Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

[Patrick N.]

Hi all, after a good 3 years, I am very close to completing the rolling chassis and was looking for advice on the process for shaking down the engine with the body off. I recall a similar thread a few months back but can't locate it if anyone has a link?

What are the do's and don'ts and good advice associated with running the motor this way? BTW engine, carbs, trans all rebuilt but not fired up yet. Any pit-falls to avoid?

Advice welcome-


thanks as always
Pat
68 427 400hp
88

[Alexander C.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

I could spew on and on but what I'll say now is the second the engine fires, watch the oil pressure gauge as you are bringing up the RPM to break in the cam/lifters!

[Jerry W.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=85449&uid=1300

[Ray K.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

" Prime " the oil pump manually before you fire it.

Ray

[Patrick N.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

thanks guys, great points! Thanks for the link Jerry, that is a good example and issue to double check.

I expect there will be a list of things that will need to be debugged, but hope to get a good start and validate that the engien is running good.

thanks again,
pat

[Clem Z.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

make sure you have oil in the transmission.

[Jerry B.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

I think it is a good idea to ground the coil and bring up the oil pressure before the first firing.

[Patrick N.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

Does the AIM have a reference for starting, tuning and verifying the engine is operating within specs?

[Joe R.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

I think it is a good idea to ground the coil and bring up the oil pressure before the first firing.

Jerry,

That's not such a good idea. Did you mean to say disconnect the coil to cap wire? That's a much better idea.

Joe

[Joe R.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

Hi all, after a good 3 years, I am very close to completing the rolling chassis and was looking for advice on the process for shaking down the engine with the body off. I recall a similar thread a few months back but can't locate it if anyone has a link?

What are the do's and don'ts and good advice associated with running the motor this way? BTW engine, carbs, trans all rebuilt but not fired up yet. Any pit-falls to avoid?

Advice welcome-


thanks as always
Pat
68 427 400hp
88

Pat,

Here's a link to a thread similar to yours:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=83918&referrerid=2667&uid=1346

Which car are we talking about here? I assume the 68. What cam are you using? I would recommend following the cam mfr.'s break-in procedure. I am planning to use CJ-4 oil plus a can of the GM Engine Oil Supplement for my break-in. I saw a thread about this a while back, I'll see if I can find it.

Edit: Here's the other thread I was thinking of:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=68453&referrerid=2667&uid=6935

Joe

[Chuck S.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

Tracy Crisler found this thread in a recent thread by Tom Hendricks.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=67287&highlight=engine+break&uid=7564

The topic was cam break in...some good info. Beyond cam break in, most of us know what's needed to run an engine if we think it through. I try to think through complicated processes thoroughly several times to avoid forgetting something, and use that to develop a written check list. Putting oil in the transmission to lube moving parts is a good point some of us could overlook.

I'm sure there's more more info in the archives on initial engine start, but mining it out with the search engine, which "matches each word", is another matter.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

Grounding the coil wire is normal as a part of tune up compression tests, etc. You ground the output side. Grounding the input is a direct short.'


I assume you have a good radiator set up stabilised with some sort of fabricated support structure??? fan & clutch on the engine?

Get a battery charger on your power source, and spin the motor, easier if you do this w/o plugs as there will be no compression load. What motor? Cold oil takes several minutes to get up to the top of a BB so its important to have used moly in the rebuild and pre lube the valve train. Get a $15 oil gauge and have that up on the motor, a lot easier with the remote start button. Spinning w/o plugs will tell you the system is ready to really fire up.

In this initial spin process have that 5 gallon can of fuel & hose into same so that fuel pump movement will have pulled fuel into the carb.

Make sure you have this on secure jack stands and the drive line in neutral. If on the ground, verify neutral, blocked for non movement.

Have your tune up box and timing light pre set up and connected.

Fire away - fun first start ups!

[Chuck S.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

Jerry,

That's not such a good idea. Did you mean to say disconnect the coil to cap wire? That's a much better idea.

Joe

A even better approach is to simply use a distributor shaft adapter and electric drill as suggested above to prime the pump and fill the galleries and bearings (i.e. build oil pressure) just prior to start. I'm not sure that preventing the engine from firing while cranking really lessens the concern about lack of lubrication during early cranking.

Assembly lube will probably prevent damage from "dry" cranking, but my preference would be to spend a few bucks for the adapter and know that the bearings will have a good oil film the instant cranking begins...one anxiety gone.

[Joe R.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

Grounding the coil wire is normal as a part of tune up compression tests, etc. You ground the output side. Grounding the input is a direct short.'

Ron,

I think you have your inputs and outputs reversed. It's not a good idea to ground an output, unless you are certain that it is short circuit protected.

Joe

[Joe R.]

Re: Advice for starting the engine for the 1st time?

A even better approach is to simply use a distributor shaft adapter and electric drill as suggested above to prime the pump and fill the galleries and bearings (i.e. build oil pressure) just prior to start. I'm not sure that preventing the engine from firing while cranking really lessens the concern about lack of lubrication during early cranking.

Assembly lube will probably prevent damage from "dry" cranking, but my preference would be to spend a few bucks for the adapter and know that the bearings will have a good oil film the instant cranking begins...one anxiety gone.

Chuck,

I was not trying to imply that the pre-lube with a distributor adapter step should be skipped. I was just saying that shorting the coil is not so good.

Joe