Better Engine Building: Best Tips for Breaking in a New Camshaft

The first few minutes of operation will determine the long-term survival of your flat-tappet camshaft. More agressive lobe designs, stronger valvesprings and changes to the additives in modern motor oils makes a "wiped" cam lobe much more likely than in the days of classic muscle cars. These are a few very important tips for properly breaking in your high performance flat tappet camshaft.

We're constantly uploading great new videos. Please subscribe so you won't miss out!

MORE INTERNET GOODNESS:

[brianferrell]

This is excellent info! I'd like to add, pre time your ignition. Rotate the engine to roughly 12 degrees btdc by the harmonic balancer and timing mark. With the ignition on and a timing light hooked up, rotate the distributor until the timing light fires. snug the distributor hold down, make sure you have fuel, and the engine should fire immediately.

[mikef-gidg]

This video was done a while ago, but it was clear and easy to understand. I am building very mild street stuff, and following this camshaft issue, almost has me convinced I can't break in a flat tappet cam....(the only type of cam I have ever used)....no matter what I do. Materials have changed over the decades, but I am going to follow the correct procedure AGAIN...and try it again.

[victorrobison]

I agree with the "Moly-lube" bunch . I have built small block Chevys of all sizes, 6.5 Chevy diesels, 366 Chevy big blocks, 2.3 and 2.5 liter Fords, FE series Fords, Detroit Diesel 3-53 &4-53 engines, all were assembled with black molybdenum grease as assembly lube. First fire I ran them to 1800 rpm and held them there for 20-30 mins. Never had any valvetrain problems.

[MH-onol]

Well I agree with most of this video. The failure rate of modern flat tappet cams is very very real. The 2000-2500 rpm is about the crank slinging oil up and onto the bottom of the lobes as they have no other source of lubrication. The laser cut lifter face holes do help with lubrication. I have built many motors and had up until very recently 100% success with cam break ins. I had a Comp cams 294s mechanical flat tappet eat two lobes. I used comp cams lube, break in additive and ran it as recommended. I was using comps lifters with lube holes. I noticed the lash opened up on two lobes and bingo cam is destroyed. Motor has to be removed completely dissembled and cleaned. I have a background in metallurgy and heat treating and question the quality of the modern cams casting materials and lifter material. I realize having parts manufactured in china  is far more profitable but it comes at a price to the end user. The materials used, quality control and machining is simply inferior.  I  really have my doubts that the increase in cam failures is solely caused by a lack of zinc in modern oil. Incorrect pushrod length and valve geometry, worn and tight lifter bores or other problems that prevent the lifter from ROTATING  are  all cam killers.  How many cams were failing in the 70s and 80s? The steps taken in this video are a little extreme but all good advice and will drastically reduce the chance of wiping out a lobe or 16. My question is what else is contributing to the failures. I would love to see a series of micro hardness tests, metal alloy comparisons, casting quality and machining comparisons with components made in the past when cam failures were far less common. Thanks for the video.

[brianholcomb]

Finally, some actually explains the proper way to fire up a new engine! If you don’t believe horsepower monster, you best believe Keith Dorton from Automotive Specialty’s! He’s been in business forever, & has built more flat tappet small blocks than most anyone in the USA 🇺🇸! He’s built engines for the best of the best in circle track racing for decades! Also just because you have a roller cam doesn’t mean you should just start it & idle it either, it’s the same oiling system! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[BlueonGoldZ]

I love videos like this that deal with protecting and nurturing an engine.

[whoguy]

WOW... Learnt something new... Good cam lobes spin the push rod.... Just WOW!!!

[jessicaembers]

Flat tapped, solid lifter, with an oiling hole.
These are the finer things in life!

[TheHorsepowerMonster]

Some stock car racing classes require them. Some people restoring muscle cars like to stick to all-original parts. Plus, flat tappet lifters are cheaper than roller.

[N-T]

I just run certain diesel oils, on break in i still use an additive though. Been using delo in my engines, aswell as new holland tractor oil. New holland oil has a very high zinc content

[GregHuston]

Great Video!
Although @ 2:00 you're right they reformulated but it was actually for the better:
15W40 “NEW” SHELL ROTELLA T Diesel Oil conventional, zinc = 1454 ppm
15W40 “OLD” SHELL ROTELLA T Diesel Oil conventional, zinc = 1171 ppm

Although why cheap out on oil, when you're spending $1, 000s on a new engine.

[ThunderHead]

very informative video. when a lobe is wiped, all that cam material rains down through the engine and gets in the bearings pretty bad. im rebuilding a 350 for a guy who just did this on his newly rebuilt engine. cam and bearings were wasted.

[markschmitt]

I was pleased to see the cam being coated with spray graphite... I've used that for years. I did notice the lifters with the oil hole on the face... seems like a brilliant idea... too bad they're not available in a hydraulic version.

[chrismontreuil]

Only one way to break a flat tappet in for sure.
Run it first with weak valve springs. Change them out for the ones you want to run.
Pull each lifter out and check them to see if they are spinning and the wear pattern.
Button your motor back up. Also torque the head gaskets again.

[chriscraft]

omg im about to do this and im glad i watched this video THANKS

[wintonhudelson]

Small block chevys prior to '67 mid-year had a 2.0" rod journal. They had an oil "spit hole" on the part line between the rod body and the cap. These provided camshaft and cylinder wall lubrication. Later small blocks had a 2.1" rod journal and no spit holes. They oiled the camshaft and lower cylinder wall with oil edjected from between the big end of the rods from side clearance. We used to open the side clearance on engines the either idled excessively or operated at very low RPM. It worked well, but at high RPM, this could lead to oil flooding the cylinder walls and possibly higher oil consumption. Just an old school FYI.

[qxnexp]

This is good stuff. Makes me want to have a professional engine shop first-start and break-in my engine, considering I'd be too impatient or incompetent to do it myself.

[commanderofthenorth]

Just a small story, i use to have Polar Automotive in Alaska one of my customers bought a 78 L82 Corvette the car sat for 3-4 years so he put a new batter in and dumped gas down the carb it quit after a sort time, when i took it apart there was not one lobe left, remember if you buy something that sat crank it over plugs out and oil it up,

[bfgful]

When I was working with Yamaha Marine the workshop manual recommend us to apply drive shaft grease ( Molybdenum) on the all the lobes when performing new installation.

[jimmyjamsweetlove]

Great video. I believe that a lot of diy people are having issues with cam because of not following the proper they put it on video you can witness it first hand
I'll be doing cam and lifter on my 66 Pontiac 326 here soon!