I recently broke in the cam in my new 482 Stage 2. It has a T/A 304S camshaft. I removed the inner valve springs to do the break in and all seems to have went well. I have about 45 minutes of run time on the engine now but no street miles. Am I good to reinstall the inner springs now? Thanks, Ken
That's about the same break in time on my TA 294-04F solid cam, similar specs. No driving. I then installed inner springs and let it rip. All's well here! My dual valve spring setup: Seat Pressure (lbs) 130 at 1.780" Open Pressure (lbs) 343 at 1.160" Devon
I install the inner springs after a 30 minute break in period. Since you have 45 minutes of run time you should be good to go.
Thank you both for your responses. I was hoping that would be the answer. I should be getting my other valve covers back from the powder coaters next week and want to swap them on and take care of the springs/readjust valves at the same time. Ken
hey devon, how do you like this cam? street car? does it make enough vacuum for power brakes? stick or auto
Hi Charlie, I'm a deviant, heavy car and a lot of cam. It's like the TA 308S I had previously, not for the faint of heart. Vacuum for brakes is marginal unless you know how to drive it. Trans is a later TH400 I converted to manual shift and variable pitch. Probably the biggest help with streetability is the smaller variable pitch converter from a ST300 I modified for more stall with help from a fellow at what used to be Jim's Transmissions in Flint, MI (gosh, that was the mid '80's!) and manual selection means with slower street driving/little vacuum I can manually downshift quickly, which brings up rpm and with it, vacuum. Like I said, not for the faint of heart. Devon
Nope. Casual driving, cruising all's well. I get one and 1/2 good pedal assist with a hard stop. 40+ years of driving the car + understanding how higher rpm + closed throttle = lower intake manifold pressure (higher vacuum) helps. That plus having brake sys at top notch, knowing that if I put my foot down hard even without assist, she STOPS. Four wheel drums dialed in. Devon
Hi Ken, If it's a fresh engine (piston rings) your break in isn't done yet. Do the oil & filter change before driving. Driving should be spirited, wide open throttle ok, even high rpm! That's the best I've heard it said. For the sake of the piston rings, once up to temp, pick 2nd gear (maybe 3rd if a 4 speed?). Mid throttle higher rpm and then off throttle decel off and on is the way to go. Not going fast, just putting some pressure on the rings from the top, and decelerating, letting the engine do the braking while splashing some oil up there. More on this: https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/engine-break-in-prep-and-video.214906/ Devon
I would put the inner springs back in before you take it on the street to continue breaking in the rings. Then follow the procedure Devon has mentioned.
Thanks Devon. I'll have to wait a while before I can take it out, the weather has not been cooperating around here. Yes, it is a completely new build top to bottom. 482, Molnar rods, 304S cam, 10.6 to 1 compression, Stage 2 heads, roller rockers, SRE oil pan, SPX intake and 950cfm carb. I plan to do everything above that you mentioned as soon as time and weather allow. Ken
Ken, Looking forward to your progress. Yes, both valve springs should be in before the drive. I appreciate being anxious, was the same for me. Weather here near Detroit is finally freezing, and first lasting snow! My '18 Taurus SHO loves the cold, I do not. Devon
There's a difference between "cam/lifter break-in" and "seating the rings". The springs get put in before any "high RPM" use beyond the ~2000 rpm camshaft/lifter break-in. Seating the rings is best done at high load, low-to-moderate RPM. Anything beyond torque peak is wasted. Depending on the engine specs, even torque-peak rpm may not be needed. Heavy load, (open throttle) high gear to maximum legal highway speed, followed by closed-throttle coasting to produce high vacuum. Repeat until it stops being fun--5 load cycles is probably enough, so I do 10+. I install a bypass oil filter on a fresh engine--which may or may not become a permanent installation. I might change the OEM full-flow oil filter and top-off the oil at ~20 minutes especially if I used heavy, Moly-based paste assembly lube on the cam lobes. Moly-based paste can plug an oil filter in 20 minutes. Having paid for expensive "break-in" oil of whatever brand/grade/kind is your preference, I can't see dumping it before the engine is thoroughly broken-in. I rely on the bypass filter to keep the oil clean despite normal break-in wear.
When I did my cam did the usual break in then changed the filter and I drove mine on the street for about 50 miles keeping rpm under 3000-4000 rpm. After that I changed the oil and put the inner spring back in. I bought a Solid cam so I had to readjust the valves at this time. All is good now and runs like a freight train, just ask Demko
