Cam Break-In

[mrzods13]

I have the new cam installed along with springs and lifters, everything is lubed up really good with the comp cams break in lube. My question is I bought a quart of comp cams break in oil. Do I only add the one quart to the oil already in the car. Want to make sure I take the right steps before starting it up for 30 minutes.

 

[commando1]

They make both. An oil and an oil ADDITVE. Which do you have?

If you have the qt. you have the oil. You need four more otherwise you're just diluting it making it's additional claims negligable.

 

[mrzods13]

I have both the qt and the additive bottle

 

[commando1]

So what are you going to do.

 

[mrzods13]

I don't know I am asking advice on what use the break in oil or additive

 

[moper]

What cam do you have in it?
Break in oil means you need the full amount of it - 5 or 6qts. Additive means you add it to standard oil and it does it's job. The break in oil is the way to go but you need enough for two oil changes. The break in amount, then that gets dropped and filter changed after the break in, then another amount and fresh filter to run for the first 100 miles.

 

[mrzods13]

The comp cams 268H XE

 

[mrzods13]

There are two products that I bought Comp cams 1590 and 159 one's the oil and one is the additive, both say great for breaking in the new cam. What is the best way I know everyone says one way is better than the other but I really don't want to mess it up. Could I use just 10w 30 oil from the store and put the one bottle of 159 Additive in or just get 5 or however many quarts of the 1590 the break in OIL and use that.

 

[68plymouth383]

Use the 5 full quarts of break in oil!! I wouldn't risk running a cam flat to run regular oil with the break-in additive. When my builder finished my 440 he gave me 6 quarts of comp 10w/30 break in oil no charge. He already finished billing me and did it as a favor. If you insist on running regular oil, and the additive use the Valvoline vr1 oil it has very high zinc levels.

 

[65sporty]

Use the break in oil. After the engine is broke in you should still use a oil high in zinc or run a additive.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Do not use store bought regular oil. You need 1200 ppm zinc (zddp), it builds up on surfaces during normal running with lots of oil flying around (highway cruising rpm) like a protection layer, so that when times when not as much oil flying around (idle) there won't be metal to metal contact. The problem with new cam and lifters has a couple of reasons one cam and lifters are new, no layer of zddp built up on new cam also lifter must rotate as it moves over the lobe no spin cam will wipe. Last part of the puzzle is oil formulation, the zinc level is lower in current "regular oil", one to help catalytic converter to last longer and it is not needed in new cars, cams are all rollers now, two is the detergent formula changed to one that will break down and absorb the zinc so mixing oils or additives is not a good solution. With that being said yes lots of people are getting away with common oil in a old 2 bbl 318/383 with a gazillion miles, weak valve springs, and a long time with high zinc oil, I would not do it but that's me. Your valve springs are a lot higher pressure than the originals, I have had good results with vavoline vr1 and brad penn "green oil" and Mobil 1 15w50 but it is a synthetic so okay after break in.

 

[moper]

The 268 doesn't have terribly aggressive lobes. I think you'd be fine with a 15-40 fleet oil and the bottle of additive. You'd definately be good with 5 qts of break in oil.

 

[rexus31]

I used the VR1 oil for break in and now run standard 10w30 with a bottle of ZDDP.