purple.

Always like Valvoline oil also, nice to have options.

With the results I've seen from using "normal" oils like Mobil One and Valvoline VR1, I've seen no reason to spend the extra money on oils like Joe Gibbs, etc.
If your oiling system is up to the task of what your engine needs, any good quality oil will work. Just my 2 cents.

10000000000%

Same hear as I run the VR1 conventional non synthetic and I just bought 7 qts the other day for $5.99 per Qt and Salvo's. Ron

I use Brad Penn 20w-50, usually get for $60 a case. $5 quart

Mobil 1 Synthetic. 5 quart container at Wally World or Amazon for about 25 bucks. Have used for many years....Multi years between oil changes for almost no annual mileage cars.

Run in engines with both flat tappet and roller cams Zero oil issues.

If GM says good enough enough for ZR 1 and Z 06 Corvettes and Porsche or Benz say good enough for them,,,who am I to argue with engineers that are far more knowledgeable and have far more on the line than I.

Just as asking the best beer, religion, political persuasion or perhaps hair coloring one might favor in a woman.

Uh, oh! When does the ground war begin?

Brad Penn

Conventional for me...Joe