Curtis,
I think the recommendation given of 15-20 minutes at 1,500 to 2,000 rpm is
pretty standard. for breaking in a new motor. You may need to keep a hose
handy in case the temperature gets too high; just douse the radiator to
keep it cool. I'd also recommend you pre-oil the motor. Pull the
distributor and get a hex socket on the oil pump drive shaft. Turn it
counter-clockwise, the same direction the distributor turns, to pump oil
through the motor. I use a drill motor, with the direction reversed, to
turn the shaft. There's quite a bit of torque involved so hang on. Be sure
the hex drive shaft doesn't come loose when you pull out the socket though.
There's only a cheesy clip keeping it from pulling out, and sometimes it
can happen with disastrous results. I found that by packing some grease
around the hex shaft it stays centered after you pull the hex socket off,
which makes it much easier to get the distributor back in. If you have a
problem getting the distributor back in, usually, hitting the starter
briefly while pushing down on the distributor does the trick. And, if your
lucky, the rotor will even be pointing the right direction, but this
usually takes at least a couple of tries before you get it right.
Hope everything goes well. BTW, haven't all production motors like yours
already been run in?
TTFN,
Bob
At 09:29 PM 3/18/00 -0800, Curtis Fisher wrote:
>Newsgroup, I am about to start my Ford crate motor for the first time. It
>is a production motor that came down the same assembly line as 5.0 motors.
>I bought it as a long block and added induction, exhaust, ignition and
>accessories. When you first start a new motor, what is the recommended
>procedure? (not driving, just in the car) I've read Haynes, Chiltons and
>heard other advices. Should I run it 20 minutes on the first start to
>properly 'condition' parts like the cam and other? Folks at the Mustang
>Ranch tell me 15-20 minutes at 1,500-2,000 is the minimum or I'll
>improperly break in the cam, Speed Merchant said 20-30 minutes (at 2000).
>Haynes does not have any precautions other than monitoring for noises. Can
>you advise me and others about the correct method and rationale? Looking
>forward to your advice.
>Curtis in Santa Clara
>B9470844
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