Initial start up after rebuild?

[bhpjon]

Evenin' all, could any one clarify what is the correct start up procedure after complete engine rebuild, i have heard that i need to run the car for 20 minutes at 2000 revs to allow everything to settle in / lubricate properly. It is a stealth cam if that makes any difference Cheers chaps!

[CRE]

The general concensus is that you need to run it for approx 20 mins at 2K rpm to bed the cam in, although you should really speak with Rob @ V8D to confirm this...he supplied the cam. The problems that most people encounter are because they cant bleed the coolant system properly without running it. I use a little gadget that pressurises the system completely and forces the water round so I dont have any dramas with the cooling.

HTH

Jamie

[chrispitman]

Where did you get your gadget from, or who makes them. The only one I can find are from the states and silly money.

[HarryW]

Coolant aside (I find it easier to leave the expansion cap off until the thrermostat opens, don't leave it at a single speed for 20mins, but gently move it up and down between 2-2.5k rpm in a random manner.

[CRE]

Hi Chris,

I bought mine from Snap On...anybody that knows me will tell you that I am a bit of a Snap On muppet!

clicky

Works really well, NEVER had aproblem with it.

Jamie

[Chimjunkie]

bhpjon said:

Evenin' all, could any one clarify what is the correct start up procedure after complete engine rebuild, i have heard that i need to run the car for 20 minutes at 2000 revs to allow everything to settle in / lubricate properly. It is a stealth cam if that makes any difference Cheers chaps!

Great choice! I run a V8D stealth cam + V8D heads with ported inlet and trumpets. Car matches the Tuscan S, eats 911's and keeps up with most cerb 4.5's! Not an all out Bhp cam but great mid range. Couldn't be happier with the engine

Do run it with Silkolene Pro S though. Rob recommends this.

Only probs I had with rebuild was a noisy tappet. Still have it 1 year down the line...

[blitzracing]

Dont forget to fully prime the oil system before starting. Distributor out to expose the oil pump flange, then fit a bit of crushed tube so it locks on, and spin it with a drill untill the oil pressure rises to 35-40 or so psi.

[blitzracing]

Oh, and a squirt of easy start is not a bad idea in the air intake. New cam followers take a while to pump up to allow a full air and fuel in, so a bit of easy start will help get it to fire, and get it spinning. You really dont want to spin it on the starter for any time, as the cam tip loads are very high on starting.

[bhpjon]

blitzracing said:

Dont forget to fully prime the oil system before starting. Distributor out to expose the oil pump flange, then fit a bit of crushed tube so it locks on, and spin it with a drill untill the oil pressure rises to 35-40 or so psi.

Thanks for all the info, excuse my ignorance but what does the oil pump flange look like so i can lock to it?

[GreenV8S]

blitzracing said:

Distributor out ...

Perhaps worth mentioning the importance of getting the dizzy back in the correct orientation afterwards - otherwise you could be cranking it over for a long time!

[blitzracing]

Its nothing more than a rectangular post on top of the oil pump, that locks into the base of the distribtor drive, so you just need a bit of crushed tube that will fit over it, so you can turn the pump with a drill or by hand. Spot on about the distributor alignment, (Im assuming the timings is already been set up ??) You first need to remove the distributor cap, and mark where the rotor arm is pointing on the case. Also mark the distributor position against the timing cover. Then undo the distributor clamp and pull it out to gain access to the pump. The rotor arm will twist as you remove it (about 20'), due to the skewed gear drive. Once the oil pump is primed, you need to realign the pump so it locks back into the the bottom of the distributor once its fully home against its timing cover mark, and the rotor arm aligns with the mark on the distributor case. You MUST NOT have turned the engine at any pointor the timing settings will have been lost. Its fiddly job at best. Get it wrong and the engine wont start.

[spend]

Serpentine engines have a crank driven oil pump (90% of TVRs I guess) so playing with dizzy wont achieve very much

Dave

[blitzracing]

Fair comment, Im still living in the early nineties !!

[bhpjon]

spend said:

Serpentine engines have a crank driven oil pump (90% of TVRs I guess) so playing with dizzy wont achieve very much

Dave

I was just beginning to understand what to do (never questioning whether it was a serp or not)Thanks Spend (AGAIN!!!!!) So now back at square one , any Serp ideas please? P.S Is the 2000- 2500 rpm for 20 minutes good for you?

Edited by bhpjon on Friday 31st August 16:52

[PRTVR]

I would be tempted to remove the plugs and the relay for the fuel, and
spin the engine over on the starter motor till I had oil pressure,
The bedding it in I am not sure about, I thought that the cams were case hardened
so nothing to bed in ?
But haven said that it probably is a good speed to go for 2000rpm not to race the engine on start up,
and I think the lube system relay's on splashing oil around, so higher than tick over would be better.

All the above is just my thoughts on your problem, I am not an engineer and have not rebuilt an engine in 30 years, in them days I use to coat the parts in Wynn's oil treatment as I put them together
(its like a very thick oil almost like treacle )so that the first few turns of the engine, I knew there was lubrication on the parts. but reading your post you are way past that stage.


Phil

[spend]

Think its just a leap of faith (faith in your own capability at getting oil & water ....) to fire it up

Dave

[blitzracing]

Who did the rebuild? If its had a new cam and followers then a thick cam lube should have been used to minimise the initial metal to metal contact that happens on new components. You may think the cam is hardened and smooth, but it still looks like the surface of the moon close up until it beds in. At starter speeds the rough bits on the cam and followers punch through the oil and rip hell out of each other, and can destroy the hardened surface. Running at 2000 plus simply reduce the the chance of this happening, and lets the oil do its stuff. Taking the plugs out and cranking the engine to prime the oil system, certainly helps minimise the damage to the big end shells on initial startup, but wont help the cam lobes. If the engine was not primed during the rebuild, consider disconnecting the oil gauge take off, and then pumping in fresh oil with an oil can and a bit of rubber hose (make sure evering is spotlessly clean) until oil appears around the rockers. It may take some time however, and its hard on the fingers !