Engine Building Tips - Roller or Flat Tappet Cam Pre-Lube and Break In

Engine Building Tips - Roller or Flat Tappet Cam Pre-Lube and Break In - 440 MOPAR 512 Stroker

Рет қаралды 13,737

7 ай бұрын

What does your cam choice mean to break in? There are many considerations when choosing a cam, and break in is a big one. Don't forget to follow the manufacturers recommendations on cam break in to ensure you don't wipe out the cam and you get years of great performance out of your engine

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@robertgilmore438 6 ай бұрын

As the owner of this build, I couldn’t have chosen a better builder to assemble it. Looking forward to firing it up, Pete!!!

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Thank you so much... I think I'm more excited than you...lol

@fillingstation7889 2 ай бұрын

Do the rockers have needle bearings ? If so, did you add restrictors in the heads to reduce the oil flow to the shafts ? The needle bearings allow way more oil flow through the rockers than a bushing type rocker. If not restricted, this can starve the 7&8 rod bearings of oil. A .060" restrictor works well, some people have gone smaller.

@sequoiaohz 2 ай бұрын

Very good video to understand the different of both, flat tappet and roller cam. I am started my FE 390 rebuilt over one year ago. I need some time to decide what I want to do.....then I spend more money and go roller cam. I wont go the risk with flat tappet. So I get some help from Brent Lykins. And I ordered some parts from him. He create the profile for the roller cam which fits tobthe rest of the car/engine. And I also go with roller rocker. And some days ago the big day was comming.....First start, after priming the oilpump. The engine starts after some turns and yesssss, he is running good, without noise, no leaks. Now the second drive lap is done to settle the piston rings. I am very happy. It was not cheap, also because I am in Germany. So the most parts I have to order in the USA plus shipping, plus taxes. So I think it was the best way im my case.

@PetesGarage 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing

@2015_Rubicnn 4 ай бұрын

When I built my 427 BBC back in 2000 with a comp cam flat tappet cam. I primed the engine on the engine stand using an HEI distributor with the gear teeth machined down. I Made sure all pushrods and rockers had oil coming out. Comp cams stated to take inner springs out, I said screw that. I used regular valvoline 30 weight oil to break it in. Cam many years later had a perfect pattern on the lobes.

@PetesGarage 4 ай бұрын

That's awesome, thank you

@HauntedBranch Ай бұрын

Yep My Brother rebuilt a sbc in 1982 and I Rebuilt a 402 and a 454 mid and late 80's And I can't remember the oil's WT but it was ether 10w40 or straight 30 W Valvoline And a Comp cam . At that time I never heard of Break in Oil .This is NOT a Recommendation on how to Break In a Cam ! Just how we did it back in the 1980's

@thunderstruck5484 6 ай бұрын

Thanks Pete for this and your other engine building tips videos, many future engine builders will have a wealth of knowledge thanks to you and your videos!

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Thanks my friend, that's my goal

@toddmillican1926 6 ай бұрын

I'm just starting a mopar, 400 to 512 stroker engine. I plan on going roller. Thank you for this. I am educating myself on what's necessary, i.e. bronze distributor gear, stronger timing cover, and thrust button. The latter two may be a good topic for a video.

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

You will do fine. I do have videos on both those topics in 2 different series on building 440's. Good luck on yours!

@garageforcerestos 2 ай бұрын

nice job Pete

@PetesGarage 2 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

@adambennett2176 6 ай бұрын

Happy Thanksgiving 😊 😃

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Same to you!

@gregmaggielipscomb9246 4 ай бұрын

Well said, thank you.

@PetesGarage 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@5798Mike 6 ай бұрын

Great info

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@johnkemple 6 ай бұрын

Can you discuss the roller rocker benefits in some future episode?

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Yes

@riclykins851 6 ай бұрын

Happy T-Day Pete! For clarification, i reverse the drill for oil priming on a Chevy small block? Thanks.

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Happy T-Day to you! No, I said to make sure you know which way it turns

@karlmoltzan6196 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info. What about using lighter springs on a high lift flat tappt cam for breakin?

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Yup, tried all that. Even the manufacturers won't commit to help

@arthurfricchione8119 6 ай бұрын

Hi Pete excellent informative video. I’ve watched a few machine shop videos and cams being ruined prematurely on Dyno or initial break in. Have you come across cam failure concerning Rockwell hardness on the cam or the lifter of flat tappet cams? You are using oil with zinc on break in do you used a zinc based oil as your primary oil after break in? My questions might be totally irrelevant if so tell me I’m no engine builder by any stretch of the imagination just a retired jet engine mechanic ( Navy ) I know you are ( Air Force ) but I’m interested in learning. Thank you for sharing knowledge . Artie. 👍🇺🇸

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

It is difficult to do the Rockwell test on all lobes since it is a destructive test. I always use a zinc oil for break-in and for every oil change after.

@arthurfricchione8119 6 ай бұрын

@@PetesGarage thanks Pete for the reply. 👍

@flinch622 6 ай бұрын

Dumb question, but anyone ever wonder how it is a roller cam can be ground with such precision & surface finish it doesn't need break in, but a flat tappet cam "does"? If anything, a flat tappet takes up [minor] angular slop, whereas a roller needs lifter bore centers dead nuts square to cam tunnel or... axles don't load evenly, things can spread, and little bearings get scattered about after a time when it finally gives way. Either way, anyone building consider this: as the block goes, so can the cam. Obviously, no break in oil on earth will fix bad taper or crown, but it can burnish things/change ra.. There is no doubt initial lubricant applied to any machine parts leaves a huge fingerprint where longevity is concerned - I like something in the moly family for flat tappet cam lobes on first startup. As for that first ten seconds, a thing the marine world knows well: prelube pump. Needs its own pickup [I like about one inch off bottom], a lockout relay [fuel pressure switch control works most engines], and a check valve so main pump output feeds as designed/doesn't suffer bypass back to sump. Pressure? Just enough to get oil to the top of the block is fine.

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

No, it has to do with the surface hardness. Marine applications always have redundancies, like aviation

@doublebackagain4311 Ай бұрын

Funny how the OEM's built flat-tappet engines for decades without all the break-in hoops to jump through. What changed?

@PetesGarage Ай бұрын

I don't know, but I've never had a flat tappet fail

@patton9696 Ай бұрын

@@PetesGaragedidn’t you say there’s a 50% failure rate?

@noberet 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tips Pete! Aren't all the Jeep 4.0 and 4.2 I6 engines flat tappet?

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

I'm not sure, that's a great question

@doublebackagain4311 Ай бұрын

Yes, they are.

@MachTuck 2 ай бұрын

Interesting information! I have a question for you, I have a marine 502, one day It would not rev up but to 2700 - 2800 RPM, there is compression, fuel pressure, power to the injectors, to the spark plugs, ECM checked good, dont know what else to think of. Now Im thinking about some bad lifters, could it be possible that one or more lifters went bad out of the blue? and the valve is not opening? I got #3 and # 2 cylinders dead. Thank you in advance

@PetesGarage 2 ай бұрын

Could be lifters or stuck valves

@MachTuck 2 ай бұрын

@@PetesGarage Thanks for the reply. When you say lifters (they are not worn out) could it be they are not getting charged with oil resulting in not opening the valve enough?

@umakemerandy3669 Ай бұрын

Flat tappet is quieter than roller? Hmm. Just broke in my Isky 570 lift on 1.5, break in oil and stopped 7 mins in to adjust lash. Cold lash estimate was wrong, started clacking when hot. Once lashed hot all good.

@PetesGarage 26 күн бұрын

Big blocks tend to be noisy no matter what

@jlawlar 6 ай бұрын

great job pete, whats the 440 for ?

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

'69 Roadrunner

@jlawlar 6 ай бұрын

nice@@PetesGarage

@karlx-1 6 ай бұрын

Smart man. A critical thinking man.

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Thanks my friend

@sequoiaohz 2 ай бұрын

How long I shoud run the SAE 30 Break in oil ?

@PetesGarage 2 ай бұрын

30 minutes

@karlsracing8422 4 ай бұрын

My flat tappet has been noisy for 6yrs.

@troymullin3684 6 ай бұрын

What about solid lifters with oil holes drill in the bottom?

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

I don't think that would work

@troymullin3684 6 ай бұрын

Google EDM Lifters. They've been around for a while. @@PetesGarage

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

Those are solid lifters for high RPM performance applications

@troymullin3684 6 ай бұрын

For peace of mind, I would only run EDM lifters in ALL my flat tappet motors. Everything I've read about them has been positive. @@PetesGarage

@arthurking6549 3 ай бұрын

@@troymullin3684 EDM hole puts more load on the lifter face- only an offset EDM may be useful.

@kevins5833 9 күн бұрын

Bottom line: Oil properties have changed over the years. YOU CAN'T RISK A FLAT TAPPET CAM FAILER! Play it safe and remove the risk factor and go full roller! It's just what you have to do now, face it!

@PetesGarage 4 күн бұрын

I agree, but it's up to the owner

@davidheal4623 6 ай бұрын

Sorry for my lack of understanding but isn't the oil pump connected to / driven by either the crankshaft or the cam? How can you spin the oil pump with a drill and not have it turn the crankshaft / cam??

@PetesGarage 6 ай бұрын

This engine has an intermediate shaft that goes between the crank and oil pump. The pump is not connected to anything without the drive gear, usually on the distributor or another shaft.

@4370mopar 6 ай бұрын

@@PetesGarage The intermediate shaft is between the camshaft and the oil pump

@rc846 3 ай бұрын

You don't Know, What you don't know, Until you have years/decades of experience, with anything mechanical. Thank god for KZfaq, Before that it was word of mouth & Information moved very slow...

@PetesGarage 3 ай бұрын

I had to learn the hard way...lol