An interesting question is which API Service Rating oil has been in the engine
during the brief times it has been run since the long-ago rebuild. The oil
could have had the higher levels of ZDDP needed for the flat tappet engine
since Service Rating SM wasn't introduced until November 2004, and then it was
specified for 2005 and newer engines.
The PO could not have used oil with Service Rating SM (lower ZDDP) if Bert
acquired the car prior to November 2004.
The mystery is: which oil did Bert use a few years back? Service Rated SL (or
earlier) could be the only oil the engine has seen.
An interesting question is: if the PO ran the re-built engine, how long did he
run it?
Al Malin
Tricarb
On Nov 26, 2011, at 6:17 PM, Michael Oritt wrote:
> Bert--
> <snip/>
>
> If the engine was not run in properly--which I would define as 20-30
> minutes of continuous running at 2500 or so RPM's with oil containing high
> levels of ZDDP--there is not much you can do about it now, as whatever wear
> that took place to the tappets and cam surfaces is irreversible. So I
> would simply hope for the best and pretend you are starting out from
> scratch. If the cam/lifters go south they will do so in pretty short order
> and you'll see it in the tappet clearances and general flat performance.
>
> Run it in, drain the oil and change the filter and let us know how it goes.
>
> Best--Michael Oritt
>
>>
>> --------------------------------
>> Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>>
>> I got my 56 100 BN2 about 7 years ago and embarked on a full-on
>> restoration in
>> 2006. A restoration of this car was started in the late 80's by the
>> previous
>> owner but never finished. Bodywork was poorly done but the engine was
>> reportedly rebuild.
>> When I got the car I checked the engine and took off the head. I found new
>> pistons and just honing marks, so the engine had not run a lot. After
>> rebuilding the carbs and distributor and with help from a friend the engine
>> started on first try (we were in shock) and ran perfectly. We ran the
>> engine
>> a couple times for a couple minutes, fine tuning gaps, carbs and timing.
>> Too
>> bad I didn't have compression gauges or a leak down tester so I didn't get
>> a
>> reading. There was no oil pressure gauge in the car either.
>> Fast forward 6 years, I am close to finishing up the rolling chassis and I
>> have a few engine related questions. I am refurbishing a couple parts on
>> the
>> engine: new gaskets, a new timing chain, modern seal timing cover,... I
>> rebuild the water pump and I am installing a modern stainless flexible oil
>> delivery pipe.
>> How does the flexible oil pipe fittings seal with the block or pump
>> housing?
>> Just with the threads of the couplings? Do I need to use a sealant here?
>> Soon enough I hope, I will be running the engine. My current plan is to
>> drop
>> the engine/gearbox in the car, start the engine without plugs until I see
>> oil
>> pressure on the gauge, then let it run till it's warmed up and get
>> compression
>> readings and do a leak down test. Any recommendations regarding startup
>> procedure giving the fact that it might not have run in properly?
>> I am unsure what pistons and cam I have in the engine currently. The
>> pistons
>> have a shallow dish, I din't actually measure the dish and will only be
>> able
>> to do so if/when I take the head off again. I can take a photo of the
>> underside of the pistons before I put the oil sump back on. Would it be
>> possible to identify the pistons based on photos? If so I'll post them
>> online.
>>
>> Bert
>> _________
_______________________________________________
Healeys@autox.team.net
Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation $12.75
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
|