No oil pressure while priming engine

[Chryco Psycho]

VR 1 will work , lots of zinc for flat tappet cams
Brad Penn ,, Joe Gibbs , Amsoil also

 

[tonysrt]

If you have flat tappet Brad Penn has break in oil, just make sure oil has Zddp. If roller lifters not that critical. Summit or Jegs can help with that.

 

[bullet18]

If you have flat tappet Brad Penn has break in oil, just make sure oil has Zddp. If roller lifters not that critical. Summit or Jegs can help with that.

Its a hydraulic flat tappet.

 

[tonysrt]

Then make sure what ever oil you use it has the zddp in it. And preprime it when you have that oil in the pan. All this is good insurance to make sure cam and lifters break in properly. And keep engine at about 2000 RPM's for about 20 minutes to get every thing to seat properly. I'm putting a 360 stroker together so I have the oil already and going very slowly with the build. Life has too many interruptions.

 

[pschlosser]

Before there were pricey engine "break-in" motor oils containing Zinc, many, many rebuilders got by with just straight 10w30/30w for decades.

That said, zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate additives are pretty slick (pun intended) but I'm not sure they're worth 3-5X the cost over straight 10w30.

Pre-priming with a drill prior to startup is essential. It does more to preserve clearances and evade wear than oil containing zinc additives w/o the priming.

 

[tonysrt]

Catalytic converters came in 1975 in cars. Zddp was still in oil so no problems. Somebody figured out the ZDDP was effecting the cats so they stopped or lowered the amount in oil. I built a few 440's in the mid to late 80's and didn't have a problem. So does anybody really know when they hit the lowest amount that started effecting lifters and cams? Probably not, so use ZDDP in oil for insurance purposes and ease of mind.

 

[heminut]

If you're not running a roller cam I would definitely put some of this in whatever break in oil you use.
Amazon product ASIN B006LB70SW

 

[bullet18]

If you're not running a roller cam I would definitely put some of this in whatever break in oil you use.
Amazon product ASIN B006LB70SW

How about this stuff?

 

[pschlosser]

If you're not running a roller cam I would definitely put some of this in whatever break in oil you use.

I seem to recall hearing Nick of Nick's Garage YouTube fame suggest in a recent video flat tappet cam shaft break-ins benefit most from the zinc additives, while roller lifter setups benefit less.

 

[BriceRoad]

There is a great article in Mopar Action called "First Fire" which is all about breaking in a flat tappet cam. I thought I did everything right and the cam still failed on me. I primed the engine 5 times, I used Brad Penn break-in oil, I had it set to fire right off, I quickly got the RPMs up to 2000 and a few other things I can't remember. Looking back on it and with the research I have done since it happened the one thing I wish I would have done differently is used the light valve springs which are designed to facilitate cam/lifter break in. I would recommend using those light springs especially if the cam manufacturer recommends it. It's a long story but that cam shaft failure has set me back almost two years. I almost have the short block rebuilt again. This time I am using a roller cam. I am sure not all flat tappet cams fail but I just don't trust the flat tappet cams they make today. In the '80s and '90s I did about 6 cam installations. Not one failure.

I wish you the best of luck with the break in. I sincerely hope you don't go through what I did.

 

[heminut]

How about this stuff?

View attachment 106971

Should work just fine. I have high regard for Lucas products.

 

[340challconvert]

That is exactly what was needed to prime my rebuilt 30 over 340; oil came to left rocker’s first; rotated the engine and repeated with the drill routine. Right side oiled right up!

There two different locations on the cam to get oil to the passenger rockers and driver side rockers.Rotate crank until you find one then the other.

 

[ZippyZoo]

Speedway Motors has a handy chart listing zinc and phosphorus levels of various brands of oils.
ZDDP Content Chart - High Zinc Oil List - Brand Breakdown

This article from Hagerty quoting Shell "experts" also recommends Shell Rotella diesel oil for classic car engines due to its high zinc content.
Engine oil tips from the experts at Shell - Hagerty Media

 

[EW1BH27]

FWIW, I heard from a local engine builder that the latest/newest Shell Rotella Diesel doesn’t have the same level of zinc as the older stuff.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

SJ rated agricultural oil , Joe Gibbs or Brad Penn break in oil

 

[greatscot3]

Any recommendations for a good break in oil for the engine?

I use Royal Purple. Lots of zinc. K&N oil filters are good.